I finally got all five classes through chapter 5 and into chapter 6. Man, we’re moving slowly this year. I’ve decided to get a move on, and with any luck, get to the rumble by Friday. And since we’re also working on our color justification essays this week, I did the unthinkable… I cut…back…on..home…work. Boy, that was hard to even say. A couple of years ago, I added an extra R to KBAR. I like to say that I did it so I could talk like a pirate, but it was really to remind the kids of the importance of the RESPONSE. It’s also the part most of them sort of dread. So there was almost universal jubilation when, as they were copying the week’s homework into their assignment books (“We call them planners…”), I used the Stick to point to the line that read, “No response this week.” “Yesssssssss.” (Aside: Dunno if it’s just around here or what, but in the last year or so, I have noticed a marked increase in the incidence of entire classes hissing in celebration at a correct answer or good news from me. Yesssssssssss. They hold the s for days, like they’re all
Middle school teaching: Five shows a day, 180 days a year.
That reminds me of those great SNL skits about the Sofa King. You know, how the prices are "Sofa King" low, the deals are "Sofa King" great, etc. (You obviously have to say those phrases out loud to get the joke.)