Hedgetoad Teaching

I'm officially finished with my pre-assessment seminar for the Pro-Cert program! Ok, maybe not officially... but enough that I can finally relax and sleep in tomorrow.

Spring definitely needs to get here quick! Everyone going a little nuts with all this cold, rainy weather... and they're all really getting on my nerves! Dance team tryouts took place last night - and that's all I have to say about that. It's done with and on with the fundraising. Yipee!

This morning I got up ready to tackle the yet unfinished group things still hanging on the to-do list... namely the Dance Team Rules, Expectations and Try-Out information packets. However, I thought I'd check the email first. There must be something wrong with gmail because I can't reach it. However, in my attempts to access it, I stumbled across my calendar with plainly highlighted Friday . Now, I was fairly sure it was Thursday, but in checking the computer clock, it also said "Friday". (completely forgetting that the two are connected... pre-coffee) So, I started a slight panic. Friday? What happened to Thursday? Did I miss it? I don't remember watching CSI last night... In fact, I'm pretty sure I watching Criminal Minds. Isn't that on Wednesday? For the next three hours I was totally bummed that my spring break was nearly over and I had accomplished almost nothing (I did take the dog out for a few walks). Crap... all that grading still left to do on ...

umm... so the Dance Team coach has to take the team members to camp. The camp they usually go to is in July. July is generally reserved for summer school. How can I be in two places at once? Teaching summer school pays a LOT more than coaching and the camp is two/three days (time hasn't been set)... argh!

Apparently, I haven't been as busy as I've been writing about. Last week I was hired as the new Dance Team coach - just to add a few more responsibilities onto my daily list of things to-do . Or I may be in need of more money to support my shopping habit. Take your pick. Actually, it sounds like a fun job. What's not to like? Dancing, music, costumes... it's all good, right? It took about two days before I started hearing complaints and drama starting. I haven't even made a try-out schedule or chosen anyone for the team yet. Now, I'm a little nervous. So I'm sending all call out to what remains of my readership... Do you coach Dance? Did you? Know someone who does/did who'd be willing to answer a few emails? Seriously, I need help!

We finished the reading and writing WASL. I guess my feelings about it can be summed up as "it was wack, yo!" I would really like to hit the rocket scientist in charge of the writing prompts for having all the students write for three days straight... data collection for some nebulous result was, of course, much more important that some 15 year-old's graduation potential. As long as the data was obtained (at a huge cost that will benefit three people), it's all good. The year is winding down very quickly. Spring break is after next week (wooht!) and 2006-2007 registration will take place next week. The AP exam is in the middle of May, my AP syllabus is due in a few short months, my Pro-Cert is almost over, which means I need to create the mother of all power points. I also need to plan the Honor Society initiation ceremony, which will probably take place on a Monday night in May because of scheduling conflicts. And if I wasn't overloaded enough, I'm interviewi...

This year is just flying by - I really haven't had any time for anything lately... it feels like all I do is grade papers! I don't feel like I'm assigning more essays, but everything just keeps piling up. Even when I'm caught up, I can still feel the paperwork calling me! Next week starts the WASL. Will the students perform at a high enough standard? I really don't know. Last year, I was pretty pessimistic about it and the students performed admirably, so maybe I'm not such a good judge of what they'll do when their graduation is at stake. Of course, the current group is all set for the state legislature to bail them out and are still expressing surprise that the law has NOT changed to allow them to graduate without passing the WASL. Oy Vey!

Via Se Hace Caminar Al Andar (via Huff English ) For books that you have read, put the title in bold. Books you want to read go in italics. Books you wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole are struck out. Books on your bookshelf are underlined. Books you have never heard of are preceded with a ? question mark. Books you’ve seen a movie or TV version of are preceded with # a pound mark. Books you have blogged about are preceded with an ! exclamation point. Books you’re indifferent to have no text decoration. Books you loved are starred *. To sum up: * Books I’ve read * Books I want to read * Books I wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole * Books on my bookshelves * ? Books I’ve never heard of * # Books I’ve seen in movie or TV form * ! Books I’ve blogged about * Books I’m indifferent to * * Books I loved 1. The Essential 55 (Ron Clark) 2. In the Middle (Nancie Atwell) 3. ?Possible Lives (Mike Rose) 4. With Rigor for All (Carol Jago) 5. **The English Teacher’s Companion (Jim Burke) 6. The ...

You know, it's been a very busy year... why did no one send me a reminder that the WASL is only 3 weeks way? I'm in the middle of a novel for cripes sakes... with really slow reading classes. Who don't do homework. Thank goodness for StemStar ! Now I can torture all my students with WASL type questions that force them to show how they're thinking. I'm sure they'll all be very happy. I can see their smiling faces now...

The new semester began this past week. Unusually, there was a lot of movement... core classes do not generally experience this, but WASL has changed all of that. The new WASL inspired Math program goes in a series of courses, broken down by semester. It was decided in December that those who weren't going pass the first semester would not go on to the second semester. This meant that they had to removed from their class and placed into a newly created one. Since approximately half of our freshman fail, it was quite a shift. Yeah, half of our freshman fail their core classes first semester. Why? Middle school. In middle school, the student can sit for two years, doing nothing and move on with their class. Many assume that this policy continues in high school. For some, it's just habit to sit and watch the world go by. Others are too busy hooking up with members of the opposite sex or gossiping about those who do. Whatever the reason, they're genuinely shocked to find out...

3.5 hours of decorating = one semi-formal dance. It's an ice theme. While going through suggestions, I jokingly said "someone in Florida chose Ice, Ice Baby! " And they loved it. The students can even recite all the lyrics to the song. It's cool. Everyone over the age of 30 is still shaking their heads. However, the decorations ended up looking quite nice - we did have an argument about the colored rocks (fake ice)... some students really wanted to scatter them on the table. Every teacher/parent knows where those rocks would end up in a matter of 3 seconds. Flying through the air... so they're regulated to the glass bowls. It should take them about an hour to figure out tossing the rocks and if you add in an hour to wait in the photo line, and time for waiting for punch, using the restroom, making out with your date and a dance or two, they just might not have enough time. The semster ends next week. It's been a hard semester. Partially because the AP class p...

YouTube has tons of poetry readings! Really good ones, by some of the best young poets! Plus, whole vidoes about Slam Poetry. So far, I've spent an hour looking for something that doesn't include swearing, and having the greatest time! WARNING! NOT SCHOOL APPROPRIATE!

In WA state, anyone certified at 2001 (or something like that) has to go through a "professional certification" process after teaching at least two years. The teacher has to take a pre -assessment seminar to figure out where their deficits are and how to improve them. There's a period of time (1 to 9 years) in which the teacher can work to improve these deficits and then it's on the assessment seminar. In theory this sounds like a positive thing. Yesterday, my pre -assessment seminar included a 5 minute discussion on how the "refresh button" works on a browser and how everyone should just take a picture of documents because "scanning and shrinking is just too difficult." And let's not forget the conversation about how our "evidence pages" are all on power point and should include pictures, rather than graphs or results. Why are we creating what will be a roughly 50 slide power point? No idea. If we have to present it to anyone I may ...

How to procrastinate like a professional? Project 365 Sign yourself up for a year long project that requires a photo a day for an entire year! Here's mine ... rather boring at the moment, but what do you expect for a free website and procrastination? Honestly. It is much more interesting than the fact that I've read all my emails about a million thousand times and it's nearly 2pm and nothing has been done that is actually on the to-do list. Ah, well... there's always tomorrow.

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It's finally here!!! Not that I was counting down or anything. For the first time, I woke up without anything hanging over my head. No grading, planning, AP audits, Pro-cert assignments... everything could be put off. I can be totally lazy without really procrastinating anything. The thought of what I could do (or not do) is somewhat intoxicating. I can paint that door in my kitchen with chalkboard paint. I crochet an afghan. I can paint, read, nap, take the dog on a hike (well, it's raining... so probably not). I'm thinking of making chowder, after going to the Y and the grocery store. And stopping at the hardware store for the last christmas present!

keavy_xmas_06 Originally uploaded by Hedgetoad . Yes, we went to see Santa yesterday! Somebody was being a very good and friendly dog in the store because Santa was watching... we did have a bit of an issue with two very large german shephards, but they soon proved to be the ill-behaved ones when they left two HUGE piles next to the cash register. One of us has also been on her best behavior for fear of surprise baths. Shockingly, no one seems to appreciate what a good roll in fresh dog poop will do for one's complexion, except dogs. In fact, when humans realize you've been rolling in poop, they drag you to the nearest bath tub and force water and soap all over you. Oh, the indignity! Santa was given a list of various squeeky toys. The louder the better.

Snowy Dog Originally uploaded by Hedgetoad . Snow Day! I never though it would really happen... too much rain. It snowed most of yesterday (corn snow) and last night the temperature dropped below freezing and the snow really came down. Why am I really excited? Another free day to grade papers! Thank goodness!

Our annual food drive is finished. The students raised almost 500,000 pounds during the week-long event. I think it would have been more if we hadn't been in the midst of back to back storms, flooding and a tsunami warning. My AP students are starting to write their first real "college essay." It'll be interesting to see how they turn out. A couple of students are having major problems because they went the SparkNotes route. I should have figured out that at least one had when I was asked who the "black man" was... I thought it was pretty obvious, but apparently not so much if you only print out half the SparkNotes. Make a note. My other classes are going ok. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be during the Christmas Carol again with the sophomores.. I may regret it - so many of the students are really low readers. However, the only real other choice is Lord of the Flies. That's a hard one to do during the holiday season. This weekend's goal: get r...

Why has a month gone by since I've posted? This school year has become so busy, it's almost like first year all over again! Due to a staff member leaving last year, I'm now the Honor Society Advisor. Sadly, this position does not pay actual money. It does carry quite a bit of responsibility at the moment as we begin the annual food drive. Next weekend, is our auction and I'm a tad worried about having something to auction. So far, I've received promises for a nice pen set. I am getting paid to do Home Hospital for an ill student. Lots of running around gathering assignments and phone calls. At least this pays. I started my Pro-Cert program. I initially had thought to do a program that only took a year... luckily I changed my mind and went with one that is much more flexible on scheduling. However, the first class started with a bang and I spent quite a bit of time working on initial assignments. I have a dog and house, both of which require a lot of time. Walking, ...