Ms Widget

not supposed to be here

2012-01-28T16:36:00.000-08:00

The other night, because of my exercise program, primarily walking and my low potassium count; I woke up in the middle of the night with leg cramps. I got up and walked around at 3 in the morning to work out the things. I went back to bed and slept hard. Only to dream about being in a lecture with several students in attendance, including two vocal favorites. Who Would Not Shut up! When I finally gained control of my dream (can do that) and went to a pleasant fantasy world of knights, dragons and heroes, the alarm clock went off.

They worry my days enough, they are not supposed to invade my dreams.

explains why they don't understand

2012-01-21T15:05:00.000-08:00

I took by biology tutoring class to the library this week. All our students are required to read AR books. My attitude is you should have that book with you all the time (or something to read). One problem student looked at my recommendation of _Flowers_for_Algernon_ as "that's too much to read".

By tenth grade I read all of Shakespeare's plays on my own and _The_Lord_of_the_Rings_ several times.

(reminds me I need to read LotR again)

video

2012-01-18T16:50:00.000-08:00

Trying to explain fifty years of developing music taste to my students, or how I get there.

I found this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlmxFtm5L0w

Because it was the ending music of a RPG fan film. I originally thought it was Blackmore's Night. No, I do not understand German. I can follow along what happens, I think.

videos for my students

2012-01-16T17:13:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to get my students to think, listen and write. I started playing music. Then after they write some I show a video. As I tell them there is no right or wrong, if you write honestly.

cirque de solei

pay?

2011-11-13T18:03:00.000-08:00

One of my students, well lets say that Malcolm has a weight issue, and a work issue. I'm hounding him back to his seat. ADD he can't sit down for long and I hear the student he was talking to say "you ask her then."

"Okay," I say "ask me what?"

Malcom starts, "mrs W if your husband was dead and you had no family and was broke, would you hook?"

Glance down at middle age, overweight body dramatically, "Malcolm, who'd pay?"

Yea...

2011-11-10T18:11:00.001-08:00

One of my juniors from last year had some hard luck. Not only did she get pregant her sophmore year, the baby had many neurological problems. Like many girls in this situation, though not all; she grew up some. Yesterday she was bopping down the halls telling all and sundry that her ACT score was 19. Yea, not that much, but for her it was good. This means she will not have to take remedial classes in college. Hope she can get the financial aid.

Poor?....trash?

2011-10-29T13:16:00.001-07:00

My mother was share cropper family. She even picked cotton by hand. Literally had clothes made from flour sacks. Part of a training day was riding the bus to see where our kids lived. If you do not work, surely you have time to clean the debris from you yard?

I know part is you need a truck, and then to pay to go to landfill, but at least move it. My mother would be having a fit.

well,...I'm stand up...

2011-10-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

I confiscated another cell phone yesterday. From a cheerleader. Later on, my brother had a student repeat what he said about me. "no she's beautiful, she doesn't show any preference." This from a kid who also I had taken a cell phone from.

Humbled

2011-10-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

Like many people who shoot and carry guns, hubby and I went to a class to learn how to shoot better and safer. As the introductions started, name, job, town; one man from my town who was East Asian appearance stated that he had become an American Citizen in March and was there to practice his 2nd Amendment rights.

Of course there was applause all around.

Wall....head

2011-09-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

Allrighty.

We've been working on SI for the past week. Assignments, practice labs, quizzes etc.

The objective reads "test Measuring SI units"

The questions read such things as "What unit in SI is used to measure mass?"

The top of the test reads "Test Metric system"

When reading the instructions to "got to lab station 3 and measure the line on the card?" do not come to me and ask "do you want the measure in inches or centimeters?"

Math teacher?

2011-08-27T10:14:00.001-07:00

Hmm. I'm teacher algebra II.

A student asked me what the square root symbol on an assignment was.

"that's the square root."...blank stare..."to get a square root ...its the opposite of squaring." couple studentw perk up, "look at problem 7, it asks you to graph the square root of 6, whats the square root."

"three." says one student

Pause. "no, 2 times 3 is 6,"

"I want a calculator."

"sorry we don't have the batteries yet."

"think it this way, you are not trying to find the answer, you just want an about, 1 * 1 is 1, 2 *2 is 4, 3 *3 is 9, so you know the square root of 6 is somewhere between 2 and 3."

"we don't have to know exactly?"

"can you graph decimals exactly?"

Student pauses and asks the real question, "so if we graph an about and we are close, you won't count it wrong."

"nope"

technologically behind

2011-08-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

I need to learn how to use an Iphone. I have a blackberry which I buy minutes on, that is how much I use it.

But an Iphone. So I can do this....

Text
"This is johnny's teacher. Johnny can't reply to your text, I have confiscated his phone this period."

shaking

2011-08-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

The assignment for a class was "aside from wars, name ten important events in your lifetime."

1. 911
2. fall of the Berlin Wall
3. Moon landing
4. Oklahoma city bombing
5. Challenger explosion
6. Jonestown suicide/massacre
7.Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
8. Assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan
9. Resignation of Richard Nixon
10. Release of "Star Wars"

First test

2011-08-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Student "do we get a word bank?"

"no"

What? this is honors 11th grade part of the test is if you can remember the words of the lab equipment. Must find lower grade level teachers and slap the snot out of them.

Geek reading

2011-08-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien (one goal this year is to read it again)
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
3. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card The original one, after that couldn't he write about something else?
4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert did not really understand them until I became an adult, hubby has read the other series, couldn't Kevin J. Anderson write about other characters?
5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin
6. 1984, by George Orwell
7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
8. The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov (you know, I guess I need to read it again, because I suspect it really wasn't all that good and I need to see)
9. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
11. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
12. The Wheel Of Time Series, by Robert Jordan (Dear lord, no.)
13. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
14. Neuromancer, by William Gibson
15. Watchmen, by Alan Moore (Neeeaaaa, I really believe in heroes)
16. I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
17. Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein
18. The Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss
19. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut (I really should)
20. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
21. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick
22. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood (uhm, if I want to read about men mistreating women I just need to get a history book)
23. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King (Stephen, step away from the word processor)
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke
25. The Stand, by Stephen King
26. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson
27. The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
28. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
29. The Sandman Series, by Neil Gaiman
30. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
31. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein
32. Watership Down, by Richard Adams (I tried, I didn't get it)
33. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey
34. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
35. A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller
36. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
37. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne
38. Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keys
39. The War Of The Worlds, by H.G. Wells
40. The Chronicles Of Amber, by Roger Zelazny
41. The Belgariad, by David Eddings
42. The Mists Of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
43. The Mistborn Series, by Brandon Sanderson
44. Ringworld, by Larry Niven
45. The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin
46. The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien
47. The Once And Future King, by T.H. White
48. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman (no, because it really was made for TV)
49. Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke
50. Contact, by Carl Sagan
51. The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons
52. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
53. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson
54. World War Z, by Max Brooks
55. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
56. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
57. Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
58. The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson (
59. The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold
60. Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett
61. The Mote In God's Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
62. The Sword Of Truth, by Terry Goodkind
63. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
64. Jonathan Strange, Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke (tried couldn't get past the first 5 chapters)
65. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson
66. The Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist
67. The Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks
68. The Conan The Barbarian Series, by R.E. Howard (and after watching the new movie, I will probably re read them)
69. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb
70. The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
71. The Way Of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
72. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, by Jules Verne
73. The Legend Of Drizzt Series, by R.A. Salvatore
74. Old Man's War, by John Scalzi
75. The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson
76. Rendezvous With Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke
77. The Kushiel's Legacy Series, by Jacqueline Carey
78. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin
79. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
80. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
81. The Malazan Book Of The Fallen Series, by Steven Erikson
82. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
83. The Culture Series, by Iain M. Banks
84. The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
85. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
86. The Codex Alera Series, by Jim Butcher
87. The Book Of The New Sun, by Gene Wolfe
88. The Thrawn Trilogy, by Timothy Zahn (Would've been nice if he'd've bothered to see the movies first.)
89. The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldan
90. The Elric Saga, by Michael Moorcock (Blood and souls for my -- Oh, just whatever.)
91. The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury
92. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
93. A Fire Upon The Deep, by Vernor Vinge
94. The Caves Of Steel, by Isaac Asimov
95. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson
96. Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
97. Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis
98. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville
99. The Xanth Series, by Piers Anthony
100. The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis

aww...heck

2011-08-18T19:53:00.003-07:00

A fellow teacher just told me that a student was locked out of his house by his mother. Seems the mom of the year boyfriend and kid do not get along.

I do not envey our counselor.

"what fresh hell is this?"

2011-08-11T06:29:00.001-07:00

Since I managed to change policy so students in honors may opt out of my Physics class and take AP Biology instead, I have only one Physics class instead of 3.

First thing they did in office. We changed our math schedule, more students are taking Algebra II. I am math certified so I get one class of Alg II.

Normally I have 30 plus students for chemistry. Now I have 66. There will be some attrition, but that is still a lot of students.

Still have an open class in my schedule. I'm perfectly willing to have an extra conference period. Or make it another chemistry class. I already went to the principal once and complained about the load in on chemistry class. I'm already overloading the chem lab stations which means double up off/on, half the class does the lab, half seat work; next day we switch. But one class was too many for me to even do that.

Then I look at the list of students...Jessica?...she has some kind of family issue and a teacher relative comes and sticks her nose into things. Then the kid lies to her mother about what teachers do to her.

Mary? this kid has severe aspergers. She's slapped kids! Granted the little darlings deserved it. She will go on rampages. I'll talk to her mother, maybe she'll sit out of labs and do them with just me during my conference.

Mark? oh heck he's in ALE, who decided he should be in chemistry?

But I still have an open slot. First idea was "any classes you can teach?" Not any out of the approved state list, and either we teach them or they just don't fit into out school. "how about a 'high school skills' class?" "you mean a 'how to be a real human' class?...sure life skills, how to do interviews?" This would work, we even had a job training class that was cut that did the very same thing. I could talk to that teacher and get the stuff.

Now its "your going to teach a Biology lab." "you mean like last year I did math tutoring, now you want me to do Biology? You do know I'm not Biology certified?"

"sure but you don't have to be, just teach them test taking skills for the Biology EOC." Oh Great Bog if I hear test taking skills once more, howabout we teach them the stuff they are supposed to know, like reading, writing and how to talk to a person without a "you know" every other sentence.

2011-08-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

From Staghounds if the Norwegian students had any training on how to deal with shooters they might have not had so many losses.

After the horrible Columbine shootings, I told my children "I do not want to hear that you died hiding. Get with your buddies and charge him, he might take you out, but if you all act he can't take you all out."

Another question from my students when once during a practice lock down. "what would we do if it were a real shooting.?"

"Guys I have an entire chem lab at my disposal." (and yes I have given thought to McGyvering a few handy items, acids on flesh are nasty things.)

(

Book of the day

2011-06-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

Yes I know it is summer. No students to show books to.

If this was not so funny I would be beating the clerk's head against the wall. Our science department was able to get some money. We got together and made a "fun" order. We had our wish lists, compared prices of companies, made suggestions, then wrote out our orders. Here you take this company and make the list I'll order this one. One thing I wanted to do was buy books. Students need more literacy and I want more books for them to read.
I waited a month. No response. Emailed politely the clerk and asked if she knew when the books were due, since I had to read them before the students. I was told the request they were sent back to the principal for "review."

Found the principal. He looked at my order and it had a note from said clerk such as "this was what we talked about". Principal asks "what's this one here, Demon Haunted Word, Sagan."

"guffaw" Oh my lord, the office thinks I'm teaching the kids how to be Devil Worshippers. "Sagan...that's the author, Carl Sagan, scientist."

Remember as much as you like the principal, he's a former football coach. "so its not about demons..." he says.

"no, its about pseudo science...fake science,...astrology, psychics and why we spend so much time on them."

We settle that and I point out the books are not supposed to be taxed.

If I find out that woman was censoring my books, there will be a talk with her, me and the super about job descriptions and duties.

name that lab supply

2011-06-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

I spent 3 days cleaning out and organizing the lab supplies. I am getting new things, and I am tired of standing in the supply closet thinking "I know I have *blank*, I saw it where is it?" Boxes are labeled and the shelves where said boxes go.

But I found this. It is made out of marble. I think it might have something to do with a clock since it has arrows and numbers up to 24.

tv worth watching

2011-05-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

History channel is finally showing something besides UFO stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usg_Lh0UyMc

Three years ago I went to Gettysburg. I am a proud daughter of the South. I completely lost it several times. The first was in the building display hearing the Gettysburg address after seeing a bill of sale of human beings.

That and looking at where Pickett's charge happenned.

book of the day

2011-05-28T03:46:00.000-07:00

Star wars Heir to Empire

This week was the anniversary of the release of Star Wars a New Hope. The movie changed the culture of the world. Its helped develop special effects that changed how we do movies. It made George Lucas rich. It saved Fox Studios from bankruptcy. And it did not even have a premire night.

Heir to Empire takes place after Return of the Jedi and was the first authorized sequel to the Star Wars story. (lets ignore Splinter in Mind's Eye) There had been some stories before about Han and Lando that took place before the events in the movies.

This one, Luke is trying to rebuild the Jedi order, Leia is married to Han and pregnant with twins, an Imperial Admiral by name of Thrawn is trying to rebuild the empire, and the introduction of Mara Jade. Mara was the Emperor's Hand, and she is trying to survive but also driven by the last command of Palpatine, "kill Luke Skywalker".

wanting and having it all

2011-05-28T03:34:00.000-07:00

Last week we were cleaning out the shed and the yard. At a junk sale awhile back the hubby bought some bikes that he was going to fix. I have a new bike, and in the shed is our old bike. We put the daughter's bike out by the trash on the theory that scavengers will pick it up and put it to good use. There's no way it would sell. Sure enough, a guy in a pick up truck came and asked if we could have it. You could tell he had a hard life. Work clothes, old truck, upolstery on the truck repaired with duct tape. Since it was a weekend he had his daughter with him. She had cast off old clothing that didn't fit right. She was about 11. I commented to her as she used the truck lift to load the bike that it needed some work (flat tires), she responded "my daddy can fix it, he can fix anything." You could tell by her voice that she loved and respected her father.Then her voice even went up when my husband wheeled my old bike (better shape) around. "oooh that's my bike its just right for me"

I have students who drive cars better than mine. Heck one girl got a new car because she didn't make the cheerleading squad. I know I have rough kids. I know of kids we teach who teachers have bought coats and jackets for. I know of pools of money collected so a student can go to prom. I hope this girl and father get a few breaks.

Book of the day

2011-05-28T03:26:00.000-07:00

I've been behind on posting this.

Many of my students know I play computer games. Especially Dragon Age. Even once on a slow day showed them a video of my playing it, and used it to explain job opportunites. The company is looking to hire over 100 people, and here look at how many different types of jobs they need, writers, artists, programmers, oh and of course test players...

Dragon Age the Stolen Throne takes place before Dragon Age Origins. One student asked why this and I explain that good authors write a lot of background material to explain why things happen.

that explains it

2011-05-28T03:11:00.001-07:00

I'm reading this article on psychopaths, because it is interesting and my students might find it of interest, they may have to read it next year. Nice story how science thought develops.

Then on my drives NPR has a series on the test used to test prisoners. Prisoners who rate high on the psychopath scale have little hope for parole. The parole boards will simply not release them.

Following up on the article I look at the test they give. Some of the conditions stand out. These describe many of our problem children. Especially the "failure to accept responsibility". A problems student always describes his punishment as "he's trying to suspend me", no darling, the dean of students can't "try" either you are suspended or you are not.

Item 3 Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom

Item 4 Pathological lying

Item 5 Cunning/manipulative

Item 10 Poor behavioural controls

Item 11 Promiscuous sexual behaviour

Item 12 Early behaviour problems

Item 14 Impulsivity

Item 16 Failure to accept responsibility for own actions

Item 18 Juvenile delinquency

According to the article psychopaths are a small part of the population. There is another quote we use "5% of your student population makes up 95% of your discipline problems." Or in my words when I'm reading off announcements of who has lunch detention or ISS/OSS..."the usual suspects". Its the same kids.

Can we identify them where they are young? Before the programimng of a human being is done? We look at the young students and by 3rd grade we can tell you if they are going to jail or not.

I'd be on Magento's side

2011-04-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

A while back in a study hall type class, I showed the class of 9th graders segments from the X-men movies.

Then posed the writing prompt. "If you were a mutant, who's side would you be on."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUlkf1gVdK4

respect you in the morning

2011-04-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I garden. This year we swore that after the initial hard work setting it up we would keep working on the maintainence part to keep the garden going well. Last year he built a light box so we could start things from seeds. It worked well and it is doing well with herbs and such.

We are out setting out stuff and landscaping. Hubby is watering the plants in the light box. He tells me "you know the things in here look spindly".

"yea they just try to grow up to the light."

"I read that you are supposed to stroke them 20 times every day."

"whaaaat?....okay I get it, they are protected in the box..."

We agreed in the box there is no wind, no rain, nothing that would gently break some of the growth, so in the box they are taller and less leafy. But still...

He says, "I'm just going to take them out of the box and put them outside now, its windy so if they are out here when we work, that should do it."

have passport...

2011-04-21T16:14:00.000-07:00

Hubby has _got_ to get a Fullbright scholarship to teach in Germany so we can join this group...this makes all the groups we've joined in geekness (Camarilla, SCA...) pale in comparison

missed my calling

2011-04-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

The faculty lounge is discussing salaries. The paper listed state employees who made over 100 thousand dollars. One day it was listing the college people. It doesn't bother us overly much that the football coaches at the state college make so much money, okay it does but it is what it is. The track coach making that much is slightly bothersome.

One overweight math coach opinioned, "I could be a track coach, ''run...run faster.'"

High five!

2011-04-16T03:17:00.000-07:00

Students are working on a lab and a student has a question. A student wants the teacher to do the work,...they are supposed to do the work. I can't help you unless you read to me the section you have trouble with or tell me the part you are on, "what do I do?" is not specific enough.

Finally the student gets the message, I tell her "in the book Chapter 14, section 1", her lab buddy looks it up.

"I swear Ms. W. you are the most difficult teacher I have."

Yesss!

dress for it

2011-04-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

"mrs. W....do you have any jeans?"

pause

"yes..."

"I can't remember you ever wearing them....I do not even remember you wearing pants."

(well actually I wore a pair of duluth pants tuesday since the air conditioning in my class makes it I can hang meat in my class)

"you will never see me in jeans...jeans are work clothes, its what I garden and paint and work in."

I wear skirts, button up shirts, and vests almost everyday....shoes are keen or sketchers since I am on my feet all day.

wow!

2011-04-11T16:42:00.001-07:00

Looks like I have to do some reading.

I've never heard about these guys.

http://vimeo.com/22016112

maybe if we put tranquilizers in the milk?

2011-04-08T15:21:00.001-07:00

In the span of three weeks we have had five fights.

Three of which were girl fights. Now two of the fights are actually projections of family feuds.

The first of these fights I ended up trying to help break up, Five girls were in the fight and one of them was one of my students. I'm protective of my students. Also my brother charged in to break it up. I manage to grab mine by the arms and push her back so she is out of the fight, until she wiggles and the next thing is I'm holding a coat.

The video camera is silly, I'm stalking her keeping me between her and the girl she wants to hit.

Though students give us kudos for charging into the fray.

2011-03-31T16:29:00.001-07:00

refering to this http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=14903249&postID=7910838759010797022&isPopup=true

My brother now teaches math at my school, I helped open the door for him and he's reasonably happy here.

During an assembly some kids were clowning, he went over and talked to them. They stood up and were quiet. His comment was "I didn't give up three years of my life for them to do this."

My brother, husband, father and I are veterans. My youngest was at that time in Army basic training.

Book of the day

2011-03-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Many of my students like the new tv zombie series and Zombieland movie. So I pulled this book out Zombie Survival Guide. I looked out in the class and saw three boys reading it together. One bright student said he read more of that book than any other reading he's done. I promised I would bring the sequel World War Z after break. It is a book allowed for AR points and I would loan it first come first served for the rest of the year.

Book of the day

2011-03-12T09:30:00.001-08:00

(really more like the week)

The Art of the Fellowship of the Ring A book just like it sounds. The creative process for the first of the Lord of the Rings movie. Beautiful sketches, drawings and models from the geniuses at WETA.
Many of my students who are creative, especially one who is Eowyn in another life, looked at it.

best birth control

2011-03-02T17:17:00.001-08:00

Its morning. a student walks into the commons with his robo baby. This is an electrified doll that mimics a real baby. Students must wear an electronic tag that will shut the baby up when it cries, swipe the tag on the back and the baby may stop crying, or it may need a change, be held or a bottle. Robobaby is how students get part of their grade in Parenting class (we used to call this home economics)

Part of the joy for me, is the teacher can adjust the setting from calm to cranky to even mimicking fetal alcohol syndrome.
Robobaby is crying. He pleads to the teacher in the commons who gave him this task that his is ready to turn it in (we don't allow them in class...it is a homework assignment) She responds that she will not take it in until the baby is quiet. Bubba stops at my class, which is enroute and starts trying to figure out the problem. cuddling, bottle change diaper...

I'm doing my morning errands, and laughing at him.

"ms widget you are enjoying this."

"yea, I told you I'm a sadist. You want one of those?"

"oh hell no, this thing cried at 1 and 3 and...5..."

we want you.

2011-02-18T16:02:00.000-08:00

In response.

If you do not like where you are working, leave.
If you are an effective, experienced teacher who is facing this ATR or being forced out.

Leave under your own power.

Leave the pollution, the crowds, the bloated bureacracy, the old outdated schools.

Come to the South. We want you, we need you and we'd love to have you.

Come to the South. Come to rural. Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, North and South Carolina have all increased in population. Some by over 10 %. Look at Texas' massive growth.

And the growth means children who need new schools and teachers.

Come to where you can fish. Come to where you can have a yard, and a garden and fresh vegetables bought from the roadside. Come.

Come to the South. Look at this winter's heating bill... and Come to the South.

Yes, we may not pay as much, but our living here is cheaper and we have less taxes. Florida and Texas have no state income tax.

We have seafood, Barbecue, Cajun, a touch of Mexican and Southern cooking.

We have RocknRoll, Blues, Folk and Bluegrass.

We have New Orleans, with Marti Gras. We have Memphis, Home of the Blues and Beale Street. We have Austin, Live music capital with SouthbySouthwest. We have Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Miami.

My principal would bite off his left arm for a Drama/English/Speech teacher we can keep for more than a year.
"time sheets?" what? I am a professional and treated as such. The only such thing I have to fill out is extra tutoring or if I am sick.

Most schools will pay for the move, maybe even a bonus if you come.

So come, come to the south.

sssshhhh! education happening

2011-01-28T18:46:00.001-08:00

Some students just cannot learn in a traditional classroom. Some need to make up work, (called "credit recovery"), some just are such discipline problems that cannot deal in classrooms.

I have one such student. I think he thought he would get out of class and work. I think he honestly thought this trip to coventry would be fun. I have complained "look he's all in the halls, he wanted to go there, if he has a temper trouble he should not be associating with the other students." On that issue, Oh Well..

The reason he is in the halls is, he can attend some classes then go to his exile. He comes in for labs in my class, but still I am required to be with him to help him work. I send the lessons and assignments in to the office for him. I still get the "I don't understand this." So I'm spending my entire planning period with him today to help him catch up. I am not cutting him any slack. I will not give him the answers, he had to read the right pages to me, answer the questions etc. All the while maintaining my professional and helpful demeanour. Finally he puts his head in his hands. "maaaan I don't get this, my head is starting to hurt."

"Good," I reply, "that means you're learning."

Later when I talked to the teacher who runs our little brig, her comment was "I heard you and thought I was going to loose it right there at the desk."

its a battle of wits, you are unarmed!

2011-01-12T15:28:00.000-08:00

Fifth period is a social group.

They just picked up their graduation invites.

They will not shut up.

A few lucky talkers got detention with me in the morning.

One student, "I can't be in that early my mother doesn't arrive that early."

Her mother works at the school. Relax I say I can email her.

Now my letter to the mother was the most helpful of all, full of how can we make arrangements, what time.

Kiddo did not think I'm going through with this. Another said she had a doctor's appointment. I can see the attendance of the other classes. If you are first period and not with me I will write you up.

First kiddo though is spoiled. Constantly trying to get out of class to "talk to my mother". Seems put out when I finally started saying "no, if you have a problem talk to the office first, your mother has a job to do also"

Its okay, no its not

2011-01-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

I teach a science class which is really a dumping ground. It was intended by me as a middle ground between the hard science class I teach and an easier class which another teacher does.

This is the beginning of a new semester. Two students were moved from the class. One directly over my head by the school, because he needed another class to graduate; the other with my permission so this struggling student can be in smaller core classes. Since my class is not required to graduate I have no problem.

A third student comes to me with a drop slip. Now this student has been saying all week that he is leaving the class because it is too hard. He gives me the drop slip with the add slip signed by the other teacher. "Why do you want to take this class?" I point at the class he is trying to take.

"I want a completer." he says gesturing to his neck. We have a career training program and if he takes this other class he can get a cord around his neck at graduation.

"no" I say firmly. "You want out my class because I make you work. A high C is not an option to drop mine and if you did the the work you are fully capable of B or even A work."

"but.." he starts. I take a deep breath and remind myself of all my professionalism classes. "no, the principal's office is that way." I point. "you can take it up with him." Sparky goes and sits down and sulks for the rest of the class claiming that his mother is going to fix everything.

Oh dear child did you not think I'd do an end run. I call his mother that night. I use my best "I am here for you child routine." assuring the mother that her son is fully able to get an A and that I would do everything I could do to help him. We end on a positive not. I call a few other parents.

Next day, Sparky's buddy was also a household called. Same story, bright kid, personable, still a kid, capable, but not able to get control of his work. Not even lazy, just not able to get his work in on time. Buddy comes to me with a drop/add slip already signed by other teacher. "why do you want to take this class." I ask. No harm in getting the story.

"Right here" he says triumphantly pointing at the checked "does not meet career/college choices".

"hmm, I see, but you are not going to be a nurse or such and my class can't hurt you, no."

He starts to argue. In my best teacher's voice I tell him, "I have a class to teach, I will talk to you at lunch or my conference period or even an the end of class if all the work is done,. You have two choices, sit down and let me teach; or go to the office and talk to the principal, in fact he was in the hall just now."

Buddy scoots off to plead his case. I start class. He comes back in with his slip. "he said it was okay for you to sign it." I laugh and shake my head.

"no he didn't, he can sign it himself."

"you have to sign it." Now his classmates are all giggling. The current class is not the one he wants to drop. This is a more advanced class, we are currently in. They are all laughing at him. He gets me twice, poor kid. "no, I don't. The principal can override me, in fact he already did once, but he cannot make me sign."

"get to work and join your group Buddy."

"he said its okay for you to sign it!"

_no, the principal said it was okay with him if it is okay with me_ He backs my plays.

Also as I pointed out, my life would be easier if these two clowns were not in my class.

No school

2011-01-10T14:49:00.003-08:00

Like most of the country, we have the snow.

School closed today, school closed tomorrow.

music

2010-12-30T13:13:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-24T11:50:00.001-08:00

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

from pogo

academic advice

2010-12-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-04T04:10:00.001-08:00

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.

TSA what's wrong

2010-11-28T06:54:00.000-08:00

I and my husband are at the airport. Not that we are going through. We are seeing our youngest daughter off. She's going back to OCS training in Fort Benning after Thanksgiving holiday. Like many travelers she is taking everything carryon, including the new laptop we got for her. We like other people wishing their loved ones off stand at the "no go point". We wait and wait. She is out of our sight while going through the security.
One problem with our family, we have active imaginations. "what if there is aproblem?...what if there is some TSA flunky with Napoleon complex?" and if we see something wrong what would we do? After all if my husband has any inkling that there is somebody pawing at his "sweetie" those jumped up rent a cops don't stand a chance with him. This is a guy who decades ago cold cocked a nearly grown calf.

Eventually we see her moving on down the walk way.

Then next to use is some son seeing his elderly mother off. He's explaining the security procedures she has to go through.

This is not the way.

TSA scanning

2010-11-22T16:06:00.000-08:00

Smart alect me.

"i refuse the scanner and request a pat down." *pointing* "him yea him the tall hispanic looking gentleman, can he be my searcher?" *takes hand* "I promise, I'll respect you in the morning."

must be something in the water

2010-11-21T18:04:00.000-08:00

The town I live in has had a ex choir director from the school arrested for rape. Boys of course.
One of my school's substitutes was found to like the girls, he was removed by the third party that runs the substitutes now.

Considering that the school I work for has two former teachers in prison for sex crimes. One took pictures of little boys. The other would fondle the girls. My current class has victims from him.

Book of the day

2010-11-13T15:35:00.000-08:00

Defying Gravity the Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz by Carol d Giere

I wonder how people who I admire can create things. Books, movies, musicals. The short answer is there is something about these people that makes them able to do it. No, there is something about these people that they _must_ do it.

I am a Wicked fan. I have seen the show now 5 times' once on Broadway the other times a tour. Last time I got a backstage tour, the result of donating to Broadway Cares. Schwartz wrote that along with Godspell, Baker's Wife and Pippin among others.

He does in the book talk about his inspirations and the struggle of actually getting his project from an idea in his head to something that people can see.

Oh yea if you are a female who ever felt "I can't fit in" go see Wicked.

Best Years of our lives

2010-11-13T10:10:00.001-08:00

I truly love this scene from this movie.

I love how the wife goes from mortified that her husband might embarrass them to the realization what a decent and honorable man he is.

We need posters

2010-11-06T05:07:00.000-07:00

My brother was hired at my school to teach math. That is working out quite well. He, my husband and I went a football game. A student I knew was talking to us. When being told that my husband taught business at the local college her response was "So he's more eviller than you?"

The three of us nearly died of laughter. "okay we have _got_ to get pictures with titles, evil, eviller, more eviller."

do not push it

2010-11-05T03:23:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I covered for a colleague who is currently in the fight of her life, for her life. Problem student decides to be cute. As I do not know many of the names, problem student decides to show me who's boss. Children will not cooperate by telling me names or such. No problem. Hit call box, call for Dean of Students who comes down and escorts problem kid and buddies to office. Class was quiet for an an entire hour.

The next day I was asked to do the same thing. A bottle of perfume had been spilled and with her immune system suppressed from the chemotherapy she had an allergic reaction. Problem kid sat up front and pretended to do his work. All the time giving me the evil eye.

gender bullying

2010-11-04T16:33:00.000-07:00

okay, a student gets filmed having sex with a member of the same sex and it gets posted on the internet. Said student then commits suicide.

People go into conniptions about bullying.

Change it.

A girl has sex with her boyfriend. Her roomie films such and posts it on the web.

said girl student commits suicide.

Would there be such an outcry? would there be snickering? Playboy offers? selling of said film on the internet?

Well, no. So is there a difference? Isn't that what we are supposed to be working for? No difference?

Look the loss of any human life, especially a young unsure one is tragic.

and this was not bullying

Not really.

Though it was a clueless person.

karma?

2010-09-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

One of my students came to me.

"ms widget, I need to go to the office, I totalled my car yesterday. I need to get my medicine."

I am not a cruel woman. I will not deny a child in pain.

"okay" Glad she's still here in one piece.

after kiddo had left.

*blink* *blink*

This was the kid I had last year who always complained when she was behind me. Claimed I drove too slow. She never believed me when I said "no, the speed limit does not mean you can drive 5 miles faster."

glad she's sill in one piece, sorry she's hurt, concerned that she was frightened.

But still *snicker*

not for childen's ear

2010-09-14T20:21:00.001-07:00

You are a high school student staying late because your school janitor uncle is your ride. There are some hefty teachers discussing upcoming homecoming week. Dress in camoflauge day, tropical hawaiian day, dress as your favorite super hero da

As you are bopping down the hall you hear the 200 pound plus bald math teacher opines "I'm going to be spandex man."

High school student immediately backs up.

Never forget

2010-09-11T08:13:00.000-07:00

My niece worked at the WTC. Grace of God, she was off that morning.

where's my drink?

2010-08-25T16:31:00.000-07:00

*ooooh Jezus*

*ah...uh*

groan

The Jacuzzi water is hot.

Teaching means being exposed to little germ factories of students. I have my first cold of the season. Technically its a cold but I don't have cold symptoms beyond a headache and fever. My allergy medicine covers up the other symptoms.

Its the 5th day of school. My legs aren't used to it yet. Fever, leg pain, fatigue. Hubby was kind enough to take care of dinner and dishes. I'm going back into the tub and soak some more. I know from experience that the fever will pass quickly. I just rest.

leading the insurrection

2010-08-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

We had training today on how to make lesson plans from our new consultant's rep. For those that don't know, if a school is doing bad we have to hire people who tell us how to do our job.

First comment that started the protesting from ms purina cat chow lady. "our research shows that what we do help raise test scores."

Me ( loud enough to be heard) "Every other consultant we hired said the same thing."

I agree with what on of my colleagues said and explained our position, "look every few years we change what we are supposed to do before we get results, we get a new administration who comes in with a new plan and everything resets."

Then the lady after some instructions asks after explain wanky new idea asks in that stupid "i used to teach kindergarden voice" ..."now everybody can do that?"

Me "no," pause

Okay I"m not totally cold and explain, "look sometimes I give three lessons in one day, sometimes it takes me three weeks I'm just trying to teach them one thing. Example it takes me about 2 weeks to teach molestomoles, gramstomoles, moles to grams, atomstomoles, molestoatoms. Its not just a one day lesson."

I realize that as I use the "moles..." words I am completely terrifying this former english teacher. I'm enjoying this. Really. You want to come to tell me how to do my class you better understand what I'm teaching. The music teacher next to me is dying of laughter.

Then the lady later wants us to writing something using text. Me "wait you want us to write this as if we were texting? Like the letter U for "you"?"

"yes, just like you were texting somebody."

(who told her this would be cute?)

Me "never on god's green earth I've never texted in my life." (and the spirits of my english teachers would rise from what ever pit of Hell to shove pitchforks at her)

can't wait for school to start

2010-08-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we looked at our yard and of course it is a mess. Grass growning. The tomatoes and cantalopes going strong, too strong, they are choking each other.

So we needs must mow. I was tasked with mowing, hubby took up weed eating and youngest's job was general roustabout. She gave me water but I had trouble drinking it because of ice. After a bit of work (three loads of clippings to the compost pile) I decided that the ice water was cramping my stomach. We have a rather large yard with garden, beds and blackberry patch so it is not one clean swipe back and forth. I went inside to adjust my body temperature and get water. I realized as I sat that I felt the sweat trickling down my back. The next realization was that previously I wasn't sweating. Heat sickness! I drank two glasses of water and went back outside. Both daughter and hubby said I looked flushed more than normal and demanded that they finish the work. No argument.

I sat in the shade, removed my t shirt revealing my A-shirt drinking water. Yard looks much better now though the garden back area is a mess. I got the front yard mowed today. Small beginning blisters on my hands from maneuvering the mower around.

who needs guns?

2010-08-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

Because at a nearby eatery I was reading the local paper while waiting for a table. The restaurant is a steakhouse that does its own butchering, well worth the wait. The paper had an article about another nearby town (think a circle, lots of nearby towns...:) ohh, about 45 minutes from where I live. The town in the article I used to teach at.

So there it is one town, two shootings two weeks ago. In fact one of the shooters was a student I taught. He's in jail for that awaiting trial. My daughter's comment was "you must be so proud." Then this week, a group of 4-5 people try to break into a house with a couple in it. The police dispatcher tried for 1/2 hour to get ahold of the chief of police or any police for that matter. The culprits were prying the doors, drunk and threatening to kill the ocupents.

The intruders were arrested, and are waiting trial.

waiting...

2010-08-13T17:07:00.001-07:00

In a little over a week, my youngest ships out for boot camp.

She found out that her liberal arts degree is not very good in our current depressed economy, so after thought and talking to the recruiter, she is joining the US Army.

She got a max score on the ASVAB, scored very well on the language test and is going to OCS.

She hopes she get some language training. Officers do not get to pick their specialty, considering her scores and her drive, she should do well. She is out exercising, doing everything she can to get through boot camp and OCS as a high prospect.

When I tell people what she is doing, I get the "aren't you scare for her?"

*Well heck, I'm scared making a left turn on our main thouroughfare.*

The world is a dangerous place, the army moreso, but it is a matter of proportion.

my response, however, is always. "no, she's my daughter."

What I'm thinking
I raised her, I know her well and her ticks.
She was raised to be independent and a free thinker and with a strong work ethic.
She's not going to do anything stupid.
She's not going to pick up duds, asking "what's this?"
And if she does do something stupid, like charge the enemy, she has a plan.
She has expressed no desire for any medal beyond "3 years of excellent service".
If she does go to a combat zone, she is getting armor, which she will "wear to the bathroom."
If she goes into combat she's getting a heavy caliber pistol and knife.
Now all we worry about is the odds luck of IED or HumVee accidents.

busy beaver

2010-08-01T16:37:00.001-07:00

I got good news this week, my astronomy class was approved.

So now my schedule looks like I am teaching Physics. Chemistry, Algebraic connections (read math for those that can't do algebra) and Astronomy. I have the lessons for the first two. I am reworking all the lesson plans so they make more sense. Tossing out the assignments that do not work, clearing up typos and badly framed questions in tests. Although I did the math classes before, my lesson plans are not that good. I have some projects they can do, and surprise surprise surprise. I actually learned something I can use in class, a neat online poster generator (much like a blog).

Astronomy is pretty much laid out. I had to have much of the work planned for submission to the state.

Speaking of that now that my printer is working I need to make my class rules print up and there is a posterizer program.

In fact next week I'm planning on spending every day getting ready for next year. Organizing supplies, hoping my new ones come in, organizing desks, getting my roster together. Heck right now I don't even know the schedule.

I have taken classes and am now a mentor teacher. Which means some more pay and less free time.

Now my brother is insisting I get national certification.

buy a Kukri knife

2010-08-01T05:57:00.000-07:00

After reading about a Gurkha who removed the head of a war lord in Afghanistan.
Now I absolutely agree with the comment that if it happened in a movie this is where the audience would cheer.
Now I'm not a British citizen, no letter I write would help. Also I am not one to second guess military tribunals, I hope they come to the right decision.

But what I can do is buy a knife. This supports the Gurkhas and may show solidarity to their cause.

The hard part was deciding which knife. I went for the classic but there is a double edged one, American Eagle, a Some Gave All series. I was seriously tempted to the the wooden one for training, but I may do that when my martial arts lessons are advanced enough for weapons.

Boy is hubby going to flip when he sees the package arrive.

gardening

2010-07-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

My brother is staying with us for at time and is helping garden.

A raised bed has been cleared then planted with bok Choy and snow peas. He leveled out some rocks that are holding back some erosion. I weeded my labyrinth along with laying out some more seeds in the trays. He's now tilling an area where I want to plant some radishes. I'm going to lay down some more peat moss in the strawberries. Mental note if we go to the hardware store either get there or the garden store we love a new sprayer and a rain gauge.

Hubby is sanding the bathroom door for repainting. He's spent two days doing this, I'm to the point of "just get another F** door."

home improvement

2010-07-09T18:44:00.001-07:00

Like many homeowners we make improvements every year to the house.

This year we installed a jacuzzi. We thought it would take a week.

It's taken a month, and still not done. Remove old sheet rock, which was covered by previous remodeling by wood paneling. Wait for plumber to start, he's on another job
Get toilet and sink out of way, removed old bathtub to see what kind of pipes are in and what is needed and find part of floor and floor joist needs replacing...etc etc

Finally the walls are painted, jacuzzi works, toilet back in place..still need to put in medicine cabinet, get faucet in sink.

To youngest daughter who is staying with us... "here's 20 bucks, go watch a movie, your father and I have a bottle of wine, strawberries and we need to make sure the jacuzzi works. Unless you want serious psychological damage and be around for the floor show."

why I carry

2010-07-02T17:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.ashleycountyledger.com/articles/2010/07/01/news/doc4c2cd95fe2af8292115482.txt

Its nearby. We've made sure at night that the cars and were locked. We are involved in our usual summer home improvement project, this year a jacuzzi. When the electrician came we asked for more motion detector lights.

why do I do this?

2010-07-02T17:42:00.000-07:00

Again this summer I teach an ACT prep class. The goal is to raise students' ACT scores. Last year was a blast, one student after the class raised her score 3 points. They tried. This year we have to hunt them down after a break. As I told the counselor, "we have no way to control them, the only thing we can do is kick them out."

One student said "what do you care, you still get paid." Yea, but if your scores don't go up, the program doesn't get renewed. Our worst offenders are some graduated seniors who are trying to get their grades up enough to get out of remedial college classes. I wish I could wake them up to the economics of it. You have to pay for a class that you get _no_ credit for when taking a remedial class.

One student has potential for a football scholarship. His ACT score sucks. He will not be eligible for college. As I said, "he works nights he has a child which he has assumed responsibiltiy for, he drifts off in class, but he's not gonna make it."

I threatened to quit, and i would if it were not for the fact the class is almost over.

consider it a form of weight loss

2010-06-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

today in the south, according to my car over 100 degrees, and my daughter wanted to run and took me with her.

I ran, all of oooh 50 feet, then I walked.

This evening was karate practice and the dojo is not air conditioned, though it has a large fan and a large garage type door that opens in the back to a screened porch.

I do not turn on the air conditioner in the car when going and coming to practice. I think I can convince my body that extra poundage equals extra heat.

new game

2010-06-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

After much talking, since it is summer, husband and I have decided to storytell a Garou larp.

Both of us STing, that way we get a chance to play.

Now I oil him

2010-06-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

He may be the perfect man. You can whap the hell out of him and he truly does have sculptured abs.
I noticed an ad for a used BOB (Body Opponent Bag by Century). I have been taking karate and discussed getting a heavy bag. Then I nixed the idea. But my husband went and got it anyway. My daughter and son in law were both startled by the shirtless man in the carport. He's in the yard now, I noticed he was dirty from the previous own and scrubbed him. My older female neighbor had a laugh. "okay he's clean now, lets oil him up."

clapclapclapclap*

2010-05-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

Love the icon

http://www.geekologie.com/2010/05/freedom_isnt_free_happy_memori.php

My father was retired military and a leader in a veteran's organization. Memorial
Day, Flag Day, Veteran's Day, we were always at a ceremony or a cemetary.

I went to the local one's again. One veteran honored was my daughter's Army recruiter.

queen Elizabeth's corgies are jealous

2010-05-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

I love food. Currently in the fridge is a rack of baby back ribs with a gentle rub on them. Later they will be gently braised with a sweet sauce or mustard.

I dearly love Eggs Benedict (though I can't handle poached eggs, I just fry them). So I get up and make the Hollandaise sauce per Julia Child, fry three eggs for each of us, toast, canadian bacon. My husband doesn't like the sauce. No Problem, he just doesn't eat it. I make small amount but some is left, so I throw in the left over egg whites and cook it up. The contents of the pan are dribbled over my loyal corgie's dry kibbles. At least his coat will be shiny.

graduation

2010-05-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Now the greatest gift any adult can to a child is time. Time spent showing how to catch a baseball, knit a scarf, or help with a chore. The simple task of setting the table for young children can be awesome. An adult can do it faster than a child, and it can be done much faster if you did not have to give instructions.

Children understand this. Whenever I stay late to help, work with struggling student through lunch or attend a school sports game, the students understand that I am giving up my time.

So to is graduation. Teachers are not required to attend but I do anyway, even though I live 40 plus miles away from school. I showed up early and met with the seniors all lined up in their robes. Some I have to blink at to recognize, some shave, many girls have put on make up for the first time. All of mine are excited to see me. "mrs. W....you've dress up"

"just for you Jonathon."

Hugs are all around. Many students are coming over to make sure they meet me and get a comment. Most of mine are going to college and have one type of scholarship or another. My best students have full scholarships. The ones giving speeches are rehearsing their lines. I am tons of support, "remember if you don't pass out or hurl, everything else is a bonus."

I will say this for our school.

When graduation say "6 o'clock" we do not kid. One member of the school board came running in covered in sweat, we would have started without him.

I glance back. They are in our school's tradition of students in a circle swaying back and forth. Some will go to parties, some will go home with families or out to an out of town decent restaurant. This is their moment. I'm done with them, I push the door open, got through, and walk to my car.

It must be mine

2010-05-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

The cold weather, time and the wreckage taking down two trees have taken a toll on the yard.

Our over 50 roses have dwindle.

We are ripping out the bad roses that have no more to give and getting new ones.

I'm perusing through the web and finally find some green roses. Whoever I bought some from many years ago folded. These are much better. I bought some Judy Garland ones too, replacing the ones that died. Look I have an Oz patch, judy garland, yellow rose in the middle, minature "over the rainbow" in the East of the patch, "elphaba" green roses in the west. A neighbor who is gay loves this.

Then glancing at the poorly designed web site..."Julie Newmar"? Wow! I knew the grand lady was an avid gardener. I ordered one without even seeing it. She is where I get my expression "I don't have hobbies, I have obsessions."

So here she is, enshined in florabunda, Broadway actress, dancer, businesslady and gay icon, the only true Catwoman

why question Kagan?

2010-05-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

She's not a judge. No problem for me. I think there are too many judges on the court anyway. Lets not only have not judges, lets try having a real person. Like my neighbor who's a contractor.

My question to her would be "are you a moral coward?"

When she was Dean at Harvard, she would not allow military recruiters on campus because of "don't ask don't tell policy" which she found as a moral outrage.

It is long agreed that an unjust law is no law at all. Citizens and civilians and military personnel must often draw the line on what their concious says. Though few governments or their agencies have ever thrown up their hands and and says "wow, You're right we're messed up." It requires sacrifice and courage. Our founding fathers opposed injustice, promising their lives, fortunes and sacred honor. Henry David Thoreau went to jail for refusing to pay a tax to support a war he found wrong. Those brave souls who fought for civil rights risked jail, beatings and death in the pursuit of Dr. Kings vision of a country where we are judged by our character. In a country once known as Burma, Aung San Suu Ky risks it every day under house arrest by the generals who rule her country.

When the Solomon act required that she do so, or loose federal money, she caved. She did not resign in protest for having to agree with something unjust. She did not say "go pound sand", and appeal to alumni or concerned citizens for extra money. She shrugged her shoulders and said "oh well".

I am sure she justified it with the "greater good" argument, but there are some things you are not supposed to compromise on. As I tell my students, "somewhere you draw a line, where that line is, that is up to you, but you draw a line of you shall not pass."

2010-05-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

Right now the school systems is training the evaluators.
One day our principal, the principals from the middle and elementary school, the trainer and I think a few characters from Shrek came in (okay I didn't know who they were) came in and observed my class.

There were more observers than students.

They asked several students "what are you doing?" this is to check if the students understand what we trying to instruct.

After they left my students wondered what was going on wondered when they were getting their reward of cookies, and almost said "we're doing that *pointing to assignment and objective on board* "cant you read."

I relayed this story to the principal he said next time the students should say that. He can't stand the lady doing the training.

she'll make a fine officer

2010-05-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

My youngest is still waiting for her ship date for basic training then OCS. In the meantime my little intellectual is training for the military. Recruiters are now responsible for training and exercising the new troops under the future soldiers program.

She's finding out she likes exercising. Plus it helps relieve the stress she is under. She purchased a program, Yourself Fitness for the Playstation. You type in your weight, height, pulse rate and a quick evaluation of your strength and it sets you up. So she shames me into checking out out. We get me through it, two minutes of jumping jacks...yea right. How many pushups. Me "Three"..."mom you didn't do any.."

"three"

Then she set up the workout..."okay I"m done."

You didn't do it all.

I did all that other stuff, that counts as a workout.

Get back here woman.

Okay 15 minutes of cardio...106 calories burned according to the program.

"Lets have a doughnut."

quote of the day

2010-05-09T12:37:00.001-07:00

One of my co workers liked what I told a whiney class.

"of course this is hard, this is an advanced class."

book of the day

2010-05-07T17:55:00.001-07:00

30 Years of Adventure a celebration of Dungeons and Dragons.

Published in 2004, this is already out of date with the publication of D&D 4.0. The book has high graphics. I am old enough to remember playing Chainmail, and the little booklets that had no organization. Those are mentioned. The history with Gygax and Dave Arnson.

There are segments by famous people who play the game. The intro is by Vin Diesel. My students recognized many of the authors who were singers. Of course Whil Wheaton has a page.

There is a history of the game, the good the bad and the corporate.

Every gamer should read it. It is _not_ a rule book, just about the game.

book of the day

2010-04-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

There and Back Again by Sean Astin. Okay its interesting. It focuses most on Sean's acting in Lord of the Rings. The initial chapters on his upbringing in a family of actors, Patty Duke Astin, and John Astin. His starting off in acting such as Rudy, Encino Man.

There's nothing really standing out, but it was a nice read.

politics for football

2010-04-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

Like one education leader in our state, I really think that instead of having schools sponsor athletics, it should be the job of the community. Hey want your kids to play, fine practice is after school at the park. Your taxes pay for it. Everybody can play. Coaches do not have to deal with classes or teachers complaining that the star athlete is a discipline problem. Then they can deal with what they love, coaching. And I don't have to worry about students missing class because of games or practice.

Because our school is doing poorly academically, the state may get rid of practice during school time, errr..."athletics" Right now, football is a class at end of day that extends into practice. Sure we can have sports or such, just its not during school time. I personaly hope it happens. More class time, and heck the extra coaches just might have to teach something, or go out and dig ditches.

suck it up

2010-04-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

Chemistry finished a lab which required lighting stuff with matches and sulfuric acid. So my lab room reeked of sulfur. My 9th graders came in complaining. No I can't spray air freshener, it won't do any good, just wait the fumes will vent out.

One problem student is ranting about it. Thought process. "you need to get used to it Arnold, brimstone too, for it is your future."

What I really said, "Arnold, act half as tough as you think you are and suck it up."

tantrum

2010-04-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

There is a stack of work 1 1/2" some of it make up that I need to grade. I need to make my lesson plans for the upcoming work.
And I want to sleep or play computer games or garden or go to karate class or practice my sword or lightsaber, or practice karate.

*sigh*

At least my lesson plans are pretty much made I just need to update what I did last year and turn in a planning calendar.
That and I need to go back on my liftstyle changes this week, so I need to plan what I'm doing. I need to plan my exercises.

okay think about the figurative cup of tea at the end. You can order a bayonet for your ar15 or a tactical sling, or a karate gi, or a shinai...

*grumble* being sick last week put me behind.

2010-04-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

candid conversation with my students

"Ms W? do you think *insert teeny bopper boy idol of the week* is hot?"

"no" blandly

"I think he is."

"goody for you."

"why don't you think he's hot?"

"because I have different tastes in men since I'm older."

"what do you like in a man?"

absolutely no pause in answering "A Gold American Express card."

wooo hooo!

2010-04-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

How I spent my Easter weekend.

Most professional theaters use fight directors to stage fights. The directors themselves monitor themselves through the auspice of the Society of American Fight Directors. This is for the safety of all. Nobody can just jump up and say "hey we can do a fight." There are safety and style to consider.

Ruston Louisiana has hosted for several years a stage combat workshop. This is for actors (or wannabe actors) and instructors, directors or fight choreagraphers. I have been interested in this for a while, so I took a leap and went.

I think I was the oldest student, certainly the oldest "starter" Age though has its advantage, for instance I knew my left from right. My intellect helped to, any break and I wrote things down. Also I knew how to use my body more than some, others, oh boy, young people. Some of them are awesome. I also knew about swords and such.

Introduce yourself..."Hi I'm a director at *small theater*, I'm a theater major, I'm a professional actor out of *city theater*, ..." me "I teach science"

I do not hurt as much as I thought I would. I credit that with the care and stretches and warm ups the instructors did. Some of it was me because I was training for this and had started exercising.

So what did I learn? The simplest broadsword, single sword, unarmed, and rapier and dagger. (and if anybody wants to know what I want for christmas I want a stage combat rapier and dagger set). Also got to handle a whip.

The instructors were good. I enjoyed both as a student and as a person who teaches watching their different styles. Some were more free flow, others structured.

I tried to be a good student, pay attention, supportive of my fellow students, and ask good questions.

My biggest problem was overcoming what I think I knew.

appleseed!

2010-03-23T21:15:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we (my husband and I) attended our first Appleseed shoot. Neither one of us shot rifleman. But we learned a lot. I'm better now. The history part was not much more than I already knew but I have a book to read now, _Paul_Revere's_Ride. I lost control (apologies) when the instructor said that the British regulars were in part looking for a canon the colonials had stolen. A brilliant way to steal one. I just blurted out "can you imagine being the British artilery officer? 'sir, I beg to report that we have misplaced a canon.'" I knew the revolutionaries stole rifles from the Brits, but a canon. Colonel Knox, later in the war seized several canons and moved them quickly.

My first shooting was bad, though I could hit something. Then better and better. Two attempts for AQT, the second was worse because I was tired, and loosing light.
We did not stay Sunday. The snow was our clue to leave. Yes snow on the first day of spring.

Friendly polite people. One young man got his Rifleman patch. One couple like us who had just started shooting and were like me in information overload. They had a good point, they got high quality rifles, my husband used an sks until he gets the one he wants.
We are going to the one next month!

"understanding versus doing"

2010-03-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

The next time some clueless consultant keeps stressing that students need to understand not rote learn its rage time.

"okay, I know what a statue of liberty play is, the quarter back pretends to throw the ball and everybody on the team pretends that he throws the ball when really he is passing or running. I "understand" what all that is. But Thor's Hammer I couldn't do it if the souls of my children depended on it. I _might_ be able to if the coaches had me practice 6 hours a day for half a year. Doing is what it is about. Can you diagram a sentence, solve an equation, play a tune or bake a cake."

cheerleader meets science teacher

2010-03-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

One of my brighter than she realizes students has a very borderline grade. I offered to give her the 0.04 percent she needs if she makes me a poster of a table in a book.

She gave it to me today. Multicolored with sparkley heading. Really. She glued glitter all over "Names of covalent prefixes". I was in sensory overload just looking at it.

Freya bless her.

do aliens have gimmer hats?

2010-03-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Great, just great, Robbie Rodrigez is making a Predators movie. For everybody's fascination, the Predators are not sportsmen. They have super scopes and special equipment.

And I can't but wonder if their people treat those that hunt humans as the left wing view hunters in our area.

buy a gun day

2010-03-13T16:37:00.000-08:00

I will either get my husband an AR10 from gunbroker or a garand from the CMP program.
For myself I'm not sure. I think instead of a gun I will get accessories. A scope for the AR15 I have, maybe some cases.
Possibly a shoulder holster for my revolvers.
Truth is, I have enough guns and do not shoot them nearly enough.

my knifes

2010-03-06T15:53:00.001-08:00

I actually have more than these, these are just the ones that I use the most. The assisted opening bayonet is held quite a bit, but it is mostly a "by the bed" knife...:)

Work knifes. My gerber multi tool. This was fun getting. The one I normally had "walked off" when I was teaching at an alternative school (ie problem kids). At Wal mart I asked the guy behind the counter to "show me all of them." My hands are smaller than most people and I have to hold things. Think he was a little put out, but is not as if I took forever. I easlily eliminated many and the "maybe" stack got smaller and smaller until the "yes' was left. Besides, if he is helping me, he's not having to stock shelves. Especially something that needs to be used. The multitool is mostly for work. I have to repair lab equipment. Minor things. Any multitool of mine has to have a scissors attatchment. When subbing for another class, problem kids wanted to "sharpen my pencil" and wouldn't you know it, the pencil sharpener was broken, they wanted to go next door and use that classroom's sharpener. "Gimmee"...student "what?" me "gimmee your pencil" a few strokes of the blade from the multitool and the pencil was sharp. Student "you can't have that! its a weapon." me "its a tool, I'm a teacher, and besides if you want to talk weapons, I have an entire chem lab at my disposal. Eventually everybody in the class wanted me to sharpen their pencil. The fact it could be done like this was new to them. They even showed their buddies after class, "Ms W used her knife and sharpened my pencil."

The garden knife is falling by the wayside. But it opens bags, trims branches, etc. I got it when I went back to bury my mother.

Folding tools. The gerber knife I got from Wally world again. Quick open, lightweight, serrated toward the handle for rough stuff. Tanto point. I like it.
The Mantis karambit I purchased on ebay. Its my back up for when I can't carry my gun, but I find it is razor sharp, and useful for many things. I may go to more mantis knifes in the future.

Last on is a boot knife I purchased from ebay. I use it to practice throwing. (hey some people play golf) its place is here on the computer table when not outside

average just like everybody else

2010-03-02T19:45:00.000-08:00

I'm calling parents. 9th grade student is failing my class because if he didn't have bones he'd ooze across the chair. He's that lazy, he answers my questions with a shrug, doesn't do any work. One problems is they do not understand "you do not do work, I will fail you, no problem I will not loose any sleep. God will not strike me dead before grades are due. Nobody will come to your rescue

I start my conversation after introducing with my usual "what can I do to help your child?" this is a nice way of letting the parents know there is a problem and deflecting the issue away from them. After all trying to get a parent to help puts them on the defensive.

The father opines that he doesn't know what the problem is the student does okay. Glance at computer with grades and bite back.."sparky a D is not okay...C is barely okay."

On the other hand I have a student sweating, she almost has an A and a demanding father. I'm thrilled to find he takes time for her to study with her.

Then I called "dumb as a brick, God love him he tries and after time he really gets it." This student is one reason I come in. He's personable and asks good questions, it just takes him time to get it. I was able to tell his mother he got a B and his answers showed understanding.

what they are shooting for

2010-02-27T04:12:00.000-08:00

Last week as a national event go to college week. The promoter at our school did us proud. He had pins for teachers, a large banner for pledging to go to college, speakers the first day who were from the area who had made successes and a college day in which representatives from colleges and trade schools showed up and talked to the kids.

One day was wear your favorite college apparel. I wore a humorous tshirt about the mascot my master degree is from, borrowed from my husband who teaches there. Friday was "dress for college success". I wore my Master's robes. As I explained to the sponsor, who really loved my doing it, this is what they supposed to be shooting for the priviledge of wearing one of these. Every class I explained the meaning of the colors, the sleeves (master robes sleeves were designed to hold pens and such), the hood ("no really its not a cape or scarf, its a hood," flip up to show that it does cover my head). And that some places, very few, they are worn every day.

2010-02-19T18:52:00.000-08:00

A friend asked me "don't you have any good students?"

"well yea, but they don't make good stories."

Today I finished a letter of recommendation for one of my best students. I was proud to write it and I hope she gets the scholarships she's trying for.

well at least I get some free time

2010-02-16T18:20:00.000-08:00

One of our consultant groups is testing our Seniors. No we do not test them enough. They only are tested in 4th, 6th, 8th, Algebra, English, literacy, biology, geometry and Algebra 1. Heaven forfend we just say "hey, there are legitimate well established tests such as the Iowa that we can use every year and track how our students are doing. We only have to test them for one day and can do it all at once" No, like all the others, our state makes up the test we use. I am willing to bet that by the time the 8th graders reach 11th grade, we will have an entire new test for them.

Our consulting group has its own test. So 60 out of our 75 seniors have to go off site tomorrow. The office is calling off their names to go to the meeting so they know where to be...I swear its like the draft lottery, no student wants to spend all day testing. The name gets called and the student slinks out the door to the assembly. out of 11 students in the class, 1 is not called.

another one

2010-02-15T05:22:00.001-08:00

Count of students
1 semi student (only taught a few days) in jail for capital murder.
1 former student in prison for manslaughter
1 former student on charges for robbing and killing an elderly couple. Since this was in a different town than mine I have had trouble following up.
A few former students in and out of jail for petty thefts, burglary and drugs.

Now another former student in jail for shooting into two homes. Seems he had issues with the residents.

good thing they like me

2010-02-10T17:14:00.000-08:00

My students asked if Rosa Parks sat in the front.

"no, she was sitting down and was told to move..."

confusion.

"see she was sitting in the back of the bus where she belonged..."***70 percent of my class is black. "boy, did that comeout wrong, she was sitting in the back like the rules then said."

new music

2010-02-08T16:46:00.000-08:00

the clueless b...ehem our educational consultant suggests that we play classical music for our students when doing seat work

this might work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJXyYLOM8_4

Though a lot of my 9th grade girls really liked it when I played the Hairspray cast album. Had to explain the differences between the Broadway show and the movie.

"okay first off, understand, John Travolta sucks..."

Ms Widget

not supposed to be here

explains why they don't understand

video

videos for my students

pay?

Yea...

Poor?....trash?

well,...I'm stand up...

Humbled

Wall....head

Math teacher?

technologically behind

shaking

First test

Geek reading

aww...heck

"what fresh hell is this?"

Book of the day

name that lab supply

tv worth watching

book of the day

wanting and having it all

Book of the day

that explains it

I'd be on Magento's side

respect you in the morning

have passport...

missed my calling

High five!

dress for it

wow!

maybe if we put tranquilizers in the milk?

Book of the day

Book of the day

best birth control

we want you.

sssshhhh! education happening

its a battle of wits, you are unarmed!

Its okay, no its not

No school

music

for the holiday season

academic advice

priorities

helleuva day

TSA what's wrong

TSA scanning

must be something in the water

Book of the day

Best Years of our lives

We need posters

do not push it

gender bullying

karma?

not for childen's ear

Never forget

where's my drink?

leading the insurrection

can't wait for school to start

who needs guns?

waiting...

busy beaver

buy a Kukri knife

gardening

home improvement

why I carry

why do I do this?

consider it a form of weight loss

new game

Now I oil him

*clap*clap*clap*clap*

queen Elizabeth's corgies are jealous

graduation

It must be mine

why question Kagan?

she'll make a fine officer

quote of the day

book of the day

book of the day

clapclapclapclap*