This school bleeds purple and gold. I feel absolutely awful for gloating, but these kids are wonderful. I put my kids into home groups (accountability groups) and we went over group norms and I had them act out all 10 "skills" (10 groups, so 1 per group) and then every student wrote them in his/her notebook and signed the bottom, saying that they would promise to work hard to abide by all of these norms within their groups and within the classroom. It was fabulous. The greatest part was when I told them that they could get out their cell phones (the one and only time I would ever say this) to exchange phone numbers and e-mails in case of absences or questions about assignments, and the principal walked in with literally every cell phone raised in the air. It was fabulous. I about died. I feel like I've told this story...did I post this? Maybe I'm just losing my mind. PS...I'm owning my online classes. My professor made me group leader of team #1 today...how utterly exciting.
Anyway, my sophomores start Socratic discussions over Beowulf on Monday and Tuesday. I've had to split them into two groups (the first group will go on Monday, and each student within the inner-circle will have a student taking notes on his/comments from the outer circle...then, they switch the following day with new questions...supposedly, this helps with grading, says my co-teacher). Plus, my classes are HUGE. I have at least 32 kids in every class...and my last class of the day...freshmen (blah)...I have 35! Thank God it's not my first year teaching...I'd be in hell. Needless to say, the room is tight, but we make it work. I set an example with one girl in the second day, and everything has been pretty smooth sailing. Did I do that? Am I actually becoming a better teacher?
Anyway, I went to the football game on Friday at my school...first home game. I had to park 5 blocks away. Yea, insanity...and the student section stood for the entire game. Needless to say, we won. I guess we're pretty good. The spirit that emcompasses this school absolutely amazes me. Sorry...gloating. And my AP and Principal have already stopped by my room during instruction time to just to poke their heads in and say hi. I didn't even know I had a principal in my last school with how much he didn't exist.
Consensus: Online school...sucks; life in general...okay. Bring on basketball season.
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PS...I get paid for EVERY in-service day. We showed up for three days before school actually "started" and I get paid hourly for all three. We get 4 bonuses throughout the year, totalling almost $4000. Is this not insanity? And completely wonderful...
I hate you. Seriously.
Tell me why I teach in a super wealthy district and both of you are rolling in more dough than me. It feels like we're all in Colorado Springs again...I guess I just pick the shitty paying schools. Lol.
OH! Friday was our first home game/pep assembly, too.
My consensus:
1. It was crazy to NOT be in charge of a pep assembly. It felt weird to be sitting in the crowd and not on the floor yelling at kids to be quiet.
2. I almost cried. Seriously. I think it's hormones...but really, I think it was because I'm afraid that Ellicott won't have school spirt and pep assemblies anymore. I did all of that shit. I brought back school spirt (yes, I'm tooting my own horn, but it's true). I'm just sad.
3. Friday was an awful day of teaching, which is why I didn't go to our first home football game. We have just as much crazy school spirit, but you know, I just couldn't do it. I was too distressed. Let's sum up Friday: 4 cell phones taken, 1 referral, 1 cussed at by student, 1 kid making a jacking off motion toward a speaking peer...oh did I mention all of these are from one boy in my 2nd period. This is hell...seriously. 30 boys and 4 girls. I DO NOT exaggerate right now. It's awful and like 10 of the boys think they're thugs. Good times...
Well, a lot of my boys (and girls) ARE thugs with real criminal records who I'm not sure I would want to give and F to. My tires might end up slashed . . .
Oh Brandon...
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