that's a big spider

Do you see that?! I get to see it every time I enter or leave my apartment, since it's on the way downstairs. It's got a pretty amazing web, too.

So. School's getting better. A lot of my students are starting to constantly harass me (in a good way). I still don't know a lot of the teachers because a lot of them are anti-social/have their own thing going on and we're spread out over the huge school. The culture of the school is definitely different, a mixture of being really relaxed and really micromanaged. From what I've heard, some of these students have had 3-5 teachers for one class in the same YEAR. How does that happen?? Plus, quite a few of the other teachers (so far! I haven't met & talked to all of them) seem to really dislike their job, teaching and the students. Whatever. It's a job and I'll probably stick with it cause the kids are great.
I finally caught up this week, too. I don't have half of what I had last week to grade. I've made all my copies. I've put grades into the gradebook and been able to show some kids their grades. I had plans for the full week ready. This upcoming week will have the first tests of the year, I did pretty good getting them ready seeing as how I had no idea what kind of tests teachers usually give at these schools. I'll be interested in seeing how they do.
We watched the debate last night. Well, David watched all of it, I took breaks every now and then to watch or do other things. Too much of politics is like too much of anything else: dangerous to your health.

self-portrait

self portrait meme:
take a picture of yourself right now.
Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair...just take a picture.
Post that picture with NO editing.
Post these instructions with your picture.

Okay, okay, so I took that last night. I didn't have much time to post last night between trying to relax a little from a very busy week at school and then get back to grading the massive amount of papers left.
But I basically look the same right now. I'm still on my bed, Gabriel's still taking a nap on top of me. He's really into cuddling recently. No matter where I am, he's gotta be there. He's even been sleeping between D and I through the night. This has really upset Jackie because that was our time to cuddle and she's very picky about how she curls up with someone.

Today was all about grading. I graded my ass off. I've gone through 3 classes of introduction letters and have only one more to go (24 more!). These kids do not play around when it comes to turning in work, man. I am not used to that. I also just finished up checking off the Beowulf/Grendel maps and weekly journals for one class and am about half done doing that for a 10th grade class, too. Sweet! It looks like Mrs. P might just get some "me" time this week!
I had some pretty awesome experiences this week at school. I'll hopefully find some time to sit down and tell you about them soon. I'm getting more used to it and the kids are getting more comfortable with me. I still haven't really gotten to know a lot of the other teachers. They're... strange. Very welcoming, but also, not so much. One of the other new-to-the-school teachers just moved back to the US after living in Germany (her husband's in the military) came to see me early on in the week to say that anytime I wanted to talk, vent, share ideas, etc. to come see her. I'll probably take her up on that this upcoming week.
One big thing happened this week (that I was told about 2 days before it happened--ahh!): Back to School Night/Open House. I saw quite a few parents. One of the dads reminded me of Bob D. He had all sorts of questions, elbowed me a little bit about grading, the schedule, etc, and then shook my hand and said "Welcome to NK county!" I asked him, "Was this my initiation?" He seemed to get a kick out of that. Whew.

so you wanna know about the new job, eh?

Pros:
-Barely any kids in the hallway
-No workrooms (because it means all my stuff is in one place instead of 2 or more)
-Not one, but two cabinets in the room
-Not one, but two bookshelves in the room
-New high school! Whoa!
-Kids are super friendly
-95% of them do their work without me begging and pleading with them.
-They have their own supplies
-No tardies. Well, no unexcused tardies. When they come in late, they freak out and apologize a thousand times and have a note.
-Principal and APs are cool, and ALL the office workers are nice (those of you that do not work in schools and can't remember those that worked in the office: THIS NEVER HAPPENS! I swear, there always has to be ONE that always looks pissed off.)
-The Promethean Board. I can't really explain it for those of you that don't know what Smart boards or PBoards are like, but I am totally in love with this thing.


Cons:
-Sometimes, I feel useless because they all just sit and do their work.
-No workrooms (because it means I don't know any of the other teachers since we all have our own rooms)
-Classrooms next to me are empty or a computer lab that no one uses, and across the hall from me is a wall. So, it kinda feels like I'm all alone over there. (pro of that is: it's quiet?)
-I don't know the kids and everyone else knows everyone.
-They say "that's gay" and "fag" a lot more. And wear more confederate flags.
-I miss bonding with the kid that borrowed pencils every day. And the kids that always strolled in late every class.
-Lots of forms to fill out.
-A teacher told mesome students chew tobacco in class (ew) and some bring their guns or crossbows to school during hunting season. Uh...

Pictures are on flickr. I was going to put some here, but I'm tired and I have a lot of letters to grade and other stuff to take care of before Back to School night tomorrow night.


My 12th graders are cool, though. Super cool, for the most part (minus a few that sit in the back corner, never shut up and are really stuck up). My 10th graders are... strange. My 7th period is hilarious, 5th period's okay, 2nd period is sleepy. One of the science teachers I met today said, "Oh, you're the new English teacher! I'm _____, we both teach 10th grade." So I made a joke about how fun they can be and she said "Yeah, the 10th graders this year are a little undercooked". That was hilarious, and also very true. I think it was just a bad year for kids, cause the kids in the same class at The Old School are "undercooked" as well. It happens sometimes.
I think it'll be okay and I know I'll get used to it. It's a little hard right now because at the end of the school day, I just sigh and think "I miss Granby". Obama was there this week and I had excited messages from former students and Tye. It made me miss them a lot and wish I could share that excitement with them. I know it'll get easier and I'll start feeling more a part of this new school, but right now, I just feel confused, slightly overwhelmed, lost and like an outsider. Part of that is because I started late, another is because it's a lot smaller and a third is that I am an outsider. A lot of the people I'm working with and a lot of the students have all known each other for years and years already. But, like I said, it'll get better. Even if it doesn't, I'll make it work because most of me is just happy to be teaching again.
Oh yeah, and one of the Assistant Principals is like Dan W-K's redheaded twin. It is freaky how alike they are. I also have a student that looks almost exactly like a student I had last year. This morning, I saw her in the hallway and almost called her Stephanie instead of her real name.

warning: political post

Okay, so I watched most of the Democratic convention. I loved Michelle Obama's speech (next Jackie O. much? She is gorgeous!) , I loved Joe Biden's, and I especially love Barack Obama's. It was inspiring and uplifting, but I felt they kept it kind of realistic.
So, I've been trying to watch parts of the RNC, but I just can't after a while. It's so incredibly negative and has so many personal attacks that it's just ridiculous. I find myself wanting to yell at the TV! David was watching Rudy Guliani's speech last night while I was in another room, and what I heard was just... horrible. It was really, really... something else. I don't even know how to explain it.
And don't even get me started on Palin. I am very glad that a woman is involved (yay women in politics! Woo!), but this woman is not only completely inexperienced, but is also incredibly crazy extreme. I used to have respect for McCain. I really did. And then he became the Republican candidate. Now, I'm not denying that Democrats have their issues, and that Barack Obama has some downfalls, but goddamn are the Republicans making all those issues look like nothing compared to what I've heard out of their mouths recently.

Let me share some good reading with you...
Save Richmond: How to Be a Republican Hypocrite
Feministing: Palin's Handling of Other People's Pregnant Teens
John McCain thinks women are stupid

Oh, and not to mention, my favorite John McCain moment (yes, besides the whole not knowing how many houses he owns and having to get back to people about whether or not birth control should be covered by insurance, even though viagra is and that's never debated): "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt". Not only does he call her a cunt, but he uses my favorite word: trollop! Yes! McCain/Palin '08! Sign me up!


Ohhhh yeahhhhhh, by the way, I got a job.


ETA: Megan passed along this blog, and right at the top was this post: Because She's a White Republican. Also:

I love Keith Olbermann.