maineiac in kc

So today was a hard, sad day.  One of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing, a fellow teacher at my school, passed away today on her way to school.  The students are being told tomorrow, but today was brutal.

 I know its tough, but she literally was (to use her favorite word) “an angel.”  I am a better person for having known her.

Requiscat in Pace

So today, I gave a test on North American Geography.  Of my 30 or so students, I had 95% of them get As or A+s!  That includes my entire homeroom class, who all made the 100 club on this test.  I told them that I would buy them a pizza lunch if they could do it, and they did!!  I am so excited about this, both because I am proud of the improvement they’ve made, but also because it shows that they’re starting to care!

 Plus, I am amped for the Red Sox game tonight!  Have a great weekend everyone!

So, its been a few weeks at this point, and I’m starting to feel like I have some control over my classroom.  Don’t get me wrong, there are certainly times when students say or do things that are shocking or disrespectful, but my data shows that they are learning.

 Thus far, we’ve progressed from not knowing any states besides Missouri to taking a test on all 50 states and capitals, and having a majority pass (and having a decent percentage gain an A).

 Otherwise, I have been staying later at school recently given that our Principal is sponsoring Classroom Management training for all new teachers (but available for all).  I’ll get an extra few bucks for going an hour each night, and I’m not going to lie, I actually enjoy just sitting down with the teachers.

 I love the fact that the middle school is all TFA teachers, but the one issue that leaves me with is that there are all these veteran teachers who have so much knowledge that I never get to work with, or even talk to.  This training is giving me that chance.  Even though they don’t need to be there, they are sticking around and listening to us ask questions (and maybe asking a few of their own) so that we can suggest ways to improve to each other.  I initially was a little miffed to have to stay so late, but I am now 100% behind the idea.

Otherwise, nothing too major going on.  I do miss Maine, especially the Ocean.  During reading, my class just finished Treasure Island, and I loved it, but a lot of the lingo (Squall, etc) was lost on them mostly because they aren’t near those sorts of things.  But it did get me thinking about home and all.  I guess you can take me out of Maine, but you can’t take Maine outta me…  Wow, corny.

 Anyway, one last funny sort of story to relate.  A few weeks back, I invited a fellow TFA teacher over to chill, have a beer, and watch a movie.  He comes over, we talk about our students, and then decide to watch Walk Hard, which is a spoof of a lot of the musical films in recent history, but is excellent.  Anyway, we’re sitting in my third floor loft apartment, and we suddenly start to hear this sort of horn, or siren, but very quiet.  I thought it was my crappy tv giving way.  Finally, I paused the movie, realized that it wasn’t coming from the TV.

I turned to my friend and said, “Do you have any idea what the heck that is?”  He looks at me and says, “I thought it was feedback from Dewey’s guitar, but it kept going…”  I know that if this was Maine, I’d be thinking Tsuanami or maybe a nuclear meltdown, given there are sirens near the nuclear plant in New Hampshire.  My friend, also from the coast, and I are a bit worried now.

I said, “Do you think its a Tornado siren?”  He was like, “I bet that’s what it is, but lets check with someone who’s actually from this part of the country.”  We headed downstairs and sure enough were told that it was a tornado warning, and that we probably should stay on the ground level.  Although it was suggested that we could go finish the film, and “if your air conditioner gets sucked out the window, then run…”  Ahh, Missouri…