Big Week

This Friday we will play Rogers for the chance to go to the playoffs. It has been an up and down season but with a win on Friday we can reach one of our team goals. All the coaches have been putting in a lot of hours to make sure we are doing everything possible to win the game. Besides it's not like I have anything else to do........ I'm trying to get all my assignments done for the MAT (and catch up on a few more), get all my practice and game planning finished, figure out what I'm going to teach this week, and conquer all of my daddy duties (still not sleeping much). Somehow I'm not that stressed. There's nothing like the anticipation of a big game to make the week exciting!

Yikes

I returned to school yesterday expecting to have to deal with a few discipline problems, but what I found was just as alarming. For the three days I was gone my kids did nothing. Seriously, they did nothing. I had to have another teacher leave my notes for the sub, but I read their instructions and they were perfectly clear. I wanted to get upset, but that wouldn't change the fact that we are three days behind. Needless to say, it's been a little difficult getting the kids (and probably myself) back in "school mode".

Our new arrival

First off, sorry I couldn't make it down to see everyone last weekend. As you probably know, my wife delivered our second son on Wednesday. Tyler had a few minor complications more than likely due to the c section. It is a bit scary to see your own child receive oxygen and have to be on a feeding tube--but after seeing quite a few babies rushed to the NICU or airvaced to Little Rock I know that my wife and I were both lucky and blessed to only deal with a little fluid in the lungs and some rapid breathing. You never realize how many complications occur during childbirth until you actually witness it. Anyway, all is great now and we are spending our first night home as a family of four. Tyler is a wonderful sleeper and we are cautiously optimistic that he will stay that way. Our first son, Cooper, slept great for a couple of weeks before he "woke up". Tomorrow is back to work and I'm sure my wonderful 7th graders were on their best behavior for the sub while I was gone!

Thought you guys might enjoy seeing my family. My oldest, Cooper, is almost 2 1/2, and of course the smaller one is Tyler. I promise that I really do have a wife, I just couldn't coax her into a postop picture for my educational blog :)

Conquering the Grind

Well, I imagine this is the part of the semester where the grind sets in. For the last couple of weeks my kids have grown tired of Microtype Pro. Luckily, we started a new unit this week and I will have the opportunity to be more hands on for the last nine weeks. For those who might be keeping up, we have not had our baby yet but the c section is scheduled for Monday. Our two year old has an upper respiratory infection and two ear infections as well. Hopefully, we can get him well before the new baby arrives. Anyway, I'm halfway through my first semester, and I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Diversity in the classroom

To me, this picture exemplifies the diversity in my classroom. Obviously, the two kids on the outside are Hispanic and the girl in the middle is white. What this picture doesn't tell you is that the boy on the right is 504 and has an IEP. I have to shorten his assignments and give him extra time to complete the quizzes and tests. He is also ADD and is an ELL. He has to sit in front of the class and I often have to redirect his attention and monitor his work as often as possible. The girl in the middle is a member of the band and a GT student. She is an excellent student who's grandmother taught in our district for over 30 years. I sit her next to the boy because he often talks in class and my hope is that she can redirect him on task. Plus, as typical for 7th graders, when I sit the boy next to the girl on the right--all he did was flirt with her! The girl on the left is very smart (although she does not make good grades) and drives all the boys crazy. She is very sweet and kind but I have to sit her beside people who are not her friends because she can be easily distracted.

What a week!

Wow, what a stressful and crazy week! On Tuesday, my wife had to go to the hospital when she started having severe contractions. I had to leave my school immediately and pick her up. Luckily, they were able to stop the contractions with some kind of medicine-that she has to take for at least three more weeks. Then I went to Monticello all day Saturday only to come home to another doctor visit the next day.............I was at our field house in the middle of our game planning when my wife called hysterical. Our son, Cooper, had been run over by a four wheeler! We rushed him to the emergency room where he had to get stitches on his eye lid. Crazy week! Thank God my kids were actually very well behaved this week. I don't think I could have taken a bad week from them.

First Two Weeks

My first two weeks in the classroom were a little crazy. It seems that whenever I expect a smooth and productive day I then get the complete opposite. Of course, when I think that disaster is on the brink, these 7th graders surprise me. It has been a fun two weeks, but also completely exhausting. My schedule is pretty hectic--I arrive at the High School at 6:45 for 1st period sophomore football, teach 7th grade keyboarding during the day, then get home around 7--but I am absolutely loving it. I'm slowly getting used to the structure and confinement of teaching, and I am starting to believe that I might have my 7th graders in line by the time this semester is over!