Thursday, March 27, 2008

Waiting on the World to Change

This song has been running through my head ever since I saw this video, so it might as well run through all your heads, too. Plus, it is a cool video. Enjoy:

http://www.d-pan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=45

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

I've started counting down the days I have left student teaching - yes, I'm a counter. It's not that I've been having a terrible time, but now that I'm 2 weeks away from being done, I'm starting to check out. Not a good thing. But I keep planning what I'll do with all my free time (yeah, right) when I don't have to get up at 5:45 anymore.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. The kids were at least calmer than last week, though I did get some funny answers. When asked what causes change in population, one kid spouted out "sex" (true), one said "climate" (I guess it's kind of true, in a roundabout sort of way, maybe), and one kid went on and on about animals, squirrels and stuff (not so sure about that one).

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

License plates

You know you're a TCK when you look at license plates and see airport codes. In the last 2 days, I've seen the following:
- NRT: Narita/Tokyo, Japan
- PDX: Portland, Oregon
- TLV: Tel Aviv, Israel
- HUN: Hualien, Taiwan

Is this normal?

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Stop! In the name of Socialism

I love my 1st hour class! (I sure hope none of my students ever finds this blog.) They're my honors section, so of course they work hard, love all the material, and are therefore easy to love. But I can't get over how creative they are and how much effort they put into everything. It's just so rewarding as a teacher to not have to do hardly anything and see so much learning happening (unlike 7th hour in which I am pulling out my hair and see maybe an inch of learning).

Anyway, to conclude our unit on world governments, the Honors class was divided into groups and had to create commercials, trying to convince their audience to join their form of government. These were then all recorded on film to watch and to evaluate (and laugh at). The one that stood out the most was a group of 4 boys who did Socialism. It was hilarious! They started out with all the other forms (Fascism, Monarchy, Democracy, etc.) all fighting. Then Jack comes running in in slow motion, stretches out his name, and shouts/sings "Stop! In the name of Socialism!"

He then procedes to come into the room with a polar bear and do the coolest shoulder dance while he sings, "We are the best government...." If anybody wants to see it, I'm definitely stealing a copy.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

I can see it!

3 more days till Spring Break. Must. Keep. Breathing.