Not a lot to tell this week. I actually got to teach the same students all week, for a junior high math teacher who just wasn't feeling well. Nice kids, but (veteran teachers, this will come as absolutely no surprise to you!) some of the classes were a little more lively than others. I did have one student in one of those classes, however, who told me she was trying to do a good job for me and not be her usual inattentive slacker. She also let me explain to her all about finding a linear equation with only two points, or a point and a slope. I'm not sure if she totally got it -- it is a tough subject to get your head wrapped around, especially if you're just not into math -- but at least she was putting in the effort, which I gathered isn't what she usually does. I had a few other such success stories this week, but none quite like that. All in all, it was quite a week, and it was certainly a contrast to the grief I had to deal with last year in Marysville.
Of course, that was all counterbalanced by an ugly incident at Sylvan. One of my students is, shall we say, not the best at applying himself. But I seem to have reached him in some ways, and we at least get along, and he seems willing to learn. But this week, I'm not so sure if that's a good thing. I bring my own mechanical pencils, as they're more versatile for what I do than the ordinary wooden ones the students use (hey, I have to use it for four to five hours each night, they only need them for one). After having him for one hour, I looked around and couldn't find it. This student was at another table, so I called out to him to see if he had seen it, or even had it. Yup, he had it. He'd taken it for a joke. Okay, it wasn't funny, but at least he acknowledged it and got it out to return it. I told him I'd come over to get it, but he decided to throw it to me instead. He turned out to be a pretty good shot, as the point hit me right on the nose! Yup, it drew blood -- not a lot, but certainly enough to get me angry! The thing that really gets me goat, however, is that this kid is in high school, and should know better than to steal sharp, pointy objects, and then throw them at people.
He didn't show up for his second session this week. I like to think he was scared of what I would say. I do know that our director wants to have a few words with him, too. Yeah, I plan to speak to him next time I see him -- but one thing I plan to tell him is that he should try out for the javelin throw on his school's track team! He's a natural!
Friday, January 28, 2005
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Happy birthday to me!
Laura wasn't the only one having a birthday this past week -- so did I (it was on Friday)! And I got two very nice presents this past week: My permanent substitute teaching certificate, and the grades from my last class. The former means that no matter what happens in the future, unless I do something so horrid that the state needs to revoke my certificate, I will always be able to substitute. (And if I do something so horrid that the state decides to revoke my certificate, I probably shouldn't be in the classroom, or possibly even a member of a free society.) The latter means that, once I get my transcript, which should be soon, I can go down to the local ESD and see about getting my continuing certificate again. (Oh, and much to my surprise, I got an A.) At any rate, I'm nearing the end of the mess that that @#$% strike in Marysville was at least partially responsible for causing.
On my birthday itself, I had a little adventure. It was partly planned, but it still turned out to be a nice surprise when Laura and I were able to go to work together that day. I was substituting in a third grade class at the same school Laura and her colleagues were putting on a math game day. See, Laura works at a math store (take a look at their website here), and every once in a while, a local PTA will buy a bunch of math games from them, and the store staff comes in and shows everyone how they're played. But wait, there's more! The kids then bring in the parents that night, and the store sells some more games to go home, with the school getting a cut of the sales. Teachers also have the chance to set up a wish list of games they want for the class, and parents can help out that way as well. It's a lot of fun, and I've helped out in the evenings a few times before, but this was my first time being there as a teacher, during the day. Not only that, Laura and I got to go to work together, too, which was nice. It did make for a long day, as I stuck around after I was done teaching for the day, and I was pretty tired by the time we got home (and into the next day; after getting home from Sylvan early Saturday afternoon, I immediately crashed into bed for about three hours of badly needed extra sleep). My duties that night mainly consisted of hauling boxes out of the van and into the area set up as a store, setting the store up, being security, keeping things arranged and nicely visible, and taking things back out to the van once things started wrapping up. Biggest complaint? My nice teacher shoes are not good for one's feet when hauling boxes all evening (at Sylvan, at least, I'm sitting down most of the night). Next time this happens, I'll see about bringing a change of shoes.
So far as teaching these past two weeks, nothing too spectaculaar, although I'm finally getting some math jobs again. I actually had a pretty good time out at one of the high schools, where I got to explain some aspects of advanced algebra that I still rememeber how to do, and the kids actually appreciated that I was explaining it. I also had a day of elementary PE, which is always a nice break, lots of fun and energy going around, and I can dress down quite a bit. So far, only one job lined up for this coming week, and there may not be as many, as it's finals week at the high schools in both districts I work in -- and Thursday is the last day of the semester, and Friday is a day off for students in both districts. Maybe I'll have my transcript by then and can go down to the ESD and apply for my new certificate that day, that would be perfect.
Okay, I'm done blathering now. Hey, feel free to leave some comments, let me know I'm not typing these words for nobody!
On my birthday itself, I had a little adventure. It was partly planned, but it still turned out to be a nice surprise when Laura and I were able to go to work together that day. I was substituting in a third grade class at the same school Laura and her colleagues were putting on a math game day. See, Laura works at a math store (take a look at their website here), and every once in a while, a local PTA will buy a bunch of math games from them, and the store staff comes in and shows everyone how they're played. But wait, there's more! The kids then bring in the parents that night, and the store sells some more games to go home, with the school getting a cut of the sales. Teachers also have the chance to set up a wish list of games they want for the class, and parents can help out that way as well. It's a lot of fun, and I've helped out in the evenings a few times before, but this was my first time being there as a teacher, during the day. Not only that, Laura and I got to go to work together, too, which was nice. It did make for a long day, as I stuck around after I was done teaching for the day, and I was pretty tired by the time we got home (and into the next day; after getting home from Sylvan early Saturday afternoon, I immediately crashed into bed for about three hours of badly needed extra sleep). My duties that night mainly consisted of hauling boxes out of the van and into the area set up as a store, setting the store up, being security, keeping things arranged and nicely visible, and taking things back out to the van once things started wrapping up. Biggest complaint? My nice teacher shoes are not good for one's feet when hauling boxes all evening (at Sylvan, at least, I'm sitting down most of the night). Next time this happens, I'll see about bringing a change of shoes.
So far as teaching these past two weeks, nothing too spectaculaar, although I'm finally getting some math jobs again. I actually had a pretty good time out at one of the high schools, where I got to explain some aspects of advanced algebra that I still rememeber how to do, and the kids actually appreciated that I was explaining it. I also had a day of elementary PE, which is always a nice break, lots of fun and energy going around, and I can dress down quite a bit. So far, only one job lined up for this coming week, and there may not be as many, as it's finals week at the high schools in both districts I work in -- and Thursday is the last day of the semester, and Friday is a day off for students in both districts. Maybe I'll have my transcript by then and can go down to the ESD and apply for my new certificate that day, that would be perfect.
Okay, I'm done blathering now. Hey, feel free to leave some comments, let me know I'm not typing these words for nobody!
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Happy birthday, Laura!
This post is for that one special, most important person in my life, my wife Laura. I may not be able to give you much right now, dear, but before long I hope to do much better in supoprting us and getting our lives back on track.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
An interesting experience today...
I've got just a quick moment here to tell you all about something out of the ordinary that happened today. I was subbing in a math class at one of the high schools when an announcement was made that, should there be some sort of evacuation, students would probably want to take a coat or something to keep them warm, as it was very cold out, hovering around the freezing mark. Huh? Sure enough, there was a fire alarm. So we trooped out onto the football field in the cold. Yup, it was cold. When we got back to class, I mentioned that it was so cold, I froze my asymptote.
Well, math geeks will get it, anyway. Fortunately, this class got it.
And for those reading this from other parts of the country, wondering why we wimped out over temperatures only in the low 30s F (or around 0 C), let's just say that it usually doesn't get that cold around here.
Well, math geeks will get it, anyway. Fortunately, this class got it.
And for those reading this from other parts of the country, wondering why we wimped out over temperatures only in the low 30s F (or around 0 C), let's just say that it usually doesn't get that cold around here.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
This week in teaching
Wow, I can't believe how much better I feel this week, now that I've gotten a week of teaching under my belt. I didn't realize just how frustrated I felt over my enforced sabbatical until I got back to work. I haven't felt this good for a long time, despite now going back to working long days between the sub jobs and evenings at Sylvan. Eventually, I'd like to cut out Saturdays at Sylvan, and the rest of the week down to three hours a night instead of four, but so far so good, and with a little planning and cooperation on Laura's part, we can probalby make this work. Good thing, since I missed nearly half the school year already, and we need the money, too.
Interesting start to the week. I got a last-minute assignment for high school social studies, and went in to find no plans. From what I gather, this is very unusual for this teacher, as he's the department head and a very organized person. But his colleagues were a big help, and he has first period planning, so I found a decent video in the library for the Law and Justice classes, and I figured AP U. S. History could take care of itself. I was right about the history classes, as they had a big assignment due the next day anyway, and most needed time to work on it. As the teacher still wasn't feeling well, I went in the next day as well, and this time he made sure I had plans. Not that it was terribly hard: Take Law and Justice classes to computer lab to work on forthcoming paper, give history classes the essay questions on the final to start preparing for them and let them work on the assignment due Thursday. All in all, a pleasant couple of days, and a nice way to ease into the school routine again, for both the students and me.
Wednesday and Friday I was at the big alternate junior/senior high school in the district, for a history teacher. Nothing too toough, most classes involved taking them to the computer lab and letting them work on their big projects. And these were great kids, too, so I had little to do. What was very nice, however, was that Wednesday was their weekly early dismissal day, so I was home by 1:00, which gave me a chance to run some errands.
Thursday I ended up not getting a job. There were a few available, but they were too far out with no time to get there, in subject areas I really didn't want to deal with, or, in one case, ended too late for me to get to Sylvan. But not getting a job that day proved to be a boon, since it gave me the chance to take in the last of my paperwork to the Northshore office and wrap up my application there. They called yesterday and are sending the rest of the paperwork, so I should be on the sub list there as well, and those days off should be much more rare as a result. Between the two districts, I can work just about every day. And if one district has a day off, I can always go to the other one.
No sign yet of my permanent substitute certificate or the transcript with my final class on it to apply for a continuing certificate, but there's no rush yet, either. If nothing turns up in the next couple of weeks, I'll start asking around.
So, anything anyone out there wants to know about my life as a teacher? Feel free to use the comments area.
Interesting start to the week. I got a last-minute assignment for high school social studies, and went in to find no plans. From what I gather, this is very unusual for this teacher, as he's the department head and a very organized person. But his colleagues were a big help, and he has first period planning, so I found a decent video in the library for the Law and Justice classes, and I figured AP U. S. History could take care of itself. I was right about the history classes, as they had a big assignment due the next day anyway, and most needed time to work on it. As the teacher still wasn't feeling well, I went in the next day as well, and this time he made sure I had plans. Not that it was terribly hard: Take Law and Justice classes to computer lab to work on forthcoming paper, give history classes the essay questions on the final to start preparing for them and let them work on the assignment due Thursday. All in all, a pleasant couple of days, and a nice way to ease into the school routine again, for both the students and me.
Wednesday and Friday I was at the big alternate junior/senior high school in the district, for a history teacher. Nothing too toough, most classes involved taking them to the computer lab and letting them work on their big projects. And these were great kids, too, so I had little to do. What was very nice, however, was that Wednesday was their weekly early dismissal day, so I was home by 1:00, which gave me a chance to run some errands.
Thursday I ended up not getting a job. There were a few available, but they were too far out with no time to get there, in subject areas I really didn't want to deal with, or, in one case, ended too late for me to get to Sylvan. But not getting a job that day proved to be a boon, since it gave me the chance to take in the last of my paperwork to the Northshore office and wrap up my application there. They called yesterday and are sending the rest of the paperwork, so I should be on the sub list there as well, and those days off should be much more rare as a result. Between the two districts, I can work just about every day. And if one district has a day off, I can always go to the other one.
No sign yet of my permanent substitute certificate or the transcript with my final class on it to apply for a continuing certificate, but there's no rush yet, either. If nothing turns up in the next couple of weeks, I'll start asking around.
So, anything anyone out there wants to know about my life as a teacher? Feel free to use the comments area.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
Just a quick catch-up
Well, I know my regular readers (both of them) are probably wondering what's up. Not a lot, of course. With two weeks off from regular teaching, and a week off from Sylvan, I haven't had much to say. But I already have a job for tomorrow -- high school social studies -- and several other jobs lined up throughout the month, so at least I should be able to keep busy and get some badly needed money. Now, if I could only figure out what I'm going to say in this application letter so I can also get on the sub list in the other district I'd like to work in...
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