Thursday, August 23, 2007
Ah, August adventures.
So far I'm supposed to have 12 kids on my roster, and I have 6. Two of whom I've just been informed are too proficient in my subject to be on my roster. So I must kick them out of class on the first day and encourage them to seek another elective (one has already told me he really wants to take my class, so I'm not looking forward to this task). And in the next day I need to find out why the other eight kids are not on my roster (did they leave the district? Did someone forget to enroll them?) If I don't get them in the right class by tomorrow, they'll start their school year, and then get TOTALLY shuffled around on the second or third day as I pull strings to ensure that they ARE in my class, thus having to learn not just one, but up to four different class routines several days into the school year. Grr.
Finally, there is student Z. A smart girl (straight As) from some island country whose official papers (or so I was informed by the translator) indicates that she is a "legitimate" child. She studied a little English in her home country, but who knows how that translates to school life. I know I'll get her as a student, and am excited to meet her. The thing that gets me with her: I cannot legally have her in my classroom until she has taken a standardized placement test. I'm not yet trained to give the test. The person who is trained does not have time to administer the test before Monday and likely not in the first week.
As such, she will start the school year spending the period for which she's enrolled in my class -- sitting in the guidance counselor's office twiddling her thumbs.
All this said, I am so very excited for the school year! I am also very excited to have this first week OVER with!
Oh, and, as icing on the cake, my computer (to replace the one that died a week ago) came today! Our bank account hurts, but it's such a nice (and necessary) present.
No news from the donor yet on whether or not he'll be able to give my students a computer. I REALLY want them to have their own machine in my classroom! Especially if my class sizes stay under five, it'll be nice to get all my kids very proficient in word processing/etc before they go off into the "real world."
Finally, there is student Z. A smart girl (straight As) from some island country whose official papers (or so I was informed by the translator) indicates that she is a "legitimate" child. She studied a little English in her home country, but who knows how that translates to school life. I know I'll get her as a student, and am excited to meet her. The thing that gets me with her: I cannot legally have her in my classroom until she has taken a standardized placement test. I'm not yet trained to give the test. The person who is trained does not have time to administer the test before Monday and likely not in the first week.
As such, she will start the school year spending the period for which she's enrolled in my class -- sitting in the guidance counselor's office twiddling her thumbs.
All this said, I am so very excited for the school year! I am also very excited to have this first week OVER with!
Oh, and, as icing on the cake, my computer (to replace the one that died a week ago) came today! Our bank account hurts, but it's such a nice (and necessary) present.
No news from the donor yet on whether or not he'll be able to give my students a computer. I REALLY want them to have their own machine in my classroom! Especially if my class sizes stay under five, it'll be nice to get all my kids very proficient in word processing/etc before they go off into the "real world."
Comments:
P.S. Hours contracted to spend in the schools: 20/week
Hours spent in the schools this week: Around 35.
If anyone criticizes me for skipping out on today's all district staff manditory pep rally, I plan to politely remind them that I am an 8-12 employee, and the pep rally started at 1.
I love my husband for picking up the slack with narry a complaint. (Is that a word, narry?) His dissertation suffers, but our family holds together, thanks to him!
Hours spent in the schools this week: Around 35.
If anyone criticizes me for skipping out on today's all district staff manditory pep rally, I plan to politely remind them that I am an 8-12 employee, and the pep rally started at 1.
I love my husband for picking up the slack with narry a complaint. (Is that a word, narry?) His dissertation suffers, but our family holds together, thanks to him!
My condolences on the loss of your lesson plans, Laura. The computer stinks, but at least you get a new one. The lesson plans are a real loss. I can relate.
:-(
~Katie Mc
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:-(
~Katie Mc
# posted by 
: 8/24/2007 9:17 AM
: 8/24/2007 9:17 AM