How is it already December on Friday? While I was home sick for Thanksgiving, alone with my multitude of pets, I had a thought that began, "In October..." and I genuinely thought for a moment that October of THIS year hadn't happened yet. I don't know if that explains my lack of posting this fall or not, but this fall has been a time warp of sorts. It's gone on for years and years, but also it just started.
It's report card week. The first third of the school year ends on Friday. I've spent time over the past two or three weeks doing what I can to get my students to turn in their work or complete work they submitted incomplete, even blank in some cases. I've sent a myriad of emails with the message that I really want their report cards to show their abilities. I have end of unit projects due on Friday in most of my classes, that should be included on the first trimester report cards, which means I'll have to spend this weekend working on my report cards. Maybe I'll be able to plan better for the end of the second trimester.
October was packed with blog worthy events, but somehow I never found the time to sit and reflect on them. We took a field trip to the Gates Foundation Discovery Center. We participated in the middle school color games, with pep rally-like activities that pitted the three grade levels against one another. Students participated in a north African trade simulation. On Halloween the staff dressed up as Care Bears and my favorite student costume was "Lilliana Jones." The primary years Spanish teacher put up the annual Dia de los Muertos altar and we honored our deceased loved ones.
Suddenly it's the end of November. The past couple of weeks have been a blur. Our middle school spends one day each trimester devoted to service. My advisory went to a local assisted living facility and spent a few hours raking in the morning before spending the afternoon creating Christmas gifts and Mother's Day gifts for the residents. A local author, Carl Dueker (who used to teach in my classroom) came in and gave a writing lesson to our middle schoolers. He had them write a story in small groups. Even the most reticent of my students was highly engaged.
My school has fall conference week the week of Thanksgiving. I had three conferences on Wednesday morning and had intended to meet a friend for lunch afterwards. Instead, I came home and slept. I proceeded to sleep through Thanksgiving, while the rest of my household traveled out of state to celebrate Thanksgiving and a baptism with my in-laws. I woke up on Friday with a fever. I woke up on Saturday feeling okay, but by the evening my stomach was a wreck. I slept through Sunday. And then school started again... with report card week.
And did I mention that it's also the week the middle school teachers get together and discuss high school applications? Maybe it's time to plan a winter getaway.
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