Holy Crap! Where did the week go?!

It's been a crazy week. I always overestimate how much I'll be able to accomplish during staff development week....always. This year, I did a little bit better....but I still have to go tomorrow and finish up some stuff. (I'm nowhere NEAR as far behind as I was last year....so I think I'm making some progress!)

I'm pretty excited about this year....I'm actually teaching classes I've taught before, so I don't have any new preps. Shocker! I'm jazzed about getting to experiment with my approach in those classes....to see how I can shake things up to increase student participation and therefore, learning! (Big goal, I know...but I'll give it a shot.)

Speaking of a shot...I may have a shot at getting some technology for my room. I'm at the point where laying out 700+ dollars for an LCD projector is sounding better and better.....because it'll mean that I don't have to spend a ton of time (and money) printing out transparencies. Apparently there's a laptop/projector combo that needs a home. One of the veteran teachers put in a good word for me with Uberprincipal...told her that it just makes sense that I get to use it. Keep your fingers crossed...it's in the principal's hands.

It's always interesting to watch new teachers acclimate to the building/staff. We have several in our department this year. Some are smushing right in...getting along with folks....happy as a clam..and are making high marks in the "Gonna Do Okay" arena. Others are making it known that they haveabsolutely no need for anyone's help...are not interested in doing the grunt work(like moving boxes of workbooks, etc.)...and have attitudes bigger than The Lone Star State. Sadly, these folks are not only burning their own bridges....they using a flamethrower to do it. The teachers at Uberschool are some of the most friendly, helpful, accomodating people you will find. Unless, you come in rejecting help...and then good luck later on when you realize that you, in fact, don't know it all.

Hope the squirrels don't eat your lunch while Uberteachers are letting you achieve mastery on the "don't be a know-it-all" unit of study.

Buggy Update: He went to court a week or so ago for his tickets for fighting. He lucked out. The judge is making him pay about 200 smackeroos for the first one (he said he'd rather pay than do community service -- she said okay.) She dismissed the second one.

Thank God.

I kinda wish she'd assigned him to anger management....but oh well. I'm cautiously optimistic about this year for Buggy. His class schedule has been carefully orchestrated to put him with teachers who will have high expectations for him...and will not let him screw around. Consequently, most of these teachers are in the Ms. H-Network, and will keep me posted on his antics. Buggy is well aware of this, and although he's chafing a bit at the idea (what teenage boy wouldn't?)...he also knows that I've got his best interests at heart and am determined to "stay in the middle of his stuff til graduation". A fact which he appreciates.

Although I came home and slept HARD for several hours on the couch, I have got to go to bed so I can get up early in the morning and go back to school. I need to visit the gym on the way...I haven't worked out in a couple weeks due to vacation, etc....and I have GOT to do something before I visit TrainerDude on Monday. Otherwise, I might pass out dead.

hasta...