lather, rinse, repeat...

last week was a little underwhelming but incredibly packed with students. I mentioned the state based language proficiency test for ELL.....? every morning but one i was testing at one of the high schools for the "speaking" part of the test. For me that means reading a lot of direction aloud and then evaluating the students pronunciation, comprehension, and responses. With the higher level transition students there is almost a conversation going on, with the newcomers...sometimes even the repetition is painful. I think I can recite from memory the script used by the proctors.
This week I am subbing full days since my district takes the "mid-winter" break. I don't need this break, the high schoolers have just started a new semester (so they don't need it either) and soon everyone will be taking the "no child left behind" inspired state assessment of student learning. What joy that will be. So today i was with 9th grade students, tomorrow with seventh grade, Thursday and Friday not yet set.
On a more personal note, I went to see Taiko with my nephew, Finn, a couple of Sundays ago. It was a kids based performances so fun to learn about the drums while listening to the music. Afterwards, we had a family birthday party. Actually, I think that was the first time since November that the parts of my family that live on this side of the state got together.
Still working out, I'm noticing that there is a little more room in the hips of my pants and a lot more energy for me on the cardio days.

wicked tired

......as in no rest for the wicked. The day started around five and I just got home. I subbed math this morning then had my classes, then lots of correcting. Doesn't sound like much, but in the between times i was writing up the lesson plan for my level three group. Sort of a cross between one of those survival games and decision making. They had a list of some 25 different things and had to decide which fifteen they should take on a camping trip in the mountains and why.

i let them work in pairs to decide but the harder part was actually writing down why you wanted to take the sleeping bag but not the binoculars. Tomorrow we will discuss the choices they made and why, then talk about the excerpted novel "My Side of the Mountain". I read this book when I was in 4th or 5th grade, it's sort of a Walden's Pond for kids.

now to tackle the shopping and the laundry I need to do

....I hope you find blessings in doing all you need to do for each day.

nothing special...

Feeling better, the bio- kids are mid way through reading and info gathering. Monday they get to research on the web, Tuesday they will be looking at a biography and we'll be talking about "topic sentences" and concluding sentences. Neither of which they are very good at yet.
the Natural world class wrote a quick and dirty paragraph on their chosen animal. After grading it, I will give back and we'll talk about using the same animal to write a poem. ...this loosely based on the unit they are in. My tutoring group has increased from the one student on January second to four students ending the month.
The ELL team is talking about the state English language proficiency test...this is not the same as the state assessment of student learning. There is some tension about the scoring and record keeping....i am trying to stay out of the middle but I may be dragged in.going to hear/see the Portland Taiko group later today with my nephew and then meeting other family members for dinner. We are not super bowling.
Trying to figure out my taxes but still waiting on a few forms....

.....blessed by everything and nothing in particular