Well holy smoleys it has been a long time since I wrote last. I have had a super busy month and have been putting this off for a long time. So ready or not here comes what I have been doing the last month and what I am working towards now and what I am struggling at in my class and how I am going to fix it.
Well let's see...back in September I found yet again mice poop in my kitchen, but in my sink and I told my landlord that morning that I was leaving. I looked and looked for an apartment and settled on one that is only 4 blocks from school and it is a short 5 minute walk in the morning. It is a 2 bdrm on the top floor or a house. I get to keep my crazy kitty and into like it. I have gotnhelpnfrom some of my fellow teacher colleagues and I am very grateful for that. I moved all last week and have my two couches...after I look for mice (found poop on box spring and right by pull out couch) and inspect them we will see if they get moved into my new place. That is what scares me the most. I thought they were just in the kitchen but nope they were everywhere!!! YUCKO!!!
So I am in the process of getting my place back to normal and trying to hang my stuff up on the walls up holy that is hard when my walls are full of studs that won't let me out a nail in. It is very lopsided with all of my stuff on the walls. But it is going good.
I haven't had any other attacks with my gallbladder so that is good news for me. I had p/t conferences two weeks ago and they weren't so bad and it was nice to let the parents know that this is a hard class and that their students have to study for it or will not do well at all.
My 1st quarter of classes are done this Thursday and I will get a new batch of students for my exploratory classes. Today I felt horrible that I was already swishing that the quarter was done to be rid of some of the problems in my room. I couldn't believe that in my first year I would be wanting the end of that to come soon. I do realize that I need to change the structure of some of my classes in hope that the next quarter goes smoothly.
Out of the last 5 weekends I have been to Mitchell 4 times but they were all worth it. I love seeing my friend Chelsea and Kayla and the others and seeing Ethan. It's a nice break from the job and a way to relax. We had a wedding this last weekend and it was gorgeous and fun with the man. We had to do a kiss that the bride and groom would repeat and it was so funny and I turned dark RED!! I love him so.
So now I am just struggling when I give my students a number quiz and they fail it and then when I give them a previous homework assignment and the topic we have been covering for the last 2 months and they do poorly. I just need to regroup and figure out this mess. I mean what we are doing is not complicated and it is only one verb. Argh just blows my mind. Especially when they do not come in for extra help and the parents say what can they do to get their grade up...STUDY...ask questions...come in for help. I can't do it for them. I believe the majority of these students are in the rut of oh ya I can retake this and study for it later, but that is the easy way out and I don't allow it. I tell them retakes are harder and longer sound I take the second grade because they would have had more time to study. So we will see what happens this week.
But besides moving and seeing Mitchell a lot recently I don't have much news. It is getting cold down here in Nebraska. I am done with volleyball 2-4 I believe and now need to figure out what I am going to do with my time. Clean or cook/bake with my new stove!!
Well tootles.
Any advice on different teaching strategies for a large class and 70 minute time frame please let me know. First year teacher can try anything thing and see how it goes.
Chau Chau
I have been doing really good with my lesson plans lately and just need to keep focusing on how I am going to reach my students in different ways.
