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This afternoon I got a chance to go to my room for a couple of hours and unpack the boxes I had stuck in the cabinets. I unpacked a dozen boxes (now, where to put the empties?), and found all the books that were important, including my yearbooks.
ALWAYS get a yearbook. It's great for when you have siblings who say, "Do you remember my brother, Alan?" and you say, "Of course!" and then realize you just can't place the face.
I also found my Latin Moments stuff for the bulletin board, organized material for a bulletin board in the main hallway, and wrote up my warm-ups (praeparAtiOnEs) for Monday. Tuesday is back to school night.
If you ever need material for back to school night, there are plenty of ready-made flyers at www.promotelatin.org. (yeah, another of my sites; desperately needs a facelift and reorganization).
I was full of energy today; not sure why. Did a some updates to the Wheelock website (was told of another distance learning center--UT--to add), and wrote some other letters.
I signed my son up for a Taekwondo class at a colleague's school. This gentleman works with special ed kids at my school and yet has 26 martial arts schools around the country, trains agents in DC, trains local police, and much more. A Vietnam vet, world champion in some form of martial arts, and more. I didn't realize his school was around the corner from me until I looked up at his sign while stopped in traffic. I had no idea what an incredible leader this man has been in the community locally and nationally. He's just a special ed teacher at school. Here's my point: never, ever consider anyone at your school to be beneath you. In fact, I find it interesting that 3 of the 4 Vets at our school work in special ed--maybe it's a need to do no harm and to help the least fortunate after seeing the horrors of war, I don't know.
Get to know *everyone* at your school. Do *NOT* ever think of yourself as part of some elite portion of your school which teaches just the smart kids or something. I have former students who report back to me which Latin teachers act this way, which is very sad. The kids pick up on their elitist attitudes and it turns off many of them. I was called a hick by one of my colleagues last year. He did apologize but later that year insulted the former student of mine whose mother had reported the name calling to begin with.
It's not worth getting into details. Just keep this in mind: don't speak ill of your colleagues in front of your students. I know some of my students have been frustrated with their teachers after me, but I try to always speak of the positive characteristics of that teacher while trying to discuss the real problems and issues. And often there's nothing you can do anyway.
I'm going to go do some light grading now. But remember--ALWAY enjoy your weekends. If you aren't resting at least on one day, then you won't make it through the year.
ALWAYS get a yearbook. It's great for when you have siblings who say, "Do you remember my brother, Alan?" and you say, "Of course!" and then realize you just can't place the face.
I also found my Latin Moments stuff for the bulletin board, organized material for a bulletin board in the main hallway, and wrote up my warm-ups (praeparAtiOnEs) for Monday. Tuesday is back to school night.
If you ever need material for back to school night, there are plenty of ready-made flyers at www.promotelatin.org. (yeah, another of my sites; desperately needs a facelift and reorganization).
I was full of energy today; not sure why. Did a some updates to the Wheelock website (was told of another distance learning center--UT--to add), and wrote some other letters.
I signed my son up for a Taekwondo class at a colleague's school. This gentleman works with special ed kids at my school and yet has 26 martial arts schools around the country, trains agents in DC, trains local police, and much more. A Vietnam vet, world champion in some form of martial arts, and more. I didn't realize his school was around the corner from me until I looked up at his sign while stopped in traffic. I had no idea what an incredible leader this man has been in the community locally and nationally. He's just a special ed teacher at school. Here's my point: never, ever consider anyone at your school to be beneath you. In fact, I find it interesting that 3 of the 4 Vets at our school work in special ed--maybe it's a need to do no harm and to help the least fortunate after seeing the horrors of war, I don't know.
Get to know *everyone* at your school. Do *NOT* ever think of yourself as part of some elite portion of your school which teaches just the smart kids or something. I have former students who report back to me which Latin teachers act this way, which is very sad. The kids pick up on their elitist attitudes and it turns off many of them. I was called a hick by one of my colleagues last year. He did apologize but later that year insulted the former student of mine whose mother had reported the name calling to begin with.
It's not worth getting into details. Just keep this in mind: don't speak ill of your colleagues in front of your students. I know some of my students have been frustrated with their teachers after me, but I try to always speak of the positive characteristics of that teacher while trying to discuss the real problems and issues. And often there's nothing you can do anyway.
I'm going to go do some light grading now. But remember--ALWAY enjoy your weekends. If you aren't resting at least on one day, then you won't make it through the year.
