137. Wet Wednesday
Tonight we're celebrating L.'s birthday - we'll be meeting at Fuji Grand in about 90 minutes. We may go see Iron Man - word is it's pretty good.
This morning was dark, dreary, and rainy. It made me wonder what the consequences would be if I just didn't show up. I'd also woken up just minutes before my alarm. Don't you hate it when that happens?
When I got to the teacher's room, I sat next to F., and she asked how I was. I gave about the most dispirited "OK" reply imaginable.
"It's one of those mornings, isn't it?"
"Yep."
"I had to call two people who I know love me."
I get into class, and R-kun announces that he doesn't want to do our midterm test. Well, lah de dah. "You know what? I don't want to give the test, either. I want to go back to my room, have a beer, then catch an airplane and fly back to Canada."
Well, that shut him up. The students should realize that we're just as trapped and helpless as they are.
So here I am, teaching Year 3, and administering a test. The first item on it has students pick out the short vowel sound from a series of words; for example: "Sky, Flute, Cup" - you're supposed to pick cup. My own Grade 3 teacher taught us that long vowels are the ones that sound like letters, whereas the short vowels don't - but today I realized that was a gross oversimplification. What about "flute?" - we don't have a letter "oo." It's more about duration - hence the terms long and short! And this snapped into my mind after I'd given that set of questions! So I clarified that it was about duration, and went back and read it all again. It's my PEI education rearing its ugly head again.
Small mercies abounded today - the Year 9 math class was cancelled for their monthly Japanese-curriculum tests. Years 8 and 7 weren't keen on math, either. Actually, the only class I can really be said to teach is Year 7. Years 8 and 9 basically amount to me rediscovering algebra and geometry on the blackboard while the students whiz through their worksheets. The Year 7s still have enough to learn that I don't have to appear completely incompetent.
I'm actually thankful for teaching junior high math, as it will really help me out next summer. I would have been going in after nine years without math - having this experience, it'll only be about five months. Science too, has taught me critical thinking - between hearing myself talk and the questions that the children ask, I've discovered innumerable gaps in my conceptions of things, and I'm starting to be my own watchdog. I do fudge things sometimes, but I try my best to be honest about that, because science and authority should have nothing to do with each other - nothing ever happens "because I said so."
I was having fun using basic algebra to find angles and their complements and supplements, even though the students didn't give a crap. I suppose I could be doing more to "make it interesting." It's hard when I don't even really know the material, but maybe I'll find a way. Sometimes, though, I'm just stalling for time until the bells ring.
When I left for lunch, the sun was back and beaming brightly. It was very nice to see it again.
This morning was dark, dreary, and rainy. It made me wonder what the consequences would be if I just didn't show up. I'd also woken up just minutes before my alarm. Don't you hate it when that happens?
When I got to the teacher's room, I sat next to F., and she asked how I was. I gave about the most dispirited "OK" reply imaginable.
"It's one of those mornings, isn't it?"
"Yep."
"I had to call two people who I know love me."
I get into class, and R-kun announces that he doesn't want to do our midterm test. Well, lah de dah. "You know what? I don't want to give the test, either. I want to go back to my room, have a beer, then catch an airplane and fly back to Canada."
Well, that shut him up. The students should realize that we're just as trapped and helpless as they are.
So here I am, teaching Year 3, and administering a test. The first item on it has students pick out the short vowel sound from a series of words; for example: "Sky, Flute, Cup" - you're supposed to pick cup. My own Grade 3 teacher taught us that long vowels are the ones that sound like letters, whereas the short vowels don't - but today I realized that was a gross oversimplification. What about "flute?" - we don't have a letter "oo." It's more about duration - hence the terms long and short! And this snapped into my mind after I'd given that set of questions! So I clarified that it was about duration, and went back and read it all again. It's my PEI education rearing its ugly head again.
Small mercies abounded today - the Year 9 math class was cancelled for their monthly Japanese-curriculum tests. Years 8 and 7 weren't keen on math, either. Actually, the only class I can really be said to teach is Year 7. Years 8 and 9 basically amount to me rediscovering algebra and geometry on the blackboard while the students whiz through their worksheets. The Year 7s still have enough to learn that I don't have to appear completely incompetent.
I'm actually thankful for teaching junior high math, as it will really help me out next summer. I would have been going in after nine years without math - having this experience, it'll only be about five months. Science too, has taught me critical thinking - between hearing myself talk and the questions that the children ask, I've discovered innumerable gaps in my conceptions of things, and I'm starting to be my own watchdog. I do fudge things sometimes, but I try my best to be honest about that, because science and authority should have nothing to do with each other - nothing ever happens "because I said so."
I was having fun using basic algebra to find angles and their complements and supplements, even though the students didn't give a crap. I suppose I could be doing more to "make it interesting." It's hard when I don't even really know the material, but maybe I'll find a way. Sometimes, though, I'm just stalling for time until the bells ring.
When I left for lunch, the sun was back and beaming brightly. It was very nice to see it again.