When your mind is going in too many direction

You can be sure you are a 7th Grade teacher.

Here it is, a Saturday night, and I am thinking about how I am going to deal with my 3rd period class on Monday. My mind then switches to the next unit I will start teaching in 8 weeks. Then I am on to figuring out how I am going to find a high school job next year.

This last thought took me to the application for Fremont HS. I filled it out, except for addresses to my last two jobs and accidentally erased the whole application. I will have to redo it later.

Now I am on to which Academy I would want to teach in and how I would approach the curriculum for each of the academies. Which is overriding my brain and taking me to BTSA.

I really need to fill in the inane forms that will allow me to have a life time credential as long as I pay a fee every so often. This leads me to the idea that it makes no sense that I will not be required to continue my education as an educator. This makes me crazy.

This takes me to the Harvard website to see about applying for their newest Doctorate in Education. Yes, I am too late for the fall, but what about 2011? Harvard only takes 25 students into this program, but they pay your way including a stipend for living. This makes me think I could do it -- at some point. But how do I get in if I lose my job again.

And now I am back to what am I going to do with my students for the next two weeks. Oh, and I need to buy my Homeroom class some food to eat before they take their CST writing test on Tuesday.

I apparently am manic at the very least. And now I am wondering if anything I do makes a difference of any kind. This of course leads me to figuring out what I can do to teach them better, make them like to read and how to make them better writers.

Okay, exhausted. If only every night wasn't like this. Of course, then, I wouldn't be me if this wasn't my daily process.

Last Day of the Semester

So, their grades are in and they surprised me. Many Ds and Fs are now Bs and Cs. Only the very few are still failing. They actually (for the most part) did the make-up assignments and turned them in. That shows me they can take responsibility.

Now, grades are due today (I have turned mine in) and they had an assignment due yesterday. It was a bit of mad dash at the end and I planned accordingly. They earned a film during their Periodic Assessment, but I still wanted the film to be meaningful. I thought and thought and then went to the cupboard. Ah Ha! Freedom Writers. But still I wasn't quite sure how it would turn out.

It has turned out fine. They are enthralled and connected and quiet. In fact there is a group from my morning classes in my room right now to watch the conclusion at lunch. It feels good to watch them at their best and it gives me the feeling of hope I need to start anew on Monday.

And Monday will be an awesome day. We start the process of experiencing Romeo & Juliet and Shakespeare. I have already caught them in my spell by telling them they will be creating Shakespearean Insults. they also know they get to insult one another using their creations. They know it is about gangs, sword fights, drugs, love and death. They are excited. I AM EXCITED.

Maybe I should set up movie time in my classroom at lunch for them. It is so important to experience them when you are not expecting anything from them. Then they are lovely and funny and loving. The attitudes fade away.

It is turning out to be a very good last day of the semester. I am sure I will sleep deep tonight. Tomorrow I will be in my classroom cleaning and setting up for a whole new beginning. It is as if Spring has come early.

They are driving me to be insane

UGH, they are just ridiculous. They follow no direction. They are completely irritating. And I really wish I was any where else except in accounting. So I guess I am okay.