Alot...and not alot

Well, the High School experience is going quite well. I'm still trying to get used to starting classes at 7:50 every morning. It's a good thing we didn't have that in high school, I don't think my GPA would've been quite as good. But, I guess as I look back to college I had a 7:45 class more often than not, but I still know I don't truly wake up until mid-morning. When I get a cup of coffee in the morning, that usually helps, so I might have to put a coffeemaker in my room next year.

I taught a Health chapter this past week, it went alright I guess, not quite the hands-on science stuff that I enjoy doing, but we had some interesting discussions. Next week I start teaching P.E. classes, and over the next month I'll be doing 3 different units between 2 classes. Soccer, Softball, and Golf are my activities of choice, and thanks to the 60 degree weather right now and the prediction of hitting 70 DEGREES on Saturday, hopefully I'll get to teach them outside. But there is a prediction for more snow on Sunday night...

I'm helping out with track out here too, mainly working with the throwers (because I learned SO much about it doing it in high school). But its going really good. I have a couple guys who hadn't ever done it before, so at least I can teach them something. There's also a senior who placed at the state meet last year, so hopefully by the end of the year, I'll have a couple promising newcomers and maybe even a state champ??? That would look good on a resume...

For those of you who don't know, I do have an interview lined up in two weeks, and I'm flying there. Now most of you know me, but I try to keep my unwillingness to fly anywhere more of a secret. I'd rather drive for 3 straight days...you're thinking I'm kidding...I'm not. But anyways, I'm flying there, and to add to it, I'm teaching a lesson there as well. Double the nervousness, and its still two weeks away. Oh, and I need to figure out whether or not I need to wear a tie. Hopefully I still have one tied and just wrapped around a hanger. If not, polo shirt here we come!

Oh, and just to add one more thing...I know no one here's a huge Twins fan, and if you are, you probably aren't as critical about the offseason moves as I am, but Aaron Gleeman writes a blog that (no lie) made me stand up and yell "THANK YOU" for finally writing what I've been thinking about the Twins lately. I know, I know, its just a game and its not my money or my team...but its a free country and if I knew it was going to be this bad, I would've sent in my application in September to apply for the GM job myself. The link is www.aarongleeman.com, and its the Feb. 27 post.

High School

Well, Week 1 in the High School is in the books. It's definitely different than the Middle School...the change from 8th graders to Freshmen is alot different than I remember. My 1st period class is a P.E. Foundations class that is all Freshmen. Ray (my cooperating teacher) expressed his frustration with them on the first day I was there, and it didn't take me long to figure out why. Very little respect for anyone (teachers or peers), and a very predetermined view of what effort should be put into P.E. classes. I have a feeling they'll get their wake-up call when grades come back to their parents and the P.E. grade is subpar at best.

The rest of my day consists of a Health class which I already began teaching, a Team Sports class, a Lifetime Activities class (mostly seniors who have already checked out for the year), and a couple periods in Support Services, which is WAY more rewarding than I thought it would be. Most of the students that come in really want the help, instead of being forced to be there.

Thursday night I stayed for the Girls' BB game, mostly because I was talked into staying, but I will admit that I didn't last the night, but I gave it an effort...I lasted through the JV game and half of the Varsity game. I saw a few of my 8th graders from Highlands Ranch there, so it was good to catch up with them again. I know I'm going to have to go back and visit before I leave here.

Friday night I went to Mr. Crusader, which is a fundraiser where 14 senior guys were put up in a type of a Miss America Pageant, complete with a choreographed group dance, formal introductions, individual talent acts, and interviews. It was absolutely a riot. The whole crowd was into it, and it was really cool to see all the support. It was a great idea for a fundraiser...I might try to push for it next year wherever I end up.

Weekend

Ah...President's Day weekend. Up until this year I had no idea what that meant, because we always had so many snow days that we had to make it all up and there never was a break from school. Well this year was different, a little time off breaks up the month of February real nice, along with giving Linds a chance to come out and visit. And oh, Dordt College, thanks for giving her up on two of the bigger visit days of the year, I'm glad you could share.

Anyways, Linds flew in Thursday night, and Denver International Airport is a little confusing, even if you're picking someone up, so its a good thing the Beretta is equipped with a stellar navigation system...a.k.a. Me. We made it back to Gwyn's house around 10:30-11 and enjoyed a nice heart shaped pizza in light of it being Valentine's Day.

Friday we went to Highlands Ranch so I could show Linds around the school a little. We met Judy (my cooperating science teacher) and her daughter Leesha there and I put Linds to work helping me put up posters in the hallway. Then we all went out to eat at Chili's. That afternoon we spent some time at Red Rocks, an ampitheather just into the foothills by Morrison. They hold 20-30 concerts there a year. They've had the Beatles, U2 a few times, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, and others. It's a pretty sweet place. Here's a picture from the top looking east over Denver...


Saturday we went up to Berthoud Pass, which is off I-70 on the way to Winter Park, to go showshoeing. It was definitely an experience, and alot of fun. We didn't exactly feel like we went very far, since it took us an hour to go halfway up the mountain and decide we were too out of breath to make it any further, so we took a couple pictures and went back down. We made it to the treeline, so we figured we were high enough. Here's one of those pictures...(notice the sweatshirts, it was like 30-40 degrees up there, real nice!)


Sunday was spent going to church, eating leftover Middle Eastern food from the night before, (A place called Jerusalem, its by DU, absolutely incredible food), and capping it off that night at Jamba Juice, where the fruit smoothies are AMAZING!

Monday we ate at Chipotle, and if you've never eaten there, you need too. Then we stopped in to visit the De Nooy's before Linds had to take off for the airport.

Overall...great weekend, I hope the next 6 weeks go by as quickly as the last 6 did. If any of you are wondering, I have sent out a number of applications to schools, still waiting to hear back from most of them, but the job search is on.

So long everybody...

Quote of the Day

Alright...off topic from school a little here, but nonetheless a great quote from Twins GM Bill Smith in a story about how the Twins' payroll is $22 million dollars less on this Opening Day that it was last opening day...

"To be honest I haven't really had to worry about (payroll)," Smith said. "I've been trying to increase it."

WHAT!?!?!?!

Off to school...3 days and an inservice left at Highlands Ranch...

Substitute Teacher

Well, I realize I haven't written in awhile, so I figured this might be an interesting day to write about. Judy was gone all day today, so I had all of her classes by myself...no one else all day. It was pretty cool... In 7th grade I had them do a internet scavenger hunt where I took about 15 questions from 3 different websites and wrote them out in a Word document. Then (Mac people might understand this...) I used Remote Desktop to send it to all of their computers from my Administrative computer. Then they all opened it up, did the work, saved it, and I grabbed it back from them and stuck it into a file so I could look at it later. I was thinking green. Anyways, while they did this, I was able to observe all the computers from mine. So I had a window open that had all 15 of their screens on it, so if anyone decided they were sick of it and wanted to play games, I could immediately click "chat" and I would say "what are you doing?" and they got back to work. But it sure was funny so send it and watch their face when I was staring right at them, knowing what they were doing. Anyways, in 8th grade I made a Jeopardy game for them to review with on Powerpoint...complete with sound. It was pretty cool, I think they enjoyed it. The highlight of the day had to be the Scrapbooking Explorer class that Judy teaches that I took for the day. Wow, they had no idea I was so creative... I "wowed" them....not really. Well, I've got about 30 planet posters to correct sometime this weekend, so I figure I better get started soon.

FYI...I realize its still bitter cold out in the Midwest, and about 3/4 of the town of Edgerton has the flu...but maybe you should consider jumping a ride with Linds in a week and heading out here...its supposed to be mid-upper 50's this weekend.

Better yet...just let her come by herself.

Have a great weekend everyone...

Counting down to halfway...

Well, its almost half over already...just another week and a half until my time at Highlands Ranch is done. It's to bad too, I finally learned the names of all the 7th and 8th graders, and a number of the 1st, 2nd, and 6th graders. It's so much easier to learn names when you have papers to put the face to. In P.E., you just learn the names of the ones that get in trouble because those are really the only ones you have to worry about. That and I only see them twice a week for about 30 min.

I absolutely love the Middle School science. I'm doing both vertebrates and the solar system right now. The tough part is finding a middle ground between having them learn the facts and having them think beyond the book, which is really hard. I hate giving them notes, so I'm doing some projects that hopefully make it more hands on and more practical. So far in 8th grade we've done planet Powerpoint presentations and we're currently working on creating a poster that has the planets on it in proportion to each other.

Well, Linds sent me one of the engagement pictures that we're using for the invitations. I'm going to hang it up by my desk in the room so that all those Middle School girls know what's up. I hate breaking hearts like that...;)

Today was the season opener for the NW baseball team. Some tough games to start the season, a few ranked teams, I hope the guys can hold tough if the season starts out a little rough. The Bellevue game on March 24 should be a good one if anyone is willing to brave the cold. It'll be a rematch of last year's Super Regional Matchup.