1. Today was the week of the school play, and I've basically been working non-stop all week up until last night. The good news is that the kids pulled it out and really did a great job with the show. The bad news is that I now have to try to make up all the … Continue reading Sunday Flotsam: Mostly ‘West Side Story’
Teaching
Saturday Flotsam: More Civil War, More Snow White, and ‘Wall Street’
1. I've fallen sick this week and ended up staying home yesterday. 2. Before that, however, I was telling my US history students about the Rebel Yell. They weren't quite getting it, so I tried to demonstrate (poorly, since I'm not Southern). I then had to admonish them, "Guys, don't do the Rebel Yell in … Continue reading Saturday Flotsam: More Civil War, More Snow White, and ‘Wall Street’
Saturday Flotsam: Teaching History, Kansas Context, and a Paradox
1. My history book for sixth grade starts off its survey of the men of the Middle Ages with an account of the Norse gods, paralleling previous entries in the same series which started with the Greek gods to set the stage for famous Greeks and so on. The trouble is that, from what I've … Continue reading Saturday Flotsam: Teaching History, Kansas Context, and a Paradox
Sunday Flotsam: More Teaching and Some Fire Thoughts
1. From today's sermon: St. Augustine said that, "Peace is the tranquility of Order." That's a line to build a frame of life on! And, as you can tell by the fact that this is going up two days late (again), I lack order in my life. Something I need to work on. 2. Back … Continue reading Sunday Flotsam: More Teaching and Some Fire Thoughts
Friday Flotsam: Kraven and Superman, Among Other Things
1. And my first full-time semester of teaching is officially over! Overall went pretty well, so far as I can tell. Very instructive, and I had a pretty good batch of guinea pigs students to work with. I have quite a few ideas for improvements next semester. 2. This has been a hard year on … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Kraven and Superman, Among Other Things
Sunday Flotsam: A Very Late Hodgepodge
1. I'm extra late this week. I wish I could say it was for a good reason, but no, it is mostly a matter of not wanting to do any work yesterday, I'm afraid. Been a while since I've gone all the way to Sunday. 2. It's been an extremely busy week of prepping the … Continue reading Sunday Flotsam: A Very Late Hodgepodge
Friday Flotsam: PT Conferences and Some Other Stuff
1. I had my very first parent-teacher conferences this week. They went pretty well overall; the parents were supportive and engaged, and we had a few fruitful conversations about what their children can do to improve. Though more often I just had to say "yes, Offspring is doing well in my class and not causing … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: PT Conferences and Some Other Stuff
Saturday Flotsam: More History and ‘Who Goes There?’
1. I had my first angry parent encounter this week: someone not happy with one of my assignment policies. Sample from the conversation: "I think you're being very unprofessional.""How so?""You have a very poor attitude.""Can you tell me how?""You're too terse." An unpleasant experience, but an inevitable one. In any case, the policy still stands … Continue reading Saturday Flotsam: More History and ‘Who Goes There?’
Friday Flotsam: Sick Again, Snow White, and RIP James Earl Jones
1. My cold returned with a vengeance this week. I ended up having to go get prescribed antibiotics and taking two days off from work right in the middle of the week. But I'm recovering (again) and at least I was able to go in to work today. 2. Part of my class schedule is … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Sick Again, Snow White, and RIP James Earl Jones
Friday Flotsam: Rand, Tucker, ‘The Crow’
1. Have a much-needed four-day weekend ahead of me. I'm starting to get more into the routine of teaching full-time, at least so that it's less like I'm building a railroad as the train is rolling over it and more like I'm building it as the train is within sight. 2. In my US History … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Rand, Tucker, ‘The Crow’
Serpent's Den 