No More Taxes

I guess we should get some sort of congratulations here in Chicago. We will now have the highest sales tax rate in the U.S. Now if I spend $100 on an item I will be paying an additional $10.25 for that item. Don't get me wrong, I understand the concept of taxes and don't argue them. But when I drive over literally HUNDREDS of potholes on my 60 mile round trip to work (and they just keep getting bigger and bigger. I saw the entire front end of a car swallowed a few weeks ago by a pothole. I was just thankful it was in the opposite direction from the way I go to work!) and gas is projected to be $4 a gallon by summer, something has got to give. I already pay $3.29 a gallon and have to fill up twice a week.

Progress Reports

It's funny how a class full of students that refuse to be quiet, rarely turn in work, and are disrespectful become enraged when they see D's and F's on their progress reports. I waited until I was dismissing by the door to individually hand them out and push them out the door. Other teachers gave out the reports before we left. I was accosted by 10 students enraged by their grades, one student who gave me a high 5 because his Dad came to school a few weeks before after he received an F (he was pulling a C and was not only happy but very respectful), and one boy who looked almost at the point of tears because he got an F. He is a sweet boy but never seems to be able to keep his mouth closed. I usually have him as a helper to burn off his energy but it doesn't seem to be enough.

Tomorrow I will probably have 15 calls from parents who can't understand how I could give their child a grade of C, D, or F. What they should be asking is, why is their child earning those grades? Most of the parents who will call I have called several times about behavior issues. At least it is only Progress Report, not the actual 3rd quarter and I have the data to back up my grades.

Too Much Time....

Since the 1st week of January I have been teaching Saturday school at the current job. We have been trying to get the students ready for the ISAT's. I have been working with the remedial readers and it has been a struggle getting up every morning at 4:30 and not getting home till 5, 6 days a week. This is the first time I have had a 3 day weekend, hell even a 2 day weekend since Christmas. I woke up this morning and didn't know what to do with my time.

There are so many projects I want to start but know I will not have the time to finish. Since my hard-drive was wiped I have to re-install all of my software. That includes my genealogy stuff. I just don't think I can get to it in such a short time. Instead I completely cleaned the apartment and now I don't know what to do.

If I were smart I would return some long overdue e-mails...

It's been a long time since I've had a minute to post. Thought you would like to see the new members of the clan.

Benni & Joon.

Benni is our puppy and Joon is our wonderful fluffy kitty.

It has really been great coming home to creatures that are always glad to see you.

Wish the classroom were more like that. I do have some great days but then, some days really suck too.

The huge plus about my current teaching position is, I will be in the documentary they have been filming this year about the arts in my school. Both of my school wide projects will be in it, with of course me too. The first project was coordinating a debate with 4-8 grades debating Civil Liberties for Social Studies/Language Arts night. It was the focus for the entire night. Currently we are working on a project I developed on the Colonies. Students will grow their own crops and create a virtual colony. I am pretty stoked. I've also attached a pic of the new school.

The Other Boleyn Girl-sigh

It really saddens the heart when facts don't seem to be as exciting as a "good movie". Though I have not read or watched the film I have a pretty good idea where the story is going. The issue I have with the retelling of actual events is that Anne was not in England for most of her upbringing. She was in the French Court, in France. She went back to England to marry Lord Percy.

Anne did not chase Henry VIII. Henry VIII chased her. That is, after denying her the right to marry Lord Percy. The first time he laid eyes on here was when Lord Percy and Anne were before him for his conscent to marry. Henry had already left Mary in the dust at this point, while she was pregnant. Henry was so crazy about Anne he wrote her poetry and a song we still know the melody of today. The original title is "Greensleves" (Henry wrote the lyrics and music). Today we know it as a Christmas Carol called "What Child Is This".

I will probably see it when it comes on cable and feel sad. I dedicated my academic focus on the Tudor Monarcy. Though my focus was between the years 1554-1558, I still am pretty familiar with the entire reign 1495-1603, up until Elizabeth I death and the passing of the throne to James I of Scotland.

It was the same thing when "Braveheart" came out. Sure, I saw it and liked a several scenes but it was not historically accurate. Just as I fear "The Other Boleyn Girl will be.

I stand corrected

The Art Teacher only teaches 2 art classes and 1 music class. The other day she asked if we could hire a part time music teacher so she would only have to teach 2 classes!

Usually when a teacher is out my school we have to give up our preps since there are no subs. Our math teacher was out on Friday. I refused to give up my only prep and told the lead teacher to give the classes to the 2 teachers who only have 3 classes and another who only has 4 classes to teach. Well, guess what? The other teachers gave up their preps to cover the classes because the assistant principal said she covered 2 classes. The poor thing couldn't cover the rest? We bust our asses and she gets to walk through the school without a care in the world. I am so pissed off.

My Week In The Classroom

Monday:

1st period two of my advanced U.s History students looked at me after I had just explained the difference between democracies, monarchies, and dictatorships, when they looked up at me and said, "Why are you teaching here? You are so smart." I replied, "Do you want people who don't know their subjects here teaching you?" They replied, "Yeah teachers know their subjects but you are too smart to be teaching here." How do you respond to that?

Tuesday-

One of my students told me, "You got me suspended for three days." I replied, "I got you suspended? Are you sure it was not for something you did yourself?" He replied. "You told me you were going to throw away the gang symbols I drew all over my paper but you turned them in. You tricked on me." My response was, "First off, I do trick. It's my job. Secondly, I warned you the first time about the gang drawing. Especially when you are using MY supplies. I told you as long as you threw it out and didn't use my supplies or paper I was fine. Instead you drew another one. THAT is the one I turned in."

Wednesday-

We have a new Art Teacher in the building. She just started Monday. To me, I feel she is stand-offish. She looks down her nose at people. Not just the students but to faculty as well. During 9th period I caught a student in the hallway (our Principal told us the day before under NO circumstances should he be allowed out of class). When I confronted him he first pulled on the Math Teachers door then began to open the Art Teachers door. Since it was her first week I did not want her to be hit with the wandering trouble makers.I stood in her doorway, blocking the student from entering her room and called to her. She was standing in the middle of the classroom. She was not lecturing, talking to a student or supervising work. I called her name 6 times before she looked up and said "Yes". In the time I was calling her, the students sitting around her kept looking at her with a bewildered expression, such as, why are you not answering your fellow teacher. My hide was chapped at that point with her.

Thursday-

As the Art Teacher was hired during mid-semester there were only 2 art and 2 music classes that were for the teacher to complete teaching. Meanwhile ALL of the Teachers (minus the one who teaches 2 career classes, 2 consumer ed classes, and has field work to secure jobs for our students) teach 8 classes a day including lunchroom duty and homeroom. This teacher teaches 2 classes in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, has NO homeroom, and has 6 periods free!!!!!!!!! The rest of us have ONE!!!!!! free period. This woman had the nerve to ask the Lead teacher today if we could hire a part-time Music teacher to take her Music classes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This would leave her with only 2 classes to teach and only in her subject area. ALL of the teachers have more than one subject matter to teach. On top of that she makes as much as I was initially offered for this year!!!!! It is 2K more than what we were offered at the beginning of last school year!!!!!!!!!!