Crash & Burn

We're finishing up our Julius Caesar unit and it has been miserable. I know I'm already on record with how much I hate, hate, hate, HATE this play, and how infuriating it is that I'm required by my school to teach it despite having other options that I feel are far superior.

It doesn't help that I'm sick. But with the test tomorrow, of course I dragged myself in today so that we could review. I'm stopped up and dizzy and exhausted and now I'll probably be out for TWO days, instead of just one, but you know what? I really don't care.

And after getting called on the carpet yesterday for not having enough test grades in my gradebook, I started thinking about what exactly constitutes a test, rather than a quiz.

Our calendar was frickin' GUTTED by the state, so now our quarters are eight weeks each instead of nine weeks. And the principal is saying that I should have at least five test grades. By my way of thinking, that's an awful lot - it's about every week and a half or so.

But my units run about four weeks long. So this means I need to shorten them, or else test part way through the unit. I figure one test every other week is about as often as I can manage without feeling like it's just test-test-test.

And I've also been told that ad sales for the publications are now to be done by ME rather than by students. I mean, it's nice to know that they'll be handled accurately, but it's getting to the point that I'm like WTF am I supposed to have them doing?

Image thanks to http://www.gamereality.org/peliarvostelut/xbox_crashnburn.html

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What doesn't kill me...

... may drive me insane.

Yearbook deadlines loom. Actually, only the final one at this point. One way or another, in two weeks, it'll all be over.

Also, random updatey thing: whenever I feel crappy, I read my reviews on fanfiction.net. Very cheering. People are so positive. :)

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Walking Away

There has been a LOT of discussion of late about just what teachers should and shouldn't be allowed to post online. The general consensus seems to be that while Natalie Munroe certainly shouldn't be prosecuted (free speech and all that), workers shouldn't curse about their work in public and expect to keep their jobs.

And, I dunno, I can kinda see that? I mean, in fairness, that's one of the reasons I blog pseudonymously. If I'm giving you money, and I find out that you're ragging on me to all your friends, I will probably want to stop giving you money. Pretty simple. So I keep this pseudonymous so that hopefully the people who give ME money will keep doing so. Because I like money.

[Side note: Money is nice. Money lets you do fun things. Yaaay money!]

But what I don't get are the people who are saying "she said mean things about children! how could such a person EVER become a teacher!!!" Seriously? Get a grip, people. If everyone who ever said anything negative about children was barred from the profession, there wouldn't be any teachers left! Anyone who has been around children for any length of time can tell you that loving children doesn't mean you are suddenly blind to their faults.

So awhile back I let Mrs. Procrastinator (the AP to whom I am forced to report for all things Journalisty) that I am interested in NOT advising the yearbook-and-newspaper next year.

And ONLY because this blog is pseudonymous am I saying anything about it online. My department head knows (I spoke with her before going to the AP) and several of the other teachers in the department, but most significantly, I will not be saying anything to my students.

Of course, what I did NOT say to Mrs. Procrastinator (who has demanded the right of prior review for all our publications and sat on our first 25 yearbook pages for like a month and a half) was that the reason I'm throwing in the towel is because I can't stand the thought of working with her any longer.

It was a tough decision to make, and it's been tough sticking to it, especially when students talk to me about their ideas for next year's theme or layouts or cover, or when I get PMs on Facebook asking me about next year's classes and next year's publications. And I don't want to say anything either way, because it's entirely possible that they won't find anyone to take the spot and they'll drop me right back into it.

But as time goes on, I'm starting to think more and more about what I'll do with my time when I'm not always drowning in photo shoots and pages and dead netowrks and sales receipts and deadlines - OH, the deadlines - and I can do other things instead.

I'm really looking forward to being able to focus on my language arts classes. And I'll get to play with costumes and jewelry and wigs more. I'll re-hem my white jeans (I lengthened the hems but now they roll). I'll read even more!

And maybe some years in the future (when AP Procrastinator is gone) I will feel completely secure in my language arts classes and I'll want to challenge myself in another way again, and I can come back to it.

But for now, it's time to close the book for awhile.

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*facepalm*

Seriously. Seriously? Why would you take pictures of people standing around? Do you realize how boring that is? Why would you not wait for the team to start practicing before you leave? You know, so that you can have pictures of them actually DOING something? instead of just ... not?

AURGH!

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Scary Music Begins...

Today is Photo Day. Annnnd we have a new company. So I don't quite know how it's going to play out. I've got my fingers crossed.

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Smug, But Privately So

I feel much better about the typos in the student-created publications after seeing the program for our academic awards assembly (created by adults, with some clear errors).

Petty? Perhaps. But I haven't said a thing about it to anyone at school, and it didn't bother me (beyond wistfully wondering why people raise a stink about such things). So I think that should count for something.

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Scared, Excited, Panicked

The yearbooks are HERE.

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This Makes Me Happy

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I've climbed a mountain, I've crossed a river

... and I'm Almost There!

The rest should be done today! How's THAT for a birthday present? (Of course, we're two weeks past our final deadline, but... I'm trying VERY hard not to think about that :P )

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Not Writing, Once Again

Shortly after the most recent time that I hosted the EduCarnival, something happened that sent me into an anti-writing sulk. [Brief tangent - if you know me in person and want details, call me. Don't particularly want to discuss things that made be not want to write, you know, IN WRITING. Blech.]

Truth be told, there are a bojillion things I would rather do than write. There are only a very few things that come in behind it - grading, dishes, and putting away the laundry being the big ones. [And mowing the lawn. But I don't do that, anyway, so it doesn't really come into the picture.] [I like including my meandering thoughts this way. I'm not sure why, but it's fun. Also it makes the post longer, as though I actually have something to say. Neener!]

However, in my kettle o' faults, it seems that stubbornness is more powerful than not-writing, so now that I've had my sulk and am (mostly) over it, here we go again. [I've started tagging my images in Picasa with the url I got them from so that now I can use an image I've used previously and not have to find it in my list of posts to give credit for it. In theory.]

I got called into the AP's office this week because during an informal observation (our school was a training ground for administrators practicing with a new form) my observers noted that I didn't have my standards posted. I was relieved that the problem was something easily correctable, but a wee bit frustrated that there was no other feedback for me. Rats! I guess the rest of it must've been ok... still... would've been nice to have some additional specifics.

Journalism is frustrating me. While having the online program is nice in theory, there are a few kinks.

(1) There is no way to upload a list of student names. They're connected to the photos. Sooo, either you can upload them sort-of-automatically with the portrait CDs, or you have to type every. single. one. in. by. hand. And it's a form, so copy-paste is NO help. The portrait CD thing would be fine if our portrait sessions had not been PUSHED BACK MORE THAN TWO MONTHS OH MY FRIKKIN GOD. Our retakes aren't until December 10.

December 10.

I really don't even want to think about how we're going to get this done, but I'm seriously stressed.

(2) Students with accounts can log in and work on images and/or pages from home. This would be great, if they actually did. There's a little button I can click to get a list of activity on the site. It's useful... and perpetually depressing.

I think I have finally figured out my regrets. I don't know if the first two count, because I don't think there's anything I could do about them.

First of all, I wish I wanted to write. I wish I enjoyed writing. I have tried everything I can think of, and it's still a chore. Almost every time I sit down to write, I have to make myself follow through. Heck, most of the time, I don't even want to begin, let alone follow through.

Second, I wish I wanted kids. Mostly because the Hunk would make suuuuch an awesome dad, but also because as a woman and a teacher to boot, there's this sort of general expectation that I want some of my own. And I don't. And I realize that my reasons are totally selfish and I'm sure I would love them and maybe that would change my selfishness but... it doesn't matter. I'm not going to decide to have children based on the hope that I'll be delighted once they're here. That just seems bass-ackwards to me.

Finally, and perhaps the only one that's an actual regret, I wish I'd started dancing earlier. I really enjoy it. And I missed out on years and years of not getting to enjoy it. Not that I had a miserable life or anything. Didn't know what I was missing.

But that's a little sad, right there.

Anyway. I realize that this post really hasn't had a coherent main idea - mostly I've just been rambling - but... don't care. Or, I do, but not enough to change anything.

At least I wrote something.

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JAU Arrival

Ok, just a brief note - I'm here at Jostens Adviser University at Disney! WOOOO! Thing is, though, internet is limited, so I'm mostly-offline again.

Hope to learn lots. Don't burn down the internet while I'm gone, kids!

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In Which I Am Not Dead. Or Even Undead.

This is so totally not me. However, I really don't think it should require much justification to allow me to put a photo of a zombie on here. Because zombies are nifty, yo.

Mostly I just wanted to let people know that I'm still around & I haven't abandoned the blog despite several weeks without a post. And that I'm not a zombie.

In fact, I really have no good reason for not posting. Except this: I didn't feel like it. Hey, I had a week mostlyish to myself after school ended for teachers, and so, I slacked off.

We are finishing up yearbook camp. I'm really pleased with the new editor. (Have been for some time; that's a big part of why she's editor!) And we've got our theme & our ladder skeleton, plus some cover art & interior work & the ladder itself to give to the administration for review & hopefully approval.

It's been a good couple of days, but I am SO READY to be HOME. :( I miss my Hunk!

I'm wondering how long I should wait before nagging asking the guidance counselors who's been placed in Journalism for next year. And when (or whether) my maintenance orders will be finished this time. And whether I'll still be teaching English II - I've started revising my unit plans, and it occurred to me that we're looking at a few significant changes due to population growth & I might not have the same preps I did this year.

Donorschoose is reviewing a special proposal - it's my first non-materials request. I've asked to have actors from the New American Shakespeare Tavern come by & do a workshop with my English classes. I haven't heard anything back yet. I hope that's good. I hope I did it correctly...

I hate waiting. :P

Image thanks to http://auspainia.files.wordpress.com/

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Seriously bummed

When your new yearbook rep meets with you, then goes to meet with your administrator, saying she'll stop back by your room to let you know how it went, but doesn't - how long do you wait before your worry is classified as 'legitimate concern' rather than 'paranoia'?

Also? Arranged with my department to fan-follow an author who'd offered a Skype interview to his 1000th fan. According to the counter, one of our teachers should've been it - but an update today named somebody else. :( Bummer, but not too big a deal, because I was already planning on Hautman and Doctorow. (yey!)

I just - I hate not knowing what's going on with the rep. I know that this admin has approached other teachers about co-sponsoring the book. I've also told her several times that if she thinks she needs another teacher to take care of the yearbook, I will support her decision. It's always "no, no, no."

But is it?

Image thanks to http://www.cellulitebulletin.com/

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Cue the Imperial Death March...

Yearbook Day is here.

After a year that, a lot of the time, felt like this:

it's nice to know the end is in sight. Coach got to class early (for him) and so I retreated to the work room to deal with a seemingly-endless line of students and a pile of receipt books.

ETA: The buzz is in - and the books are a hit! Hurray!

ETA2: I made a parent cry - and for the first time, it was a GOOD THING! she was so pleased with the book and so proud of her lil senior that she got all choked up!

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Another Reason...

you shouldn't prop open the door to the outside, even though you're in the room working on the Darn Book:

Birds.

Today we had two unexpected visitors who weren't the least bit interested in the book. (It did make it, despite the drama during the week. More on that later.) They had no interest in going back out the door, despite repeated protest from yours truly. However, once we turned off the lights, they did go out the window.

Good times...

Anyway. On Monday I got an email from our yearbook rep telling us the book had shipped. I breathed a sigh of mingled relief (because we'd get it in time to distribute it) and nervousness (because there have already been horror stories).

Then on Wednesday, I get another email from the rep saying no, sorry, there's another OLHS out there, and their book was the one that shipped on Monday. No sighs this time. Heart rate escalates rapidly. It was a darn good thing I'd clipped my nails really short the night before, otherwise I'd be sporting some crescent-shaped scars across my palms.

So then I email back saying "look, we've already made arrangements for our distribution day - is there ANY way we can get the book by Friday? we were planning to set things up over the weekend & distribute Monday." Rep emails back & says she's working on it.

Friday morning I'm working on putting together a special award for the editor and kind of skipping AM duty to finish it up (the hot glue gun took for EVER to heat up) and I got a call from the office. I figured they were gonna tsk-tsk-tsk me for not being on duty but no.

THE BOOKS HAD ARRIVED.

So I had to keep them under wraps. Wasn't too difficult - we DID announce that the book was here, but it's the Friday before school lets out. Do you really think anyone was listening to afternoon announcements??

Anyway. It's now 11:11 and I'm making my wish. Tonight it's a double.

Keep me in your prayers for the next two weeks or so...

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Patience May Be a Virtue, But It's Not One of Mine

So I'm here, AT SCHOOL on a SATURDAY. Why? Because the book needs to be finished. My editor, bless his heart, has said that he'll be here at 2 to finish up whatever needs to be completed. I've told the Hunk that I'm hoping to be back for dinner.

I did get a phone call at 1:55 from said editor - his Girl Friday, our junior editor, is going to pick him up when she gets off work at 2 and they're going to come in together. Not ideal, but not a problem.

Problem? It is now almost 3:30 and there's been no further word.

Ms. Keys is PISSED.

It doesn't help that I forgot to bring the Hunk's leftover half of his Monte Cristo (crisco?) sandwich, which would've been quite tasty as there's a toaster oven in the teacher's lounge, so I haven't had any lunch.

I mean - seriously - what makes people think this is remotely okay? I realize they're teenagers, but.... WTF?

I had planned to work alongside them and finish up my grading and lesson planning tomorrow, but at this point? Eff it. I'll continue working on stuff for English II and cleaning up the classroom and they can take as much time as they need to getting those changes made. I'm not touching a thing (though I will put in the copy I wrote for my poor n00bs who were yanked from class for test prep).

So much for dinner.

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SSR times

Over at 88 Generalizations about Free Voluntary Reading, Stephen Krashen says that free reading time (which I call self-selected reading) should be done every day. (In fairness, he does have it marked as "insufficient research available.")

My concern with doing so is that we then spend 10-15 minutes reading, and that's a short enough time period that my nonreaders can "fake it."

I think as we get into next nine weeks, I'll probably do independent reading AND independent writing every day. But what I'll do is I'll flipflop how much of each we do. So M/W/F we'll start with 20 minutes of reading, and then do a 5-min quickwrite. T/T we'll do 5-10 minutes of reading, and then 10-15 minutes of more in-depth writing.

We're finishing up the proofs for the book. And I have students who are SCHEDULED to be in pictures - senior stuff - and they're just not showing up when they've said they will.

AND, one of the students who's working on a particular page has been out for several days, so of course nothing has been done.

I have grading that absolutely MUST get done tonight, and the book WILL come in on time. Period. It is not my book. And if the students don't get the work done, I'll fix anything that's an actual mistake, and then the book will go in.

I am SO OVER IT.

I'm tired. I'm ready for the school year to be OVER - and we've still got 45 more class days left.

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OW.

Nothing major today - the past couple of weeks have been CRAZY as we approach our final copy deadline AND put out another issue of the newspaper. I'm hoping to have the last 14 pages handed over to our rep today. Then all that's left will be the proofs!

Paper is on sale at lunch today, but we haven't advertised at ALL because all of our time has gone to the Darn Book. Ugh. ;p

Anyway, got this via cupcake:

Created by Train Horn

I can tell how out of it I've been. I couldn't hear a thing - and then I realized that I had the computer on mute! If you can hear a monitor hum or the faint whine of fluorescent lights, you'll probably hear this. The clip is maybe a second and a half, and I couldn't let it play through. It's PAINFUL.

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The Hero's Journey: Stage 8 - DEATH!

Let's just say that this week has definitely qualified as Epic Adventure material.

So. We've been behind on yearbook foo. Wednesday's entry, which should've posted at 10 AM rather than 10 PM, was correct when I wrote it. Wednesday and Thursday are club days; we usually stay after for a few hours & I order pizza.

HOWEVER.

I start hearing whisperings of a Code Gray, which is a tornado drill. I'm incredibly annoyed, because why do they have to do these things during Journalism, darnit?! As it turns out, though, there is no drill, so we keep going around and getting interviews and photos to put on our pages after school.

Only there is no after school. During afternoon announcements - right before the bell - we are informed that because of the storm (there's a storm? *peek outside* yep, raining pretty hard) all sports practices are canceled. Students are to go home.

Hm. Usually they don't add that last bit, so I call up to the main office just to make sure that we're okay for club.

Line's busy.

I try the secretary's direct line, and she says she's going to check with the principal. A few moments later, the PA system comes to life and we hear that ALL after-school activities are canceled. Students aren't even supposed to stay for make-up tests or detention (which I'm sure is a tragedy). They are to GO HOME NOW.

And so they leave. And I try to find out who's saved what where, but it's a lost cause, and I've just lost several hours of work time.

But wait! THERE'S MORE.

So then Thursday we try to spend getting caught up with what didn't get done on Wednesday as well as what we'd wanted to do on Thursday and I'm juggling getting information and checking the spelling of names and meeting with the senior superlative winners and two of them graduated at the end of last semester and I can't seem to track them down.

Fortunately the Hunk and I drove separately, because I end up staying until about 7:00 - even then I only leave because I've got a class at 7:30. I get home around 9:00 and manage to upload the rest of what I'd meant to on Wednesday night, and I still have 24 pages left when I go to bed.

However, several of my Journalism gremlins also make plans to stay after on Friday, so we should be able to get caught up. Right? Hahahahaha...

Friday was fine up until class began. We had honor graduate portrait retakes in the morning, and one of the students who needed his portrait made was caught behind a wreck on the way in. But he made it, so I thought nothing more of the matter.

It turned out that the crash was somebody hitting an electrical pole. So right at the beginning of JOURNALISM CLASS, we hear over the PA system that the power is going to be cut off in a few minutes, so that the electrical pole can be repaired, and all computers should be shut down now!

The email we received about this said "normal operations will continue." Yeah, RIGHT. When not only can we not work on our computers, but administrators send my Journalism gremlins back to class and tell them they're not to be out in the hall?!

It was a total loss. I've got students coming in over the weekend, but I'm just SO FRUSTRATED.

I could not make this s*t up if I tried.

Image thanks to http://www.freewebs.com/mavrin_v/

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Yearbook Blues

What do you do when they simply do NOT do the work?

I mean, seriously. Our rep from the publisher had the idiocy to say that it's not my responsibility to make sure the pages get done. Really? If the buck honest-to-goodness stops with the students, not with me, then why is she wasting her time talking to me about deadlines?

I'm SO disheartened. I'm getting newsletter-fliers that say "here's some tips for selling yearbooks to that last 10% of the students at your school, because we're so sure you've already sold to 90% of the student body. We're at about 30% right now.

THIRTY PERCENT.

Our ad sales aren't much better.

At what point do I just say "F*** it!" and ask for an extra planning period and just do the whole damn thing myself?

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