Today was our district competition at MIFA, so we spent the entire day at Novi Middle School for the competition. We had six different schools there, and overall it was a really good day.
We started off with a school doing The Jungle Book, which really isn't a show that I would have thought to be a Drama, but apparently it is. I really didn't care for the script, and the acting was as expected for high school students. I won't say it was bad, but it was weaker than some of the other schools that were there. However, they probably had THE COOLEST set that we saw all day! They created some really excellent looking ruins, and they looked really top notch! I was highly impressed.
The next school was one of the schools our students seem to have formed a really good bond with. At all these competitions they hang out and have a good time. This school put on The Laramie Project. All I can say about this show was OH. MY. GOD. I had never seen Laramie before, and they had to do some cuts in order to fit it into the allotted time. However, the cuts they made were fine, and the show seemed to flow really well! In addition, the acting was GREAT! When we got the scores at the end I was blow away that they didn't receive a 1, they really deserved it, they did such a fantastic job that a good deal of the crowd was moved to tears (and they almost got me too).
The third school also did the Laramie Project, which is unfortunate. It's unfortunate for two reasons, the first is they were DIRECTLY after the school that did such a fantastic job, and therefore everyone already had seen an excellent performance. The second reason was because the cut of the script that they used was not as good as the other school's. They did an ok job, but I wasn't nearly as emotionally invested in it. They didn't really pull me in the way the other school did. They did a decent job, it was just too bad that they went back to back.
The fourth show was our show, and they did a decent job. We had a few technical issues, however they were pretty strong. The biggest issue I had was that one of our judges was a "community theatre person". This is always bad news because they always tend to take the approach that they are Simon, and this is American Idol. She kept saying that our show was "Too big of a bat for our girls to swing." WTF!? What does that even mean? I mean, I get the pictures, she thought we picked something over our heads. But, she didn't give any examples, just kept saying the same thing over and over again about the big bat. My thing is, if you're going to give criticism then it better be constructive so that we can make improvements before Regionals. If all you say is some BS about a big bat, well, there's nothing that we can do about that. Plus, the show isn't really that hard, it's Agatha Christie... That's not exactly Shakespeare (though we are doing Shakespeare this year, and both our girls in MIFA got MAJOR roles in the play, so WTFEVER lady). Overall, we did ok, but I don't feel our scores were reflective of our performances. We came in 5th out of 6, and I feel we at least deserved 4th, if not 3rd. And the school that got 1st really was not deserving of that score.
The fifth show was a really a gamble because there was NO dialogue. It was all mimed silence for 35 minutes. I'm not sure how I felt about it, because on one hand I liked the idea and the guts that they had to do a show like that. On the other hand there was a lot of repetition, and by the end I was a bit tired of it all.
The final show was decent, but by this point I was so tired that I fell asleep during it. Because of that I was a little confused about it, though upon asking others they all said I didn't miss much. The sets were ok, and the costumes weren't bad, however the story really put people to sleep... literally.
Overall, it was a good MIFA! We made it to Regionals in two weeks, and they did a good job. Most of the things that we got marked down on are easy fixes, so we should be good next month when we compete again!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
So Long, Borders.
Well, today was only a half day at school, so that meant that I got to head into work early. Yesterday was the big purge and there were a lot of people let go, well I was not one of them. OR SO I THOUGHT! I went in today and I was told that "they aren't letting (my boss) keep me." So, today was my last day of work. The best part is that even though the decision is coming from HR that I'm not allowed to stay, I'm not eligible for the same separation plan that everyone else got. Instead they say that I gave notice when I told them that I was going to have to work part time. It's all a bunch of crap if you ask me. So, I'm unemployed, which feels weird. At least I didn't decide to delay my student teaching.
What to do now...
What to do now...
Friday, January 15, 2010
I Don't Know; You Kids Are Pretty Crafty!
Today was our second quiz/test for my students, and as such I have to be on the lookout for some cheatin's. Now, I don't know if I caught some cheating, but I did catch a great big bowl full of NONE OF THAT!
So, I'm looking around and we have a student who seems to be paying a lot of attention to what I'm doing rather than their quiz. So, of course that raises my attention thanks to all my LP training from retail. This was the big mistake, because if someone is keeping tabs on my actions, then they are not concentrating on what they should be doing, and that could be a red flag. So, I start to notice and keep an eye on what's going on. Well, as I'm sitting at my desk, which is behind this student, I notice that there is a cell phone in the student's shoe. Then, when the student puts their head down I notice that they are actually reaching down and pulling out their cell phone and texting. BUSTED! Though, I have to say that was a pretty slick way to do it, and may have gotten away with it if it weren't for tipping me off to the fact that they were up to something... that and if it weren't for those nosy kids and their dog...
So, Student 0 - Student Teacher 1! WIN!
Other than that I'm interested in seeing how they did on their test. I think this one was a bit harder, though I didn't have as big a hand in the teaching on this unit. So, we'll see how it went next week.
So, I'm looking around and we have a student who seems to be paying a lot of attention to what I'm doing rather than their quiz. So, of course that raises my attention thanks to all my LP training from retail. This was the big mistake, because if someone is keeping tabs on my actions, then they are not concentrating on what they should be doing, and that could be a red flag. So, I start to notice and keep an eye on what's going on. Well, as I'm sitting at my desk, which is behind this student, I notice that there is a cell phone in the student's shoe. Then, when the student puts their head down I notice that they are actually reaching down and pulling out their cell phone and texting. BUSTED! Though, I have to say that was a pretty slick way to do it, and may have gotten away with it if it weren't for tipping me off to the fact that they were up to something... that and if it weren't for those nosy kids and their dog...
So, Student 0 - Student Teacher 1! WIN!
Other than that I'm interested in seeing how they did on their test. I think this one was a bit harder, though I didn't have as big a hand in the teaching on this unit. So, we'll see how it went next week.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Everything I Say Could Be On The Test
In fact, what I just said, could be on the test. Ok, pardon me a moment while I pull out my soap box…
Here’s the deal, people. Education is not about going down a checklist and marking things off the list, however that seems like the way that everything is going these days. I’ve been in a classroom for just about two weeks and I’m starting to notices a few things about the students, though they are things I should have suspected from the way society has been moving in recent years. It seems to me that we’re turning into a civilization of Pavlovian Dogs who are becoming conditioned to just do the bare minimum, to do only what’s expected, and to resist being asked to do anything more than that.
Today, a student asked me, “Can’t you just tell us exactly what subjects to study so we don’t have to worry about all the other stuff that doesn’t matter?” My initial desired reaction was to yell, “EVERYTHING I SAY COULD END UP ON THE TEST! In fact, what I just said could be on the test.” I even considered adding a bonus question that said, “What information could show up on your test?” I also wanted to say, “Just because it’s not on the test doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter.”
The whole system is set up that if it’s not on the test, it must not be important, and therefore I don’t need to know it. In addition, the system is set up to be like some poor teenager with an eating disorder. Consume and purge. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS BULIMIC! That’s right, we eat the information, we spit it back up, and then it’s gone and we don’t need it anymore. But, that’s leading down a different path and therefore I digress.
The point is there’s this movement toward only doing things that are “relevant” and ignoring things that are seen as “unimportant”. You see it all the time when people say, “I’ll never use this in my ‘real life’ so why do I have to learn it?” I had a conversation with a family member who said, “Why do we teach so much math to all students when really all people need to know how to do is balance their checkbook.” What’s wrong with this idea? Well, first, who still uses checkbooks? Second, who balances them now that we have online banking. Third, we need to learn a variety of things because we need to be able to find out what our interests are, because we need to do more than just specialize in one area and three BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE MORE THAN DUMB MONKEYS!
Dumb monkeys know how to do what they need to do. They can find food, find places to stay, some even have learned to use “tools” like sharp sticks or rocks. So, why do they need to learn anything other than that, they have what they need to live, right? Well, the simple answer is, if we only did that, we’d still be living with chimps because we never would have learned anything new that we “need to learn”. It irks me to no end when people talk about how certain subjects aren’t needed, from Math, to Music, to Art, to PE. Maybe I’m too set in my ideas of classical education, but people need ALL of those things in order to be members of a vibrant civilization. Math is important because it provides students with and opportunity to learn logic; the arts are a necessity for a culture that’s more than just utility; and physical activity is important so that we aren’t all giant fat-ass people who can’t walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded.
I mean, I’m not going to say I didn’t hate certain classes. Gym class was a daily chance for me to be ridiculed and taunted, however those fade away and I’m able to look back and appreciate it and see the value in it.
We have to get away from this insane idea of excessive specialization. No one sits around and says, “Why do I need to learn to walk when I’m going to sit at a computer all day and type. Shouldn’t I only do things that exercise my fingers and make me a better computer user?” No, because that’s STUPID.
So, no, you don’t get to find out what’s on the test because I’m not teaching you to take a test, I’m teaching you about the history of our societies and what I want you to learn to do isn’t something you’re going to be able to show by simply filling in a bubble on a scantron.
Here’s the deal, people. Education is not about going down a checklist and marking things off the list, however that seems like the way that everything is going these days. I’ve been in a classroom for just about two weeks and I’m starting to notices a few things about the students, though they are things I should have suspected from the way society has been moving in recent years. It seems to me that we’re turning into a civilization of Pavlovian Dogs who are becoming conditioned to just do the bare minimum, to do only what’s expected, and to resist being asked to do anything more than that.
Today, a student asked me, “Can’t you just tell us exactly what subjects to study so we don’t have to worry about all the other stuff that doesn’t matter?” My initial desired reaction was to yell, “EVERYTHING I SAY COULD END UP ON THE TEST! In fact, what I just said could be on the test.” I even considered adding a bonus question that said, “What information could show up on your test?” I also wanted to say, “Just because it’s not on the test doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter.”
The whole system is set up that if it’s not on the test, it must not be important, and therefore I don’t need to know it. In addition, the system is set up to be like some poor teenager with an eating disorder. Consume and purge. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS BULIMIC! That’s right, we eat the information, we spit it back up, and then it’s gone and we don’t need it anymore. But, that’s leading down a different path and therefore I digress.
The point is there’s this movement toward only doing things that are “relevant” and ignoring things that are seen as “unimportant”. You see it all the time when people say, “I’ll never use this in my ‘real life’ so why do I have to learn it?” I had a conversation with a family member who said, “Why do we teach so much math to all students when really all people need to know how to do is balance their checkbook.” What’s wrong with this idea? Well, first, who still uses checkbooks? Second, who balances them now that we have online banking. Third, we need to learn a variety of things because we need to be able to find out what our interests are, because we need to do more than just specialize in one area and three BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE MORE THAN DUMB MONKEYS!
Dumb monkeys know how to do what they need to do. They can find food, find places to stay, some even have learned to use “tools” like sharp sticks or rocks. So, why do they need to learn anything other than that, they have what they need to live, right? Well, the simple answer is, if we only did that, we’d still be living with chimps because we never would have learned anything new that we “need to learn”. It irks me to no end when people talk about how certain subjects aren’t needed, from Math, to Music, to Art, to PE. Maybe I’m too set in my ideas of classical education, but people need ALL of those things in order to be members of a vibrant civilization. Math is important because it provides students with and opportunity to learn logic; the arts are a necessity for a culture that’s more than just utility; and physical activity is important so that we aren’t all giant fat-ass people who can’t walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded.
I mean, I’m not going to say I didn’t hate certain classes. Gym class was a daily chance for me to be ridiculed and taunted, however those fade away and I’m able to look back and appreciate it and see the value in it.
We have to get away from this insane idea of excessive specialization. No one sits around and says, “Why do I need to learn to walk when I’m going to sit at a computer all day and type. Shouldn’t I only do things that exercise my fingers and make me a better computer user?” No, because that’s STUPID.
So, no, you don’t get to find out what’s on the test because I’m not teaching you to take a test, I’m teaching you about the history of our societies and what I want you to learn to do isn’t something you’re going to be able to show by simply filling in a bubble on a scantron.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
How Dramatic
It’s been a while since I had a chance to visit Drama and see how things are coming along on their show that will be competing against other high schools in a few weeks, but today I got to head up and take a look. I was pretty impressed! They made a lot of good progress from the first time I saw the show a few weeks before Christmas. Not to say that they’re perfect, they still need to polish a few areas up, but in the next two weeks or so they should be able to get it in tip-top shape! WOO!
For those not familiar, at the end of the month the drama department will be participating in the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association (MIFA) competition for theatre. How it works is that we first go to our district competition where we compete schools that are generally in the same geographical area. There we get rated on various categories and we get a score that will either allow us to advance, or not. So, if we advance (which in generally we do), then we go to regionals. If we advance there, we go to states.
I think we’re shaping up to have a really good show, but you never know what happens. A lot of times it all depends on who judges you, and unfortunatly that’s often been some lame community theatre person who has a huge head and thinks they’re the end-all-be-all when it comes to theatre. As a result they are overly critical, most likely because they aren’t happy that they never “made it”, and so they have to make themselves feel better by putting down KIDS. I’m just saying, these judges often suck and should get a foot in the ass. These are kids, beginners, learning how it all works. And I’m happy to say that in our department we put a lot of responsibility on the kids to get everything together rather than adults doing it all. So, I’m not a huge fan of MIFA because of the judges, but I think it’s very valuable because it’s a chance for our kids to see what their peers at other schools are putting together. Hopefully this year will be like last year and we’ll get some judges who are teachers and have some sense about them, so they won’t be putting down students!
Anyhow, they’re doing great and I can’t wait to see their final product.
For those not familiar, at the end of the month the drama department will be participating in the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association (MIFA) competition for theatre. How it works is that we first go to our district competition where we compete schools that are generally in the same geographical area. There we get rated on various categories and we get a score that will either allow us to advance, or not. So, if we advance (which in generally we do), then we go to regionals. If we advance there, we go to states.
I think we’re shaping up to have a really good show, but you never know what happens. A lot of times it all depends on who judges you, and unfortunatly that’s often been some lame community theatre person who has a huge head and thinks they’re the end-all-be-all when it comes to theatre. As a result they are overly critical, most likely because they aren’t happy that they never “made it”, and so they have to make themselves feel better by putting down KIDS. I’m just saying, these judges often suck and should get a foot in the ass. These are kids, beginners, learning how it all works. And I’m happy to say that in our department we put a lot of responsibility on the kids to get everything together rather than adults doing it all. So, I’m not a huge fan of MIFA because of the judges, but I think it’s very valuable because it’s a chance for our kids to see what their peers at other schools are putting together. Hopefully this year will be like last year and we’ll get some judges who are teachers and have some sense about them, so they won’t be putting down students!
Anyhow, they’re doing great and I can’t wait to see their final product.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Bargain Tuesday
SPOILER ALERT! I will discuss the plot of Avatar in this post, so if for some reason you don't wish to know anything about it, don't read. The first paragraph discusses special effects, after that the story will be discussed.Well, we finally were able to make it to the IMAX 3-D of Avatar. I'm not sure exactly how to rate this one because there are really two elements to it, the story and the visual effects. Overall, as a movie going experience it was a lot of fun. James Cameron developed new cameras to make this film for the 3-D element of it, and it was fantastic. Generally I'm not a fan of 3-D movies because they all typically have those cheesy/lame effects where something comes shooting out toward you. I didn't feel like there was much of that at all, but rather the 3-D was just a way to create depth to the film. Also, the entire film is in 3-D so I was really worried that it would leave me with a terrible headache after the first 15 minutes of it, but by the end I was fine. In addition the the 3-D element of the movie, the actual effects were brilliant! The setting was fantastic, and was really a great movie if you are a big fan of special effects.
Story wise the film was so-so. I'm not going to say it is a bad story, but I will say it wasn't terribly original and was somewhat predictable. To give you an idea of what the story is like, picture the following: John Smith comes to the new world by plugging into the Matrix. While he's there he meets Pocahontas who teaches him about this strange new world. While there he dances with wolves and starts to love the place and the people. In contrast when he interacts with his own people he doesn't feel so great and decides to leave his own people for the natives he has encountered. Now, imagine all the Indian tribes led by John Smith and Pocahontas rise up and push the Europeans out of the new world, and then John Smith finds out he doesn't need the Matrix to live in the world, and then lives happily ever after.
See, it wasn't all that original in story, but the location and visuals were pretty neat and more original. Overall I enjoyed the movie despite the fact that the plot wasn't anything fantastic. First, I loved the setting and just the experience of the movie. I wish we had gone to the IMAX at Henry Ford because I think it would have been a bit more spectacular. Second, I thought there were some interesting things to think about. While the film talks about the experiences of native cultures in the face of a technologically superior force that wants the valuables that the natives have, it also touches on the idea of hired force. See, it's not a government that's come to the new world, it's a corporation supported by mercenaries who are mostly ex-military (can we say Blackwater?). So, in the end it leads down a lot of questions about corporate control, hired military, and what all of that means for people.
So, as a rating I'd say "See it in IMAX 3-D", which is pretty much the highest rating I can give because that's the most expensive ticket you can buy. You may not be blow away by the story, but the visual effects need to be seen on a big screen, and really the story isn't terrible, just not fantastic. Really, this movie is eye-candy and so you should see it because it's not so bad.
Monday, January 11, 2010
It Begins: Week 2
Well, another Monday down! It's weird because I'm at school for 8 hours a day, but it doesn't feel nearly as long as my days did when I was working 8 hours in the office! I guess part of it might be that every 70 minutes I get a new group of students, but then again it would seem like things would get really repititous, and they don't! Also, we graded the first half of the test today, and people did pretty well, one class was a little worse off than the other but we still have the short answer to go over so we'll see how things turn out.
We also started a new unit with them, and it seems like we fly through material pretty fast. Looks like I'll be teaching again this week, but not until Thursday. I don't feel nearly as worried about it this time as I did last week, plus I have quite a few days to brush up on material. Even better, the material is something I'm more familar with because of my History of England class I took! We'll see how it all goes!
In work news, I'm getting pretty tired of the 12 hour days. I feel like I've been going nonstop for ages, and really I have. I have worked in some form every day since last Monday. It also doesn't help that my Fall semester was so insanely busy. I feel like I don't ever have time to just stop. I'd really like to clean up my office, but my motivation has been so low because I get home, sit down and then pratically spend the remaining 3 and a half hours zoned out. And of course in the health update I haven't done anything since last Saturday. It really bugs me, but I'm just too tired. Boo.
We also started a new unit with them, and it seems like we fly through material pretty fast. Looks like I'll be teaching again this week, but not until Thursday. I don't feel nearly as worried about it this time as I did last week, plus I have quite a few days to brush up on material. Even better, the material is something I'm more familar with because of my History of England class I took! We'll see how it all goes!
In work news, I'm getting pretty tired of the 12 hour days. I feel like I've been going nonstop for ages, and really I have. I have worked in some form every day since last Monday. It also doesn't help that my Fall semester was so insanely busy. I feel like I don't ever have time to just stop. I'd really like to clean up my office, but my motivation has been so low because I get home, sit down and then pratically spend the remaining 3 and a half hours zoned out. And of course in the health update I haven't done anything since last Saturday. It really bugs me, but I'm just too tired. Boo.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Why Does Everyone Say That? Of Course It's A Baby!
In my rage over my test I forgot to mention the fun news of the day that happened on Friday! I have an adorable new niece! We went up to see her yesterday at the hospital and she's cute! I've posted some pictures on my Facebook, but right now they're all on my phone, so I'll have to get them on my computer to get them up on here, though I imagine the 3 readers have seen them on Facebook already.
Anyhow, that was exciting and new!
In other news, I had to work today. So much for a day off. I mean, I didn't work yesterday, but I had to take tests all day, so the way I see it, that's pretty much like working. BLAH to that, man! Also, tomorrow is the start of week 2, and we'll find out how last week went in regards to the test! Excited and nervous!
UPDATE!
Becky was very disappointed to find out that she couldn't eat the baby. Though, she also didn't know that they aren't filled with chocolate.
Anyhow, that was exciting and new!
In other news, I had to work today. So much for a day off. I mean, I didn't work yesterday, but I had to take tests all day, so the way I see it, that's pretty much like working. BLAH to that, man! Also, tomorrow is the start of week 2, and we'll find out how last week went in regards to the test! Excited and nervous!
Becky was very disappointed to find out that she couldn't eat the baby. Though, she also didn't know that they aren't filled with chocolate.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Don't Test Me!
Today was a beautiful, sunny, and somewhat warmer day than has been in the past few days. It was quite lovely, and where was I? IN A FRIGGIN CLASS ROOM TAKING TESTS! Yes, I was stuck in a classroom taking scantron tests all day for my Certification. And, the best part was I had to take 3 of them because I'm double majored plus my minor. Oh, and what time do they start? 7:00!!!! So, at 7:00 I started my exams, and had two to complete before 12:30. I finished at 11:45. That gave me just enough time to run home eat and make it back by 1:00 to start my second round, which I finished at 3:45.
Here's my problem with these, they're total BS. First, if they were really serious I think the test would probably be a bit longer than 100 questions. Second, this is one of those things like the Basic Skills Test, just a way to cheat you out of money. They're supposed to be testing us to make sure we know our content, however wouldn't that be evident from the grades I get in school? If my lowest grade has been a B, then I think I have it covered. Plus, like all standardized test this really don't measure anything other than how well I was able to complete a test on that given day. In addition, it doesn't take anything else into consideration such as the fact that by the end of the 3rd test I was tired and didn't care anymore. These tests are at best a snapshot, but not an accurate description of whether or not I'm competent in my field. Really, I see it just as a way to make money off of schools that need to meet some silly state requirement or something... I mean, it's just like that shitshow computer program we use that no one likes, isn't necessary but is forced upon us all to meet accrediation standards.
Anyhow, I get the results on February 5th. I'm not stressed about it because I just go into it thinking that I'll fail them all. I mean, how does one study 5,000+ years of human civilization? Not enough flashcards in the world, plus who knows what they'll focus on. In the end I felt pretty good about my Comm. and History test. Social Studies was a bit more challenging, but that's probably because by that time my brain was fried.
Anyhow, that's it.
Here's my problem with these, they're total BS. First, if they were really serious I think the test would probably be a bit longer than 100 questions. Second, this is one of those things like the Basic Skills Test, just a way to cheat you out of money. They're supposed to be testing us to make sure we know our content, however wouldn't that be evident from the grades I get in school? If my lowest grade has been a B, then I think I have it covered. Plus, like all standardized test this really don't measure anything other than how well I was able to complete a test on that given day. In addition, it doesn't take anything else into consideration such as the fact that by the end of the 3rd test I was tired and didn't care anymore. These tests are at best a snapshot, but not an accurate description of whether or not I'm competent in my field. Really, I see it just as a way to make money off of schools that need to meet some silly state requirement or something... I mean, it's just like that shitshow computer program we use that no one likes, isn't necessary but is forced upon us all to meet accrediation standards.
Anyhow, I get the results on February 5th. I'm not stressed about it because I just go into it thinking that I'll fail them all. I mean, how does one study 5,000+ years of human civilization? Not enough flashcards in the world, plus who knows what they'll focus on. In the end I felt pretty good about my Comm. and History test. Social Studies was a bit more challenging, but that's probably because by that time my brain was fried.
Anyhow, that's it.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Happy Friday
WOO! Friday! So, as it turns out I ended up teaching 3 out of 5 days this week, and covered probably around 75% of the content that the students had on their test today. Needless to say I'm a little anxious to see what the test results are because it's kind of a report on how I've been doing. It was a pretty crazy week too, and I didn't feel as prepared as I would have liked, but I hope they do pretty well! I asked them after they completed their quizzes and they all said that it wasn't too bad, so perhaps that's a good sign, we shall find out next week!
So, after one week I'm not feeling so bad about all of this. I wasn't feeling great about it before I started, and felt even worse when on Monday night/Tuesday morning I found out I was going to have to teach straight off instead of getting more prep time. Plus, for months I've been reconsidering my career choice and if it's something I really want to do. So, the good news is that all of that faded away and I'm feeling pretty-durn-good! I really like my classes, and I'm starting to learn all the student's names. I've also started to see who my over achievers are, who my more difficult students are, and sometimes they're the same! So, after week one, things are looking pretty good! I also enjoy the teachers I've been working with, and I've had a chance to talk to a number of different teachers. Every day about 5 or 6 teachers from the department all eat lunch together, and a few times we've gone down to the school resturaunt. Yes, the school has a resturaunt for their culinary school. I haven't had any food there yet, but I'm sure I will at some point in time, and when I do, I'll let you know how it is.
Health Update:
I probably should just take this off since I'm doing nothing. GRR.
So, after one week I'm not feeling so bad about all of this. I wasn't feeling great about it before I started, and felt even worse when on Monday night/Tuesday morning I found out I was going to have to teach straight off instead of getting more prep time. Plus, for months I've been reconsidering my career choice and if it's something I really want to do. So, the good news is that all of that faded away and I'm feeling pretty-durn-good! I really like my classes, and I'm starting to learn all the student's names. I've also started to see who my over achievers are, who my more difficult students are, and sometimes they're the same! So, after week one, things are looking pretty good! I also enjoy the teachers I've been working with, and I've had a chance to talk to a number of different teachers. Every day about 5 or 6 teachers from the department all eat lunch together, and a few times we've gone down to the school resturaunt. Yes, the school has a resturaunt for their culinary school. I haven't had any food there yet, but I'm sure I will at some point in time, and when I do, I'll let you know how it is.
Health Update:
I probably should just take this off since I'm doing nothing. GRR.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The Thursday Spectacular
Ok, don't get too excited becasue not too much happened today. But I did want an exciting title to contrast the less than exciting day. Actually, this will be a bit of a reveiw for all the CRAZY stuff that's been going on the last two days.
So, first I forgot to post the other day my very first "Student Comment of the Day". This comment comes from my sophomore class and was over heard while they were working on a project regarding political cartoons. One cartoon was discussing immigration and how the policies the U.S. had during the time period of our unit would have barred certain people such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and even Jesus from entering the country. And the comment award goes to the person who said....
"Wait, was Jesus born in the United States?"
WHAT?!?!! Best thing I heard all day!
In other news, there is a proposal on the table to ELIMINATE the Math department at the school I'm working at and replace it with online classes. Now other than being the stupidest idea I've ever heard, and the fact that just this week someone asked if Jesus was born in the U.S., the idea of putting an entire department online where EVERY student will have to use the online format is insane. First, online requires a more organized and driven student. There are not a lot of students that could cope with that format. Second, math is a complex subject that many students don't get, and taking away their teacher and replacing it with a computer screen is ridiculous. Really, I don't see this happening becuase I don't think the parents will go for it, but we'll see. I think this would be a major change and would probably set a precident that would be mimiced across the country, but I don't think it's the right move for students.
Health Update:
Yeah, I've totally been slacking on this. 12 hour days are not helpful in my motivation to spend an additional hour being active. Especially since I'm only getting about 6 hours of sleep per night. Thumbs down.
So, first I forgot to post the other day my very first "Student Comment of the Day". This comment comes from my sophomore class and was over heard while they were working on a project regarding political cartoons. One cartoon was discussing immigration and how the policies the U.S. had during the time period of our unit would have barred certain people such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and even Jesus from entering the country. And the comment award goes to the person who said....
"Wait, was Jesus born in the United States?"
WHAT?!?!! Best thing I heard all day!
In other news, there is a proposal on the table to ELIMINATE the Math department at the school I'm working at and replace it with online classes. Now other than being the stupidest idea I've ever heard, and the fact that just this week someone asked if Jesus was born in the U.S., the idea of putting an entire department online where EVERY student will have to use the online format is insane. First, online requires a more organized and driven student. There are not a lot of students that could cope with that format. Second, math is a complex subject that many students don't get, and taking away their teacher and replacing it with a computer screen is ridiculous. Really, I don't see this happening becuase I don't think the parents will go for it, but we'll see. I think this would be a major change and would probably set a precident that would be mimiced across the country, but I don't think it's the right move for students.
Health Update:
Yeah, I've totally been slacking on this. 12 hour days are not helpful in my motivation to spend an additional hour being active. Especially since I'm only getting about 6 hours of sleep per night. Thumbs down.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Frogger
In all the commotion yesterday about unexpectedly having to teach, I forgot to give a review on our latest movie viewing. Yesterday was bargain Tuesday, which means super cheap movie tickets all day long! WOO! So, we thought we would got see Avatar in IMAX 3-D, well, turns out that’s what everyone else thought too. So the time we were going to see was sold out, and instead we decided to go see The Princess and the Frog. Now, the commercials have been really hyping it up saying that it’s, “The best animated Disney film since The Lion King.” Well, I think that’s a little bit over hyped because there have been some good things since The Lion King (though there have also been some sinkers too), including some of my favorites such as Hercules, Mulan, The Emperor’s New Groove, Lilo and Stitch, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I don’t know if I can go with their claim of “the best thing since Lion King", because I think those films listed above I liked better. I might agree with “the best thing since Lilo and Stitch, but what they’re really trying to say is “this is the first film where we’ve done music since Mulan.”
So, the question is, was the movie good. Well, yes, it was a cute movie that had some good characters and funny moments. However, while the songs did a good job hitting on the spirit of the setting, they weren’t all that memorable and I don’t feel compelled to go out and buy the CD. So, on the Jason Rating Scale, I’d say I’d give it a “wait for the $1 show” to a “See it at Matinee Price”. It was fun and cute, but not worth a full price ticket.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
I Can Has Prep Time?
So, as you may recall from yesterday's entry... I totally didn't do anything last night and just sat. Well, I guess one thing I SHOULD have done was check my e-mail. See, my CT's son had an accident with a heavy object and his toe. Well, long story short, Pinky is broken and needs surgery. So, I got an e-mail last night that was all, "Hey, I'm not going to be in tomorrow, so could you teach the kids?" OMG! Other than TOTALLY not being ready for this, I also hadn't done much refreshing on the area we're covering. I mean, I've been there ONE day, I haven't had tons of time to read up on everything we're going over.
On the upside we kind of link up with another history teacher to use similar resources, and I got some stuff from him. I have to say, I was a bit intimidated by having to teach. I was sort of dreading it a bit, but in my mind I thought it'd be a little bit still before I had to, and thought I might feel more comfortable once I start to know the kids and have a chance to get things together. Because of this, I wasn't feeling so great about day two being asked to pretty much take over! In the end the sub who came in (who is a retired teacher of 30 years), said, "Well, here's the thing, you can let me run things, or you could just do it and I think you should just jump right in. It'll be best that way." So, I decided to agree and just take it. I'm kind of glad that I did, because I'm totally not stressed about having to do it now that the day is over. It also went pretty well. My second period was a bit rocky, but they don't seem to have accepted me yet. My 4th period seems to accept me pretty well, and I felt that went ok, and my 3rd period is so-so on it all. So, for only being day 2, I'm pretty happy with how it went. I have to do it all again on Thursday and Friday, but I have the same sub and we're wraping up our first unit and taking a quiz on it all. In the end I'll have taught half the unit (though we're not really doing much "teaching" on Wednesday, just an activity so really it's more like 75% of the instruction!)
Health Update:
Well, it seems my goal of being healthier is going out the window. I've been too exhausted to actually do anything! POO! I'm worried that this is going to be the standard because I'm so busy! I guess I need to figure out a way to get some active time in... hmmm...
On the upside we kind of link up with another history teacher to use similar resources, and I got some stuff from him. I have to say, I was a bit intimidated by having to teach. I was sort of dreading it a bit, but in my mind I thought it'd be a little bit still before I had to, and thought I might feel more comfortable once I start to know the kids and have a chance to get things together. Because of this, I wasn't feeling so great about day two being asked to pretty much take over! In the end the sub who came in (who is a retired teacher of 30 years), said, "Well, here's the thing, you can let me run things, or you could just do it and I think you should just jump right in. It'll be best that way." So, I decided to agree and just take it. I'm kind of glad that I did, because I'm totally not stressed about having to do it now that the day is over. It also went pretty well. My second period was a bit rocky, but they don't seem to have accepted me yet. My 4th period seems to accept me pretty well, and I felt that went ok, and my 3rd period is so-so on it all. So, for only being day 2, I'm pretty happy with how it went. I have to do it all again on Thursday and Friday, but I have the same sub and we're wraping up our first unit and taking a quiz on it all. In the end I'll have taught half the unit (though we're not really doing much "teaching" on Wednesday, just an activity so really it's more like 75% of the instruction!)
Health Update:
Well, it seems my goal of being healthier is going out the window. I've been too exhausted to actually do anything! POO! I'm worried that this is going to be the standard because I'm so busy! I guess I need to figure out a way to get some active time in... hmmm...
Monday, January 4, 2010
Jounal Log... Day One!
Well, that's one day down, my friends! So, how was the first day? It wasn't too bad actually. I've already met the students before because I went in before break to observe the classes and see what was going on. It wasn't too crazy, given that they are just coming back from Winter Break. They're mostly all freshmen, however I do have a few older kids at the end of the day. I think they're all sophomores, but I'm really not sure, plus you always get your random student here or there that is older and had to repeat or moved to the district and have to make up classes they didn't take where they were at before. Nothing too crazy actually happened, it was just a ordinary kind of a day! We just started a new unit too, so that's fun, we've covering some Chinese and Japanese history this week, and it sounds like I may be doing a bit of teaching Thursday and Friday because my cooperating teacher is going to be out on some business type stuff. My CT works as a union rep or something like that for the teacher's and so there's a lot of stuff he ends up having to take care of. I think it might be intersting to see because I'll get a lot of "backroom" exposure to what's going on behind the scenes that perhaps not all student teachers get a chance to see.
In other news, I also had to work today... WTF!? Yeah, still doing a part time thing at my old job. I'm not sure how long it'll last, it might be trasitional, but it might go on for a bit. I'll enjoy the money, but I'm not thrilled about the hours. 12 hour days can kiss my left buttock. Plus, it's going to be hard to do much with drama, and I'm really excited to work on Midsummer in about a month! I guess we'll see how it all shakes out.
Health Update:
So, I suck. Yes, I didn't do anything today, and I don't feel I ate all that well either. See, wha-ha-happen-was I came home from work, and zoned out on the couch, half asleep, for the evening. The thought of moving was the most terrible idea that had ever entered my head. I need to do it, though. Blah.
In other news, I also had to work today... WTF!? Yeah, still doing a part time thing at my old job. I'm not sure how long it'll last, it might be trasitional, but it might go on for a bit. I'll enjoy the money, but I'm not thrilled about the hours. 12 hour days can kiss my left buttock. Plus, it's going to be hard to do much with drama, and I'm really excited to work on Midsummer in about a month! I guess we'll see how it all shakes out.
Health Update:
So, I suck. Yes, I didn't do anything today, and I don't feel I ate all that well either. See, wha-ha-happen-was I came home from work, and zoned out on the couch, half asleep, for the evening. The thought of moving was the most terrible idea that had ever entered my head. I need to do it, though. Blah.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
One Day More
Well, here we are! One day to go! Tomorrow I start my Student Teaching, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's definitly not cool because I'm leaving a job that pays me money to do something that pays me NOTHING, but what does the COE care about that. I recall saying something to the extent of, "how do you expect people to stay financially stable while doing this?" and the response was, "That's what student loans are for." Except student loans don't provide health insurance, or last once the semester is over. And I don't know about you, but there's not of jobs lurking about out there.
I'm also a shade nervous about the teaching thing, I haven't done tons of classroom teaching, though I do work with kids a lot. So, that's a bit intimidating! Ah well, guess we'll know tomorrow.
Healthy Living Update:
So, I decided to take today off, it is Sunday! So, I didn't do any exercise-ey type things today. I feel like I should...
I'm also a shade nervous about the teaching thing, I haven't done tons of classroom teaching, though I do work with kids a lot. So, that's a bit intimidating! Ah well, guess we'll know tomorrow.
Healthy Living Update:
So, I decided to take today off, it is Sunday! So, I didn't do any exercise-ey type things today. I feel like I should...
Saturday, January 2, 2010
And Then There Were Two
The Year.... 2010.... the day.... TWO!
And what did I spend the whole freaking day doing? Shopping. Not the interesting shopping either, CLOTHES SHOPPING! My arch nemesis! Generally, this activity leaves me with irritated, and in a terrible mood. However, this trip was unavoidable as I don't have any suitable clothing for teaching. Lucky for me, I had many gift cards and the money spent was minimal! WOO HOO! Best deal of the day came from Gap, where I got some pants for $14.99! Worst experience, Macy's where the signage was unclear, and the store a complete disaster.
In other news, I had a nice evening watching some movies OnDemand. First, we watched "Burn After Reading", and I'm not sure how to review it. it was.... I don't even know what. There were some funny moments, not so much the laugh out loud type, but the "oh, how funny and amusing, what a crazy wacky mix-up!" There were some characters and situations I enjoyed, and I thought Brad Pitt was pretty funny, and an insane scene with George Clooney destroying a chair was comical to me. So, I guess I'd give this a rating of "Well, if nothing else is on."
And what did I spend the whole freaking day doing? Shopping. Not the interesting shopping either, CLOTHES SHOPPING! My arch nemesis! Generally, this activity leaves me with irritated, and in a terrible mood. However, this trip was unavoidable as I don't have any suitable clothing for teaching. Lucky for me, I had many gift cards and the money spent was minimal! WOO HOO! Best deal of the day came from Gap, where I got some pants for $14.99! Worst experience, Macy's where the signage was unclear, and the store a complete disaster.
In other news, I had a nice evening watching some movies OnDemand. First, we watched "Burn After Reading", and I'm not sure how to review it. it was.... I don't even know what. There were some funny moments, not so much the laugh out loud type, but the "oh, how funny and amusing, what a crazy wacky mix-up!" There were some characters and situations I enjoyed, and I thought Brad Pitt was pretty funny, and an insane scene with George Clooney destroying a chair was comical to me. So, I guess I'd give this a rating of "Well, if nothing else is on." 
After that was over, I watched "The International", with Clive Owen. This too was "ok", but nothing stellar, I think I'd again rate it a "Well, if nothing else is on." It's one of those movies where it's kind of a conspiracy thing going on because so many people are in on things, and I can just hear the stoner hippies going "MAN!, that's real, MAN! Like.... MAN!!!! It's the money, and government, MAN! Multinational MAN! Like..... MAN! I mean..... Hey, does anyone have some Cheetos? Like, but puffy ones, not the crunchy ones?" It wasn't too bad, I've seen worse, but I'm also glad I didn't pay for it in the theatre and got it free OnDemand.
In other, other news, we got some art stuff going on. We have been working on our guest bath and wanted to give it a kind of beach feel to it. So, we got this nice white distressed looking frame, and a lovely picture of the beach/ocean we took while on Martha's Vineyard a few years back, bought a nice mat, and BOOM! Art! I'm really happy with how it turned out, and when I get a chance I'll post a picture... however, until then you'll just have to take your imagination powers and picture the majesty of it. Oh yeah!
And, for the healthy update, I tried a new yoga program this morning. I really liked it because the instructor gave a lot more directions on how to do what they were telling you to do. That made it a lot easier because it's all well and good to be all, "And now, proud warrior." However, saying "Put your damn arms here and your stupid feet there and try not to cock it up" is helpful. So, double plus good on that. On the down side, it had a certain quality that I believe is called KICK MY ASS! I think I'll try it again, at the very least it was a nice change of pace.
Well, that's it from the magical day two!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Welcome to 2010... A new decade?
At least that's what's going on in the news. Everything is "OMG! It's the end of the decade!" or "Remember the '00s?" Really, the news needs to stop itself. Though, it is fun to think that 10 years ago everyone was all, "Y2K! OMG! END OF WORLD!!!!!" Yeah, it wasn't, BTW, in case you were wondering.
So, for a quick recap for those playing at home, here is 2009:
My boss got fired, but so did the CEO.
I ended up working for a chupacabra for a few months before being moved to a job I enjoyed.
Becky Graduated.
We got a house and moved the hell into it!
I was "de-friended" by my sister on Facebook.
Eila was in Africa.
I took 19 credits, because I hate myself.
The fortune cookies were right.
Some guy lit his ass on fire and burned his bits off (as he deserved) whilst trying to blow up a plane.
My gran told a story about an apartment she lived next to and the houses were close together and the guy next door didn't shut his window so, and I quote, "You could see his big old ding-a-ling."
Many other things happened as well, people moved here, people moved away; things were good, things were bad. Just like every other year, stuff happened. I would say that overall it was a tough year, but a pretty good year because there was a lot of decent/good happenings, and much progress! So that's not too shabby!
But now, it's 2010, so what is in store for this coming year? The biggest thing is that I have now completed all of my classes and only have my student teaching left. That means I have to leave my full time job with health insurance and a steady paycheck. It is really pretty intimidating because it's really not the best time to leave a job. However, at the same time, it's kind of exciting because when I started my job 4 years ago it was always with the intention that I would be leaving after a few years to do what I'm about to do. So, walking around the office for the last full day was kind of strange because for so long I was always working toward that final day, and it finally arrived! I mean, first, I've gone nine semesters straight (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer), so to finally NOT have to sit in a classroom taking notes, writing research papers is really odd! Second, it doesn't seem like it's been 4 years since I started at Borders, but at the same time, it seems like it was a lifetime ago that I was at WCC planning out what I had to take and looking at transferring over to EMU, then deciding to double major! So, to be here is really pretty amazing and yet so strange!
I also am not one for making resolutions, but since it's a new year I'll tell you, three readers, the goals I've been thinking over the past few months. Plus, I thought that perhaps by writing them down they may be more focused on and then I won't forget what I want to do. The biggest one that I'm really going to have to work at is I want to be healthier, which is one that I've been working on for quite a while, and I'd say that over the past few years I've made a good deal of progress. But, it's an ongoing process and I'd like to make it more of a priority! So, I think three things I want to focus on is exercising more, eating more vegetables, and track things better so I know what the heck is going on!
Now, those may seem a bit vague, but that's ok because another goal I've decided is related to this and will probably help. I've decided I should write on here more, and a way to keep track of my first goal is to write about my progress on here! SEE! IT'S A 2 for 1!!! But, I was reading over some of my OLD Live Journal entries, then my old Myspace blogs, and I enjoyed them, so I thought I should write more.
Finally, I need to get more organized! I usually have things together more, but the past 4 months has been so chaotic that it's insanity! The semester started, and classes were instantly insane. In addition, work was nuts, Drama was busy, the house was time consuming, and it felt like I never had a second to stop and get organized. So, that's my major goals I've come up with over the past few months. Healthy, communicative, and organized! So, in the effort to become more organized, I've started to create a "To Do" list. Some things are due soon, some there's plenty of time to take care of, but I want to write them down so I can start checking them off! So, I leave you with my ever-changing to do list, and for you, best wished in 2010! May it be exciting, fulfilling, love filled, and fantastic! Cheers!
The Just Keep Swimming List
- Complete the digital conversion of old Video/Photos
- Unpack my office
- GRADUATE!
- Travel
- Write
- Enjoy the outdoors
- Zorb
- Read for pleasure
- Go to Disney (I LOVE DISNEY!)
- Reconnect with people
- Have more fun!
Fitness Update:
Now that all the craziness is finished, I finally have time to focus more on things. So, today I started tracking my food and exercise again. Exercise went great today, I did some yoga and took the dogs out for two walks today. On the downside I ate way too much today. I had McDonald's, which was bad because I should have had breakfast before we went shopping, but instead we just left and so I ended up eating crap food and too much of it!
So, for a quick recap for those playing at home, here is 2009:
My boss got fired, but so did the CEO.
I ended up working for a chupacabra for a few months before being moved to a job I enjoyed.
Becky Graduated.
We got a house and moved the hell into it!
I was "de-friended" by my sister on Facebook.
Eila was in Africa.
I took 19 credits, because I hate myself.
The fortune cookies were right.
Some guy lit his ass on fire and burned his bits off (as he deserved) whilst trying to blow up a plane.
My gran told a story about an apartment she lived next to and the houses were close together and the guy next door didn't shut his window so, and I quote, "You could see his big old ding-a-ling."
Many other things happened as well, people moved here, people moved away; things were good, things were bad. Just like every other year, stuff happened. I would say that overall it was a tough year, but a pretty good year because there was a lot of decent/good happenings, and much progress! So that's not too shabby!
But now, it's 2010, so what is in store for this coming year? The biggest thing is that I have now completed all of my classes and only have my student teaching left. That means I have to leave my full time job with health insurance and a steady paycheck. It is really pretty intimidating because it's really not the best time to leave a job. However, at the same time, it's kind of exciting because when I started my job 4 years ago it was always with the intention that I would be leaving after a few years to do what I'm about to do. So, walking around the office for the last full day was kind of strange because for so long I was always working toward that final day, and it finally arrived! I mean, first, I've gone nine semesters straight (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer), so to finally NOT have to sit in a classroom taking notes, writing research papers is really odd! Second, it doesn't seem like it's been 4 years since I started at Borders, but at the same time, it seems like it was a lifetime ago that I was at WCC planning out what I had to take and looking at transferring over to EMU, then deciding to double major! So, to be here is really pretty amazing and yet so strange!
I also am not one for making resolutions, but since it's a new year I'll tell you, three readers, the goals I've been thinking over the past few months. Plus, I thought that perhaps by writing them down they may be more focused on and then I won't forget what I want to do. The biggest one that I'm really going to have to work at is I want to be healthier, which is one that I've been working on for quite a while, and I'd say that over the past few years I've made a good deal of progress. But, it's an ongoing process and I'd like to make it more of a priority! So, I think three things I want to focus on is exercising more, eating more vegetables, and track things better so I know what the heck is going on!
Now, those may seem a bit vague, but that's ok because another goal I've decided is related to this and will probably help. I've decided I should write on here more, and a way to keep track of my first goal is to write about my progress on here! SEE! IT'S A 2 for 1!!! But, I was reading over some of my OLD Live Journal entries, then my old Myspace blogs, and I enjoyed them, so I thought I should write more.
Finally, I need to get more organized! I usually have things together more, but the past 4 months has been so chaotic that it's insanity! The semester started, and classes were instantly insane. In addition, work was nuts, Drama was busy, the house was time consuming, and it felt like I never had a second to stop and get organized. So, that's my major goals I've come up with over the past few months. Healthy, communicative, and organized! So, in the effort to become more organized, I've started to create a "To Do" list. Some things are due soon, some there's plenty of time to take care of, but I want to write them down so I can start checking them off! So, I leave you with my ever-changing to do list, and for you, best wished in 2010! May it be exciting, fulfilling, love filled, and fantastic! Cheers!
The Just Keep Swimming List
- Complete the digital conversion of old Video/Photos
- Unpack my office
- GRADUATE!
- Travel
- Write
- Enjoy the outdoors
- Zorb
- Read for pleasure
- Go to Disney (I LOVE DISNEY!)
- Reconnect with people
- Have more fun!
Fitness Update:
Now that all the craziness is finished, I finally have time to focus more on things. So, today I started tracking my food and exercise again. Exercise went great today, I did some yoga and took the dogs out for two walks today. On the downside I ate way too much today. I had McDonald's, which was bad because I should have had breakfast before we went shopping, but instead we just left and so I ended up eating crap food and too much of it!
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