Week .5 as Teacher

So I've survived the first 3 days of teaching all 5 periods. Granted, the first day (Wednesday) was a long one, with Open House that night, but still, I made it and am still alive and not running away screaming. : )

Over all I feel it's been going well. We did a lab today, and I much prefer labs to actual lecturing. Both myself and the students are more interrested and there's more stuff going on and to do. They do take alot of prep, though.

The first day I taugh my 7th period class totally pushed me and tried to take advantage of me. Because of how it was planned, there wasn't enough room in the period to tell them about my discipline plan that day. On Thursday, however, I started class w/ my plan, and used it numerous times 7th period. Two students were sent to the hall and have contingent infractions (if they don't re-offend the infraction won't be turned in, but if they do, the old plus the new infraction will be turned it together). Needless to say, that got my 7th period class settled right down to only the normal murmuring and comments. Much more manageable. I fully believe the advice I've heard for over a year now "Be hard, mean, and harsh up front, you can relax later." Today wasn't perfect, but it was better than Thursday. We'll see how long that lasts, though.

Not much else to report. I'm not as ahead as I've been planning-wise because I haven't really done much lesson planning since Wednesday (just getting into the swing of things). I need to finish up my Energy unit, which should be to hard (just LPs for a lab and correction day). Then I need to get moving on my Energy Transfer unit. I'm still trying to find a way to use my fire example in a safe way, but so far I'm coming up short. We'll see.

On a more somber note, tomorrow I'll be going to the memorial service for my good friend from high school, Wes', mom. She went to be with the Lord 2 weeks ago (brain cancer). It'll be sad and tough, but good to support Wes and his family.

Other than that, I'm planing, churching, and, um, yeah. : )

Lesson Planner's Block

You've heard of writer's block? Well, I'm convinced there's an equivilant problem that goes along with lesson planning. As a matter of fact, I'm there right now. I'm trying to plan the intro to my next unit (Energy), but because of the way the schedule falls, I really need it to be something active and involved for the students. However, the ideal intro involves them writing in their journal and then moving to discussion...oh, and I only have about 10 minutes for this as well. Not reallly enough time to get active and into something. So I'm stuck at the moment.

And as a linear, sequential thinker, I can't really move on to the next part of the lesson until I see how much and what topics will be covered in this intro section. So instead of sitting staring at the computer screen not getting anywhere, I decided to write a short blog entry, since I'm behind w/ it anyway.

Not much else to report, I don't think. In theory I'll be teaching a week from today. That's cool and scarry at the same time. I know that once I start, I'll have even less time and energy than I don't have now, and I'm really going to start to get behind. Thankfully I'm ahead for now, so that gives me a bit of wiggle room. We'll see if I can get this next unit pounded out by Friday of this week...

The most sensational, celebrational, muppetational...

...this is what we call the Muppet Show! That's right, the Muppet Show. I know many of you feared it was lost forever, but this weekend it was rediscoverd at Costco (along w/ an original Picaso that looks like a 3 year old drew it w/ crayon). I know I shouldn't have, but I bought the first season of the Muppet Show on DVD. I mean, how could I pass it up? I was feeling a bit of buyer's remorse, but then I saw the first sketch on the first DVD...

Mahna Mahna!! How could you not love it?! If I had the ability to rip from the DVD, I'd upoad the video here so you all could enjoy it as much as I do, but alas, you will have to settle for the picture (and though a picture may be worth a thousand words, the video w/ sound is worth even more).

So when I'm crazy deep and busy into my lesson planning (whcih is going fairly well, btw), I can always have a break w/ my firends the Muppets! What could be better?!

Welcome 8th Graders

Today was the first day of class with students (yesterday was the first day of school, but only 7th graders were there, and there were no regular classes). For the most part the day was good. We have heard very good things from the 7th grade teachers about this class, so I have high hopes. The only downside to today was the fact that I'm so dang tired. Working M's games during the week is just not helpful for the sleep-factor. Oh well, yesterday was my last M's game of the season, so I won't have to worry about that.

I'm really starting to dig into lesson planning, though I won't start teaching whole classes until about the 3rd week of September. I just finished a draft of the Mass, Volume, Density lab a few minutes ago. It was tricky to get it to do what I wanted, and I'm not convinced it's quite there yet. I'll see what my CT has to say about it tomorrow (she always has good suggestions).

I'm looking forward to the weekend where I'm actually not working at all (a first since the summer began), though I will have nonwork-work to do Sunday to set up for the praise and baptism. But since there's no school on Monday (Labor Day) I'll have time to recover before returning. Let's just hope I'm smart and get decent sleep instead of staying up real late. It took me about 2 weeks to get into a good sleep schedule last May, so that's what I'm figuring now. As long as I'm in the groove by the time I start teaching I'll be happy.