First of the Year

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time again for "Overheard in North Dallas Suburban High". Today, we were playing a game where students had to compete against one another at the board. During the tiebreaker round, the two contestants were two females, a black student and a white student. A., another black student loudly whispers to her black teammate: "Girl, win it for slavery!"

It's Almost Friday

I can't believe that Friday's almost here, and my classes are still just the best thing ever in life. They are attentive, willing to learn, and talkative (but in a good way--it means they're "engaged"). I am speaking completely in French to my 3rd year students, and it is amazing that they are understanding me...I am the only French teacher that they've had, and so it means I have done something right. It's amazing that I leave each day with a smile on my face bigger than the Kool-Aid man. I just start cheesin'! It's pretty tiring getting up so early again, but it's been worth it this week.

Can It Get Any Better?

I wish I would have started my blog at the beginning of last year as a sort of reference. As the Ice Cube song goes, "Today was a Good Day...". I arrived to school at about 6:40, and was stuck in a room for about 1.5 hours with a group of seniors. During this time, schedules and handbooks were handed out, and we watched a video on what not to do at school. 1st period began close to 9am (normally it begins at 7:30), and I continued the days without major disaster. All of my students seems genuinely interested in learning French, and are really, really excited about it. It's really funny when kids come up to me and tell me that they know a lot of French already (usually it's hello and goodbye). So I am siting on Cloud 9--my 9th graders are interested, and my 11th graders aren't taking the class because they have to, but because they like French...My principal came in twice today, and had a general "wow" look on his face both times. It is an awesome thing to my my boss' approval. I feel I need to bookmark this post so that I can see the silver lining come February.

You're Killing Me, Google

Somehow, I don't think this was what I had in mind when I signed up to support Google Ads... Though with the title of this post, the next ad might show me how to kill French people.

I Hate Meetings

Friday will mark the 6th consecutive workday that I will be attending meetings. As the school year begins, we teachers must attend a certain number of state mandated Teacher Development hours. 8-4 is NOT my idea of a fun time. Team Building and Professional Learning Communities (formally cluster groups) are the buzz words of the year. I am in the throes of trying to create some semblance of a classroom so that I can try to teach when Monday comes. 7:30 has been my coming home time this week, and I will be at school Saturday and Sunday, just to prepare for next week. Teachers should be paid for our extra, under-appreciated work. Ms. Watsit touched on this subject very poignantly here and here. Leaving $$$ out of the picture, I can't complain too much, because in looking at my roster my students look to be fairly strong across the board.

1 down, 186 to go!

I did it! I have completed the first day of the new school year (though it took 10 hours). I successfully navigated the waters of faculty meetings, old acquaintances, and paperwork. I have only just begun to attack my classroom, but it looks as though it will come together nicely. I am going to have to get someone who knows what they are doing to decorate the bulletin boards and what not, but it'll be fine. I have over a week to get everything done. I am trying to make my room as have as much French influence as possible, after being in and out of German, Spanish, English and History rooms for the last 2 years (O! The fun.). Now for the even funner news...I share a door with the In-School Suspension room (sans lock).

Laugh!

If you're in need of a good laugh, and you haven't been to these sites recently, you must visit: Overheard in New York Overheard in the Office Overheard at the Beach Live Well, Laugh Often.

Sound the Alarm

Well the big day is here. Tomorrow begins the end of my summer vacation. I am excited, yet at the same time aprehensive. I missed going to work everyday, teaching kids, and chatting with my colleaugues. At the same time, I didn't miss the whiny, needy, can't take responsibility for themselves kids. Quite the quandry...Luckily, the next week is just time with my fellow teachers, without students. For the first time in my 3 years teaching, I am going to have a space to call my own. No more trying to knock the kids down in the hallway to get to my next classroom before they do. I am NOT ashamed to be outside: Just the opposite. I stand up with pride and love for my new digs. Now, if I could only figure out how to decorate my moblie home classroom...

Partyin' Like It's 1899!

I got this idea (I'm not very creative, so ideas have to come from somewhere...) from Postcards from Somewhere From Wikipedia: Marcel Proust (July 10, 1871 -– November 18, 1922) was a French intellectual, novelist, essayist and critic, best known as the author of In Search of Lost Time (in French A la recherche du temps perdu, also translated previously as Remembrance of Things Past), a novel based upon the literary philosophy that memory and guilt inform great writing. "The following questions were posed to Proust when he was 13, and then again when he was 20. Apparently, it was the fashion in Belle Epoque-France, to sit around drinking, asking each other all sorts of inane questions and writing the answers in a journal. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Relaxing with friends and family, and having a good glass of Johnnie Walker. What is your greatest fear? Losing someone very close to me. Which historical figure do you most identify with? W.E.B DuBois Which living person do you most admire? My Fellow Educators, Sen. Barak Obama (Il.) What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Thrift. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Pretentiousness. What is your greatest extravagance? Johnnie Walker Gold. What is your favorite journey? A good book. Which living person do you most despise? Ken Lay. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? "Like..." What is your greatest regret? Not studying harder in college. When and where were you happiest? Teaching. Which talent would you most like to have? Amazing Math Skills. What is your current state of mind? Indifferent. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I'd be more impulsive. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be? The ability to be together more. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Living in France for over a year. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? An elderly person's loss of a child. Where would you like to live? The East Coast. What is your most marked characteristic? My listening skills. What is the quality you most like in a man? Loyalty. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Personality, Kindness, Intelligence . What do you most value in your friends? The ability to talk to them about any problem. Who are your favorite writers? Salinger, Baldwin, Camus, McCourt. Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Holden Caulfield. Who are your heroes in real life? People who do awesome things, despite of their upbringing. What is it that you most dislike? Those who let their personal beliefs affect the way they treat people. How would you like to die? While dreaming of my childhood. What is your motto? Your goal is greater than your struggle, so stay strong.

Karaoke Revolution!

I have to confess. I played Karaoke Revolution, and I liked it. No, I mean I really, really liked it. It's almost like a fix--it's addicting as all get out! You choose a song, a level of difficulty of judging, and the venue. While singing, you must stay on pitch (it is indicated by a little green arrow), and you get booed if you are horribly off! Different from most karaoke, you must also dance according to small arrows crawling across the screen. The pad that you use is similar to the 1980's Nintendo Power Pad. Get your dancing and singing in synch, you can get platinum and gold records, eventually releasing more songs. Singing and dancing...something I am mildly good at separately, but put together, I'm a disaster. I think this game was made for people like me.

Thank You, Geico

Move over Aflac duck. Step aside strangely accented gecko. There is a new man in town, and he has done something that neither of these two previous campaigns couldn't. Because of the hilarity of these new commercials, I have actually considered switching to Geico! I really had no idea that Little Richard was still relevant, but what can ya do?! I can't remember the last time I have laughed this much, no matter how many times the commercial airs. Keep hollerin', Rich! So delightfully creepy! (what is he, like 78 these days?)