Much better today. Believe it or not, it seems like kids don't like to see their names on the board. Several people ARE absent, but we're doing pretty good. I somehow came to the realization this weekend that just because I have a lesson plan doesn't mean I have to finish every single little thing that I have planned. That has made today a lot easier. I got through the bellwork with 7th grade today, and that's it. We had to enter the classroom 3 times before they did it right. We also handed out the bellwork handout twice because they thought it was their time to talk.
Sister Nancy is currently speaking to my 7th graders during their extension class. She's talking about goals and organization. I thought that being 6'5", 220 lbs and wearing a beard would be sufficient to scare my students into being respectful. If that's true, then I have no idea what the kids would be like if I were much smaller and baby-faced. However, whatever presence I bring to the classroom is nothing to what my 5'0" 82-year-old nun principal brings. She brings the hard vibe. They are all ridiculously attentive when she's talking. I guess I just need to go into a convent and age a few decades...
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
End of Week 2
So...this week was clearly not as awesome as my first week. My 7th graders (my homeroom, so the class I see ALL THE TIME) cause me endless headaches. However, I'm trying a few new things with them. Straight-up hardcore consequences don't seem to be working. I was told that giving students responsibilities in my classroom is a good idea. I've done that with one of my students, and I've got a few ideas for some others. There are other students who have already taken it upon themselves to do certain jobs. One of my girls handles giving everyone Germ-X on the way to and from lunch. Another two girls handle wiping the tables down in the cafeteria when we leave. I am having one guy (as of yesterday) who is trying to keep his friends from picking on one of the students. Other jobs will include writing homework assignments on the HW work board and writing homeworks in my copy of the student planner for kids who were absent. I haven't quite decided what other jobs to have them do...
Speaking of absent kids...they are the bane of my existence. They never come ask me for the assignments, and I don't ever have time or the memory to give them everything they missed. Also, kids who just don't turn in HW also tick me off. I'm technically supposed to help them try to get it in, but the last thing I want to do is continually remind them to get it in. The other teachers hold their kids during PE to do their assignments. I wish I could do that - but I can't since I coach PE.
Fun times in Mobile this weekend. We had about 10 people spend the night last night. About 50 will be here tonight. We're having the annual Mobile "Back to School" party. It's basically the party that kicks off Gulf Coast ACE parties for the rest of the year. I smoked 2 briskets last night (Thurs night), and chopped them up yesterday. They taste awesome...I was really worried about it, but they turned out really good. In honor of (Castroville) Clary family tradition, we are going to have our guests who want to make brisket tacos and wrap them in foil to stick under their hoods on the drive home in case they get hungry on the way.
That's it for now...going to try to get some grading done before everyone wakes up.
Speaking of absent kids...they are the bane of my existence. They never come ask me for the assignments, and I don't ever have time or the memory to give them everything they missed. Also, kids who just don't turn in HW also tick me off. I'm technically supposed to help them try to get it in, but the last thing I want to do is continually remind them to get it in. The other teachers hold their kids during PE to do their assignments. I wish I could do that - but I can't since I coach PE.
Fun times in Mobile this weekend. We had about 10 people spend the night last night. About 50 will be here tonight. We're having the annual Mobile "Back to School" party. It's basically the party that kicks off Gulf Coast ACE parties for the rest of the year. I smoked 2 briskets last night (Thurs night), and chopped them up yesterday. They taste awesome...I was really worried about it, but they turned out really good. In honor of (Castroville) Clary family tradition, we are going to have our guests who want to make brisket tacos and wrap them in foil to stick under their hoods on the drive home in case they get hungry on the way.
That's it for now...going to try to get some grading done before everyone wakes up.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Beginning of the Week
My 7th graders have been uncontrollable so far this week. An assistant principal yelled at them at the end of the day Monday. I didn't really like that he just walked in and started yelling. They were lectured by the 5th grade teacher yesterday, and yelled at again yesterday after PE by the same asst. principal. By this time, I was absolutely seething. I had had a 45-minute discussion with them earlier in the day about why my expectations are what they are, that I wouldn't waste all my time and energy trying to get them "act straight" if I thought they were incapable of it. They seemed to respond, but the afternoon was awful. So, when they came in from PE (after being yelled at to line up), I ripped into them as well. I basically told them that I had had it and that now would be a perfect time to sit quietly for the rest of the day. They were absolutely silent and still for 15 minutes. This morning, I took no nonsense, and have my disciplinary consequences listed on the board. I don't know if they took me seriously and were quiet or if they were still asleep and were quiet for that reason. I guess I'll see at lunchtime.
So, I've basically been in a terrible mood for the past two days. I have always been really good at projecting a good front, even when I'm upset. I don't know if I'm too tired to keep that up, or if I've really been so upset at the end of the day that I just can't cover it up. It was my turn to cook dinner last night. Chicken Sopa - basically tortilla casserole with chicken. It seemed to go over pretty well. We tried canned chicken, which I found to be a bit dry, but it may have been the cans. We've had them on the shelf for a while.
Today after school, I'm going to run to Taco Bell (for the first time since I've been here), and am going to return to school to make phone calls home to all my 7th grade boys who have been a thorn in my side. Nothing but positives this week. We'll move into negatives next week as needed.
So, I've basically been in a terrible mood for the past two days. I have always been really good at projecting a good front, even when I'm upset. I don't know if I'm too tired to keep that up, or if I've really been so upset at the end of the day that I just can't cover it up. It was my turn to cook dinner last night. Chicken Sopa - basically tortilla casserole with chicken. It seemed to go over pretty well. We tried canned chicken, which I found to be a bit dry, but it may have been the cans. We've had them on the shelf for a while.
Today after school, I'm going to run to Taco Bell (for the first time since I've been here), and am going to return to school to make phone calls home to all my 7th grade boys who have been a thorn in my side. Nothing but positives this week. We'll move into negatives next week as needed.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Last Friday
Last Friday was a lot of fun. My classroom was miserable because I found the thermostat on 60 degrees on Thursday night when I left. In order to make up the energy that we had wasted, we held class all day Friday at 80 degrees. I was fully prepared to deal with sweating all day, but I was unprepared for the smell that hit me like a truck about two class periods into the day. The stench of BO added an unexpected element of deterrence to anyone who wants to mess with my thermostat again.
Other funny stories from Friday include my giving up teaching my 8th graders. After stopping about 5 times in two minutes (they took my restarting each time as an invitation to start their conversations back up), I dropped my yardstick (my "enforcer" prop that I wield daily) and sat back down at my desk. The class got immediately silent, they all started looking at me, and after about 15 seconds started saying, "OK, Mr. Clary, we'll be quiet. Come back and start teaching again." I didn't really know what to do, so I stayed at my seat staring at the board. Then one of my students got up, stood behind my podium, looked at my lesson plan, and started running class. It was actually pretty good. They stayed quiet and did their work. At one point, a girl had a question about the worksheet, and turned to ask me. I shook my head and pointed at the new "teacher," so she addressed him with "Mr. _____." It was pretty funny. He handled the question well.
Also, my 6th graders told me that I can be boring sometimes, so I had three of them up to teach on Friday as well. They actually did a pretty good job. One kid even looked down at my roster and called on a random student that did not have his hand up. His teaching stopped then because I was laughing too hard to let him continue.
Finally, PE was rained out at the end of the day, so I had my 7th graders inside with me. They were completely rambunctious, and I couldn't get them to do what I wanted, so I asked for someone to come teach the class. Luckily, the student I wanted to teach volunteered. I sat at his desk and let him get a sentence into whatever it was that he was saying. Then I turned around and started talking to the student behind me. He came and quieted me. When he left, I started digging through his pencil pouch and messed with his eraser tops. Then I threw a pencil at another student (he was looking, and I aimed at his legs). One kid in the class was literally rolling on the ground laughing. Everyone got the point (it didn't really stick though).
So, Friday was awesome...then this weekend was great too. I did all my grading on Saturday at Barnes and Noble. Saturday I also explored Mobile's Cathedral and went to a seafood place out on the water. It was awesome. Sunday I went to the beach in Pensacola before planning. Then, yesterday, I had a very rude awakening. More on that later...apparently, I was so grumpy when I got home that it merited the rest of my community making a poster for my wall with encouraging messages. It was really funny, but I felt bad that I had been so noticeably affected. This morning's class (7th grade) went well - especially in light of the fact that it was that class that caused most of my stress yesterday. More on Monday later...
Other funny stories from Friday include my giving up teaching my 8th graders. After stopping about 5 times in two minutes (they took my restarting each time as an invitation to start their conversations back up), I dropped my yardstick (my "enforcer" prop that I wield daily) and sat back down at my desk. The class got immediately silent, they all started looking at me, and after about 15 seconds started saying, "OK, Mr. Clary, we'll be quiet. Come back and start teaching again." I didn't really know what to do, so I stayed at my seat staring at the board. Then one of my students got up, stood behind my podium, looked at my lesson plan, and started running class. It was actually pretty good. They stayed quiet and did their work. At one point, a girl had a question about the worksheet, and turned to ask me. I shook my head and pointed at the new "teacher," so she addressed him with "Mr. _____." It was pretty funny. He handled the question well.
Also, my 6th graders told me that I can be boring sometimes, so I had three of them up to teach on Friday as well. They actually did a pretty good job. One kid even looked down at my roster and called on a random student that did not have his hand up. His teaching stopped then because I was laughing too hard to let him continue.
Finally, PE was rained out at the end of the day, so I had my 7th graders inside with me. They were completely rambunctious, and I couldn't get them to do what I wanted, so I asked for someone to come teach the class. Luckily, the student I wanted to teach volunteered. I sat at his desk and let him get a sentence into whatever it was that he was saying. Then I turned around and started talking to the student behind me. He came and quieted me. When he left, I started digging through his pencil pouch and messed with his eraser tops. Then I threw a pencil at another student (he was looking, and I aimed at his legs). One kid in the class was literally rolling on the ground laughing. Everyone got the point (it didn't really stick though).
So, Friday was awesome...then this weekend was great too. I did all my grading on Saturday at Barnes and Noble. Saturday I also explored Mobile's Cathedral and went to a seafood place out on the water. It was awesome. Sunday I went to the beach in Pensacola before planning. Then, yesterday, I had a very rude awakening. More on that later...apparently, I was so grumpy when I got home that it merited the rest of my community making a poster for my wall with encouraging messages. It was really funny, but I felt bad that I had been so noticeably affected. This morning's class (7th grade) went well - especially in light of the fact that it was that class that caused most of my stress yesterday. More on Monday later...
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
It never ends. I can't wait for the weekend. I need to get myself organized again. I realized Monday that I don't have anywhere to keep my extra copies, lesson plans, and other records. So I got some binders. How in the world am I supposed to find time to organize binders with planning, benchmark grading, classroom set-up, and a zillion other things to do just to make the class happen? So, that's my plan for the weekend.
My 8th graders get some humor. I'm not completely sure if it's appropriate to be using it yet, but once or twice per day I just can't pass up the opportunity. They constantly try to get me to engage with them, and I usually do (not in the way they want). One of the ringleaders called out an answer yesterday, and I raised my hand and asked the question again. He then shouted, "Man, but I knew the answer!" I looked at him and said (I don't know where this came from): "So did I, but I restrained myself from yelling it out." Everyone got a good laugh out of it, and he did a little double-take. Today, it was storming just before noon. We had been having thunder for a while, and for some reason the kids didn't notice it until the fourth or fifth thuderclap. When they noticed, a student on the opposite side of the room from me leaned from his chair to look through the blinds. I stopped and said, "Really? Thunder is more interesting than my lesson?"
The 8th graders were talked to this afternoon during my class by an assistant principal. They had been being disrespectful towards some teachers, and so she wanted to address our expectations, and what the goal of those expectations is. It was a good discussion. Then she left. I modified my bellwork. Instead of brainstorming maps (boring!!), we brainstormed community. They came up for a chalk-talk (they walk to the board and write a response that they came up with during the bellwork), and some of their answers are: "watch out for each other" "help people by encouraging them to do better" "a place where people come together" "a group of people working together to make something better." I was really impressed with their responses.
That's about it for now. I need to figure out what we're doing tomorrow for the 50 minutes of PE I took away from my homeroom (the PE period is only 45 minutes long)...
My 8th graders get some humor. I'm not completely sure if it's appropriate to be using it yet, but once or twice per day I just can't pass up the opportunity. They constantly try to get me to engage with them, and I usually do (not in the way they want). One of the ringleaders called out an answer yesterday, and I raised my hand and asked the question again. He then shouted, "Man, but I knew the answer!" I looked at him and said (I don't know where this came from): "So did I, but I restrained myself from yelling it out." Everyone got a good laugh out of it, and he did a little double-take. Today, it was storming just before noon. We had been having thunder for a while, and for some reason the kids didn't notice it until the fourth or fifth thuderclap. When they noticed, a student on the opposite side of the room from me leaned from his chair to look through the blinds. I stopped and said, "Really? Thunder is more interesting than my lesson?"
The 8th graders were talked to this afternoon during my class by an assistant principal. They had been being disrespectful towards some teachers, and so she wanted to address our expectations, and what the goal of those expectations is. It was a good discussion. Then she left. I modified my bellwork. Instead of brainstorming maps (boring!!), we brainstormed community. They came up for a chalk-talk (they walk to the board and write a response that they came up with during the bellwork), and some of their answers are: "watch out for each other" "help people by encouraging them to do better" "a place where people come together" "a group of people working together to make something better." I was really impressed with their responses.
That's about it for now. I need to figure out what we're doing tomorrow for the 50 minutes of PE I took away from my homeroom (the PE period is only 45 minutes long)...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
First Wrench
So...I had an action-packed two periods of class planned today. I was expecting not to finish anyway. The one thing that we HAVE to do today is take a benchmark test (which I made last night). So, as we were lining up on the back steps to welcome our homeroom classes, I was going through my head how in the world I was going to get everyone organized in the 20 minutes I had for homeroom. (Social Studies class starts at 8.) I was startled out of my reverie by the assistant principal/math and religion teacher. He asked if I had heard about the assembly at 8:05. Uh, no!
"How long should it take?"
"Oh, probably until about eight...uh...the whole class."
If there hadn't been 90 middle school kids within earshot, you can insert your own expletive for what I would have said - I was thinking most of them.
So, I got my class organized (kind of) and in the cafeteria at 8:10. I was late, yes, and worried about being the last one. Imagine my amusement/annoyance/outright anger when the teacher that had originally informed me of the assembly strolled in with his 8th graders at a few ticks before 8:20. Wow. And he KNEW about the thing!!!
Side note: Sister Nancy gave a great talk, and I hope the kids absorbed some of it. I'm going to come back to it tomorrow (I would like to come back to it this afternoon, but I'll be busy making up the time).
This afternoon should be interesting...we knocked out about 5 minutes out of the 90 this morning with that class.
"How long should it take?"
"Oh, probably until about eight...uh...the whole class."
If there hadn't been 90 middle school kids within earshot, you can insert your own expletive for what I would have said - I was thinking most of them.
So, I got my class organized (kind of) and in the cafeteria at 8:10. I was late, yes, and worried about being the last one. Imagine my amusement/annoyance/outright anger when the teacher that had originally informed me of the assembly strolled in with his 8th graders at a few ticks before 8:20. Wow. And he KNEW about the thing!!!
Side note: Sister Nancy gave a great talk, and I hope the kids absorbed some of it. I'm going to come back to it tomorrow (I would like to come back to it this afternoon, but I'll be busy making up the time).
This afternoon should be interesting...we knocked out about 5 minutes out of the 90 this morning with that class.
Monday, August 17, 2009
First Class Down, Two To Go
My 7th grade homeroom is going to hate me. Sister Nancy is going to love me. The reason? My 7th graders practiced how to line up outside and enter my room silently at the beginning of the day three times. The first time, they were loud, and I think they all realized they had talked. So we went back outside, and I gave the same welcome shpeel and welcomed them in again. When I walked into the classroom, I swear I heard talking. It ended right when they saw me come in. I asked who heard any talking that time. I was a little taken aback when not a single hand was raised. I made them go back out and practice again anyway. I think they were a little annoyed with me, but when I asked them to quietly put their backpacks in the closet, I didn't hear a sound.
I actually planned my first class relatively well (as far as timing). I rushed the last few things, but actually got to everything. The English teacher said she didn't. I've doctored the lesson plan a bit for my other two classes (my homeroom was in for 75 mins today, the others are only 55). Hopefully these run kind of smoothly too.
For introductions today, I asked what their favorite subject in school is. I'd say that about 80% of them said math. Approximately 0% said social studies. Oh well, my bigger worry than that right now is that I have no idea how I'm going to remember all these names. I guess it'll come eventually...
I actually planned my first class relatively well (as far as timing). I rushed the last few things, but actually got to everything. The English teacher said she didn't. I've doctored the lesson plan a bit for my other two classes (my homeroom was in for 75 mins today, the others are only 55). Hopefully these run kind of smoothly too.
For introductions today, I asked what their favorite subject in school is. I'd say that about 80% of them said math. Approximately 0% said social studies. Oh well, my bigger worry than that right now is that I have no idea how I'm going to remember all these names. I guess it'll come eventually...
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Open House? Check. Lesson Plans for Day 1? Uh...
Well, my countdown is now at 10 hours and change. I figure I need to make some lesson plans, figure out what I'm going to do with kids in front of me, etc.
The first week (probably two) won't be content. It'll be a lot of procedures, just practicing how to do things in Mr. Clary's classroom, get used to being back at school, figuring out that when I say be quiet, I'm serious, etc. Then I want to move into some map practice, some timeline practice, and some original document practice separate and apart from history. Then, probably halfway through next week, we'll ease into some new content and be on our merry way.
Open house tonight was a lot of fun. I met some parents and some kids. I won't remember any of their names, but a lot of the parents said, "Now, you just let me know if he (or she) causes you any trouble. Just let me know, and I'll take care of it for you." So that was nice to hear. I'm definitely even more excited now than I was. I really do feel like I'm in an awesome place. Despite the disappointment I initially felt about middle school, I'm pumped to start the year. Hopefully that lasts!!!
The first week (probably two) won't be content. It'll be a lot of procedures, just practicing how to do things in Mr. Clary's classroom, get used to being back at school, figuring out that when I say be quiet, I'm serious, etc. Then I want to move into some map practice, some timeline practice, and some original document practice separate and apart from history. Then, probably halfway through next week, we'll ease into some new content and be on our merry way.
Open house tonight was a lot of fun. I met some parents and some kids. I won't remember any of their names, but a lot of the parents said, "Now, you just let me know if he (or she) causes you any trouble. Just let me know, and I'll take care of it for you." So that was nice to hear. I'm definitely even more excited now than I was. I really do feel like I'm in an awesome place. Despite the disappointment I initially felt about middle school, I'm pumped to start the year. Hopefully that lasts!!!
Friday, August 14, 2009
My Room at the Convent
Three pictures should be plenty for you to look at for now...
Here's a teaser of my room. I spent several hours last night organizing it, doing some laundry, and sorting through stacks of papers. So, Mama, I promise it's cleaner than it looks in this photo...
Here's a teaser of my room. I spent several hours last night organizing it, doing some laundry, and sorting through stacks of papers. So, Mama, I promise it's cleaner than it looks in this photo...
PICTURES!!!!!!!!
Photos of the Convent and classroom will be in each new post. My camera takes pictures too big to put more than one in a post, so it may take a while for you to see everything. (I guess it's just a way to keep you coming back!!)
This is my classroom. It's taken from a front corner. You can see my desk on the back left, the door in the back right, and homemade posters along the top of the chalkboard. (The homemade posters are the ones on colored posterboard.)
This is my classroom. It's taken from a front corner. You can see my desk on the back left, the door in the back right, and homemade posters along the top of the chalkboard. (The homemade posters are the ones on colored posterboard.)
Thursday, August 13, 2009
4 days and change?!?
The past couple of days have continued my quest to organize and set up my room. As of this minute, I have pulled everything out of my supply closet, sorted it all out, organized some of it, found a home for some of it, and left the rest on my students' desks. I have a map of the world up, a map of the US, and today I purchased an Alabama state flag to go along with the American flag already hanging on one side of the doorway. Maybe it's just a remnant of the ridiculous amount of state pride that Texans have, but I felt that a state flag was a must.
I also uncovered my desk today. Things had been piling up at a constant (and rapid) rate, so it's nice to see the actual desk now. I finished making some posters tonight. I have posters with words like courage, responsibility, loyalty, work, compassion, and one more that I can't think of right now. The posters have a neat picture and a quote from history or literature. I made posters with a line from Scripture on each of them to go along with each of those posters. A housemate also unearthed some really cool regional posters tonight. I'll use them for my units on each of the regions that I now have maps for. One of the ones he gave me is a map of the globe that is basically a picture taken from space. You can see all the clusters of lights that stay lit up all night long. It is interesting to contrast North and South Korea, NYC with basically the rest of the world, and many other regions as well.
Tomorrow I am presenting the gifts at an all Catholic school faculty mass that the Archbishop is presiding. He is pretty nitpicky about attire and professionalism, so I figured it was finally time to try to get my facial hair under control. I am aiming to keep a steady level of scruffiness this year, so I ran out to Wal-Mart (got lost going there AND coming back) for a beard trimmer. Unfortunately, it has to charge for upwards of 12 hours before you can use it "for best results." Hopefully I can use it in the morning!!
I also uncovered my desk today. Things had been piling up at a constant (and rapid) rate, so it's nice to see the actual desk now. I finished making some posters tonight. I have posters with words like courage, responsibility, loyalty, work, compassion, and one more that I can't think of right now. The posters have a neat picture and a quote from history or literature. I made posters with a line from Scripture on each of them to go along with each of those posters. A housemate also unearthed some really cool regional posters tonight. I'll use them for my units on each of the regions that I now have maps for. One of the ones he gave me is a map of the globe that is basically a picture taken from space. You can see all the clusters of lights that stay lit up all night long. It is interesting to contrast North and South Korea, NYC with basically the rest of the world, and many other regions as well.
Tomorrow I am presenting the gifts at an all Catholic school faculty mass that the Archbishop is presiding. He is pretty nitpicky about attire and professionalism, so I figured it was finally time to try to get my facial hair under control. I am aiming to keep a steady level of scruffiness this year, so I ran out to Wal-Mart (got lost going there AND coming back) for a beard trimmer. Unfortunately, it has to charge for upwards of 12 hours before you can use it "for best results." Hopefully I can use it in the morning!!
Monday, August 10, 2009
1st Day of Inservice
The countdown has finally dropped below one week. AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Today, I set my desks up. Now all I have to do are the posters and signs for the walls. I am meeting with my assistant principals and fellow middle school teachers tomorrow to come up with standardized rules, procedures, and consequences. The math/science teacher is also new to Heart of Mary this year (in her 2nd year of teaching though), so the assistant principals are inserting themselves into our meeting to try to keep the English teacher from running away with us and having us all singing out of her hymnal.
I got my class schedule today:
7:40 Homeroom (7th grade - 12 boys, 16 girls)
8:00 Social Studies (7th)
8:45 Planning Period
9:30 Social Studies (6th)
10:15 Social Studies (8th)
11:00 Extension Classes (7th)
11:45 Lunch (7th)
12:30 Extension Classes (6th)
1:15 Extension Classes (8th)
2:00 Physical Education (7th and 8th boys)
2:45 Homeroom (7th)
3:00 Dismissal
I will only be in charge of the Intervention Extension Class, which will meet Mondays and Fridays, but for the first several weeks, the Counselor, computer teacher, and librarian will not be taking the students (for the classes on Tues, Wed, and Thurs), so I will have them all in my room for the first few weeks.
My extracurricular activities are: National Junior Honor Society, Basketball Coach, and Student Council (got hit with that one today). Additionally, Sr Nancy took me out to meet our football coach this afternoon, and after shaking his hand, he said, "Now, Sister Nancy tells me you may be interested in helping coach football." I said I wasn't sure how much use I'd be for football, but agreed to help run the homework time from 3-4 before practice three days per week (inside = air conditioning!!). Chalk that up as my first time to say "No."
The football coach had a few students with him when I met him. A few minutes after he walked away, one of the boys came up to me, looked me right in the eyes, stuck out his hand, and introduced himself. I was very impressed. Assertively meeting someone like that is something that is not the easiest thing to get down. His task may have been made easier by the fact that I was wearing a green Fisher Hall t-shirt from our dance this past year. Across the front of my chest in huge block white letters is "FUNK." so maybe that made it easier for him.
Tomorrow I plan to get a final list of what hand-made posters I need, plan out what's going up where, and run by the teacher supply store to get materials for my posters. Hopefully by the end of the day Wednesday I can have all the posters up on the walls and start focusing in on organizing my supplies, my desk, and my thoughts for the first week or so in each class.
PS - Also got my first paycheck today!!!!!!!!!!
Today, I set my desks up. Now all I have to do are the posters and signs for the walls. I am meeting with my assistant principals and fellow middle school teachers tomorrow to come up with standardized rules, procedures, and consequences. The math/science teacher is also new to Heart of Mary this year (in her 2nd year of teaching though), so the assistant principals are inserting themselves into our meeting to try to keep the English teacher from running away with us and having us all singing out of her hymnal.
I got my class schedule today:
7:40 Homeroom (7th grade - 12 boys, 16 girls)
8:00 Social Studies (7th)
8:45 Planning Period
9:30 Social Studies (6th)
10:15 Social Studies (8th)
11:00 Extension Classes (7th)
11:45 Lunch (7th)
12:30 Extension Classes (6th)
1:15 Extension Classes (8th)
2:00 Physical Education (7th and 8th boys)
2:45 Homeroom (7th)
3:00 Dismissal
I will only be in charge of the Intervention Extension Class, which will meet Mondays and Fridays, but for the first several weeks, the Counselor, computer teacher, and librarian will not be taking the students (for the classes on Tues, Wed, and Thurs), so I will have them all in my room for the first few weeks.
My extracurricular activities are: National Junior Honor Society, Basketball Coach, and Student Council (got hit with that one today). Additionally, Sr Nancy took me out to meet our football coach this afternoon, and after shaking his hand, he said, "Now, Sister Nancy tells me you may be interested in helping coach football." I said I wasn't sure how much use I'd be for football, but agreed to help run the homework time from 3-4 before practice three days per week (inside = air conditioning!!). Chalk that up as my first time to say "No."
The football coach had a few students with him when I met him. A few minutes after he walked away, one of the boys came up to me, looked me right in the eyes, stuck out his hand, and introduced himself. I was very impressed. Assertively meeting someone like that is something that is not the easiest thing to get down. His task may have been made easier by the fact that I was wearing a green Fisher Hall t-shirt from our dance this past year. Across the front of my chest in huge block white letters is "FUNK." so maybe that made it easier for him.
Tomorrow I plan to get a final list of what hand-made posters I need, plan out what's going up where, and run by the teacher supply store to get materials for my posters. Hopefully by the end of the day Wednesday I can have all the posters up on the walls and start focusing in on organizing my supplies, my desk, and my thoughts for the first week or so in each class.
PS - Also got my first paycheck today!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Two Posts in One Day?!?
Couple more quick things today...
1. My seventh housemate arrived today. We are now complete!!! I am now officially really happy about the way our community seems to be going.
2. I cooked dinner tonight. Shrimp penne (I used the recipe for shrimp fettuccini). It was really good. Except that I couldn't get the sauce to thicken. So I added flour. Then it got too thick. So we added more milk. If everyone was serious at the dinner table, it was a big hit. I think they were telling the truth about liking the dish because several people told me it was good after dinner.
3. We had our first community meeting. We hashed out our grocery list, figured out how we were going to work the finances (how to balance among those of us who grocery shop and those who don't), and also planned out our cooking buddies for the next week. And we set up our cleaning chores. Cleaning power hours Thursday nights from 7-8.
That's enough for now. Tomorrow are meetings at school, then time to set up my classroom. Fun, fun, fun!!!
1. My seventh housemate arrived today. We are now complete!!! I am now officially really happy about the way our community seems to be going.
2. I cooked dinner tonight. Shrimp penne (I used the recipe for shrimp fettuccini). It was really good. Except that I couldn't get the sauce to thicken. So I added flour. Then it got too thick. So we added more milk. If everyone was serious at the dinner table, it was a big hit. I think they were telling the truth about liking the dish because several people told me it was good after dinner.
3. We had our first community meeting. We hashed out our grocery list, figured out how we were going to work the finances (how to balance among those of us who grocery shop and those who don't), and also planned out our cooking buddies for the next week. And we set up our cleaning chores. Cleaning power hours Thursday nights from 7-8.
That's enough for now. Tomorrow are meetings at school, then time to set up my classroom. Fun, fun, fun!!!
Most Pure Heart of Mary...Parish
Well, Friday came and went, and I feel that I have little to show for all the time I spent in my classroom. My major accomplishments included:
1. Putting tennis balls on the legs of all my students' chairs (to protect the wood floors).
2. Sorting the posters in my closet.
3. Dusting my desk.
4. Dusting my bookshelf.
5. Dusting my windowsills.
6. Dusting my chalk trays.
My goal for today (Sunday) is to come up with a game plan on what rules, consequences, and procedures need to be posted on my room, where those will go, and also create a game plan for which class's work will go on each wall. I am also kicking around some ideas about what each class can do throughout the year to cover the walls. I'm sure I'll keep yall posted about that as developments occur.
This week I have a pretty busy schedule. I've got meetings at my school on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday (that last until 2:30, giving me the rest of the afternoon to set up in my classroom), a meeting with all the teachers in the area on Thursday, and what I think is a free day on Wednesday (I'll be in my classroom). Today we're also picking up the last member of our community - she's flying in today.
I have had some absolutely wonderful experiences with Southern Hospitality already. The night I arrived (Wednesday), we were invited to the Notre Dame Student Send-Off. Thursday night we ate the leftovers that they sent home with us. Friday night we went out to eat with the parents of one of my community members who were visiting. Last night we went to the house of a couple whose daughter is in ACE and who take really good care of us. We had boiled shrimp, gumbo, banana pudding, cucumber salad, and good chips and dip. It was awesome. They also sent home lots of leftovers for us. Two of the other people I live with went with me to the ACE house in Pensacola, Florida (45-50 minutes away) for a day at the beach. It rained on us most of the way there, but stopped when we arrived. It started pouring again as we drove to the beach, but stopped when we got to the beach. It stayed sunny and beautiful for the whole time we were there. I am now completely red with sunburn.
I also met up with a friend from my dorm who was visiting family here in Mobile at the end of last week. We drove around the city one night just catching up (and I tried to learn my way around at least a little). The next day, his family invited me over for brats and hot dogs for lunch. It was really good, we had a great time, and again, Southern Hospitality shone through. His cousins are actually going to the school where one of my housemates is teaching, so that was a cool connection to make too.
Finally, we just got back from church this morning. I wanted to go to the church attached to my school, and was completely planning on going alone. However, 4 of my housemates (out of the 5 that are here) wanted to come along with me. So, we piled into a car and headed out. It was a really cool experience. I had never heard any of the songs that we sang, and everyone was extremely welcoming and smiling and energetic. At the end of the mass, several people came up to each of us and welcomed us to the parish and told us that they hoped we'd come again. I definitely will, and I think everyone I went with enjoyed and appreciated the experience and will probably return a few times also. The pianist really belted out the songs (on the piano and with her voice); she was great.
This post has gone on long enough. I'm going to go finish straightening up my room here at the convent.
1. Putting tennis balls on the legs of all my students' chairs (to protect the wood floors).
2. Sorting the posters in my closet.
3. Dusting my desk.
4. Dusting my bookshelf.
5. Dusting my windowsills.
6. Dusting my chalk trays.
My goal for today (Sunday) is to come up with a game plan on what rules, consequences, and procedures need to be posted on my room, where those will go, and also create a game plan for which class's work will go on each wall. I am also kicking around some ideas about what each class can do throughout the year to cover the walls. I'm sure I'll keep yall posted about that as developments occur.
This week I have a pretty busy schedule. I've got meetings at my school on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday (that last until 2:30, giving me the rest of the afternoon to set up in my classroom), a meeting with all the teachers in the area on Thursday, and what I think is a free day on Wednesday (I'll be in my classroom). Today we're also picking up the last member of our community - she's flying in today.
I have had some absolutely wonderful experiences with Southern Hospitality already. The night I arrived (Wednesday), we were invited to the Notre Dame Student Send-Off. Thursday night we ate the leftovers that they sent home with us. Friday night we went out to eat with the parents of one of my community members who were visiting. Last night we went to the house of a couple whose daughter is in ACE and who take really good care of us. We had boiled shrimp, gumbo, banana pudding, cucumber salad, and good chips and dip. It was awesome. They also sent home lots of leftovers for us. Two of the other people I live with went with me to the ACE house in Pensacola, Florida (45-50 minutes away) for a day at the beach. It rained on us most of the way there, but stopped when we arrived. It started pouring again as we drove to the beach, but stopped when we got to the beach. It stayed sunny and beautiful for the whole time we were there. I am now completely red with sunburn.
I also met up with a friend from my dorm who was visiting family here in Mobile at the end of last week. We drove around the city one night just catching up (and I tried to learn my way around at least a little). The next day, his family invited me over for brats and hot dogs for lunch. It was really good, we had a great time, and again, Southern Hospitality shone through. His cousins are actually going to the school where one of my housemates is teaching, so that was a cool connection to make too.
Finally, we just got back from church this morning. I wanted to go to the church attached to my school, and was completely planning on going alone. However, 4 of my housemates (out of the 5 that are here) wanted to come along with me. So, we piled into a car and headed out. It was a really cool experience. I had never heard any of the songs that we sang, and everyone was extremely welcoming and smiling and energetic. At the end of the mass, several people came up to each of us and welcomed us to the parish and told us that they hoped we'd come again. I definitely will, and I think everyone I went with enjoyed and appreciated the experience and will probably return a few times also. The pianist really belted out the songs (on the piano and with her voice); she was great.
This post has gone on long enough. I'm going to go finish straightening up my room here at the convent.
Friday, August 7, 2009
I'M IN MOBILE!!!!!!!
Wow. This is pretty much what the entire summer has been about. I'm finally getting settled in to my new home here in Mobile. I spent a great week at home - my family took its annual trip to Aransas Pass and spent time on the beach in Texas, and then we went to an Astros' game on Tuesday (don't ask about the outcome). After the game, we stayed the night in a hotel in Houston. Wednesday morning, I got up and headed for Mobile; the rest of the fam headed back to Castroville.
I arrived at about 4pm yesterday evening. My housemates helped unload my car, and after I had time to put about 2 things away, it was time to head out the the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Mobile's send-off party. The Mobile Club informed us that they buy our groceries once a month and invite us to all their events. Awesome. Apparently (as we learned today), the different schools that we teach at also take turns giving us groceries. It just happened to be my school today that dropped food off. So, our kitchen is currently bursting with food. I am happy to report that Southern Hospitality is very real.
We had orientation meetings today, which were pretty standard. We covered who people in the central (Diocesan) education offices are, we covered "good touch/bad touch," and we got to know the other teachers new to the Archdiocese of Mobile. After those meetings, I headed over to my school. I got to meet my principal, Sister Nancy, who is apparently 82 years old (although I don't think she seemed any older than 60). My school has newly-polished, beautiful wooden floors, a new paint job inside, ridiculously high ceilings, and large windows in the classrooms. All this makes for a very pretty, very echo-y classroom with lots of space to decorate. I'm planning to start sorting through my supply closet (which has books, school supplies, and posters) tomorrow (Friday) to see what I have and what I still need.
I will keep you posted on my progress in settling in in both the convent and the classroom. I will try to find a way to post pictures of both somewhere. In the meantime, know that our wireless internet is not working in the convent. That means that seven of us are sharing one desktop. I will have intermittent internet access for the foreseeable future.
I arrived at about 4pm yesterday evening. My housemates helped unload my car, and after I had time to put about 2 things away, it was time to head out the the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Mobile's send-off party. The Mobile Club informed us that they buy our groceries once a month and invite us to all their events. Awesome. Apparently (as we learned today), the different schools that we teach at also take turns giving us groceries. It just happened to be my school today that dropped food off. So, our kitchen is currently bursting with food. I am happy to report that Southern Hospitality is very real.
We had orientation meetings today, which were pretty standard. We covered who people in the central (Diocesan) education offices are, we covered "good touch/bad touch," and we got to know the other teachers new to the Archdiocese of Mobile. After those meetings, I headed over to my school. I got to meet my principal, Sister Nancy, who is apparently 82 years old (although I don't think she seemed any older than 60). My school has newly-polished, beautiful wooden floors, a new paint job inside, ridiculously high ceilings, and large windows in the classrooms. All this makes for a very pretty, very echo-y classroom with lots of space to decorate. I'm planning to start sorting through my supply closet (which has books, school supplies, and posters) tomorrow (Friday) to see what I have and what I still need.
I will keep you posted on my progress in settling in in both the convent and the classroom. I will try to find a way to post pictures of both somewhere. In the meantime, know that our wireless internet is not working in the convent. That means that seven of us are sharing one desktop. I will have intermittent internet access for the foreseeable future.
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