One Week

Last weekend I decided that I spend too much time on Facebook, so I decided to limit my use to Friday evening through Sunday evening. I made it a week on my technology diet and was happy that I was able to abstain. I was really very tempted several times and was able to wait. Ah, delayed gratification.

I went to one of the local high schools twice this week to hang out with a friend who was helping out with their homecoming. It was good to see a few former students. One of them showed me pictures of his toe when it got ripped off in a four wheeling accident during a trip to Michigan. One of them pointed out his new gauges in his ears, and I asked if they hurt when he made them bigger. He explained that it doesn't as long as you increase it correctly. It sounds random, but these were kind of kids that I most enjoyed teaching. I think they're interesting. I realized that this is the last group that I will have taught there and the last faces I'll recognize should I go to homecoming evening events next year. I felt a little sad at that.

With my own students this week, most things went well. I don't do a lot of hands on work with them, but I decided to test the waters with a propaganda exercise. We had defined six methods like bandwagon, testimonial, etc so I gave them a stack of magazines and told them to find an image for each one and to be ready to explain it. They were engaged, and this was a good sign. Sometimes I forget that trying to engage them can be important in learning. With so much focus on assessments and AYP I feel scandalous if I do much fun stuff because what's the line? Is the time spend flipping though the magazines to find these examples a waste of time? I would argue that it wasn't because they had to think of what would fit and what wouldn't, and they used their notes during the assignment.