Pi, we've got pi...

Just in case you wanted to see it, here's π to a million places. Check out the URL for the site when you get there, too.

Catching up

The irony of this blog is I have the most time to write thoughtful entries when I'm not actually teaching — like now. But it's supposed to be a blog about teaching. Go fig.

I've had a lot more PE jobs this past week. I don't mind PE most of the time, particularly when the kids already know what they're doing and all I really have to do is supervise. But it's not my thing, I was never really much of a jock in school (which is probalby actually a good thing when I'm teaching), and I'd rather teach math. Oh, well. And I made a very accurate predition on Friday. When I snagged a science job and realized it was the day before a week's vacation, I said to myself, "I'm showing a video, aren't I?" Sure enough... This was interesting, however, because I got to show it from the teacher's computer, through a video projector and onto the big pull-down screen that fewer and fewer classrooms have these days. And it was a lot of very interesting information about the space program, the space shuttle, and the ISS — all presented in a dull, lifeless manner. I guess that's always been the problem with educational films, though, isn't it?

So, I'm trying to get a lot of chores and tidying done this week, and tomorrow I get my final letter of recommendation so that I can finally start applying for jobs. We shall see what happens. Thursday and Friday one of the districts I work in is back in session, so I'll see if I can snag something, but next week is when it really gets busy again.

Links, oh we've got links...

This article in today's edition of The Seattle Times was sure interesting, I thought. And certainly helps answer that old "When are we ever going to use this?" question.

My wonderful sister-in-law found a couple of good links for me recently. This one has to do with the Riemann Hypothesis, while this one is a musical tribute to π. Oh, yeah, and here's a site about number spirals.

And finally, free graph paper as PDF files!

Now I KNOW things are different in Marysville!

Remember the Marysville school district, where I started off and promptly got involved in the longest teachers' strike in state history? And it went downhill from there? Well, the results of the latest levy and bond elections are finally in, and wonders of wonders, they both passed! Both needed sixty percent to pass. The levy passed with 60.18%, while the bond squeaked by with 60.06% — a margin of only eight votes. This is significant as it's the first bond passed in the district in sixteen years. Now the district can build the second high school and another elementary school which they desperately need. For details, here's the story in The Seattle Times and, loathe though I am to send traffic their way, The Everett Herald.

The past week of teaching

So far, it's been going well, if not spectacularly. This past week was interesting, as I had two days of math with the same classes (that doesn't happen very often), followede by three days of PE. The math classes were pretty dull for me, as all they were doing was reviewing for a test on Monday, then taking the test on Tuesday. But I think I was able to help at least a few of them understand what was going on. Wednesday's PE was at the local high school, which is close enough that I usually walk, but that morning it was raining, and I got a late enough start that I decided it would be better to drive. At least I got to use some of the exercise equipment while I was there so as to get at least some walking in. The next day was elementary PE (which included a lockdown drill, fun fun), then Friday up at the local junior high (I was able to walk it that day, thank goodness), where I actually showed a video on tobacco to four health classes. Overall, not terribly exciting, but it keeps my foot in, and the wolf away, from the door.

So far nothing much lined up for this week except another PE jo at a junior high that was pretty much all in portables the last time I was out there. I took the job specifically so that I could see the new school. Compared to what it used to be like, I'll bet it's spectacular. Then the week after that I get a few days off, as both districts I work in have mid-winter break that week — but one of them only has it for three days, so I can at least get a couple days work in. I'm still not sure I see the point of a mid-winter break in February, but I'm not complaining! I'll be using the time off to update my Wizard of Oz website, do my taxes, and watch the Olympics.

Oh, yeah, and get started on the job hunt. I'm still waiting for a couple of letters before I can really get started, but one they're in...

Back to the same old thing...again...and yet...

You know, as good as my last job was, with very small classes and individualized instruction and such, I'm glad I'm out of there. I was getting bored, to be honest, as there were many times I didn't really have that much to do. Plus which, while most of the students were great, there were the handful that were there because no other school would take them, and they could make teaching a lot less fun than it should be, if you know what I mean.

So, Friday I got back into the sub pool yet again, but at least it felt right for once. I'm becoming more convinced that the public school classroom is where I need to be, at least at this stage of my life. The energy of the last few days has just been exhilarating. Not only that, I'm finding that I'm wanted. One junior high teacher I talked to the other day had been trying to get me for a while, and was frustrated when the system told him I was unavailable. But I'll be back for him later this month. And yesterday, at another junior high, the department head came in after school and asked me some pointed questions about the curriculum, whcih makes me thing... Nah, I've been disappointed too many times before, so I'm not going to speculate. Besides, it's a long time before September still. However, with a day off today, I decided to work on brushing up my résumé.

So, sad sign of the times I saw yesterday: A student had to use her calculator to figure out what 0 divided by 6 was. I gave her a bit of a mock scolding — then had to do it again later in the period when a student, working on the same problem, used his calculator to figure out six divided by six. At least both of them took it in good humor.

Oh, yeah, and on Friday, I'll be at the same junior high I was at on Monday. So before I left, I checked to see if it would be all right to wear something with a Seahawks logo. The secretary pretty much made it clear that I wouldn't be allowed in the door if I didn't have something Seahawks on... That should be a fun day...