Go Bears!

I think my work is melting my brain. Yesterday morning I stood before my classroom door and pulled out my keys. I had my wife's car keys and my keys! I have no idea how they got in my pocket, but waking up at 5:30am can't help. And, she had to drive 30 miles to school for her biggest day of classes (she's a college student studying dental hygiene). I was about to get a very upset phone call. So, I had to act fast and get her a taxi for $50. Ugh, what a waste. Then to top it off I had to drive out and pick her up at 9:00pm. Looooong day. I'm so distracted with classroom plans always on my mind, they even get into my dreams! To top it off, the Bears play the Packers this weekend. It could prove to be a bad season right off the bat. Bear down boys, I need some good news ... 2-1 is nice, 1-2 means give it up.
Peace

Students love essays?!

Wow, what a week it was working through our first big unit projects of the year, an essay and "students media handbook." It took about 2 days of essay work just to get past the shock of the assignment to a calm get-down-to-work environment, lol. I guess it was the first time many of them had been asked to write an essay summarizing a non-fiction reading, though in the 8th grade it shouldn't be. The funny thing is that the ones that I got (about 60% of the classes) were awesome. They are well about their grade level. Could it just be that they don't have any confidence in their ability? Maybe the resistance is just a habit that doesn't really mean anything? In any case, the results will just prove that they are smart kids and that I should expect even better work in the future (sorry kids!).

The artistic, advice to classmates about internet use handbook, however, didn't go as well. I think that they viewed it as just a fun day since there was drawing and coloring and didn't really try for quality ideas. Isn't it weird that the work they enjoy (art project) got lower results than the work they don't enjoy (essay)? Or maybe they really enjoy essay writing and just enjoy the complaining about it too! The secret is out, more essays all around! :)
Peace

TGI Labor Day

It's amazing what 1 extra days rest can do. When the bell rang at PBA on Friday afternoon the whole school seemed to let out a sigh and say, "Thank goodness." After the rush of the first 5 weeks of school (and trying to figure out what I am doing!) I needed the breather. To celebrate I did anything but labor. We had an awesome BBQ pool party for Grace's birthday (her 21st again). Junior and Daisy came down from Delano and Junior BBQed his spectacular ribs on the grill and Grace cooked up a ton of lumpia, pancit, and Philipine spread. I saw some friends from the MAT that I hadn't seen since graduation, and we all got to relax and let off some steam. To top it off college football opened and I got to lie around on the couch and catch some games. The perfect way to recharge the batteries and get ready to push the students through to their first expository essay (don't tell them though). Here's a couple shots from the night, we smoked up the clubhouse pretty bad with the bbq, Peace.