Daily

Daily rambling...

Morgan's team won Battle of the Books! They go on to compete in the State competition via teleconference later. Way to go, Morgan!

Morgan also started Anvil City Science Academy this week, the start of second semester. It is definitely going to be better for her and make her work at her aptitude. They do much more science there, hence the name and the students work at their real ability level much more than in regular classrooms. Plus, she gets to walk to school, just like I do. So Morgan's moving on up. I am just very proud of her winning Battle of the Books--that is great reading ability right there! And I taught her to read! Sniff! I must have done something right.

This week starts second semester at high school too. I am always SOOOO much better for second semester. Maybe it is because I know the kids better and feel I can better work toward their needs. Maybe it is because of that. I definitely have a much clearer roadmap of the curriculum and pacing for the semester because of this. I think a lot of first semester is testing the waters, finding out where students are at. School is going fabulously well right now. I almost never have any disciplinary referrals anymore, especially this year. I am getting so much better at managing a classroom, something a lot of first time teachers really struggle with. I know I really struggled with it my first year at South Kitsap. Now it is second nature (somewhat) and I can concentrate on getting the lessons through. And I have a very clear month-by-month plan for second semester, especially in preparation for the HSGQE, the High School Graduation Qualifying Examination, the test that is now required statewide for graduation in three subjects: math, reading, and writing. English is TWO of those. My clear plan will have them experts by the test time in April.

I am having a bit of fun this month too at school. I am wearing a different Superman shirt everyday to school until I run out. I think I can go for three weeks without wearing the same one twice. I'm on six now and my pile of Superman shirts at home is still huge. I keep track on the front board everyday. The kids love it; they wonder what shirt I will be wearing today.

The senior class is fun for me too this semester because we are getting into the romantic poets. We started Wordsworth today and the explanation for romantic poetry, getting them out of that mindset that it is not "lovey-dovey" poetry as everyone thinks it means for those that haven't studied up on it. We'll get to William Blake at the computer lab later this week through an awesome online archive of his poetry books and etchings at williamblake.org. Coleridge and "Rime of the Ancient
Mariner" later in the week to next week--that one brings back special memories for me of my senior high school British literature class with Ms Lehman, and my mother saying that Sarah was the "albatross around her neck!"