(no subject)
First day of finals out of the way!!!! YAY!!!! Only had 1 final today. Had AP College English first period today. It went alright I think. It took a long time. I mean it wasn’t a long test, and the questions weren’t that hard, it was just making sure I comprehended the questions to the best of my ability that took the most time. I made sure that I didn’t speed my self through it. That is what normally happens, I see everyone else leaving, and I feel like i need to speed through it. But today I didn’t, I don’t think I even flinched when Liz got up to finish her test. I did take a moment in there somewhere to breath when I felt myself becoming a little stressed, and I noticed that there were a lot of finals already on the chair. I hadn’t even noticed people get up. I normally do notice that, and I normally get really distracted, but today I didn’t. I am very proud of myself. When the period bell rang, I just continued to take my test, I knew I got extra time, as well as Mr. Lovaas was allowing anyone who needed it extra time. Even when kids from the next period started showing up I didn’t stress out, I just stayed calm, and went down to Mr. A's room to finish up the test. When I finally finished it, I got escorted down to my moms lab. That sounds like I’m a bad person, but it wasn’t, it was just so that I didn’t get yelled at by security. When I got to my moms lab, I helped out the one technician make sure the lab was working, and then I went on the computer for myself. I started filling out my Illinois State Music Audition form. I have to finish that up tonight. Then I printed out my Western Illinois Form, I need to finish that one up too... Luckily I don’t have a final tomorrow, so I don’t have to worry about that. I just need to study for Psych and Anthropology. I have been studying all weekend for both classes, but I’m still freaking out. I still have 2 nights of studying, so i will be fine, I will just keep telling myself that. Besides, I think that I can get by with a B in both classes, which is all I really care about.
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SPEECH TEAM RANT COMING ON!!!!! YOU BETTER READ CLOSELY AND RESPOND IF YOU ARE PART OF SPEECH TEAM....
if you aren’t part of speech, and don’t want to hear what I have to say then stop reading now, but if you are on SPEECH TEAM, I would like you to voice your opinions...
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On the way over to the library(which is where I am now), I caught up with Jessica S. We got to talking about my thoughts for Speech Team. She didn’t seem to like them really, but I think some things need to be done. The team has gotten out of hand with their attitudes about coaching, meets, and the team in General. I have been telling some of my friends from Speech Camp some of my concerns, and they have told me that this kind of behavior would not be permitted on their team. I know, those of you that are reading this are going to push it in my face that some of my friends are from DGS and that they are the "Nazi's of Speech". THATS CRAP. Sure they are good, but they have a REASON to be good. They work as a TEAM. They have Speech every day after school for at least 2 hours. I know, it seems a little preposterous, but they get their shit done, they get into the mindset, they work TOGETHER. Although it is called Individual Events, we are scored as a TEAM, and if we want to get TEAM results, we have to work as such. DGS is not the only school that has set speech schedules. I know most of you love that you don’t have to be committed to a set schedule, that you can play it by ear week to week, but that doesn’t seem to be working anymore. People just get by with not going to coaching’s, not reading when things are posted. People wait until there is a call 45 minutes before a mandatory meeting to find out about it, and complain that it hasn’t been announced, when in fact it has been on sheets and posted on schedules for 2 weeks.
I am in the midst of trying to figure out what exactly would work, but I do want some sort of change to come. I know, a lot of you are probably thinking that it is none of my business because I wont be on the team next year, but as Co Team caption, I think that it is my job to try to make the team the best that it can be. I know that we have the talent and the Charisma to win...if people actually try. I think this is evident in a lot of our team members: both returning and new. A lot of people have grown within their event this year. People have started to win when they use to say that they never would be the one up there getting that award. *Knock on wood* we have various candidates that could be Sectional contenders, and ::gasp:: maybe even onto state ******knock on wood*****
DGS is not the only team I know that has rules set as to when they meet, how they dress, how they act. One of the other schools that I have friends at has a website for their team. First of all, I think that that is such a good idea. So many times I get IMs or Phone calls asking for information that, if on the web, would not need to be asked about. I mean I’m not saying post everyone’s life out on a website, but we should be able to have a website that is for our TEAM. I mean, More info about a person could be found here in this blog or elsewhere, then could on this website that I am thinking about. It would also be a way to share photos we take over the year. ANYWAYS... back to my point... a few of my friends sent me their speech website, and on it I found Policies of theirs. They have their season schedule set up as a constant schedule at the beginning of the year. Some of the things on the schedule are things that I am thinking about wanting to ask get instituted. The first thing you will notice is there is a FULL team meeting EVERY Monday. Now, this school uses the meeting to allow their students to see their critiques. It is only a 30 minute meeting. Only allowing critique sheets to be first viewed on Monday is an idea that has come across my mind. A lot of schools have it instituted... but it is still in the thought stage. Another thing this schedule has is event coaching’s once a week(twice a week for extemp, radio and Impromptu. On top of these event coaching’s(which are student run), they also have one on one coaching with the Coaches.
Season Schedule
Monday
3:30 - 4:00
Full Team Meeting
AsstCoach1
4:00 - 5:30
Imp*
HDA*
DDA*
AsstCoach2
Tuesday
3:30 - 5:00
SOS
HI
OO
Ext
AsstCoach3
Wednesday
3:30 - 5:00
Prose
Verse
AsstCoach4
Thursday
3:30 - 5:00
1) Prose
2) DI
3) OC
4) Imp
Head Coach
Friday
3:30 - 5:00
1) Radio
2) Ext
This school has more rooms available for Speech after school, but if we talked to people, it may be able to be arranged that we could have things opened to us too. Again...these things are just in the thought process stage. This school has another policy that I think is good. They have a 3 strikes policy... Here are the details....
Three Strikes and You’re Out Policy
We expect team members to practice personal responsibility.
One strike will be assessed for:
1. Missing a team meeting
2. Missing an event group meeting
3. Missing a coaching session
4. Missing a tournament
5. Coming to the bus late
6. Being off-task and distracting to others
One-half strike will be assessed for coming late or
leaving early to team meeting, coaching session, event group.
Again, this is not the only school that has policies in
place like this, Nor am I saying that everything this school has intact is golden.
What I am saying is that Our team has gotten out of line when it comes to
schedules and being a team, and I think that this needs to stop. Everyone
complains when they don’t succeed, yet they aren’t doing anything to try to
succeed. I am not saying that this applies to everyone on the team, that isn’t
it at all. I am very happy for everyone that has been doing well this year. Even
if you haven’t been placing, those of you that have been coaching and working
hard have been achieving personal bests each week.
*Sit with the team.
*Wait quietly for the ceremony to begin. Be mature.
No horseplay, screaming, singing, or dancing.
*Do not change clothes before the ceremony.
You want to look just as polished and professional
when you accept your award as when you perform in a round.
* Be genuinely supportive and enthusiastic
when your teammates win an award, but don’t
get carried away. Screaming, hooting, whistling,
and prolonged noise are not acceptable.
* Clap for award winners from other schools,
and stand up for all champions.
* Wait until after all sweepstakes trophies
are accepted to begin packing up and putting on
your coat. Be very respectful of other teams’ achievements.
THESE are some things that I am adamant about. This has been out of hand this year. People have been talking during awards ceremonies, being extremely loud, and been out of line.
I will end my rant here, for the moment. This is not all of my thoughts, but these are a lot of them. PLEASE RESPOND
WITH WHAT YOU THINK...I
wont be able to make it the best
for the team if I don’t know how people react.
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RANT ENDING NOW
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