Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Water covers most of Daviess Co.

Water covers most of Daviess Co.: "Friday helicopter pilot Chris Conkright went in the air to see it first hand."

The flooding finally has our school district closed!  Thank goodness the sun is now shining and the rain has cleared out.  Hopefully, our county will have some time to dry out!  

Thursday, April 28, 2011

State Mandated Testing

So much FUN! Every year we totally screw up the daily schedule to work in the tests that our juniors and sophomores are required to take in order to prove to the state that we teachers are doing our job.   Many of our students do NOT feel that the test is a reflection on the tests, so they really don't care how they do.  Frustrating!  So for 3 morning now in a row I have been monitoring 30 students (only one of whom I knew prior to the testing.  Many of them are more concerned with prom, sports, and how much longer before we get out for summer.  Others have worked diligently all three days, dedicated to doing their best, rewards or no rewards.  A few have struggled as they discovered questions that they felt covered content they had never learned.  In about an hour this year's testing will be history, at least until scores are returned in the fall.  But I'm left wondering yet again, how well I'm teaching my students, and especially how well I'm motivating them to play an active role in their own education.  And that will lead me to rework, revamp, rethink everything I teach next year.  In the end, I know I'm becoming a better teacher! 

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Winding Down the Year

At this point every year I begin to feel a bit of panic as I realize how few days are left in the school year and how much more content I would love to teach before my students are gone.  At the same time I'm very much like my students as I'm eager for some time off.  I know exactly how many days until we leave for Disney World.  45!  But I'm also excited that some of my summer will be spent learning as I spend 5 days absorbing all I can about teaching AP Language and Composition.