always time for a little nap?

Right- haven't blogged in about a month. That whole teaching thing gets to be rather consuming- for real. 5 classes is a lot- even if it's only really 2.5 preps. (this will change for my last two weeks, where i go to 3 full preps, though one will be shared with history- and that gets complicated, at least, to a point. will be interesting, anyway!!)

so this is assessment week- tests! the end of quarter is friday. grades are due next week, wednesday morning, for quarter grade reports. which means i spend my weekend GRADING ESSAYS. (ask me if i'm excited about this. no, really. seriously.)

anyway- then end is almost in sight. and so far, i'm exhausted, but not entirely dead. at least, not yet. i think the weekend may just kill me, but i'm banking on that extra hour.

FALL BACK, everyone!

this whole teaching thing

So student teaching is progressing. I was observed for the first time (of usually 4 times) this week. I am glad it's over most of all, but I think it went pretty well. I had a solid lesson and the students worked in small groups so I got to demonstrate more than lecturing or discussion, which I think is hard to pull off well without more practice- like on Friday. Though with some good comments and suggestions after 5th period (which didn't go as well as planned- good comments, but I sucked at structuring it), 8th period went really pretty well, and the discussion worked. I wish the period was about 5 minutes longer, but there was more wrap-up from Thursday than planned for. It was good, and necessary, but the balance of timing on that group is really a challenge. But my cooperating teacher thinks that it kind of is too, and he thinks I did pretty well. it all creates some serious grading for me this weekend (like more than just quiz grading), but it's worth it. I have to work on a really good couple of lessons for next week- I'm sure at least one will be discussion, but I think I probably need to put something else in, too. But to facilitate a discussion well you need good practice, so I think I may end up doing that a few more times to work on skills there- because I like that best, and these short stories tend to work well in discussion scenarios.

anyway- any great ideas for introducing puritanism as I begin to plan to switch units into Crucible and Scarlet Letter?

week 2

Okay, so it's really more like week 1.5 (the first truly "full" week). Last week was a full week, but Monday was shortened, Institute day for teachers only and Tuesday was a short day more for scheduling and "policies" signature documents.
We did stuff Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (mostly reading and writing assessments), and now we're on to the "real" stuff. Details on that later in the week, I think!

Otherwise had a lovely visit with college advisors this weekend and ate probably way too much so am back to the better eating again. :o)

Not overly much to do for school at this point so I'm trying to pace myself and do a little work ahead and some research so I don't get totally swamped. So far I think it's going okay.

In other news- I am SOOOO excited it's football season again. A sport I can fully comprehend and appreciate- GO BEARS.


Have lovely beginning-of-school to all of you!

soon and very soon

i start student teaching on monday. with only 1.5 working days (read:week days) left of "freedom," i begin to freak out.
i believe this is not really freaking out about school beginning and more about a new routine that is, at present, foreign to me.

i really do like change. and i typically embrace change.

it's the leading-up-t0-change that absolutely makes me nutty (and, likely by design, everyone around me).

running out to pick up a few things for dinner earlier this afternoon, i passed a staples store. and i paused to think about school supplies. i mean, i do start high school again (in a manner of speaking) on monday, after all.

and i have NO IDEA what i need. they should really make back-to-school supply lists for teachers and not just students. (remember when you had to bring a box or 2 of kleenex for the classroom so there would be enough for the school year? and when you had to bring a change of clothes to keep in your locker in elementary school?)

anyway... now that my three weeks are almost up- this should get interesting!

VBC, etc

this week is VBC (vacation bible CAMP) at church. Due to working downtown and the current ineffectivity of my shoulder, i am "acting" in the nightly dramas. Tonight is the last night (and therefore the potluck). I will reprise my role as Felicity Snootlithe, Foreign Correspondent for the "Heavenly Times." (we're doing St. Paul and the Early Church as the theme this year.)
Anyway... i'm kind of a snobby foreign correspondent with a sloppy British accent (though the sloppy is my own and not written into the script. effect of not having done dialogue in quite some time as well as effects of vicodin for shoulder pain- NO, i didn't drive myself!!)

Otherwise: day off tomorrow for appointment with rheumatologist which happens to fall SMACK in the middle of the day (moderately annoying!) and is the only appointment available this week. Unsure why the ER docs decided rheumatologist, but there it is. My hunch is there will a CT scan or MRI in my future- hopefully near rather than far so we can decrease drugs and ice-pack-frequency!!

Tomorrow, however, is also T-minus one year to wedding day. Sometimes, that's not a big deal. Other times, I can't believe it's only a year away and I start to worry about budget, looking for a dress, little details, and the fact that student teaching makes up my life from mid/late August until mid December, and that moderately freaks me out. Especially because I'm sure there's stuff I have to DO in preparation for wedding things somewhere in there, while i know that student teaching consumes your life and them some in process.
This *is* all going to be fine.

I just need to remind myself of that sometimes. This may require some therapy this weekend.
(therapy of this type typically means cooking in quantity. i think i need to get the refill propane tank, soak some mesquite or hickory chips, and make sure I have enough vinegar to make pickles while making everything else on the grill.)

now, if i can just get off the drugs I can enjoy all of this with a nice sangria.....