Friday

Friday. Our administration wanted us to share with our first block classes their NWEA scores in reading, math, and literature. Many were shocked at their growth or lack of growth from last year. Personally when I looked at them, I was shocked at their lexile ranges. Several were quite high. I would never have guessed that from their work ethic. So when I handed out the results and tried to explain what it all meant, I reminded them that though their scores might be low in certain areas, nothing could make up for work ethic. I am horrible at math. I would score in the lowest percentile on any standardized test. But I earned As in my college math classes because of my work ethic - hours spent every day in the library going over the problems again and again until I taught myself the strategies necessary to get my answer to finally match up with the ones in the back of the text. So I told the class not to get discouraged by a low score. I pointed out that when I looked over the sheets, I noted some very high scores. Yet, those high scorers are failing this class because of their work ethic. That picked some people up.

After the scores were distributed, I had to pass out class pictures. I hate this. So I left it until last. Once the pictures are distributed, the students, namely the girl students, lose whatever focus they may have and just lament on how ugly their pictures are and how they can’t wait for retakes. One girl in particular couldn’t wait for retakes - she had taken her picture with hickies ravaging her neck. Could you imagine? My mom would have killed me. Not only that, but who would even want to associate with someone who would do that? It’s not like she was trying to cover it up. She took the picture with some kind of tank top shirt. Had that happened back in my day, you’d have been finished. Times have changed. Still I couldn’t imagine my little Koko beaner taking her picture like that. I know there’d be no way Kristie would let her. That’s for sure. Thank God I only saw the small black and white picture on the cover of the envelop. She seems like a nice kid. I know nothing about her background, but now I’m wondering what the hell is going on at home?

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I skipped "Mystery Friday" for the first time. Don't rat me out. I guess it was a really good mystery too. But I wanted to hand out their NWEA reports and pictures. Oh well, I'm a horrible teacher.

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During first hour Composition, students were working on a midterm grammar review worksheet. One section was on adverb clauses. They were given some independent clauses and asked to add adverb clauses to them.

Carli asked, “Do you mean we can start a sentence with ‘because’?”

“Of course you can. ‘Because’ is a subordinate conjunction, and they are used to begin introductory adverb clauses. For example, 'Because it is freezing outside, I’m not going to the game tonight,'” I explained.

“But they told us in second grade we could never, ever start a sentence with ‘because’!”

She sounded hurt.

“Sorry. But you can. I suppose they told you that you couldn’t begin a sentence with ‘and’ or ‘but.”

“Yes!”

“Well, that’s another lie.”

Now I suppose I’ll get essays full of introductory adverb clauses and sentences starting with conjunctions. But the price on their faces would be well worth it.


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During second hour I overheard one student say, “this sucks. We’ve only got Mr. Reynolds for another three weeks.” Before I could smile at the compliment, I was shocked that we only have three weeks left in this quarter. A fourth of the year is almost gone!


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Conferences are Monday and Tuesday. We don’t have classes all week. We have 12 hours of conferences each day and then get Wednesday off. So far nine parents have signed up for Monday and six for Tuesday. They sign up for fifteen minute sessions. So I still have a lot of room for walk ins. And that always fills up some time (great Carli, now you’ve got me starting my sentences with conjunctions).

So what to do with all my free time? Clean my damn room. That’s for sure. I have old collages and childhood maps (from Composition assignments) to chuck. I also have handouts and papers everywhere. I need to get reorganized. I’m also going to start “The Jungle.” My Advanced Writing class will begin reading their novels for their research paper. I’m going to do a paper too. Or at least part of one (great, now I’m using fragments!). So I hope to get some reading done. I also want to read “Beloved.” I haven’t read anything really good since this summer. Sad.

Kristie has decided (rightfully so) that twice a month we will have ‘date’ nights. We have designated this Saturday as our first one. Dinner and a movie. Maybe some shopping (I have to get a copy of “The Jungle”). Can’t wait (see, more damn fragments). I better stop before I start using run-ons and leaving dangling participles all over the place.