I am a happy camper today, for a variety of reasons ( Read more... )

Here's an article from the Boston Globe about the clicker technology that's part of my pilot program:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/04/02/clicking_with_students/

Global usage of motherf*cker as an insult:

http://www.slate.com/id/2213558/

I still exist. It has been a VERY frustrating week. Will rant about it later if I have the energy.

It's going to be slow on the updating front for the next few weeks at least, because I'm swamped with work (grading projects and preparing for this laptop pilot program I'm doing -- which I will post about in detail once things settle down a bit). Not to mention wedding planning (mom's coming out weekend after next for the final round - hopefully ( Read more... )

I'm staying home tomorrow ( Read more... )

The heat is out in the building today. It is 55 degrees in my classroom. I'm teaching in coat and gloves (typing with gloves on is a pain in the ass!).

If the heat is out when it's this cold, CANCEL SCHOOL.

I am not looking forward to the winter.

Eighth grade girl, in a discussion about the presidential candidates and their positions on war in Iraq:

"I mean, I don't think we're going to be BFFs with Iraq anytime soon."

I bought myself a shiny new MacBook on Sunday (Massachusetts was having a tax-free holiday, so I dragged myself to the Apple Store that afternoon, even though we'd just returned from Alaska that morning after flying home on the red-eye and I was exhausted). It's the first computer I've owned for myself in several years; school has provided all of ( Read more... )

my classroom is a SAUNA. I'm dripping sweat. So are my students ( Read more... )

I've just realized, looking at my calendar, that if I take away all of the class periods that will be taken up with field trips and such, I am going to have exactly EIGHT class periods to teach my 7th graders about Taxonomy and Ecology. I could have more time if I gave up my usual week about HIV, which isn't technically part of my curriculum, but ( Read more... )