The Practical EnglishTeacher is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
April 4, 2013
Right around this time is the longest part of the year because the end seems close, but because it seems close, it goes by that much more slowly. It’s a longer quarter anyways. This is the time to do a project or a play with a lot of movement…this would actually be a really good time to do a play. The Crucible is fun, but I would have to really move at the beginning of the year to fit that in. Also, the movie is engaging.
I want to try The Color of Water, as well. I went into the book room today and saw that we only have 30 copies. What am I supposed to do with 30 copies? I would have to do literature circles with a variety of books, but it would be nice to do at least 1 full book together. Ugh. Every year is a work in progress and next year I still want to cut and change even more. At the end of this year I should actually make a survey and get some feedback. I want to extend silent reading time, but I’m not going to mess with the routine at this point in the year.
I survive on the idea that if I have a problem with my job, all I have to do is research a solution. For the most part, with some trial and error, this works. BUT what happens when I get tired? Burnt out? Is there something I can read to solve that problem? I don’t know. I wonder if I feel like this at this point every year, but sometimes it’s too painful to look back at my notes because they are not… positive.
Josh’s tutor just bothered me today. No-I am not personally e-mailing you the homework assignments. They are posted online. What the hell? I’m sure many other kids would like it if I personally e-mailed them the homework. Silly.
April 11, 2013
Using GoogleDocs for the Realism project when shockingly well yesterday. [I checked all of my old notes, but unfortunately I cannot figure out what Realism project I was talking about here.] I’m not used to that lately, as I feel most things I do are “eh.” It was cool that everyone got to work on the same document at the same time, and it was cool to actually see what everyone was contributing. I liked that most kids had their book out reviewing, which was AWESOME.
April 17, 2013
Having the writing modules online for this unit was really helpful because I got to spend a ton of time conferencing with students, and I think that’s a good use of time.
I have a lot in my head right now, but I haven’t had the time to sit down and process.
April 18, 2013
Teaching is hard because your head is full all of the time. Summer is necessary so that’s there a concrete end to everything and the brain can really get a break. This is why I needed to take time off for the first few summers even though I’ve learned that it’s not the healthiest way for me to spend my time. My head is spinning now, and we are nowhere near the finish line.
I have a long way to go in order to become a good teacher.
I have so much I need to dump on the page right now. Head feels full; I can’t concentrate.
April 30, 2013
Last night I finished my online class on how to teach online classes, and I felt a big weight lift off my shoulders. I still have a ton of stuff to grade (AP research papers) but at least I do not have a whole other class to worry about.
Not sure what classes I will take this summer.
May 5, 2013 (Sunday)
When I get home I will try and finish grading research papers, which will go a long way towards helping me feel a little caught up.
May 7, 2013
I have so many headaches right now. My head just hurts. I feel this whole school year has been one big prolonged headache. I am tired. The kids are tired. I suck, and I feel like I never totally got into a groove with the 11 AP class…just an overall eh/blah year in terms of my teaching abilities. Both classes felt brand new. Then I took a graduate class and did some tutoring after school and it was all too much.
I can’t be the person I want to be with all of this going on. I can wake up and function…sort of, but I can’t be the person I want to be. Need my head to clear a bit so that I am not so foggy. Looked over teacher evaluation stuff….so annoying and another big headache. Hoping to finish a good chunk of it by this weekend.
May 11, 2013
Teaching is an art. You have to do all the things the books tell you to do and then put your own spin on it to make it yours. I can do better.
May 14, 2013
Today we are using the story dice for writing time. Most kids took a spin with them. Most students are writing. Thank God. I might just do writing portfolios as opposed to a final exam. The last day of class could be a summative activity that goes over the time periods of American literature. The “finals” day can be kids reading from their portfolios.
My department chair is in the middle of working on the schedule for next year. Everyone gets all worked up and it causes a lot of drama. I am just hiding in my classroom until it all blows over.
May 20, 2013
It’s 9:04 in the morning and I’ve already managed to snap at my boyfriend and a student. I hate mornings. This job doesn’t allow you just one second of bad mood…it’s draining. I’m tired and the kids are tired. It’s the worst combination ever and we still have 4 full weeks to go.
May 21, 2013
Feeling punchy right now. So tired but overall unmotivated. Need to sign up for another graduate class so that I can keep earning credits…I don’t even want to know how many more I have left. We still don’t know if we are getting a raise next year, but hopefully. Can’t believe I don’t have the eleventh graders again next year; it’s definitely the class I put the most effort into working on this year. Need to find a practice test for the state test. I’m cranky. It’s good we have a long weekend coming up.
May 31, 2013
I finally did a lesson plan I liked with my AP class. It was about Rudyard Kipling’s “If” and it was full blown lesson on adverb clauses. It was torturous, but I finally got them to read as closely as I wanted. They looked confused, which was good, because if they understood the passage right away it would have meant it was not hard enough.
I was happy with the lesson. I feel maybe I can do this next year. I need to know a lot of grammar to lead close readings.
June 3, 2013
This year had gone by fast and slow at the same time. I had no patience sometimes, which makes for a long school day. Patience is good.
June 19, 2013
Sometimes you just don’t know what will work for which kid.
June 20, 2013
Graduation today. We lost a student two weeks ago and they lit a candle for him and had the school a cappella group sing. I didn’t know the student, but it’s still sad. It really hit me today.
June 26, 2013
My head still hurts from this school year.
June 27, 2013
Sitting with my Jim Burke book, thinking about next year. I can’t log into my online graduate classes yet, so I’m jumping into planning. I like creating lesson plans, but the time for that evaporates when the school year begins. I do my best work when I start early.
July 1, 2013
I think I have finally recovered from the school year. When the year is over I feel sluggish, cranky, headachy, anti-social, and overwhelmed for a bit. I usually snap out of it at some point, but it definitely took until today. I know when I snap out of it because I start getting antsy to do something and see people.
I hope you enjoyed these Year 8 Teaching Journals. Year 9 Journals here.
Comments