Offset by a Giggle

I have stopped posting on this site, so if you want to continue reading things posted by me please visit kassieb.wordpress.com

We were supposed to have our schedules before we left, but they weren’t done yet, so I got mine in the mail yesterday.  I have to say I was very disappointed when I read it.  One thing I hate (yes, hate) about this schedule is that I travel and was promised this year would be better than last about what rooms I travel to and where they’re located.  I actually think they’re worse.  Last year I was mostly on the 3rd floor and went down to the 1st for 2 blocks, but they were back-to-back.  I’ll post my schedule so you can see how the new one compares.  The 2nd thing I don’t like is that my plan period is 7th block, at the end of the day.  So I get to teach all day and then have my plan period… and I don’t even get to go home because I have to tutor! :)  I said I only dislike this one because I may end up liking it.  There were a couple of teachers who told me they really liked 7th plan last year because they could get ready for the next day and felt like they took less home.  We’ll see how that goes.

Here’s the schedule:

1st & 2nd - Algebra 1, double block; room 304

3rd - Probability and Statistics; room 204

4th - Algebra 1 with co-teaching; room 209

5th - Algebra 1 with co-teaching; room 305

6th - Probability and Statistics; room 103

7th - plan; probably room 225 (math office)

So, in case you didn’t catch that… I’m 3rd floor 1st & 2nd (only because I have the same kids for 2 blocks in a row), 2nd floor but different rooms 3rd & 4th, 3rd floor 5th, 1st floor 6th, and then my plan period.  I can’t even think at the moment of how this is even going to work.  My cart will be too difficult to take with me from floor to floor to floor to floor and get to class on time, and a bag is heavy to carry that much without a break in the middle to reload.  So, if anyone has any suggestions I would be more than happy to have them!

It’s a good thing I love teaching

Teachers get the summers off right?  Wrong!  Here are my plans for the summer:

1. Teaching summer school.  I have 2 sessions of Algebra 1.  One is first semester material and the other is second.  I teach the first session 7:30 - 10:00 and the second session 10:00 - 12:30.  What’s nice about summer school is that I am done earlier, the pay is good, and I only have 2 preps.  The downfall I’ve seen so far is it’s hard to keep the kids engaged in math for 2 1/2 hours, and it’s hard on me to teach 2-3 lessons a day per sessions (so really 4-6) with no breaks.

2. Taking a class at UMKC.  This class (matrix theory) starts next week, so I don’t know how it’s going to go yet.  I have taken something similar to this class at UCM, so I’m hoping it will be easier.  I really like learning more about math (I’m a nerd, I know), so I am excited about continuing my master’s degree.

3. Curriculum writing.  The last full week of June and the few days right after the 4th of July the math department will be writing curriculum to make sure we’re done before school starts.

4. Helping out with LifeConnection (of course).  We have a lot planned this summer - block parties, house parties, service projects, KidsCo in the park, …  If you will be around and want to check it out, visit www.lifeconnectionkc.org for more information!

What about you?  What are your plans for the summer?

About a week ago I acquired a new student.  At first this student was really pleasant - willing (almost eager) to work, always polite, etc.  Then, a couple of days ago he changed… started being defiant and throwing things (mostly paper) at other students.  He would also yell my name and insist that I help him immediately - which I HATE by the way.  I gave him a detention one day for some of this.

But, what happened yesterday tops it all.  He threw… no chucked… a pen at another student and it hit ME in the cheek.  I don’t know about you, but that’s a little too close to the eye for me.  So, naturally, I get ticked off and sent him to his administrator.  My students told me my face was bright red I was so mad.  I honestly sent him there mostly because I was afraid of what I might say/do.  The icing on the cake, though, is that they gave him 10 days OSS for it… and we have less days than that of school left, so I don’t have to see him again.

Oh, and did I mention that I teach HIGH SCHOOL??

One of the students in my 4th block yesterday was having a cow over something that was displayed in a case we have to display student work.  He kept asking me if we could all go see it and talk about it, so I knew that if I didn’t let them I would never have their attention on math.  When we got there this is what we saw:

http://www.kctv5.com/news/15928001/detail.html

My initial reaction was shock.  Then appall.  Now I’m glad it was displayed because it made our students stop and think.  That’s what art is supposed to do.

Many have been shocked, almost to the point of being hurt, that the school allowed this to be displayed.  The principal emailed us with the facts on the law for this matter.  She said in order to ban a piece of art it has to be proven that it will significantly disrupt student learning.  Administrators cannot predict that this will happen, they have to have proof from a similar incident in their building.  This student has displayed other conteroversial topics in the school this year and none of them had this affect on the students.  So, basically, the administration had to approve it by law.  If they hadn’t, it could have been overturned in court.

What do you all think?