Not a DITL post!

I have been in such a blogging slump lately.  I have many things that I'm dying to blog about, but I haven't been able to give it the time and energy it needs.  Then there are things that I'm interested in blogging, but I don't know that they will interest anyone besides me.  I decided that I don't care if anyone else is interested.  One of the reasons I started keeping a blog is so that I can look back on the things I tried in the past, and to keep a record for my own personal reflection.

This week was our first week back from spring break.  It was rough.  It all started with Sunday night.  I had a difficult time falling asleep.  Once I was asleep, I woke up at some point each hour.  I remember reading the clock at some point when it was 12-something, 1-something, 2-something, 3:40-something, and then 4:49; eleven minutes before my alarm went off.

This really set the tone for my entire week.  Of course, I had my final mini-observation on Monday.  It went very well despite my sleep deprivation.  Our administration pieces together six 10-minute observations to inform our evaluations.  They come in twice at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the class periods.  This time he was looking for closure on my lesson (because it was missing the first time he came for an end of class observation), and I was able to present it well.

All in all, it wasn't a bad week.  It was just eventful.  Like on Friday, when our math department was greeted with the news that we were having a surprise half-day meeting.  First thing in the morning.  For the first four periods.  Meaning sub plans were required, and my plans for the day were pretty much shot.  The funny thing is that these meetings were planned in advance at the beginning of the year.  It was in my planner.  But every other meeting was altered to either a different day, a different time, or even a different purpose before this one.  Honestly, I was kind of hoping that everyone else forgot about it, and that we could just go on teaching as usual.  No such luck.

My only real gripe was that for the first time since I established a new planning routine, my routine didn't quite work out.  The goal of my routine is to leave school on Friday with all plans planned, all copies made, and all SMART Notebook files ready to go for the following week.  It is now 7 pm on Sunday, and I just made it to my goal.  The frustrating thing is that I would already be prepping for the following week if everything had gone as planned.  Truthfully, though, I am happy to have the opportunity to examine the flaws of my routine, and plan for solutions (if possible).

Here is what I think went wrong:

1. I was exhausted all week after my interrupted Sunday night sleep.  I never caught up on my sleep, and it made it impossible for me to focus on my tasks.  Solution:  Naps are sometimes necessary.
2. So many things kept popping up that took away my planning time.  (Copier malfunctions, Prom Dress Drive organization, a trip to Urgent Care, Senior Trip preparations, sitting like a bump on a log and staring off in space out of exhaustion instead of getting work done, etc.)  Solution:  There is none.  This is why my routine was meant to be flexible in the first place.  This was just the first week that I encountered daily obstacles.
3. Hesitation.  I had two topics in General Geometry that I wasn't sure how to approach.  I took time to think them over, and started creating activities for each of them that didn't pan out.  When I found a flaw in the plan, I had to go back and start over.  I now have a matching activity and a worksheet.  I'm not in love with the worksheet, but it will get the job done.  Next year, (or hopefully over the summer), I can create something that I love to replace the worksheet.  Solution:  I plan to tweak things over the summer in all of my courses, but this is something that could still happen.  This is something that I don't think I can really control.  Also, Teachers Pay Teachers is a fabulous back-up plan.  (Even though it let me down this time.)

That in a nutshell was my week.  I'm hoping that this week goes much more smoothly.  I'm trying to enter it with a positive mindset.  Now, I'm hoping to make a quick and easy dinner, get my outfits set for the week, and engage in some sort of pampering before another week begins.

April 7, 2017 - Monthly Post #DITL

The following post is a contribution to the Day in the Life Book Project initiated by Tina Cardone:


Today was the last school day before spring break.  Or what's left of it.  This week has been interesting at school.  We've come in to a putrid sewer smell throughout the halls, a car accident has caused our buses to be late, and after having to break up arguments between a few periods in a row, there were a couple of fights happening at once.  That was only Tuesday. 


It was a relief to finally make it to Friday.  This morning I got ready as normal, and treated myself to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast.  When I made it to work, I ate my breakfast, took care of a few errands, and graded some make-up assignments. 


Yesterday, my first period students were talking all about a new show on Netflix.  So much so that we didn't finish our work.  Today I gave these students a day to make-up missing work and do test corrections.  Students finished quickly, and we watched an episode of the show when everyone was finished. 


In my Geometry class, we started our Coordinate Geometry unit.  Today we reviewed converting standard equations to slope-intercept form, writing linear equations, and calculating slope.  I couldn't really give students a free day.  We are 16 days behind compared to last year.  We had 11 snow days, and a bunch of early dismissals and two hour delays.  Next week we have to return to school in the middle of our spring break.  Those two days will also be lost since many students won't be coming to school.  I'm planning to give them one movie day and to have a hopefully interesting math activity day.


After my first Geometry class, I had my prep.  Every other day another class occupies my room, and I have to leave.  This often becomes a time-killer as I have to pack up, re-locate, set-up, and try to get work done in the faculty room that is often inhabited by socializing substitute teachers, and then pack-up before the bell rings and return to my room to teach my next class.  Today I brought my laptop in so I could work on SMART Notebook files, but my laptop decided that was the perfect time to complete an update.  So instead I spent my prep watching my computer screen.


The next period was my second General Geometry class, which also had a period to make-up work.  Most students were able to have a free period, and a few kids requested extra credit.  During this period, I was able to continue grading, and updating grades in SchoolTool.  Next, I repeated my Geometry lesson for my second Geometry class.

After my second Geometry class, I have lunch.  Today I was able to grade make-up quizzes that I assigned my Geometry class.  I use them to give students one last chance to improve their grades each quarter.  Our third quarter will end the week we return from spring break.  During my lunch one of my students from last year came in to visit and chat.

My last class of the day is SAT Prep.  They also had a day for make-up work.  This allowed me to finish any grading that I had left, and take care of my daily tasks.  In my second prep and last period study hall I was able to work on some of the SMART Notebook files.  A few of my seniors came in during my prep to do some work and chat.  This is usually one of my favorite parts of my day.  I've been focusing on cherishing my time with them because they are special to me and I am going to miss them when the graduate.

I left shortly after the last bell and came straight home.  I put my school things away, made an important phone call, and did a load of laundry.  I finished the last SMART Notebook file that I was working on before leaving school.  I decided that I would work on the rest of the files when I'm in school next Wednesday and Thursday.  I spent some time watching Netflix and just sitting.  My husband and I decided to order takeout from our favorite Mexican restaurant.  I rarely cook on Fridays.  By Friday afternoon I am completely drained and have limited patience for food preparation.  I am ending my day by writing this post and watching tv.  I am determined to relax on my break and work on some of the projects that I've been wanting to work on including working on my blog, DIY projects, and decorating my home.

Reflection Questions:
Teachers make a lot of decisions throughout the day. Sometimes we make so many it feels overwhelming. When you think about today, what is a decision/teacher move you made that you are proud of? What is one you are worried wasn’t ideal?

The decision that I was proud of for today was to not move on in my General Geometry classes.  Trying to get through yesterday's material was a struggle.  In that class we do a day of notes and guided practice and then a day of independent practice.  Today was originally planned to be an independent practice day.  When we return from spring break we will start with this independent practice day and have a chance to review the work that we've done so far in our current unit.  I think this will be more beneficial than coming back from spring break and starting new material without a chance to review.