Christmas wish list

here are just a few things i'd like to see this Christmas:
1 -- a mute button for people (only a few of them)
2 -- an unlimited budget to spruce up the ol' classroom
3 -- computers for every student
4 -- effort from every student
5 -- an absence of negative people (not just in my classroom)
6 -- an end to the writers' strike (I am tired of reruns)
7 -- San Diego in 60-degree weather (I'll let you know how that goes. I'm leavin' in 7 days.)
8 -- guidelines for education that are similar to the Chinese (They teach about a third of the material American schools teach, but their students learn that chosen material better. Their students are performing well-above American students, so you'd think we would take a clue or two from them, don't you?)
9 -- a volleyball court to play on at any time I so desire.
10 -- an omniscient companion to continually provide guidance and insight. (Yes, I realize I have this at any time I so desire, but I need to utilize that resource more often and more dependently.)

that's all for now. brain=dead.

armpits

Here I am, putting my idea into practice. I will have about 5.5 seconds to write today, because I just spent the last 7.5 minutes telling students to stop talking. It disappoints me when they know what they are supposed to be doing and they continue to make the wrong choices. Even more frustrating is the fact that the other students, who are behaving, have to deal with the ones who are off-task. What's more, I would love to do more exciting things with my classes, but so far a few students have proven that they cannot handle the freedom that might afford them. To those students who are doing what's right, I apologize. I hate getting on to students, but that is the constant armpit of my job. That part stinks.

FYI..The journal topic for today: What is the purpose of flies? (Some students' answers have included: to annoy you, to chase around for exercise, to eat poop, etc. My answer: to keep your pants from falling down.)

excuses for my absence

well, it has been a whopping 4+ months since "le premiere" blog, and here i am doing "le seconde" blog. i have a plethora of reasons (read: excuses) for my absence in blogworld, but here's a short list: first-year teacher (language arts, which means thousands of papers [hyperbole] to grade), grad school, trying to maintain a social life, etc.

however, i just had this fabulous idea to continue my blogging while still doing the above: i will blog during my students' journal time. in fact, i might even show my students. shocking, i know, but apparently it's good for students to see their teachers write. now, let me make this clear...this is a good IDEA, but i make no guarantees this will be a lasting PRACTICE. things do come up, you know. things like school fights, students' questions, class disruptions, students' questions, taking attendance, students' questions, grading those thousand papers, students' questions, and general silliness.

anyway, that will be the plan from now on. i suppose that means i'll have to start capitalizing my i's. here's an extra little nugget for you (because i don't feel like i said much of importance in this blog) planet earth, the tv show...amazing. watch it. your brain will thank you for it.and run's house (hilarious wholesomeness) and, of course, the office. awkwardly amusing. (ps. i am not quite as dorky as this blog may make it seem...do not judge prematurely.)