Just a quick post about my new classes this semester, which started February 3rd.  First period I have a grade 11 university chemistry class - I have taught half of them already and they are a really great class.  There is only 17 of them so it's a really small and well behaved class - I'm looking forward to teaching them all the chem stuff I have to review myself!  More challenging than grade 10 material and I like it.  I did electron configuration yesterday - oh yes my science friends - remember all that s, p, d orbital stuff?  Lovely!

My second period is another story altogether.  Grade 10 applied science.  I taught this last year first semester and I don't remember it being this rough.  The students were harder to motivate but ultimately they worked pretty well.  My class is challenging - a lot of different levels of abilities and very hard to focus.  Plus a lot of clowns thrown in makes it difficult to keep the class under control - *sigh* - they are definitely going to be my challenge this year.  Hopefully I don't go crazy or worse, get grey hair!

My third period is grade 10 academic science.  They seem like a pretty strong class right now - they are very hard working and I can tell right away who my weaker ones are, and make sure I am keeping an eye on them and helping them out.

I have last period prep, which I love, and so far the semester is pretty good.  It's a lot more work with the chemistry prep, and the classroom management of the applieds, but not at all overwhelming compared to my specialist.  One more assignment this weekend and then I'll be done the second module.  I get a progress report to see how I'm doing this week, so I hope it's okay - I've been putting a lot of effort into it and if it says I suck, I don't know how much more I can do without stopping sleep all together!

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!

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!

Week one is done!  It went pretty well, actually.  All my classes are pretty good - I have some funny ones in my chem class that will probably drive me crazy in a few weeks, but for now they are good.  

My grade 10 classes are so different.  My morning ones are very weak and chatty - 8 of them failed at least part of their grade 9 review test.  My afternoon kids are very bright - lots of marks in the 80's and 90's, and no one really close to failing (I did give them COMPLETELY different tests).  I'll have to start making "are you sure your son/daughter is okay in the academic stream" phone calls on Monday.  After 3 days of reviewing last year's material, they really should have gotten better marks on an easy test.

Let's hope week 2 is as good!

Yesterday was the first day of school for the year.  It went pretty well overall - I was happy with it.  It is so nice to be going back to the same school, where you know most of the routines already, and just have to focus on the new classes of students.  The past few years those routines and new schools were very tough to manage along with everyone else.

My first period is grade 10 academic science - good kids so far, but a bit chatty, as is normal.  I have prep right after that - ugh.  I do not like prep in the mornings - I like to get my classes done or at least 2 of 3 before I have a break to do prep work.  Oh well, the good thing is that it's with Marta and we have fun, but the bad thing is that we distract each other and neither of us get as much done as we want.  After lunch I have grade 12 college chemistry, which can be a tough class, but I seem to have pretty good kids so far (fingers crossed they stay that way).  Last period is another section of grade 10, and then seem very smart and focused.  So far, so good with all of them!

No drama yet, no kids with too much attitude, no teachers driving me up the wall, so it's good!  There are a few routine changes this year - announcements & anthem at the end of first period versus the beginning.  I liked in the beginning to get myself settled into first period, but it seems like a better use of time now.  We're also doing a period flip like we did at Austin - halfway through the morning classes are switched (1 with 2), and afternoon classes are switched (3 with 4).  This is so coaches and teams don't always miss the same class and that our preps change a bit.

Wow...I thought teaching classes would be more interesting...I need to write down the funny things they do and say so I have more to mention...maybe it'll be better after the first week!

Today in the mail I got my `back to school` letter from my principal.  It was nice to hear about the teachers who became permanent who were LTO`s last year, and even just teachers on LTO who are back again.  I`m sad to see that some are not there, but hopefully they are at another school!  That`s the trouble with teaching right now - it`s tough and I keep remembering that I am lucky to have secured a permanent position so early in my teaching career.  Good luck to those still interviewing and looking - like my brother`s girlfriend, Jessica, who is such an incredible person, and I just know that she will make an incredible teacher one day too.  Good luck Jess!

I also got my timetable.  The first semester is amazing - it is pretty much the same as last semester.  Grade 10 academic period 1, prep period 2, lunch, Grade 12 college chem period 3, and Grade 10 academic period 4 - ALL IN THE SAME ROOM!  That was a great happy surprise.  Second semester is ok.  Grade 11 university chem period 1, grade 10 academic period 2, lunch, grade 10 applied period 3, and prep period 4 - ALL IN DIFFERENT ROOMS!  I am used to the morning before lunch in one room and the afternoon after lunch in another, but not used to having to change rooms between classes.  That is going to be tough.  I guess I did it at my old schools, but I have been spoiled at my own school!  At least I`m not teaching science in a religion room like last year - so every little improvement is good!  I`m a bit excited to be back into the teaching routine and stuff, but I`m sure if I read this post in a month I will think I was nuts.

I`m also registering for my chemistry honours specialist this fall.  I`m taking it through U of T (OISE), and its all online, starting Sept 27th and going to Dec 10th.  Nice and short, but I`m sure its a lot of work in those 11 weeks.  At least when it`s done I will be bumped up a pay category and my pay will go up!  Not sure if it will go up right away, but at least it will be retroactive for whenever I finished it.  That will be a big help this year for sure!

Now to get some motivation to get my back to school documents updated and ready to go for copying next week...*sigh*  I probably won`t do it until Monday!  Typical teacher procrastination!