I once postponed a test for one of my classes and they gave me a standing ovation. It made me want to give them more tests so I could postpone them and receive more standing ovations. Standing ovations can be intoxicating, my students need to be careful lest they receive more tests than they can handle. Eventually, I imagine, the standing ovations would end. It would be a tragic day. I, used to getting standing ovations for postponing tests, would become cranky from withdrawal. Tests would no longer be postponed, and students, used to not taking tests on the days they are assigned, would be caught off guard. They would fail, grades would suffer, kids would not graduate. All of this because of one standing ovation. Good thing I am not prone to postponing tests.
I read a memoir recently entitled Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress by Susan Jane Gilman. It was engrossing and entertaining. Every snapshot Gilman places in front of the reader is amusing, occasionally laugh-out-loud amusing. She is equally talented at seeing the whole picture, and drawing real life-lessons from real-life situations. Her points are not heavy-handed, instead I found I learned a lot and looked at situations from a new viewpoint, even with the understanding that were Ms. Gilman and I ever to meet, we would probably disagree on almost everything.
I added this book to my ever-growing list of wonderful memoirs. With every memoir I read I am reminded that I probably could never actually write one myself. The life lessons I learn seem to come primarily from other people's lives or books I have read or movies I have watched. My own life, which leaves me completely content, is full of random and quaint anecdotes, but no thought-provoking, hilarious, or traumatic (seemingly or authentic) events. In fact even now, as I read through this post, all I can think is: have I again over-used commas? Answer: probably.
Like memoirs? Read these: Honky by Dalton Conley, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (yes. I do think this is memoir. Definitely, at least, memoir-esque.)
30.4.08
29.4.08
The Second One
Again I am sitting in class, with all my students hard at work. Could there be a better time to post? I submit that there cannot!*
As my first year teaching comes to an end I find myself counting the days as much as my students. At the same time I am also looking forward to next year. I have in my mind all the things I am going to do better and change in my classroom and methods. I really want a new textbook for at least Spanish 1. That would be amazing.
I confiscated an English vocab list from one of my students. It was full of such great words. My students all laughed at how excited I got over them. I chose a word from the list that will be today's word of the day. You can find it at the bottom of today's post.
Prom is over, thank heavens. I spent all Saturday setting up for it and chaperoning it. At the risk of sounding like an old woman, I cannot stand the way they dance or the music that they ask for. The kids request songs and then sway back and forth, butt to crotch. It's obscene and any fool can do it (as demonstrated by many last Saturday night). Then when a song comes on they can actually dance to, they all leave the dance floor. Kids these days. Fortunately the d.j.'s were more than willing to work with me in keeping an eye on the music, and they played a variety of music instead of (essentially) the same song over and over and over again.
Favorite new Internet find: hulu!! Check it out. Know it, love it. For a girl like me, without cable, this is fantastic.
Word of the day: virulent adj. poisonous or destructive.
*line inspired by Brian Regan. Thank you Brian Regan.
As my first year teaching comes to an end I find myself counting the days as much as my students. At the same time I am also looking forward to next year. I have in my mind all the things I am going to do better and change in my classroom and methods. I really want a new textbook for at least Spanish 1. That would be amazing.
I confiscated an English vocab list from one of my students. It was full of such great words. My students all laughed at how excited I got over them. I chose a word from the list that will be today's word of the day. You can find it at the bottom of today's post.
Prom is over, thank heavens. I spent all Saturday setting up for it and chaperoning it. At the risk of sounding like an old woman, I cannot stand the way they dance or the music that they ask for. The kids request songs and then sway back and forth, butt to crotch. It's obscene and any fool can do it (as demonstrated by many last Saturday night). Then when a song comes on they can actually dance to, they all leave the dance floor. Kids these days. Fortunately the d.j.'s were more than willing to work with me in keeping an eye on the music, and they played a variety of music instead of (essentially) the same song over and over and over again.
Favorite new Internet find: hulu!! Check it out. Know it, love it. For a girl like me, without cable, this is fantastic.
Word of the day: virulent adj. poisonous or destructive.
*line inspired by Brian Regan. Thank you Brian Regan.
28.4.08
The First One
Ask me how long it's taken me to write The First One. I spent so much time figuring out what I wanted the blog to look like. Then I posted and decided I didn't like it. Then I decided I didn't like what the post said, so I had to start all over again. But now I have it. And I like it. Unfortunately, I am also writing this as I am supposed to be teaching and every teaching class I have ever taken said that is a bad idea. So, this First One is short and sweet. Welcome to my blog. It's gonna be great.
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