Returning?

I make no promises about the regularity or quality of any writing happening on this blog from now until next summer. Still, since I am here...

Life has been quite busy lately. I have become the queen of continuing education. I am still working on my masters. On top of that, I am reading a book on how to best standardized reading scores (without selling my soul), attending district funded training on how to work with technology, English Language Learners, and Gifted and Talented students. I have learned so many new things lately that my brain is leaking. The only disappointment is that I can't do everything all at once. Unfortunately, I don't trust myself to remember all these great tricks for as long as it takes for me to get them all implemented. Regardless, I am enjoying all the brain exercise.

My students continue to amaze me with their depth of thinking, creativity, independence, and thoughtfulness. It is a pleasure to work with such a responsible and cooperative group. I still have to deal with missing homework and blurting and hormone driven "girl drama", but it is on a dramatically reduced level. This has given us opportunities for many extra activities and experiments.

We are currently trying something new with our seating. We threw out the seating chart and the kids are allowed to sit wherever they need to in order to get the current task done to the best of their ability. All desks are communal property, switched and moved many times a day, while personal belongings are stored in individual cubbies. After two weeks, we had a class meeting to discuss the new arrangement and voted overwhelmingly to keep it despite the minor frustrations. I have had 4 students request (and receive) permanent desk assignments, but the rest are doing quite well at choosing the best work space for any given activity. The funniest thing is that when I told them they could arrange the desks however they wanted, they lined them up in three long rows facing forward. I guess that is the "novel" arrangement in this age of "table grouping".

The weather has been crazy. It regularly gets below freezing here. We have had a few nice, warm days, but on the whole it has been much cooler than I would choose. We have only had a small dusting of snow (back before Christmas), but the dog water is often frozen several inches deep when I head off to work in the morning. Luckily, the garage is enough to keep my little diesel Jetta happy.

Speaking of Christmas, I had a very pleasant time entertaining family in my little home. It was one of my happiest Christmases since leaving Minnesota, actually. I got to talk "teacher" to my hearts content with Dad. Brooks and I played poker and video games, chatted, and hiked in the mountains. All in all, it was a wonderful time.

I can hardly believe how quickly this year is flying by. (Keep in mind that my teacher brain considers the "year" to begin in August and end in June.) We are already half-way through the second trimester. The very idea that I have been writing 2007 on my schedule for a whole month already is mind-boggling. Anyway, I think that is enough for now. I make absolutely no promises regarding my next post. Until then - Peace.