Wednesday

No posts in awhile. I mentioned digging out from all last weekend's snow, but I've been digging out from all the paper work too. More snow is anticipated. So much for winter going out like a lamb. Or is it spring coming in like a lamb? As long as spring comes, who cares?

Not much new in my classes. My College Comp kids are working on tone in their essays. One girl read a heartbreaking essay about how she was treated by a coach. When she finished we all sat stunned. That's the power of tone. But after reading their rough drafts I see that many don't write with a specific tone in mind. When I polled them on this, I found that to be true. That's okay. Writing is thinking. I don't mind if they think their tone out in their writing. Just as long as they revise that with tone in mind. I'm seeing that even among some of my college students that they naively think if they set it down on paper it must be good. I have to break them of that.

But overall most of their essays were interesting. I am looking forward to the second drafts.

My American Lits are plodding along. We had a fun time with "The Lottery." Today we started Hemingway's "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." The kids usually get a bang (no pun intended) out of that story too. Then it's "Stand by Me" and then we start on To Kill a Mockingbird next week.

The only problem - our hockey team is one game away from state. I'd be happy if most weren't obnoxious pricks. I've been trying to curse and jinx them all year, especially the playoffs. But that, obviously, hasn't worked. So now I must pull for them. I figure if I really want them to win, they'll lose for sure. Petty? Yes, but spend a day with these future NHLers and you'll know why I'm petty.