I had to pick up something at Staples this evening for school.
Parked in the parking lot, I talked to a friend from school about several different things. She's been at our school about 10 years, but she'll be leaving the end of September to take a full-time training position with our school system. She has more than 40 years in education, so this won't be the first time she's tried something new. She just plans to put her talents to use in different ways. Her son just moved to Chicago to study. Though I've passed by her the last couple days, I've barely had time to say "hello," so I gave her a call during after-school hours.
After we'd finished talking, I started walking to the store's entrance when my cell phone suddenly started vibrating. I answered it, and it was a good friend who's already left my school. I miss having her at our school, but it was good to hear that she's enjoying her new job a lot more. The ways things are going so far, she said they'd have to double her pay to get her to think about returning to what she had done at our school the last two years. It's just been a lot less stressful and a lot more positive for her than last year was.
While I was on the phone, standing to the side of the entrance, a woman and a high-school-aged female walked past and waved. I recognized them as a student I'd taught a couple years ago and her mother. I finished my phone conversation, hung up, and entered the store with two missions in mind: 1) finding and purchasing what I'd come to buy and 2) finding and saying hello to the student and her mother.
Before I made it very far, a woman stopped me. I didn't recognize her, but she quickly identified herself as a Southwest Guilford Middle School parent of a seventh grader. Her daughter had recognized me and pointed me out to her mom, and it just so happened that even though we'd never met before, this lady had wanted to get in touch with me. Someone had mentioned my name to her, and she had wanted to ask me a question. She'd planned to get in touch with me at school, but suddenly running into me, she'd decided to take advantage of the opportunity. I enjoyed talking to her and discovered that she's one of the parents we're particularly fortunate to have at our school: she's active in our PTSA and wanted to talk to me about how she could better communicate with and assist our staff members. Since her daughter's in the seventh-grade, there's a chance that I'll teach her next year, and now there's already a connection in place, which is always positive to have.
Then, after getting what I needed to buy, I stood in line, waiting to have my item scanned and to pay for it. The seventh-grade student and her mother, whom I'd just met, had also finished shopping and were right behind me, so while we waited to move up in the line, we talked some more. While we were talking, a young lady called out from near the entrance, "Mr. Floyd!" It was another former student, one I'd just seen for the first time in a few years when she had dropped by our school to visit. I didn't get to talk to her, but she had a beautiful smile on her face, and even though we didn't get to talk, it was still a positive encounter.
I made it to my car without running into anyone else, but already, I'd been reminded of just how small a world ours actually is sometimes.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Schoolhouse Rambles
With two new administrators and approximately 30 new staff members (out of approximately 115), Southwest Guilford Middle School has gotten off to a very good start the first two days of this 2007-2008 school year. Under the leadership of new Principal Beverly Wilson, Assistant Principal Gloria Ramsey, and new Assistant Principal Billy Hardy, things have run smoothly. (Doesn't Mr. Hardy have a great last name?)
The worst thing for some of us has been dealing with uncomfortably hot classrooms. I've worn a long-sleeve shirt and tie these first two days, and I've been drenched with sweat at times. From 10:30 AM-3:45 PM (with a break from about 12:48-1:15 PM for lunch), I've been in near-constant motion in my classroom, moving back-and-forth as I speak, listen, ask, answer, write, monitor, and observe. (I admit that I'm usually sitting while writing on the overhead.) Somthing's wrong with our air conditioning, and yes, there's some suffering going on. The only comfort I can offer my students is to point out that I'm probably even less comfortable than they are, wearing hotter clothes and moving around more than they are. But it's all good. I've just come to realize that for all our amazing technological advances, the people who develop the systems designed to cool and heat our buildings still have light-years to go. Buildings are always either too hot or too cold; they're never just right. Ms. Wilson has visited my room two or three times so far, and when she visited today, she let me know that she's aware of how hot the rooms are. I appreciated her taking the time to do that, and though it's made the day slightly less pleasant, I know they're working on getting it fixed for us. There are some things that you just have to deal with and make the best of, and that's as important a lesson as any other for us all to learn. Mixed in with that lesson is the one about it being pointless, senseless, and mindless to dwell too long on certain things or to complain about them. Too much wasted time and energy involved that could be put to infinitely better use elsewhere. Some things are just beyond our complete control, and we just have to accept that.
So far, I love our team's students! "Love" probably seems like too strong a word here--I realize that it probably comes across as hyperbole. By "love," I mean that it's been easy to enjoy, appreciate, and respect our students so far. The negative signs of potentially bad things to come have not shown themselves so far. I'm just hoping that the positive vibrations are real, that the love is going to last the entire school year. Because if that's the case, there's going to be a lot of higher learning going on, and the results are going to be positive for everyone.
I haven't dealt with any major issues so far. By this point last year--if not very shortly after--I'd already had a student "MF" me in class, to the delight of some of his classmates. ("MF" doesn't stand for "Mr. Floyd.") I felt like the effects of that incident haunted that class all year long, stirring an ugly, unpleasant energy that was challenging to overcome. Unless my memory's failing me, I think my primary sin against that student was to ask him to do what all the other students were doing: to keep his head off his desk and write what I was asking them to write. There were negative signs with that student the very first day, and I was left wondering if I'd have any positive moments with him. There were actually a few positive moments with him, but they weren't lasting. And he always was within a second of flipping--it didn't take much to provoke him. He didn't stay with us all year, and I don't know what ultimately happened to him, but without some major changes, he was heading in every negative direction you can think of, seemingly eager to become a part of the horrible statistics we don't seem often enough capable of reversing.
You don't put 1000 students together and expect that there aren't going to be some students with some problems. What you try to do is control the environment as much as possible and try to figure out how to help or change the students who have problems and/or are causing problems. You try communicating with those stuents, and when necessary, you follow up with proper discipline. I've already heard of some students getting into trouble, with at least one or two directing their negative energy toward their teachers. Some of those students have a history of doing that, and whatever the solution is for turning around their attitudes and/or behaviors hasn't yet been discovered. Maybe we'll figure out those solutions this school year. For the sake of those students, for the sake of our school, and for our sake, let's hope so.
I'm excited and curious right now. Excited about how well the year has started and how much positive potential seems to exist right now. Curious to see if the positive energy can be maintained and magnified. How far can we go? How long will it last? How far and long will it extend?
While I've looked forward to these last two days, I've also finished both days feeling exhausted. I'm drained by the energy that has to be put forth to keep it all moving, to accomplish all that needs to be done. There's a beginning-of-the-year "To Do" list that stretches forever, it seems. With teaching, once the school year begins, it doesn't end until the very end of the school year. Between the first day and the last day, there's not a single day when you leave school knowing that you've done everything that needs to be done. Not if you're honest. There's always one more step that could have been taken: one more record you could have read; one more lesson you could have developed; one more decoration you could have added; one more meeting you could have scheduled or held; one more phone call you could have made, or one more e-mail you could have sent; one more field trip you could have planned; one more speaker you could have scheduled; one more note you could have written; one more set of papers you could have graded; one more text you could have studied; one more incentive you could have created; one more bulletin board you could have changed; one more activity you could have coached or sponsored; etc. Don't think there's not even more that I could have listed here. There's no peace during the school year for a school teacher, no luxury or relaxation. Even the moments you take for yourself require more work and greater preparation, and they leave you feeling guilty and unrelaxed. When you take a day off, for whatever reason, your mind still travels back to school, worrying how all's going for your sub, your teammates, and your students. You're praying and hoping that all went smoothly, that the students were better for your sub than they've even dreamed about being for you.
There's so much more to say. And of course, there's stuff that can't be said. But it's all there. It's all going on everywhere right now, in every school. Stuff most of us don't even have a clue about, though we think we do. It's everything positive and everything negative that you can possibly imagine.
My mind's spinning, right now, trying to figure out how I'm going to keep up with it all.
The worst thing for some of us has been dealing with uncomfortably hot classrooms. I've worn a long-sleeve shirt and tie these first two days, and I've been drenched with sweat at times. From 10:30 AM-3:45 PM (with a break from about 12:48-1:15 PM for lunch), I've been in near-constant motion in my classroom, moving back-and-forth as I speak, listen, ask, answer, write, monitor, and observe. (I admit that I'm usually sitting while writing on the overhead.) Somthing's wrong with our air conditioning, and yes, there's some suffering going on. The only comfort I can offer my students is to point out that I'm probably even less comfortable than they are, wearing hotter clothes and moving around more than they are. But it's all good. I've just come to realize that for all our amazing technological advances, the people who develop the systems designed to cool and heat our buildings still have light-years to go. Buildings are always either too hot or too cold; they're never just right. Ms. Wilson has visited my room two or three times so far, and when she visited today, she let me know that she's aware of how hot the rooms are. I appreciated her taking the time to do that, and though it's made the day slightly less pleasant, I know they're working on getting it fixed for us. There are some things that you just have to deal with and make the best of, and that's as important a lesson as any other for us all to learn. Mixed in with that lesson is the one about it being pointless, senseless, and mindless to dwell too long on certain things or to complain about them. Too much wasted time and energy involved that could be put to infinitely better use elsewhere. Some things are just beyond our complete control, and we just have to accept that.
So far, I love our team's students! "Love" probably seems like too strong a word here--I realize that it probably comes across as hyperbole. By "love," I mean that it's been easy to enjoy, appreciate, and respect our students so far. The negative signs of potentially bad things to come have not shown themselves so far. I'm just hoping that the positive vibrations are real, that the love is going to last the entire school year. Because if that's the case, there's going to be a lot of higher learning going on, and the results are going to be positive for everyone.
I haven't dealt with any major issues so far. By this point last year--if not very shortly after--I'd already had a student "MF" me in class, to the delight of some of his classmates. ("MF" doesn't stand for "Mr. Floyd.") I felt like the effects of that incident haunted that class all year long, stirring an ugly, unpleasant energy that was challenging to overcome. Unless my memory's failing me, I think my primary sin against that student was to ask him to do what all the other students were doing: to keep his head off his desk and write what I was asking them to write. There were negative signs with that student the very first day, and I was left wondering if I'd have any positive moments with him. There were actually a few positive moments with him, but they weren't lasting. And he always was within a second of flipping--it didn't take much to provoke him. He didn't stay with us all year, and I don't know what ultimately happened to him, but without some major changes, he was heading in every negative direction you can think of, seemingly eager to become a part of the horrible statistics we don't seem often enough capable of reversing.
You don't put 1000 students together and expect that there aren't going to be some students with some problems. What you try to do is control the environment as much as possible and try to figure out how to help or change the students who have problems and/or are causing problems. You try communicating with those stuents, and when necessary, you follow up with proper discipline. I've already heard of some students getting into trouble, with at least one or two directing their negative energy toward their teachers. Some of those students have a history of doing that, and whatever the solution is for turning around their attitudes and/or behaviors hasn't yet been discovered. Maybe we'll figure out those solutions this school year. For the sake of those students, for the sake of our school, and for our sake, let's hope so.
I'm excited and curious right now. Excited about how well the year has started and how much positive potential seems to exist right now. Curious to see if the positive energy can be maintained and magnified. How far can we go? How long will it last? How far and long will it extend?
While I've looked forward to these last two days, I've also finished both days feeling exhausted. I'm drained by the energy that has to be put forth to keep it all moving, to accomplish all that needs to be done. There's a beginning-of-the-year "To Do" list that stretches forever, it seems. With teaching, once the school year begins, it doesn't end until the very end of the school year. Between the first day and the last day, there's not a single day when you leave school knowing that you've done everything that needs to be done. Not if you're honest. There's always one more step that could have been taken: one more record you could have read; one more lesson you could have developed; one more decoration you could have added; one more meeting you could have scheduled or held; one more phone call you could have made, or one more e-mail you could have sent; one more field trip you could have planned; one more speaker you could have scheduled; one more note you could have written; one more set of papers you could have graded; one more text you could have studied; one more incentive you could have created; one more bulletin board you could have changed; one more activity you could have coached or sponsored; etc. Don't think there's not even more that I could have listed here. There's no peace during the school year for a school teacher, no luxury or relaxation. Even the moments you take for yourself require more work and greater preparation, and they leave you feeling guilty and unrelaxed. When you take a day off, for whatever reason, your mind still travels back to school, worrying how all's going for your sub, your teammates, and your students. You're praying and hoping that all went smoothly, that the students were better for your sub than they've even dreamed about being for you.
There's so much more to say. And of course, there's stuff that can't be said. But it's all there. It's all going on everywhere right now, in every school. Stuff most of us don't even have a clue about, though we think we do. It's everything positive and everything negative that you can possibly imagine.
My mind's spinning, right now, trying to figure out how I'm going to keep up with it all.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Back-to-School Open House at SWGMS
Southwest Guilford Middle School held its first Open House for the 2007-2008 school year earlier today. We usually have three Open House dates every year. Two are held on back-to-back dates right before students return to school--one for sixth-graders, and a separate one for seventh- and eighth-graders. The third one is sponsored by our PTSA and is usually held about the middle of September; it's for all three grades.
Tonight's Open House was for seventh- and eighth-grade students, and it was held from 4:00-5:30 PM. It's an opportunity for parents/guardians and students to drop by and meet the teachers.
Just slightly before 4:00 PM, our team's first family arrived. Donna Navey (math), Scott Pugh (social studies), Steve Russillo (science), and I (language arts) decided that we would each greet parents and students individually in our own classrooms. The first family to arrive stopped in Mr. Pugh's room first, and since I didn't have any visitors yet and am diagonally across the hall, I joined them for a brief conversation. Since no one was waiting behind them, we were able to visit with that family a little longer than usual.
Very shortly after that, the waves of families began arriving. Until slightly before 5:30 PM, there was no break, with a constant stream of families coming into and out of our individual classrooms. It's a chance to see the faces and hear the voices of the students we'll be teaching this school year, and it's also an opportunity for us to meet their families.
This was my eleventh beginning-of-the-year Open House, and just like all the others, it was a blur. The hour-and-a-half goes by very quickly, and for almost that entire time, as a teacher, you're talking, introducing yourself, saying "hello," answering questions, briefly discussing your class and subject, and going over the information we're handing out. I should figure out a system to track how many hands I shake and how many people I meet and talk to each year. It's important not to talk too long to individual families because you usually have a line of other families waiting to come in the classroom and meet you. I still manage to slip into longer conversations, and I have to be careful to keep that reasonably under control. In some cases, it's the one time I'm guaranteed of seeing certain parents face-to-face.
Many years, we've tried to hand out a bunch of paperwork during Open House. We made a smarter decision this year (I think). As a team, we only gave out two pieces of paper: 1) a back-and-front letter of expectations from all four teachers on our team and 2) a slip stapled to the letter, listing all of the known documents we plan to send home the first day students return to school (Tuesday, August 28, 2007).
More papers go home with students the first two weeks of school than the rest of the school year. (That's probably a slight exaggeration but only by a bit.) This year, our administrators have secured red folders for us to put all those papers in for our students. In addition to sending all of those papers home, we need to get a lot of them back as soon as possible, and hopefully the red folders will help students keep up with those papers as they take them back and forth between school and home.
The sixth-grade teachers will meet and greet students and their families between 5:00-6:30 PM tomorrow evening (Monday, August 27, 2007). Earlier, I recall wishing I had had an extra day like them to get ready for Open House. Now, I'm glad I won't have to worry about Open House tomorrow and that I'll be able to focus on getting ready for our first day with students.
These beginning-of-the-year Open Houses are our best attended. Most years, we've also had a PTSA-sponsored Open House in September. I haven't heard yet if we'll be doing that this year. Usually, far fewer parents come to the September one. I wish more would come. By that time, we've had a chance to get to know the students some, and at the September Open House, our team's teachers meet will everyone all at once for about 20 minutes. It's a chance for us to share some of what we're doing in each of our classes, as well as some of our team's plans for the rest of the year. It's also a time during which we're able to share any general concerns that have arisen and to answer parents' questions. It'd be great if more parents also chose to attend this Open House.
Thanks to all of the parents, guardians, and students who came out to tonight's Open House. It was a pleasure meeting all of you, and we're looking forward to a great year!
Tonight's Open House was for seventh- and eighth-grade students, and it was held from 4:00-5:30 PM. It's an opportunity for parents/guardians and students to drop by and meet the teachers.
Just slightly before 4:00 PM, our team's first family arrived. Donna Navey (math), Scott Pugh (social studies), Steve Russillo (science), and I (language arts) decided that we would each greet parents and students individually in our own classrooms. The first family to arrive stopped in Mr. Pugh's room first, and since I didn't have any visitors yet and am diagonally across the hall, I joined them for a brief conversation. Since no one was waiting behind them, we were able to visit with that family a little longer than usual.
Very shortly after that, the waves of families began arriving. Until slightly before 5:30 PM, there was no break, with a constant stream of families coming into and out of our individual classrooms. It's a chance to see the faces and hear the voices of the students we'll be teaching this school year, and it's also an opportunity for us to meet their families.
This was my eleventh beginning-of-the-year Open House, and just like all the others, it was a blur. The hour-and-a-half goes by very quickly, and for almost that entire time, as a teacher, you're talking, introducing yourself, saying "hello," answering questions, briefly discussing your class and subject, and going over the information we're handing out. I should figure out a system to track how many hands I shake and how many people I meet and talk to each year. It's important not to talk too long to individual families because you usually have a line of other families waiting to come in the classroom and meet you. I still manage to slip into longer conversations, and I have to be careful to keep that reasonably under control. In some cases, it's the one time I'm guaranteed of seeing certain parents face-to-face.
Many years, we've tried to hand out a bunch of paperwork during Open House. We made a smarter decision this year (I think). As a team, we only gave out two pieces of paper: 1) a back-and-front letter of expectations from all four teachers on our team and 2) a slip stapled to the letter, listing all of the known documents we plan to send home the first day students return to school (Tuesday, August 28, 2007).
More papers go home with students the first two weeks of school than the rest of the school year. (That's probably a slight exaggeration but only by a bit.) This year, our administrators have secured red folders for us to put all those papers in for our students. In addition to sending all of those papers home, we need to get a lot of them back as soon as possible, and hopefully the red folders will help students keep up with those papers as they take them back and forth between school and home.
The sixth-grade teachers will meet and greet students and their families between 5:00-6:30 PM tomorrow evening (Monday, August 27, 2007). Earlier, I recall wishing I had had an extra day like them to get ready for Open House. Now, I'm glad I won't have to worry about Open House tomorrow and that I'll be able to focus on getting ready for our first day with students.
These beginning-of-the-year Open Houses are our best attended. Most years, we've also had a PTSA-sponsored Open House in September. I haven't heard yet if we'll be doing that this year. Usually, far fewer parents come to the September one. I wish more would come. By that time, we've had a chance to get to know the students some, and at the September Open House, our team's teachers meet will everyone all at once for about 20 minutes. It's a chance for us to share some of what we're doing in each of our classes, as well as some of our team's plans for the rest of the year. It's also a time during which we're able to share any general concerns that have arisen and to answer parents' questions. It'd be great if more parents also chose to attend this Open House.
Thanks to all of the parents, guardians, and students who came out to tonight's Open House. It was a pleasure meeting all of you, and we're looking forward to a great year!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Am I An Idiot?
I like to think that I'm not an idiot. But every year, as school begins, I'm reminded that I might be one. How else can I explain failing to accomplish everything I needed and wanted to accomplish before school starts up again? Those things I needed and wanted to accomplish include school-related and non-school-related tasks.
On the whole, this has been a great summer, and I'm happy about what I did accomplish. But now that the full-time pressure of a brand-new school year has kicked in, I can't help but regret not having accomplished even more.
Over the last few weeks, I've done some Spring Cleaning in my classroom. I'll only confess to close friends that I had report cards dating back to the 1997-98 school year stored in my classroom. That's in addition to report cards and other documents from the years between then and now. Remember: it's now August of 2007.
Needless to say, I've spent some time shredding and throwing away. I started doing this even before our official Teacher Workdays began, but I wish I had started earlier and/or gotten more done sooner. Whereas I earlier approached this Spring Cleaning in relaxed mode--casually looking over documents and reflecting on staff members, parents, students, and experiences--I'm now in panic-mode, trying to get everything ready for a Sunday evening Open House and Tuesday's "Return of the Living Students."
Guilford County Schools didn't schedule Saturday as a Teacher Workday, but for me, it was one. There was some comfort in being in Good Company: all three of my school's administrators spent a good chunk of the day at our school, as did some other teachers. Can I get a Shout-Out from any other Guilford County Schools staff members who also spent part of Saturday at school (or working on school-work at home, which also certainly counts)? Our new principal, Beverly Wilson, indicated that her former school system scheduled about 7 Teacher Workdays before students returned. I didn't offer my two-cents when this year's school calendar was being developed, but it would be potentially healthy and helpful in multiple ways for our school system to consider adding at least a few Teacher Workdays to the beginning of future school calendars.
I know I'll be at our school tomorrow (technically now later today) for Open House. Parents and their seventh- and eighth-grade children have been invited to visit our school and meet their teachers from 4:00-5:30 PM Sunday afternoon. Then, we'll just have Monday to put the final touches on plans for the first day and first week of school.
As with every school year, there's that strange combination of excitement and anxiety. What will our students be like this year? What challenges will pop up? What memories will be formed? How will it all go, and how will everything work out for everyone involved? These questions only broadly cover the thoughts currently flying through my mind. I'm optimistic and hopeful for a positive year, as I am at this point (almost) every year. (If my class rosters don't change much or at all, I will have by far the smallest class sizes that I've had since my very first year of teaching. That doesn't mean we have fewer students at my school, but for the eighth-grade, we have the most core teachers I believe we've ever had--16!--and apparently that has so far led to smaller class sizes, a definite plus. I hope that stays true.)
To balance the stress of spending most of Saturday at school, I made dinner plans with a few friends from school. We had dinner at Natty Greene's, which has always been a positive experience. There was already a good crowd inside when we arrived slightly past 6:00 PM, so we chose to eat outside. Wondered if it might be a bit too hot, but it was near-perfect. There was even a slight breeze that visited us occasionally--it felt great!
Besides Natty Greene's, I also recommend the Idiot Box, an improv-comedy club a couple blocks down on Elm Street. I've only been three times, but each time has been a great experience. I went today because it will be the last time one of my former students, Zach Stinnett, gets to perform there for a while. He's heading to Chicago to study with Second City. It's a very cool thing to witness a former student doing so well in life. I laughed a lot and thoroughly enjoyed tonight's show. Zach was great, as were his cohorts.
If you haven't been before, pick a Friday or Saturday night and visit the Idiot Box. Whether you're an idiot or not, there's a good chance that you'll laugh and have a great time. The cost is between $5.00-$8.00 per person, and you also have a chance to purchase drinks and snacks. It's also worth noting that there are Saturday Matinees at 5:00 PM that are geared toward families. One of my teaching teammates took his daughters, and from what Zach's mother told me--(she was at both the 5:00 PM show with them and the 8:00 PM show with me)--they had a great time.
On the whole, this has been a great summer, and I'm happy about what I did accomplish. But now that the full-time pressure of a brand-new school year has kicked in, I can't help but regret not having accomplished even more.
Over the last few weeks, I've done some Spring Cleaning in my classroom. I'll only confess to close friends that I had report cards dating back to the 1997-98 school year stored in my classroom. That's in addition to report cards and other documents from the years between then and now. Remember: it's now August of 2007.
Needless to say, I've spent some time shredding and throwing away. I started doing this even before our official Teacher Workdays began, but I wish I had started earlier and/or gotten more done sooner. Whereas I earlier approached this Spring Cleaning in relaxed mode--casually looking over documents and reflecting on staff members, parents, students, and experiences--I'm now in panic-mode, trying to get everything ready for a Sunday evening Open House and Tuesday's "Return of the Living Students."
Guilford County Schools didn't schedule Saturday as a Teacher Workday, but for me, it was one. There was some comfort in being in Good Company: all three of my school's administrators spent a good chunk of the day at our school, as did some other teachers. Can I get a Shout-Out from any other Guilford County Schools staff members who also spent part of Saturday at school (or working on school-work at home, which also certainly counts)? Our new principal, Beverly Wilson, indicated that her former school system scheduled about 7 Teacher Workdays before students returned. I didn't offer my two-cents when this year's school calendar was being developed, but it would be potentially healthy and helpful in multiple ways for our school system to consider adding at least a few Teacher Workdays to the beginning of future school calendars.
I know I'll be at our school tomorrow (technically now later today) for Open House. Parents and their seventh- and eighth-grade children have been invited to visit our school and meet their teachers from 4:00-5:30 PM Sunday afternoon. Then, we'll just have Monday to put the final touches on plans for the first day and first week of school.
As with every school year, there's that strange combination of excitement and anxiety. What will our students be like this year? What challenges will pop up? What memories will be formed? How will it all go, and how will everything work out for everyone involved? These questions only broadly cover the thoughts currently flying through my mind. I'm optimistic and hopeful for a positive year, as I am at this point (almost) every year. (If my class rosters don't change much or at all, I will have by far the smallest class sizes that I've had since my very first year of teaching. That doesn't mean we have fewer students at my school, but for the eighth-grade, we have the most core teachers I believe we've ever had--16!--and apparently that has so far led to smaller class sizes, a definite plus. I hope that stays true.)
To balance the stress of spending most of Saturday at school, I made dinner plans with a few friends from school. We had dinner at Natty Greene's, which has always been a positive experience. There was already a good crowd inside when we arrived slightly past 6:00 PM, so we chose to eat outside. Wondered if it might be a bit too hot, but it was near-perfect. There was even a slight breeze that visited us occasionally--it felt great!
Besides Natty Greene's, I also recommend the Idiot Box, an improv-comedy club a couple blocks down on Elm Street. I've only been three times, but each time has been a great experience. I went today because it will be the last time one of my former students, Zach Stinnett, gets to perform there for a while. He's heading to Chicago to study with Second City. It's a very cool thing to witness a former student doing so well in life. I laughed a lot and thoroughly enjoyed tonight's show. Zach was great, as were his cohorts.
If you haven't been before, pick a Friday or Saturday night and visit the Idiot Box. Whether you're an idiot or not, there's a good chance that you'll laugh and have a great time. The cost is between $5.00-$8.00 per person, and you also have a chance to purchase drinks and snacks. It's also worth noting that there are Saturday Matinees at 5:00 PM that are geared toward families. One of my teaching teammates took his daughters, and from what Zach's mother told me--(she was at both the 5:00 PM show with them and the 8:00 PM show with me)--they had a great time.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Southwest Guilford Middle: 2007-2008 School Year Begins
Here is a list of our staff at Southwest Guilford Middle School for the 2007-2008 school year.
Here is some biographical information about my teammates (Donna Navey, Scott Pugh, and Steve Russillo) and me.
Our Midnight Riders team (eighth grade) was going to be an all-male-teacher team, but Adam Duncan decided not to return. We'll miss Adam, but we're certainly happy to gain Donna.
We started our first official workday with a half-day retreat at the Woman's Club of High Point, which is not too far from our school. Although most of our staff members returned, we have several new people on our staff, including Beverly Wilson, our new principal, and Billy Hardy, our new assistant principal. Gloria Ramsey, our other assistant principal, has been at our school several years.
Alan Hooker was our keynote speaker, and he gave a great motivational speech. I remember reading about Mr. Hooker's accomplishments as the quarterback for N.C. A & T State University's football team. (Click here, and scroll to page 14 (of 20) to see a photograph of Mr. Hooker speaking.)
We returned to our school after a great lunch at the Woman's Club. With today now nearly over, we have three workdays to get ready for our students, who return Tuesday, August 28th.
Here is some biographical information about my teammates (Donna Navey, Scott Pugh, and Steve Russillo) and me.
Our Midnight Riders team (eighth grade) was going to be an all-male-teacher team, but Adam Duncan decided not to return. We'll miss Adam, but we're certainly happy to gain Donna.
We started our first official workday with a half-day retreat at the Woman's Club of High Point, which is not too far from our school. Although most of our staff members returned, we have several new people on our staff, including Beverly Wilson, our new principal, and Billy Hardy, our new assistant principal. Gloria Ramsey, our other assistant principal, has been at our school several years.
Alan Hooker was our keynote speaker, and he gave a great motivational speech. I remember reading about Mr. Hooker's accomplishments as the quarterback for N.C. A & T State University's football team. (Click here, and scroll to page 14 (of 20) to see a photograph of Mr. Hooker speaking.)
We returned to our school after a great lunch at the Woman's Club. With today now nearly over, we have three workdays to get ready for our students, who return Tuesday, August 28th.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Australian Abstractimals
Click here, scroll down, and check out some Australian abstractimals.
Home page here; artist information here; discovered abstractimals Down Under, earlier this summer.
Home page here; artist information here; discovered abstractimals Down Under, earlier this summer.
Giving Bellamy-Small Undeserved Momentum
The results for the recall effort appear to be in.
Who's going to step up and take the blame for giving T. Dianne Bellamy-Small momentum heading into the primary election?
Who's going to step up and take the blame for giving T. Dianne Bellamy-Small momentum heading into the primary election?
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