Looking back on the past year

A year ago I was graduating college and applying for jobs. Well here we are again... applying for jobs at least. With the exception of the drama of my some of my "colleagues" I had a really great first year of teaching. More laughs than tears (which didn't come until March the tears I mean), more smiles than frowns, and health insurance that stays in effect until August 31, 2010!!

I found the most difficult part of my year was laughing at things that I should not be laughing at...quite a few correctly used "that's what she said" moments. Reading parts of different stories aloud that when read aloud are rather sexual. And I of course start to giggle because sometimes I cannot stop myself.

Discovery Education has a great online streaming selection for different standards or activities. I fell in love with a grammar series called "Dark Marker." It covers the basics, but most of my students needed a refresher. There is one episode about pronouns and the sentence ended up being "Buzz rode (insert noun/pronoun). Hilarity!

My students are really honest with me, which is okay. More often then not I hear things that I don't want to hear. Most came from my male students. Some examples:

"I know he is all man." Said by a male student in reference to another male student.

"I need to take a dump."

"Both of my nuts are fully functioning."

"That book has blow jobs in it!" (my response, "Let's just call blow jobs sex")

I hope I can land another job to have another excellent year with teenagers!