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practitioner
Aug. 4th, 2011 07:20 pmTuesday was registration day. I didn't have any duties until the last shift, so I was trying to get stuff ready in my classroom. It was annoying though 'cuz I couldn't get online 'cuz the phone/ethernet lines weren't up in my part of the building. I mostly did a bit of cleaning out junk. The previous tenant had left a massive store of ketchup/fast food miscellany packets behind. Figuring out an arrangement for the desks was a bit of an ordeal. For the most part, I love my room. Its one tragic flaw, however, is the fact that there are two giant fucking pillars in the middle of the room. It's long in shape, but I can arrange the desks so that at least every one can see the one dry erase board (okay, that's not great either, but whatever). This also means that I've a good line of sight at every desk when I'm in my natural presenting area. However, should I decide to move around, no matter what someone's gonna be hidden by a pillar. Fuck. Oh well, nothing I can do about that. Anyway, there was a short break starting at 3:30 so I went home for a little bit and then went back at 5:30. I was initially assigned to work one of the doors with another teacher ("front door" and this entails keeping people from trying to get in it), but I was immediately pulled away to another job running copies for the assistant principals that were working one specialized table in the registration process. So I was pretty busy. We were supposed to be working til 8, but it they didn't stop til every student was registered and we weren't able to go til after 9, I believe. So getting home that night was kinda blah. There was a bit of niceness upon returning home in two packages for me: one huge, one small. My other delay pedal and Voyager had returned home from their voyage. Haven't gotten to play with 'em yet or anything (or even remove the big one from its packaging), but it's nice to welcome 'em home.
Yesterday began the practitioners summit at Bellevue. It was my first time being in that monstrosity! But it was alright. Traffic yesterday was horrendous. I mean, you've got about every teacher in the Memphis City Schools district converging upon this one place. I thought I was coming a little early, but I was stuck in a line of cars for just over an hour. But that's okay, just missed a little bit of speeches in the main room as I'm sure at least a thoursand others did as well. Then you sign up for these individual classes all around. Well, the keynote speaker was still going when the classes were supposed to start (I think things had gotten started a bit late) and kept going and going. I wasn't even aware of the time, but someone next to me mentioned it was the time the first group of classes started. I held out a little bit, maybe ten or fifteen minutes, but I eventually bailed too. It was a good thing 'cuz my class had in fact already started. (I think stuff was still going on when it ended a little early too). It wasn't a great speech either. I mean, this woman from Harvard was telling her damn life story going on about her childhood. I mean, she related it back to education a little, but it was pretty ridiculous (especially seeing as how classes were being missed and such). Later on, the organizers seemed annoyed that people were leaving during her speech and all future general assembly activities would not be over til they were over and announcements would be made altering the schedule. That never happened again. And they never altered THAT schedule so... My first class was kinda dumb. I thought it would be good or helpful and it was the only class that ended up being kinda a joke. I mean, there might be a little I could get from it, but, eh. It was on using sports in the math classroom. The instructor guy had about four ideas (kept asking us for more ideas as well) and there wasn't much to it. A couple ideas might be a little useful, but it was a bit of a letdown. Then it was time for a pretty lame lunch. Chicken sandwiches containing: frozen chicken patties, pickles, and bread; chips; and chocolate chip cookies I was unable to eat. Then I sat around a good while before the next general assembly with some new coworkers I ran into. The afternoon class was the one I was most excited about. It delt with investigating randomness. The only thing was it was all statistics and even though I have a mathematics degree I have never once in my life taken any sort of statistics class. So there was a lot of language I knew absolutely nothing about, but the teacher was great and it was pretty interesting nonetheless. After all that, Mary Beth and I went to the gym yesterday evening.
Today traffic was much better. There was a little bit of a line right at the exit, but nothing insane. I was even early and all that. I did do something stupid. We had these barcode printouts we had to bring as proof we were there. Well, I brought yesterday's yesterday, but left today's at home so they couldn't get lost. Well, as I they weren't already pre-packed today, of course I forgot 'em. Anyway, they gave me some other form to fill out and more on this other form later. The speaker this morning was much better. He was actually quite good. I had lunch right after that today and today's lunch more than made up for yesterday. It was generally the same, but the sandwich now consisted of brisket and break. And considering how mass produced it was, it was pretty damn good brisket (I even went back for seconds after my class). My first class of the day didn't seem to exciting. It just had to do with the curriculum maps, but the woman who presented it is the one who's in charge of all that and I've been to meetings with her before and like her quite a bit. She even spent a large part of the time talking about her mother's air conditioner having gone out and it was still somehow enjoyable. So yeah, more brisket and I ran into Ms. Wallace from Melrose and talked with her a bit in the courtyard (which is actually kinda nice in spite of the crapitude of the surrounding building) at least until my sweat got too drippy. Then it was the afternoon general session and then my last class which I was expecting to be the worst. It was about the changes in the upcoming introduction of the core standards (which are actually based on our state standards). Sounds boring as fuck but the presenter was really good and it was a pretty good class. Well, upon leaving I noticed a side exit nearby so I got out and was off home to relax! Upon changing and relaxing I realized that my bypassing the main doors led me to forget to turn in my form so in a huff I had to drive back out there (even bringing the barcodes along for good measure) and find where to turn 'em in amidst the detrius of everyone packing up. I was pointed to the correct room and tossed it in a box so that worked out. Anyway, I haven't had any damn time to get any shit ready so I guess I should do that shit huh?
Yesterday began the practitioners summit at Bellevue. It was my first time being in that monstrosity! But it was alright. Traffic yesterday was horrendous. I mean, you've got about every teacher in the Memphis City Schools district converging upon this one place. I thought I was coming a little early, but I was stuck in a line of cars for just over an hour. But that's okay, just missed a little bit of speeches in the main room as I'm sure at least a thoursand others did as well. Then you sign up for these individual classes all around. Well, the keynote speaker was still going when the classes were supposed to start (I think things had gotten started a bit late) and kept going and going. I wasn't even aware of the time, but someone next to me mentioned it was the time the first group of classes started. I held out a little bit, maybe ten or fifteen minutes, but I eventually bailed too. It was a good thing 'cuz my class had in fact already started. (I think stuff was still going on when it ended a little early too). It wasn't a great speech either. I mean, this woman from Harvard was telling her damn life story going on about her childhood. I mean, she related it back to education a little, but it was pretty ridiculous (especially seeing as how classes were being missed and such). Later on, the organizers seemed annoyed that people were leaving during her speech and all future general assembly activities would not be over til they were over and announcements would be made altering the schedule. That never happened again. And they never altered THAT schedule so... My first class was kinda dumb. I thought it would be good or helpful and it was the only class that ended up being kinda a joke. I mean, there might be a little I could get from it, but, eh. It was on using sports in the math classroom. The instructor guy had about four ideas (kept asking us for more ideas as well) and there wasn't much to it. A couple ideas might be a little useful, but it was a bit of a letdown. Then it was time for a pretty lame lunch. Chicken sandwiches containing: frozen chicken patties, pickles, and bread; chips; and chocolate chip cookies I was unable to eat. Then I sat around a good while before the next general assembly with some new coworkers I ran into. The afternoon class was the one I was most excited about. It delt with investigating randomness. The only thing was it was all statistics and even though I have a mathematics degree I have never once in my life taken any sort of statistics class. So there was a lot of language I knew absolutely nothing about, but the teacher was great and it was pretty interesting nonetheless. After all that, Mary Beth and I went to the gym yesterday evening.
Today traffic was much better. There was a little bit of a line right at the exit, but nothing insane. I was even early and all that. I did do something stupid. We had these barcode printouts we had to bring as proof we were there. Well, I brought yesterday's yesterday, but left today's at home so they couldn't get lost. Well, as I they weren't already pre-packed today, of course I forgot 'em. Anyway, they gave me some other form to fill out and more on this other form later. The speaker this morning was much better. He was actually quite good. I had lunch right after that today and today's lunch more than made up for yesterday. It was generally the same, but the sandwich now consisted of brisket and break. And considering how mass produced it was, it was pretty damn good brisket (I even went back for seconds after my class). My first class of the day didn't seem to exciting. It just had to do with the curriculum maps, but the woman who presented it is the one who's in charge of all that and I've been to meetings with her before and like her quite a bit. She even spent a large part of the time talking about her mother's air conditioner having gone out and it was still somehow enjoyable. So yeah, more brisket and I ran into Ms. Wallace from Melrose and talked with her a bit in the courtyard (which is actually kinda nice in spite of the crapitude of the surrounding building) at least until my sweat got too drippy. Then it was the afternoon general session and then my last class which I was expecting to be the worst. It was about the changes in the upcoming introduction of the core standards (which are actually based on our state standards). Sounds boring as fuck but the presenter was really good and it was a pretty good class. Well, upon leaving I noticed a side exit nearby so I got out and was off home to relax! Upon changing and relaxing I realized that my bypassing the main doors led me to forget to turn in my form so in a huff I had to drive back out there (even bringing the barcodes along for good measure) and find where to turn 'em in amidst the detrius of everyone packing up. I was pointed to the correct room and tossed it in a box so that worked out. Anyway, I haven't had any damn time to get any shit ready so I guess I should do that shit huh?
