Why oh why am I feeling like it's been a 9-day week?!
Overall, it's been good. Monday morning, I woke up at the pre-crack of dawn and went to work out with Satan. He was BRUTAL!! His "gift" kept on giving all day Tuesday...my butt and my armpits hurt SO MUCH that I felt compelled to send Satan a nast-o-riffic text message that said, "You are SO NOT my favorite person right now! I can't even SIT without pain!"
The rest of the day Monday, I was able to putter around my house and get a bunch of stuff done. I had contemplated getting together with some buddies...but ended up logging some much needed some SoloTime.
I got a small surprise Tuesday morning. During my first class, I answered a knock on the door to find Buggy standing there. (He has no-period so he wasn't skipping.) Apparently, he was coming to kill time until his English class. He came in, sat down by Crazybrother's new girlfriend, and waited for me to finish giving the notes. Once we finished the notes, I asked for 4 volunteers. I really thought Buggy was going to sprain something in his zeal to get picked. I didn't watch his coach hollering at me for being the cause of his injury...so I picked him to do the listening activity/game.
Remember the beginning of the semester when he never made it by?? Because he was "too busy"? But now, he's dropping by and PARTICIPATING in my class!! Yeah, it's the same kid.
I used my Journal Rubric to grade journals Monday night. It streamlined the whole process. INCREDIBLE.
The one downer was stapling the little rubric slip to its journal. So, I decided to go ahead and make my own journal paper...complete with rubric on the bottom to expedite the ENTIRE journal process. I AM A GENIUS!! (Let me tell ya why)
- During passing period, I placed a copy of the journal paper on each desk.
- When the kids came in, all they had to do was get out a pen....
- And get to work.
- Which happened almost instantaneously.
- It was a beautiful thing.
- After the time had elapsed, I explained the rubric to the kiddos.
- I then got a volunteer to share their journal with the class via the document camera.
- I let them watch me "grade" a journal...and even had them help me figure out the ratings.
- After we rated the volunteer's journal...I added an extra 15 points to them as a thanks for "taking one for the team".
- We discussed that it might feel harsh that I don't simply hand them a 100 for just turning in a journal, but in the long run they'll end up being stronger writers.
- I then handed them a highlighter and let them go through their journals and highlight 'problem areas'...so that when I grade the journals, I can see that they "get" what they need to fix.
I had another session with Satan this afternoon. He's not always a nice person. He claims that the PAIN he's putting me through is "for my own good". *snort*
Whatevuh.
The only thing that got me through the hellacious butterfly whatsums was composing the text message he's going to get from me TOMORROW!!
Earlier today, I had coerced Buggy and Crazybrother into agreeing to meet me back at school after my workout (and Buggy's gymnastics practice) so we could do their packets of grammar worksheets. That are due tomorrow.
We spent about 2 and a half hours doing grammar.
FUN TIMES!!!
But they're finished with their work and can....TURN IT IN TOMORROW!!
WOOP!