Scheiße

Two posts in two days.  A new record, I think.

I feel like Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  I would love nothing more than to run away to Australia.

Bad news number one.   The boyfriend was laid off this morning.  Not much else to say about that.  Just sucks.

Bad news number two.  Students' parents are nightmares.  Phone call from hell.  When I'm already not happy.  Kids lie.  Teachers know this, WHY DON'T THEIR PARENTS?  Do NOT blame me.  Your kid is making it up.

GROWL!

Update.

So.. I'm sitting on my plan period being about as productive as a log... so why not pay a bit of attention to my sad little blog, right?

School is going amazingly fast!  It's almost end of 1st quarter.  Then it's almost Thanksgiving.  Then it's almost semester break.  Then I will have ALMOST survived a year as a teacher.  Sigh.  That's a lot of almosts.

Wedding season is (again..) almost over. Two weddings this month and I think there may be one in November as well.  Yikes!  We're off to St. Louis this weekend for one.  I haven't been to St. Louis since I was all of maybe 10, so it should be a good time.  Plus, the parents and the sister and brother-in-law are off with us as well.  Can't be all bad!

Speaking of weddings-- Sister 1 is engaged!  Friday evening her boyfriend popped the question and she said yes!  They're hoping to get married this June!  Very exciting..!

Things with me are, as always, being pushed to the back burner.  Things that I would love to face but that maybe take too many big decisions or simply.. I don't know where to begin!  Such as moving out.  The boyfriend and I keep talking about moving out... setting dates... we know where even!  But it's never that simple! 

Fun note that ties the last two together:  One of my English students told me yesterday that I "need a honeymoon" because I was, in her opinion, grumpy.  I told her I was pretty sure that meant I had to get married and then told her about my sister.  She said, "Oh, well that explains it!"

Always a good time at THS!! :)

A bit late...

So, it's been a while!  Sorry about that. So, WOW.  Where to begin!?


I am on my fourth full week (fifth week) of school at THS!  How's that possible?  My classroom has undergone some transformations since the first day of school.  For starters, I have no idea what a row looks like.  That or clean floors or an empty desk!  I got an Elmo, yahoo!, so I moved some things around so I can better use that and my desks are changed to talk with students more easily.   I like it!  

The best thing about teaching is getting to laugh at things... I'm sure if I didn't laugh, I honestly would hurt one of these kids.  Here are some of the "insights" high schools have shared with me:
1. "I can't remember your name.  Do you know how many teachers I have?"  (Yes.  8.  Opposed to my approx. 175 students!)
2. "Wow, Frau B.  I can't do this.  I don't know German."  (Thanks.  I know that.  Hence your being in German 1.)
3. (3 weeks in to the year.... after I told the students I taught German AND English) "So... who teaches English in here?"  


Hopefully, I can bring some more... even better "insights" from THS soon!  


One of the sad insights that I gained last week was that high school juniors do not know/understand 9/11 AT ALL.  We had an OPTIONAL assembly.  I made my seminar students attend... not that they listened to any of it.  Afterwards, I had my junior English students journal about it.  Of course, I didn't think about the fact that these students were in 2nd grade in 2001.  Quite a few remembered where they were the first time they heard about it but in both of my classes, I had a few students that asked, "Why are we writing about Sept. 11?  What happened in 2001?"  I spent probably 30 minutes with one class, watching YouTube clips of news footage and talking about what happened.  


I know it's not THEIR faults that they don't know.  But what have their teachers and their parents been doing the past 9 years?   How are schools not recognizing 9/11 at all?  I commend THS for having an assembly.  But why optional?  And if it's optional, shouldn't there be a sort of announcement or statement during the week?  Apparently not.  But I think that's sad.  Next year, if I teach juniors again, they will have been in 1st grade.  I highly doubt that any of those students will remember that day personally.  Will they know anything about it?  


As always.... my thoughts go off in random directions...!  So it goes when you spend your time with teenagers, I suppose!!

Morgen beginnt alles!

Tomorrow is my first day working at 501!  Whohoo :)






So much going on and it's only going to get crazier!  

Klassenzimmer

I think my classroom is about 98.9% finished finally!  When I walk in the door now, it feels like MY classroom -- not the German room.  As much as I do not want summer to end, I'm very excited!  

I am always well intentioned about taking before and after pictures but I'm usually soo gung-ho, I start working and halfway through stop and think, OH CRAP!  So... here are my after pictures.  Use your imagination-- the before pictures were dated, torn posters and lots of stuff everywhere.   

My awesome curtains-- Thanks Andrea!

Super cute little skirt for storage.. again, Thanks Andrea!!

Hopefully, there will be a German calendar to fill that empty spot!

The only storage in the room! (Before I came along, anyway.)

Big News

I got some big news today-- my teaching load for next year.  I will be teaching 2 classes of German I, a German II, and a German III/IV, as well as 2 classes of Junior English!  Yikes.  I'm excited to know and very, VERY anxious to begin.  Do I really know what I'm doing?  Let's hope.


I'll be heading into the Halls of Troy later this week to begin getting my classroom Amy-fied.  Very excited for that!! Pics to come!

Lame.

I'm sure you've noticed the new blog look.  


I don't like it.   I don't do well with change.  I was bored and messed with it... accidentally hit saved.  Panic.  Too late.  Oh, and they no longer have my previous layout.  Suh-weet.  


So, I guess we'll get used to it.


Tomorrow is my last day at the Office.  Again.  This time-- FOREVER.  I refuse to walk back into that place as an employee ever. a.gain.  End of story.