After sleeping in a little, I worked at school all day yesterday. It was a designated Teacher Work Day. I’m glad. I made some good progress. Coming in halfway through the year is challenging. It’s not just about teaching what you teach, it’s about learning how your predecessor did it, then making a transition, then teaching what you teach.
Yesterday’s big job was learning the grading software. My grading system wasn’t going to work with the grades that had already been entered, so I had to figure out what to do. I decided to convert the current cumulative average into an “assignment”. Then I could weight it appropriately and zero-out all the assignments so far this quarter. It took some number crunching, but I had it sorted by early afternoon.
By the time I got the grade program converted, my brain was fried. I have some current assignments to grade, but I knew I would make no progress with them. Instead, I pulled some stuff off the walls to make room for some student work I will be hanging. It was nice to nest a little more. But I couldn’t put the new artwork up because I needed some colored paper for the title pages of the wall display. Off I went to Office Max.
Today I’ll be at school again. A day will come when I will do something nature-oriented again, but it is not this day. (Sorry there aren’t any pictures of chickens today.)
[I’m sorry, this is just not acceptable. A no chicken-picture day? Never!!]
Now this is the Brad I know and love: delve into the details and leave the major stuff until you’re too exhausted to handle it. š
Keep making time to post student work – it is the heart and soul of your classroom, I think. Our hallway really misses your bulletin board skill-set. Really. I mean, who do we have now that you and Debbie are gone? Me? That send shivers down my own spine…
And now for the serious part of today’s reply: these daily postings are a great encouragement to my heart. God is using you in a wonderful way where He has put you; I am SO glad about all this……’cept the part where you’re thousands of miles away. Everything except that part…..yea.
Good morning from Baltimore! I too struggle with the transitions you speak of. Luckily BCPS uses edline, but the gradebook is slightly different.
On Wednesday this week I learned that the world cultures teacher that I was to take over for on Feb 14, had to go on bedrest. So Wednesday I was finishing Fellowship of the Rings with 6th graders and on Thursday I was discussing the Israeli/Palestinian conflict with 7th graders. I am up and working this morning to get my bearings on for the week ahead. No work tomorrow, because of the big game. Let’s Go Ravens!
Wow. It makes my brain hurt just thinking about all that math. Thank goodness for brightly colored paper. That neon pack is the go-to for Valentines in my room. Pink? eh. Neon orange and green? Yes, please.
I hope today goes smoothly for you!
Yay for nesting in your new classroom! And speaking of nesting….where do the
homelesswild chickens sleep at night? Do they have nests?Can’t wait to see the display of the students work!
It must fell almost like August for you (and Kim). I used to really like the planning and plotting before the new school year started. I missed putting up new bulletin boards and posters and unit planning for school this year…but I put my energies into doing the same for church and our Sunday School.
If you have Astrobright Gold paper you may be able to do something fun with acid -base testing. I’m sure you can find some way to relate it to your classes.
Enjoy the beautiful warm sunshine and say Hi to the whales for me,
Debbie