Real Simple

Again with the lists. I have people over on a spontaneous basis, making dinner and playing chess; so sue me.

1) This is now my second week of teaching, and it is going MUCH more smoothly. I think that my kids are now used to me--and, more importantly, I'm now used to my kids. I can anticipate who's going to fall asleep without my noticing, who's going to volunteer answers, and who won't have their homework. Like G.I. Joe said: "KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE!"

2) Yesterday I was trying to help a student with her classwork, pointing something out on her paper, and she totally recoiled and said, "YOUR HANDS IS UGLY!" She's not wrong. I've got some ugly monkey paws. I felt a little better when she followed that up with, "...but my hands is ugly too."

3) I was observed by my university adviser for the first time yesterday. This is something that is going to happen 4 times (so 3 more) over the course of my student teaching. Highlights include:
a) Me being super-annoyed because he showed up 20 MINUTES EARLY, thus cutting into my lunch because teachers and students were fluttering around while I tried to eat my salad, telling me that someone was waiting! For me! Upstairs! GO FIND HIM NOW! Dude, I gave you a schedule. Try to follow it.
b) Me being super-annoyed because 6th period was supposed to start at 1:05, and when it didn't start at 1:05 because students hadn't been dismissed from lunch, my adviser gave me Big Eyes and TAPPED HIS WATCH and said, "Time for 6th period, Katherine!" in this ridiculously cheery voice, like I was Alice and he was the Cheshire Cat. Dude, I'm happy for 6th period to start but I'VE GOT NO STUDENTS.
c) Me being super-annoyed because I TOTALLY SAW that he was taking copious notes, but he left before the period was over so that I couldn't talk to him, and I have yet to receive an email. This means I will have to stay EVEN LONGER after my seminar on Thursday. This is only okay because

4) I have an unexpected 3-day weekend! Friday is professional development. My school is going to be doing intensive course descriptions / curriculum overhaul using their new curriculum system, Understanding By Design. I've asked for a UBD workbook, but I apparently can't have one. My cooperating teacher said I could come if I wanted to, but suggested that I probably wouldn't want to, on pain of severe boredom. Hey, that's cool. No school on Friday for me!

5) I'm taking over my third and final class on Monday, and I'm nervous. Mostly because I'll be going through that one-plus-week-of-hell transitionary period again. The 4th period World Lit class is a HANDFUL, to say the least. I love them--they're ridiculously smart--but they are NEEDY PERSONALITIES. Take a room of 24 kids and have every one of them saying at the same time, "Look at me! LOOK AT ME! Help me with my work! Isn't this funny! Let me tell you a story about marijuana! LOOK AT ME!" and it gets difficult to get much of anything done. I think this will be my biggest challenge.

6) I'm taking my first field trip to Chinatown on Thursday, to coordinate with our unit on The Good Earth. 3 chaperones + 30 students + 1 bus + 1 scavenger hunt + Chinatown = hopefully, less chaos than I am anticipating.

7) Figs are still in season.

8) I am debating heading out of town for the Columbus Day weekend. Michigan? Cincinnati? Suggestions?