And another day of meetings

I'm not exactly sure which it was today, a waiver day, and in-service, or maybe something else; but for once i found the meeting more interesting than usual. Instead of going to one more ELL meeting (and some of those can be well, let's just say on the somnabulistic side), i chose to meet with the social studies people.

Let me say this first, i haven't had a social studies class for almost six years, so most of the teaching has been pure joy and generally my planning is not a paper thing. Can't write a rough draft 'til after I'm finished, so planning is often backwards for me. I see exactly what i want to teach and then can write it down. We were a very small group (influenced I think by the no child left behind act, many of the teachers who could be teaching social studies are sticking to reading and writing so once again have left behind most of what was once fun about learning...and although Bush may emphasize citizenship, without a model all the readin', and ritin', and rithmatic, can be dull, but i digress). Just some of the sixth, one of the seventh, and a few of the eight grade teachers met to discuss not only what we are doing individually, but also looking at how we were linking to state and district learning requirements.

Since my ELL social studies group has all grade levels, i really did want to hear what other teachers were doing to see if what was in/on my mind fell in with what others were doing. Happy to say that, "Yes, it did. " And now on the front seat of my car is my curriculum. Or the beginning of it. I might even type it up and tweak it a little over the weekend. And i am even a little ahead of schedule is some ways. Coming up in a couple weeks, the school is celebrating "Citizenship Week." I can honestly say the my group has already been discussing what it means to be a citizen. And for a room of mostly non-citizens of this county not an easy topic to grasp. That same week, i will again be observed by the principal (yippee!).

On a family note, remembering Mom and smart, sarcastic, opinionated...i think we all have had at least one of those qualities bite us on the butt....