music

Megan Hilty was the third girl to play Glinda in Wicked on Broadway. Almost her first professional gig debuting on Broadway in one of the biggest shows. She's left Wicked, doing other things to increase her skills. This is one show that examines how songs and shows are written.

for the holiday season

http://www.pogopossum.com/deckus.htm

from pogo

academic advice

If your teacher on a quiz or test has a question that says "explain in as much detail as possible." write until you run out of room.

If your teacher on a quiz or test has a question of "explain, you may use diagrams if you wish." you are being given a hint.

priorities

I teach an advanced class with hairy math.

From day one, I have told them to buy a calculator. The math classes have them, but I don't. We have tried to get them but my attitude is, "you buy the shoes I see you wear the clothes I see, you can get a calculator."

Test.
with hair trigonometry.

"I don't have a calculator."

"sucks, been telling you all year to get one."

"can you lend me yours?"

"nope I'm out of batteries and I need the calculators I have for the semester test. the calculators hook up with your the equipment you need for the lab test."

"can I use the calculator option on my cell phone?"

"nope, you can afford a cell phone, you can buy a calculator."

(sparky what do you think will happen college you want to go to...you looking for a no math degree?"

one student could not get the trig functions on his borrowed calculator to work (didn't understand how that calculator worked)

I"m not helping a lot, you were supposed to get them to work right during practice assignments.

"can we go to the math department to borrow some?"

"nope they need them all for the ACT test tomorrow and are not letting them out of site"

One student accused me of enjoying their discomfort..."a little, you know I have a dark side to my soul."

buy a calculator they are 13 bucks

(okay I have some students who honestly do not have 13 bucks to spare I know who they are and would loan them a calculator, not the one with the 20 thousand dollar car her grandmother bought her)

helleuva day

I generally do not refer students to the office. 1. I have reasonable management skills. 2. I have higher performing students.

Two students in my lower class were making noises. I put my plan into action. One has escalated up my scale that he has detention with me. Then another noise comes out. Okay you're going to the office. I can't teach if you are doing this. Of course he claims he is an innocent as a newborn lamb. Really, as bad as it sounds I don't care which of them did it, though I'm certain it was him. Noises keep happening one of you is being written up.

Other class, high performing, but social and large. Half of them are gone to college day. Lot of of empty seats. I move students around "hey move up front..." One student flat refused. Okay, I"m not going to argue. I"m not going to send you to office, you are not disrupting class.

Student sulks. finally I tell her "look you think I'm wrong you can complain to the office." Student does just that. I'm thinking what is student going to say? "Mrs. W. wanted me to move up front and didn't tell other students to."

crickets chirping

"she's picking on me. She always does that."

More crickets

"like when I was pregnant last year and she helped me do all the catch up work from the time I missed."

Seems also a student went into labor. I think we have no more pregnant students now. Wait until spring.