First Monday of the year. First-Late-Start-Teacher-Collaboration-Time-Schedule, where the kids (this year it’s district-wide at all schools) start school an hour later on Mondays, “so’s us teachers kin do sum co-laborationing.” Sorry, Tom Sawyer is still a few months away. Monday means spelling and vocabulary lists. The vocabulary ALWAYS comes from whatever we’re reading at the time, and the spelling lists either work a spelling rule/theme or a Latin/Greek/etc. roots theme. So…between the shortened periods due to late start, and introducing the spelling/vocabulary/crossword routine, we didn’t get any Outsiders reading in. I also didn’t get to pound “Unpack Your Adjectives” into them again. I forgot:I started the assault on their subconscious last week. I started by asking how many of them could sing at least the main part of a commercial jingle. Of course, nearly all could, and I had to stop them from demonstrating. Then, we talked about those songs/jingles that you just can’t get out of your head, no matter how hard you try. “Well,” I said, “I’m going to make sure that this time, what you’re singing to yourself in the shower is at least semi-useful to you. When you are 97 years old – though by then
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.)