Miscellaneous Missives

Friday is always a great day for a field trip, and today was no different.  Our kids were surprisingly well behaved at today's field trip.  We went to Macalester College to see Black Storytellers .  As one of the storytellers started speaking, I recognized him as Oba William King .  I used a video of him telling a story later in the year.  When he was done telling his story, I went and told him I use "Basketball Jones" story during March Madness.  He was surprised I had the video and used it.  He was touched enough that he gave me a hug.  Fun stuff. My new messenger bag also arrived today.  On Wednesday my other bag broke, so I've been using a backpack all week.  I like the messenger bag better.  This isn't the quality of my old LL Bean bag, but it was $40 cheaper.  Plus, it's cuter.  

Friday was the first day of autumn or the first day of fall, depending on your choice of words.  It came with 94º temperatures and high dew points leaving a feels like 100º.  I celebrated by buying a couple six packs of Indeed Ya mma Jamma .  In reality, I'd been looking for it for a couple of weeks when a friend hinted I could find it at the Lunds/Byerly's liquor store, and they were correct.  I even ordered a iced pumpkin latte today although I'd recommend staying with the hot version.  The good news is that today's weather was great for riding even with the humidity. The students this year continue to be challenging yet fun.  It, however, has been exhausting especially after concert going at the end of the first two weeks.  I ended week three by spending last night grading the first writing assignment.  This morning I woke up feeling as if I was hit by a truck.  I'm glad I don't have a concert this week. Also, today I went to actual...

I realize I'm posting at the beginning of week #3, but I'm really posting about week #2.  This school year has been hectic.  The students are still very excitable?  They're certainly full of energy.  It could turn into a crazy year although I feel we are making small steps each day. Last Thursday, we went to see Sherman Alexie at Talking Volumes.  He was amazing as usual, funny, thoughtful, challenging. Saturday night we went to see Counting Crows and Matchbox 20.  Although I love Adam Duritz, I felt that the band tried to do too much with combining and changing songs.  I get it.  They've been playing these songs for 20+ years.  It still was a great show, but sometimes it's good to hear the songs as you remember.  Towards the end of Counting Crows set, it started to rain, so they ended with Rain King.    The 12,000 fans (?) were then evacuated to the casino and nearby hotel due to lightening.  After waiting ...

I last posted at the end of the first day of school with students and announced that I was a rockstar.  Unfortunately, the week is not made by one day.  This year's students are energetic which I think will be a great thing.  It also makes for a lot of work and makes me a tired old lady.  Day 2 brought me forgetting my lunch and going for a pumpkin spiced latte instead of real food.  Day 3 brought a late start due to my forgetting to push start on the coffee maker.  Day 4 brought a late arrival since I had to retrace my steps to make sure I had shut the deck door.  Day 5 brought the U2 concert. I thought this concert was better than the concert I saw in Minneapolis in 2011.  Perhaps it's because I enjoyed the music more.  Perhaps it's because I've become more political.  U2 did a video including Drumpf, Drumpf, and other words about Trump.  At the beginning they scrolled poems such as Langston Hughes' I, Too, Sing America , and...

The first day with student is finished.  I still have a voice, and I'm pleased with how the day went.  In fact we discussed community in all classes plus prejudice and culture in most.  The year's seventh graders are supposed to be a horrid group.  Although I do see how some may be challenging, I'm a fan of most of the kiddos.  In fact, at the end of the day, there's only one kid that I think is a jerk.  Not bad considering the horror stories last year's sixth grade teachers shared.  Anyway, I'm a rockstar and the majority of students are rockstars. Speaking of #rockstar.  I stopped at Office Max (Depot?) on the way home from school to get colored index cards.  I use them instead of popsicle sticks to call on students.  Typically, I cut them in half.  This, however, is no longer needed.  They sell them (close out priced) already cut!  Since they were being closed out, I may have bought all that were on the shelf.

Our administration has let us change our typical Professional Learning Community (PLC).  Typically, we have been grouped with colleagues who teach the same subject.  My group found each other with ease.  We talk frequently about important issues that affect our kids directly and indirectly.  It was difficult to narrow our subject.  We wanted to bring in reading materials in all of our subject areas (math, science, LA, etc.) that showed the diversity of our students.  Finding a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, results focused and timely) goal was difficult, but we made it happen ( The percentage of students identifying with at least 3 of 6 subcategories of culture (identity circles) in texts read in their 7th grade classes will increase from __% to __% by the end of the third assessment.). It's exciting, and I've spent this morning adding the identity circles to the term culture in my first week presentation and assignments. I'm ready and excit...

Happy Friday! Workshop week is always a difficult week.  Perhaps this is mainly because I don't sit well, and meetings "kick my ass."  Tuesday we had meetings all day, and I almost "lost my shit."  It was really too much.  At day 2 of workshop week I was 1 - 1 (Workshop 1   Mary 1).  After Tuesday, I realized that it couldn't get worse.  The next days were awesome, and I won.  Last night leaving I realized I had actually one that day even though I had to be at the school for 12 hours.  Today is an iffy day since I am currently sitting in a meeting and will be sitting in meetings all day.  What does this mean?  I won workshop week.  Even if I lose today, which I don't think I will because the afternoon is free time, I still am guaranteed a 3-2 score.  #Winning