Reading is good

I like that I am just writing to make notes about what I am reading. In that way, this is just for me and not for others to read. I think that when I was blogging before that I wished I had more friends blogging and reading my blog. I also wished I had the writing abilities of my sweetheart. But, alas, I don't.

However, I love to read.. I am aiming for a book a week this year. That is one of the few resolutions I made. I would like to lose weight, but every time I start on that, I have some major life crisis happen. It has truly happened 4 times now. I am just trying to eat better, not diet...

This week's book has been another murder mystery. Second Chance by James Patterson is the next one in the Women's Murder Club series. I like the twists that don't allow me to have it figured out before the last 30 pages. After reading mysteries all of my life, I like authors that are able to surprise me and Patterson is able to do that. This book was 390 pages and puts me closer to my goal of 10,000 pages for the year....

My next book is going to be non-fiction.. I'll get Rick to help with suggestions..

Carry On, Jeeves

Carry On, Jeeves by P.D. Woderhouse is my second book of the new year. I wanted something a bit more literary than the mysteries I usually like to read. This book is a bit less than my last one at 245 pages, but as I quest to read a book a week and have at least 2 genres a month, I am doing well.
Tomorrow is my last day with this set of classes. I am sad to lose my advanced students because they are the ones who remind me of why I teach. They call me mom and call my cell phone just to tell me that my car tire looked like it is low on air. They eat lunch in my classroom, raid my own children's stash of snacks, but buy me doughnuts and chocolate just because they think it will make me smile. My first year students on the other hand have been a challenge this semester. I have never had a group that as a whole did not care so much. It has been frustrating.
I love teaching, but this is a semester that I feel like I have not done very well with reaching some or maybe most of the kids...

new year.. new try

I am going to have another try at blogging this year. for me, life gets to busy to blog. I also think I try to make my blog entries look too much like rick's. I spend too much time doing laundry, grading papers, blocking stage movement, and organizing our kids' school and social lives to be as deep thinking as my sweetheart.
This year, I want to have some fun writing at least once a week. i want to focus on my goals of exercising more, reading more, and just enjoying life.
Rick mentioned the other day about making notes about how much reading he does this year. I would like to do this also. i do not read much during play season, usually just on breaks and in the summer. I read my first book of 2008. Rick bought me James Patterson's First to Die a couple of months ago and I started reading it last night. I am a fast reader and finished it about lunch time today. Since I like to round my numbers, I'll say I read 450 pages. I think officially it was something like 462. My next read is going to be something classic. I am thinking some Wila Cather, maybe Harper Lee... I do not know. We have reading time at school each day, but I usually focus on magazines or newspapers.. This semester, I want to read a few books in this time frame.
Thanks and goodnight.

2 weeks down..

I am 2 weeks into the school year and slowly getting back into the groove. This week had me giving my first set of tests and working with all of my classes with script writing and performance basics..
My advanced group did fairly well on their review test that focued on performance basics, audience etiquette, and theatre terminology that my students should know. The main area they had trouble with was theater lighting, but overal the tests were good. This week they are rehearsing their first scenes. The topic is historical characters or events.. they must remain historically accurate but can focus on scenes that could have happened. It was hard for them to get started, but they have struggled through and are now focusing on their staging and lighting. On Tuesday, we will discuss props and costuming.

My intro. class had horrible first tests. I was actually surprised at how bad they were, but I think the usual problem of having heard that my class was easy is being tested. My class isn't hard, but you have to pay attention and look over noted in order to pass my tests and quizzes. They had their first performances were due Friday, but in one class, every group was missing someone and in the other class, they just were not prepared.

We rehearsed some more and I dealt with my first group arguing because some were prepared and others weren't. One group came to me and said "we quit." I asked "so you want to take a zero on a major project?" "Yes" was their response... I shocked them when I said "sorry.. you canot NOT do your performance." They seemed a bit shocked that they couldn't just quit. I gave them rehearsal space and told them to practice... they did and while theirs will not be a wonderful performance, they will learn that quitting is not an option in my class.

That was my second week. I need to look to see what I want to focus on with my classes this coming week... It is time to start analyzing characters and focus on blocking and movement.

Almost TGIF

Well, my week has been improving. By the end of yesterday, I had air-conditioning and access to a PC. I am finally getting my classes settled and guidance has stopped putting a bunch of new people in my classes.
One of my favorite students had to drop my advanced drama class. She has physical therapy for her ankle over the next three months and my class is the best one for her to drop (seems to be a problem with her dropping AP English or Calculus) so she can go to her sessions. I am sad. She is a great actress and an incredibly sweet young lady.
In her place, guidance has given me a student who has not had Drama II. He had Drama I his freshman year and now as a senior, he convinced his counselor to place him in my advanced class. I am not going to pitch a fit because I would rather wait and see if there is someone worse in one of my spring classes that I would rather ask to be pulled out of my class. Besides, his ego needs to be readjusted and the wonderful actors in this class will hopefully cut his cocky attitude a bit.
My Drama I classes are a unique mix of ghetto, country, and prep. This is a norm at my school and those with a bit of an open mind will enjoy working with someone with completely different thoughts than them. By the time they are in Drama III, they are great friends no matter their social groups. That is one of the things I appreciate most about my classes.
Now, for some sleep.. I am exhausted. First week of school kicks my tail every time!!

2 days down and 178 to go...

Well, I have completed 2 days of the school year and the start was not as smooth as I would have liked. Things are slowly improving, but this was one of the most rocky starts I have ever had. I actually emailed Rick early Monday morning and said that I would not return to my school next year. This is the only school I have taught at, and I feel like I am a team player, but no one told me another group was using the auditorium on the first day, so I wrote my lesson plans for that space. I found out during homeroom that another groups was using it and I had to rewrite lesson plans during the first hour of school. The day improved as it went along, but it was a tough start.
I love my advanced class, but because they know me so well, they are going to be tough to handle. They think they can get away with more stuff and I have to make sure they are occupied at all times or the are loud and hard to calm down. My drama 1 classes are interesting and have a diverse mix of kids in them. I enjoy the mix and I think it is interesting how the dynamics of personalities will change as we progress through the year.
My computer is finally working, but the air conditioner in my classroom is still not working... not good in 100 degree heat. Fortunately, I have been able to move to other classes to get the kids out of the heat!
I need to read some of the kids' first writings tonight to gauge their thoughts and their ability levels. This is going to be an interesting ride.

Less than 12 hours...

Less than 12 hours from now, I will begin the new school year. This weekend has flown by. I went to school yesterday and tried to do some more work. I think I am about ready... OK. I really am not ready, but I am not sure that I ever REALLY am though.
Rick and the kids took me out to dinner Saturday night and as I pulled in to the restaurant I saw a bunch of booths sitting next to a dumpster behind the building. My first thought was "I want one for my classroom" and my second one was "I wonder which one of my former students is working her so I can ask." Well the host was one of my former drama students and he checked with the manager who said I could have whatever was back there. They had just taken them out Friday night to do their remodeling. My very sweet husband Rick and my brother-in-law Jeff went back with me today with my father-in-law's truck and I got three booths for my class and for the stage!!! I am really excited. Jeff made two more trips over there and took a bunch of booths to the youth room at his church (Jeff is a youth minister). He said if I need them for a play this year I can borrow them. COOOOOOL!!!
We spent the evening packing the kids' backpacks for school tomorrow. I will take T to middle school and Rick will take C to the elementary school. I am going to miss them being at the same school. Life has been so easy with them together the last few years, but it will still not be that bad. T will walk over to the high school from the middle school. It is next door and C will ride the bus over to me. I even remembered to pack snacks for them to have after school when they get to me...
Honestly I am more nervous about my kids having good days than I am about my school day. Middle school is tough for this mom.. more tough than buying my "baby" men's size 10 1/2 tennis shoes yesterday. If his feet are this big going into sixth grade, what are they going to be in high school??
Good night and pray often for me tomorrow....