Oh, ISTEP, how I loathe thee.

Goal of the week: I'm thinking that I should go back to lesson plans. I was trying to be all lofty and get work done on my projects for graduate school and raise the bar by thinking about my place in the universe of education... and everything went south with my lesson planning abilities for the past two weeks. Yeah. I'm going back to small, attainable goals.

Thought of the day: Oh, ISTEP, how I loathe thee.

Really, having the whole school on a weird schedule because of a test the middle school peeps are taking really doesn't make much sense. I have my first period class for over two hours. You do not keep angry, tired, unfed teenagers in a room for two hours and expect them not to turn the place completely upside down.

Now, let's add insult to injury: my DVD player is busted. This is a really bad thing. Usually, I teach the kids for the normal 55 minute lesson and then I pop in a movie. Now, that isn't an option. I'm thinking board games might be in order.

I can't let them sleep. My students suggested that to me this morning. I will not allow it. It's illegal. They pleaded with me but I will not allow it.

This is going ot be a painful well. One of the other teachers that uses my room during my prep period (displaced SPED teacher without a room) put in the work order for the DVD player to be fixed over 2 weeks ago. Of COURSE they are going to come and take it during testing week. For the record... it was the tape player of the DVD/tape player combo that was busted. The DVD player still worked. I'm not in my happy place.

At least I got the schedule poster made and on the wall next to my door. That will help the students figure out where to go and when. I hated re-drawing it on the board 15 million times back in march. Just because I was on a poster roll today with the construction paper, I also made a "FYI - What YOU Need to Graduate" poster. I hope the kids find that one informative, since they're always asking me. Eventually, my room will be covered in posters. I like it that way.

Slowly but surely, I learn a few more tricks every week on making my life easier. Maybe, by the end of the year, I'll have figured out enough to to sleep. Hahahahahaha!