A Little of This....

a little of that.

*Observation #1: Today was the first time I had to have an observer from my university in my classroom. It's part of the State's requirement to allow me in a classroom at all. I have to have someone come "observe" me at least twice a semester. I wasn't nervous about that, until she told me she'd need a copy of my lesson plan for the day. Then I started sweating bullets. I just jumped into this teaching thing feet first. NO training! So I pretty much do lesson plans like a Newscast Rundown -- a bunch of slugs indicating what each "story" (lesson) is about.

The good news, she was happy with what she saw. Wrote a note on the top of my observation sheet: What a model classroom.

This, despite the fact I was late getting class started because printers weren't working and I had trouble getting quizzes printed. Then, when I passed the quizzes out a student asked, "Are there supposed to be two Es and two Fs?"

I had mislabeled the pictures as: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, E, F, H.

If today is what she considers a "model" classroom I'd hate to find out what she considers a badly run one!

*The Rain in Spain... : Tomorrow I find out how many of my students will, perhaps, experience said event. I hold the first organizational meeting tomorrow after school for a trip to Spain next Spring/Summer.

I'm hoping at least 12 students will sign up for the trip. For every six students the program takes a chaperone for free. Twelve students means another adult can come with me.

I'm excited, scared and hopeful all at the same time. Mostly I just don't want all the students who are interested in traveling to give up because of the cost.

*Dancing in our Seats: JBP and I did the seat dance today on the way home from school. He's been in school more than a week now. No (major) behavioral problems, only a couple minor ones.

Today he had a sub, last year a sure sign of major trouble, and he didn't have to pull a single tab (in other words not even a warning!). So, we did the Happy Dance in our seats.

He also took three AR (accelerated reading) tests and got 100% on all of them. My boy is growing up and learning loads!

Nimitz' Lady

Dangerous Apathetic-ness

Went to get my driver's license renewed today. You'll never guess what happened. The lack of caring about quality by government workers reached a new high. Or is that low?

In my state, to renew a driver's license you're mailed a test along with an instructional booklet with all the answers in it. All you have to do is take the test, at home, bring it in and have it graded to get your new license.

Me, being me, lost the test. So, today I went in expecting to have to take a standard written test, closed book. When I got there the lady at the first window told me I would take it open book. Ok. Whatever.

Then I moved on to the second window and paid. From there I went to the third window and got my picture taken.

At which point the lady at window #3 told me, "That's it. You're new license will be mailed to you."

Duh-wah? When I reminded her I was supposed to take the test, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well, I already took your picture, so I guess you're done. Have a great day."

I remain flabbergasted!

Nimitz' Lady

Using Your Brain

Today, as part of lunch, we had Challah. It's a traditional Jewish bread served on Sabbath, similar to German eggbread. JBP loves it. So did Die Spielerin.

JBP had already eaten a huge chunk of it and was working on his lasagna when Die Spielerin took a second piece of bread. In fear he wouldn't get any more, JBP lunged to grab another chunk for himself.

"Unh-unh! Finish your lasagna first," I told him.

He responded, "If I were a king in the old days I would just tell someone to keep some for me for later. If I were a king."

"Might does not make right," I said.

"What does that mean?"

"Just because you have the power to do something doesn't make doing it the right thing. Just because kings in the old days had the ability to be spoiled brats doesn't make it right."

Subdued, JBP responded, "Oh, I think I see where you're going with this."

Smart little thing, ain't he?

Nimitz' Lady

Enculturation

Or Americanization. Whatever you want to call it, it's well underway for Die Spielerin.

By the third day of classes she was wearing flip flops to school, just like all the other teenage American girls. This is something on student in Germany (or most of the rest of Europe) would ever even consider doing. But here it's de rigeur. And now it's de Die Spielerin.

Nimitz' Lady

It's a Small World....

Okay, okay you can finish the song without me.

But, yet another sign of just how small the world now is... in one class I have one student who's from Dubuque and a Hawkeyes fan (I told her I wouldn't hold that against her!) and two students who just moved here from Ames, IA.

They all appreciated all the ISU stuff in my classroom.

Nimitz' Lady

Little Man

I knew there was something I left out of last night's post. Monday, the day before school started, JBP had a frenectomy.

The frenum is that little piece of flesh that connects your upper lip to the muscle along the upper jaw.

Turns out his was preventing his two front teeth from growing together properly. So, a quick laser cut of the frenum Monday should prevent the need for expensive and painful braces or retainers in a few years.

I was so proud of JBP. They gave him laughing gas, or nitrous oxide as he insisted on calling it. So, he was awake during the whole thing.

He held still as a rock. Even when we could smell his flesh burning! I could only watch parts of it but sat on the foot end of the dental chair holding JBP's hands.

Even the dentist was impressed with how well JBP handled it. He said he'd had adults who didn't deal as well with the pseudo-surgery. After it was all over he gave JBP a grown-up brush "because he'd proved he deserved it!"

Of course it's still healing, and will be for a few more days. So, JBP's had to restrict himself to soft foods that won't poke it. And he's brushed his teeth with hot salt water. He can't wait until he can use the toothbrush again and use his new, grown-up brush.

Nimitz' Lady

First Day of School

One day down, 179 (or so) to go. And, although I haven't had any classes yet I'm quite optimistic about the coming year.

Die Spielerin appeared to get along well. She spent a lot of time with the other exchange student at our school this year, Miss Hong Kong. Today was mostly about the freshman, so other new students who weren't freshman didn't have as much to do. Tomorrow (Wednesday) classes actually begin. I'm not sure, but I think she's a bit nervous. I am sure she'll do fine.

JBP had a great first day. Unlike at the high school, it was a complete school day for him. Although, his day did start at 3:30 am! That's when he came into our room, fully dressed for school, and said he couldn't sleep anymore. I made him go back to bed.

His teacher, Mrs. A, called me about 1pm to ask if he could go to bed earlier as he was tired and it was affecting his behavior. When I informed her he goes to bed at 7:30pm she was shocked. It wasn't until after school I thought to let her know about the early morning incident.

But, when I called after school she was nothing but praise for his behavior. When given a choice of behaviors and outcomes he made the right choice every time! He finished the day with NO problems. She and I are both very upbeat about how this year should go.

She made a very astute observation after only one day with JBP, something I kept trying to convince folks of last year. In her words, JBP is like a balloon. At the least negative word he deflates. But positive praise fills him up like helium! I really think she's the right match for him. An answer to prayer.

Nimitz' Lady

(Early!) Arrival

Die Spielerin made it in safe and sound yesterday afternoon. Not only was her plane on time, it was early by about 20 minutes!

Why is this such a big deal? She flew United which, in our family's experience, is not exactly not for being on time.

For a few minutes it looked like her luggage hadn't arrived with her (which would've undone United's early arrival glow). But, when we went to the counter to put in her claim they had the luggage there.

In an effort to help her deal with the jet lag, we kept her up until about 8pm last night. JBP did his part by playing with her and talking her head off. He's so excited about her presence he's barely left her side since her arrival. We also took her out to eat, an early birthday meal for Der Deutscher. (He's 36 today! Frohe Geburtstag!)

Today, we get her enrolled in school and just hang out. Since she's going to the school I teach at classes won't start for her until August 21st. So, she has a couple of weeks to shake off the jet lag.

Unfortunately, she still has no peace to do it in. Our house is currently a zoo. On top of Theresa's arrival, my mother is visiting (with her two cats, which brings the pet population here to 1 dog and 5 cats!), and we have a gentleman in re-doing our downstairs bathroom -- right across the hall from Theresa's room.

Welcome to Grand Central Station!

Nimitz' Lady