Day 146

34 more days until school is over. The students find it funny that I am keeping a countdown on my board. I don't think they realize that it is just as exciting for the teachers as it is for the students for school to be over. Yes, we've got workshops and meetings randomly through the summer, but for the most part, we are free until August.

But I can't believe it is already day 146 and I'm that far into the semester. It feels good to know that I seem to actually be able to survive my first year of teaching without too many stumbles. Now that I've put that down in writing I know something is going to happen. But at least I did my first year.

The job situation for next year is still up in the air. They district needs to hire a teacher, but they are waiting for the final "I'm not coming back" from the teacher that used to be here. From everything I've heard from other people, the principal wants to keep me here and I want to stay here, but I have applied to other schools as a just-in-case.

But my students have been doing rather well the past little bit. All the entries into the film festival have been submitted and while it wasn't the showing that I wanted from the, I think the ones that have been submitted are good and they have a chance. The entries for doodle-4-google went through but I don't think any of my students are going to move past the first round. Same thing goes for the multimedia festival. While my student's works are good, I think they rushed through them to get something submitted. I didn't require it and I didn't get the forms to fill out until really late (almost last minute), so that didn't help any. All the classes are preparing for the state testing that happens next month and hopefully will go smoother than before.

But one thing I have noticed is the fact that I seem to be repeating myself more and more in class. I tell them one thing and then the 20 step walk from their seat to their computer, it seems to dribble out their ears and they ask me what I had just told them no more than 2 minutes ago. Maybe it is the fact that they just came back from break and they really don't want to be here with the nice weather outside or the fact that it is getting close to the end of the year and they just want to be done; or it is that they don't pay attention thinking they know everything and when they get stuck they panic.

I think I'm doing well as a teacher. I haven't had any major problems or blunders on my part. My students seem to respect me (although it is getting worse as the semester rolls on). It is amazing how many of them just don't care or don't see the connection between the way they act in class towards their teacher and their grade and then later in life, their successes. I actually attach their attitude onto their grade. You'd be amazed at how many parents have complained to the principal (not me) about my grading practices. No wonder students act the way they do. Ugg.

I'm just grateful that the next few weeks aren't a lot of heavy teaching on my part and more like guiding. They have final projects coming up including a final class film, digital portfolios, and a powerpoint presentation for my comp tech kids.