Tomorrow is my prep day, so I only have an exam hallway coverage for an hour, and then I have the rest of the day to prep for next semester - lots of copying to do - course outlines, student info forms, lab safety manuals, safety quizzes, diagnostic tests to see what chemistry they remember, periodic tables, wow that's a lot, and it's only 3 days worth of stuff!
Exam done by 10:45, marked by 1:00, report cards done by 2:00! It was a productive day!
Tomorrow is my prep day, so I only have an exam hallway coverage for an hour, and then I have the rest of the day to prep for next semester - lots of copying to do - course outlines, student info forms, lab safety manuals, safety quizzes, diagnostic tests to see what chemistry they remember, periodic tables, wow that's a lot, and it's only 3 days worth of stuff!
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Exams start on Thursday. It's a busy time with review and some of the students are working so hard, others are so stressed and worried because they can't focus, and then there are my grade 12's who could care less until they physically have their exam and then they will cry. They are almost a lost cause, but I still continue to say "keep working" every few seconds and feel like a broken record. *sigh*
Exams go Thursday-Tuesday, Wednesday's a quiet day and the only students will be in are ones who missed an exam, and the new semester starts next Thursday, the 3rd. I have 2 grade 10 classes again, but this time of them will be the applied level, and I also have 11 university chemistry, a course I have only taught parts of. I'm excited to have them, and in this class are a lot of students that I taught last year, but I'm a bit nervous for not knowing as much curriculum as I should, and for the large amount of labs in this course. Luckily there are quite a few who have taught this course who can share resources. Looking forward to the quiet school after the exam is done for the day, putting in my iPod, and getting my marking done. It makes me feel quite accomplished and I'm glad to have my own class to sit in and not be distracted. The year's almost halfway over! Marta had the baby, 8 days early - last night at 8:36 PM. Welcome Evan Joseph! 6 lbs, 9 ounces, and very healthy! Luckily her last day was last Monday, so she had some time off even though he was born early.
**UPDATE - I stole these pictures of Evan from facebook because he is just too cute, and looks just like Marta!** Marta's LTO is Sonia, who was in for Melanie last year when she was on maternity leave - yay someone I know who I get along with! :)
Sad...going to miss my work wife for an entire year while she's on maternity leave. *sigh*
So since my last two attempts at taking my honour's specialist in chemistry failed due to low registration at both York and U of T for online courses, I waited until the winter to try it again through Queen's. I think this one will run - they seem much more organized and informative, and if all is well, I will start on January 31st, and be done by mid April (11 weeks total). I can do the majority of the hard stuff over March Break if necessary which is good.
I'm excited to finally get it done because it means a jump to the highest pay category (finally), which is effective from the date I finish - yes bonus money! Fingers crossed it runs! Fingers crossed I also don't have to do so much extra work that it consumes my life right at the beginning of a new semester! Marked my chemistry ISUs....those were not fun - very long. Lots of tests and assignments and labs and exams to make in the next week - it's going to be nuts. Once again it's my own fault because I did nothing before Christmas. Oh well - it's been a great break with 3 days left! Going to enjoy my last day of 2010 and then go crazy this weekend with work.
PS - Congratulations to a coworker, Melanie, who got engaged this week out west on vacation! Can't wait to hear all the details when we go back to school on Monday! :) The last few weeks went pretty well after that crazy week with dissections. My 12's worked on their ISUs, and although one student ended up getting suspended for going crazy at me and swearing and all, it was still OK. They made it through the boring work periods and lessons and wrote their test and got their project done. I've marked about a third of them so far - pretty good! We started the last unit - organic chem - on Wednesday - it's a tough unit, but I revamped it a lot to try and make it more manageable - it seems to be working so I'm happy.
My 10's started optics and we are almost done. It isn't that exciting of a unit, but they grasped all the mathematical concepts and we are doing ANOTHER dissection (sheep eye) after the break, and their test. Most of my classes are pretty good but a few are struggling and I've been try to help them as much as possible with less than a month left in the course. The semester has gone by quickly - next semester I have a 10 applied (ugh), and an 11 university chem (YAY!). 3 different classes instead of 2 like this semester, but my section of 10 academic will be easy since I taught it already this semester. Just need to make some changes to the bio unit and all will be well! On Thursday we had the play Christmas party - the kids were happy from the singing and acting break - it's nice when they can just hang out and get to know each other from time to time. There are all different types of kids involved. That night was the dance...wow...every year there are a few drunk girls that get hauled into the office where they call their parents. I have helped out with student council last year and this year, so this is the third dance I've chaperoned. Well - this year I went above and beyond the call of duty as a teacher. Brief scenario - girl puking in the bathroom - she's on the toilet, the puke is on the floor. She's not really answering - we are concerned, end up having to get a cop in to tell her to open the door, she doesn't. He goes over the top and unlatches it and lets us ladies try to get her up. She does NOT want to get off that toilet and she is crazy drunk. Pukes a few more times until another teacher and I grab her under the armpits and lift her up. She does not want to stand so is not kneeling in her own vomit. The cops come to help lift her up as we yank up her underwear and tights - "I do NOT need to be doing this" I think. Then they half drag her across the main foyer into the office. This is a mistake since its carpeted and she barfs some more. Not good. Another girl didn't even make it INTO the dance she was so drunk. The VP's had to half carry her into the office as well from the parking lot! WOW. I hope I don't ever have to teach those girls...I would have been mortified if that were me, but the bad thing is that they will just laugh it off with their friends and not be embarrassed at all! GEEZ! So crazy night all around. Good way to end before the break. Yesterday was a write-off - less than half the kids but I did get a lot of marking done at least. Now I am off until January 3rd. Before Christmas arrives in exactly one week, for my grade 10 I need to make 2 versions of my optics unit test, update my eye dissection lab, update all my climate change notes and ISU, and for my grade 12 I need to make my organic chemistry test as well as a few assignments for the rest of the unit, and for all 3 classes I need to write my exams. Oh yes, and mark those grade 12 ISUs which are huge. Better to get it done this week than upon my return, however. Then it will be smooth sailing so I can prep for next semester. My goal is to do no work between Dec 25th and Jan 3rd. Wish me luck! This week was rough - busy with 2 sections of frog dissections, an electrochemistry lab, quizzes, tests, the usual, but it seemed a busy week for all my classes. I was run down and frustrated with everyone and tired, so I took a "mental health" sick day on Thursday. I really wasn't feeling great, but I also just needed a day to catch up on my life! I slept a bit (8 AM is really a sleep in considering I usually wake up at 5:15), did the laundry, washed the bedding, tidied my house, did some marking, made an ISU for my chem kids, made a few lessons for my ten's for optics, and watched a hell of a lot of HGTV. All in all, quite a productive day, and I really felt so much better in the end.
Came back to school on Friday refreshed and in a better mood, and all was well. And now it's the weekend. Lovely! PS - neglected my vocal kids on Thursday, however, and practice was a bit crazy on Tuesday - but I'm hoping to get back into it this week! Oh the dreaded night of the semester...not really - I never have anything crazy happen and this year was exactly the same. Concerned parents, curious parents, and parents who just want to here how awesome their child is - can't blame them really - it's a nice break from all the "they really need to do their homework" or "they really need to pay attention in class" or "they really need to stop touching the girl beside them" - those are exhausting.
So Thursday for 3 hours I talked to parents with an interview time, and parents who didn't and snuck in anyway. It was tiring since I didn't get home until 10pm. Yesterday was a PA Day, and we had a "faith awareness day" and it was long. I was just so tired from the night before and there was just mostly talking at us versus a dialogue. I almost feel asleep a few times but I held it together between breaks and food. Got out a bit early luckily too! Back to reality on Monday! |
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April 2011
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