My throat is scratchy
and my voice is too
my head is aching
and I feel so blue
I could take off sick
but this ain’t no flu
and making a sub plan
is so dang hard to do
got the sick teacher blues
I know that tomorrow
is a day down the drain
whether I go in sick
or I choose to remain
this sick teacher dilemma
gonna drive me insane
got the sick teacher blues
C created this doghouse on my computer this afternoon. He’s the first student to try the program at all, and it’s a great start! Can’t wait to get this set up on the ipads.
Translation: My packet fell in pickle juice. I could read my multiple choice but not my open response. WHAT?!
I came this close to eating a ladybug just now, thinking it was a stray candy. I noticed just in time to avoid putting it in my mouth. Misery averted! Those things taste terrible.
Lately, whenever I think the word nerd, I hear it in J’s voice. J is a student I taught last year, and at least once a week he comes up to me while I’m reading on lunch duty and comments, “You still reading that book? Reading’s for nerds.” or “What did I tell you about reading?” He’s one of those kids who doesn’t realize he’s going to be smart for the rest of his life and had better get used to it.
I finished A Thousand Splendid Suns today. I’m surprised I didn’t have nightmares last night. It was beautifully written and tragic and hopeful and gut-wrenching and it made me angry at everything and then it made me understand, which made it worse. I didn’t tell C about this one. C is the student I’m closest with: we spend a class period one-on-one each day, usually on geometry, but sometimes on life. I’ve been reading a lot of Alaska memoirs, and he loves to hear about the danger of ice and cold, hunting for moose, and building log cabins. He’s not a big reader, but he’s a great thinker, and I value his perspective. Usually I like to chat about my books with him, but I couldn’t even start that conversation today.
I’m bringing The Great Gatsby to school tomorrow for a student. He came by after school to ask for it, and I had the good sense to marker it onto my arm. He laughed at me, but I know how scattered I can be after school. Another student has my paperback copy of A Game of Thrones and has been spinning theories about Jon Snow’s real parents to me between classes. Sometimes, I really love my job.
Speaking of nerds, check out the photo below: just a typical Sunday night at the homestead. Alyssa came over last night and did work with us. She’s up on the futon, snuggled among her papers with the kitties. Sean’s computer is on the dining room table, and I made a little office nest for myself on the floor. Work work work foreeeever.
My fourth period Algebra today was incredible: They were having these discussions where I could cold-call on anyone to “agree/disagree and why” and they would run with it. They were doing gymnastic contortions to look like they were still sitting in their desks when they were actually jumping up to raise their hands as high as possible. It was awesome. They earned a record 8 class points, and they can really get their FOIL on.
Fifth period was an unmitigated disaster. I wasn’t well-prepared and I have a table-group that thinks they’re all that. I needed their patience, and they weren’t feeling it. It became a spitting contest, and nobody wins a spitting contest. Everyone just gets spit on.
Mood swings are a way of life at school. I went into my lunch break blue from fifth period and came out juggling oranges. I went in to my 7th period optimistic and came out pensive. Teaching is unpredictable and it takes all of my energy to maintain my equilibrium.
Positive Dailies:
“I just wanted to touch base with you, T was excited about some new math that yall are doing. She came home saying she understood it. She worked with her brother on math last night. I love to see her excited about learning something new.”
Yesterday’s Jokes:
Why don’t you play cards in the jungle?
It’s full of cheetahs!
A lion and a cheetah were having a race.
The lion says to the cheetah “I don’t wanna race you, you’re a cheetah”
The cheetah says to the lion “You lion!”
chasing piggens 