The Evening
It's down around 8:30 pm and the mountain of grading has become more like a mole-hill. We're definitely going to have to go over adding a bit of extended definition again tomorrow in class. Besides that, everything is fine. Came home. Worked out.
It snowed and snowed a lovely blanket of white today in Boise! Walking to the gym trudging through the powder was kind of fun! On the way, I saw Rudy, the homeless guy I gave a coat to a while back in front of the apartment house. I ran into him yesterday, and he didn't seem to recognize me. He asked if I could spare some change, and I had none, so I told him so. He yelled something behind me about going home to my warm house. I saw him today too. To be honest, he kind of scares me. Most of the time I see him, he seems to be talking slowly, like he's drunk or on some kind of downer. So, today when I saw him, I tucked my head into my hood a little lower hoping he wouldn't recognize me. That's not particularly Christian, but how am I to respond? He knows where I live.
I need to go home and shovel the snow from teh sidewalk before I get ready to go to bed. Top of the evening to you all!
The Afternoon
This was one of those "I'm so tired and so frustrated and so insert growl here I want to cry" days
Indeed, it's been one of those weeks.
Moan #1: WhAT ON EARTH am I supposed to do with a 90-MINUTE STUDY SKILLS CLASS? They're antsy. They're disrespectful, and they seldom, if ever, have that much homework. People have told me, "IT's easy! You can do what you want! Teach them something fun!" But no one has ever mentioned any ways of teaching "fun" things, or targeting the skills these kids need, without offering me ideas that would take valuable time away from the other two brand new classes I'm planning and the "Oh, Elisabeth! This seems like your job: you do it!" mentality of the consulting work I've been doing lately! AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!
That's mostly it. I'm just tired and I have a mountain of papers to correct, tomorrow to plan, and two meetings tomorrow that will keep me from being able to use my planning period to do that.
And that damn pushing nature is acting up again.
FUN STUFF
However, yesterday was fun!
Once again, I got to meet a famous person at the Egyptian Theatre (bringing to mind my Eric Idle evening three years ago.) Aron Ralston, the man who cut his own arm off in Utah three years ago to survive, came to the Egyptian Theatre last night to give a talk about his experiences, the proceeds going to the Idaho Youth Ranch. I have taught Aron's story twice to my classes, and so it was really fun to go meet the man I taught about to my kids. (I don't usually get to meet 'em cuz they're usually dead.)
But I got to meet him. How fun!
And he even gave me his e-mail address! That was cool!
But I lost it before I got home.
Oh Well!
1 comment:
Yay you! Grading piles are daunting!!!! Way to take it down to a molehill!!!!
A say hit Idaho Book and School for a logical thinking or puzzles book or some other "thinking skills" book for those study skills kiddos. Start the class with desk work from this and use it to hone the class' skills.
They could also have to read and report on a novel (based on a theme or not). The whole crew could go to the library one time together. You could hold on to their books, give assignments, etc.
My other idea is to get the newspaper (free - from statesman online - you can sign up for them to be delivered to your school- NIE) and create a daily scavenger hunt sort of game. The teams are given one clue...when they think they have found it, they fill it our, bring it to you...if correct, they get another clue. And the game continues that way. Perhaps the winners get something...perhaps just the accolades of being the timed winners. Best in the week gets ______. You will increase their knowledge of current events and expose them to "real world" writing.
If this is too "Mrs. Fix It" please tell me to go jump in a lake! -Sara
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