actually rather depressing

that little tidbit there. I posted it for a funny, but a lot of teachers were like, wait a minute....

hehe

Speaking of not getting paid enough for what we do, tonight we drove 30 minutes out of the way to do parent teacher interviews for the rural folks whose kids go to my school. A nice gesture, sure, but I just got home 10 minutes ago. We have p/t interviews again Wednesday night at school and again Thursday afternoon. Thursday morning is to be spent in an in-school PD on how to use powerpoint and use email. I'm pretty bitter, especially considering that I did a powerpoint presentation in order to get my job. Also, I've had a computer since I was about 7, even if it was the super old-school one where you stuck the giant casette disks in the back of the keyboard part. Point being, clearly, I do not need any amount of tutoring in these matters, and could use my time much more effectively to finish up marking or something. But alas. Friday is also to be spent in PD, but this one is actually 5 minutes away from my house, not at school, and although it won't be useful for teaching art (because there is no such thing as art PD, as far as I can tell), I'm getting a course on digital photography (not useful for teaching because we don't have any cameras, let alone digi ones) and one on positive learning environment/making connections with kids, which should be generally useful. I don't have a problem making connections with kids, but I'm always looking for ways to improve, and there was nothing else worth taking.

Anyway, p/t tonight wasn't bad, I had 9 parents show up, which was more than I had bargained for, but most didn't stay long because either their kids are doing really well, or they're doing decent (no failers parents showed up), and either way, I only have the 9s and 10s for 2 more days, so it's a bit late in the game to be making any drastic changes. Nobody yelled at me or questioned my credentials, so I consider the evening a huge success. We had supper at the Irving Big Stop so I got to have breakfast, which was also a bonus.

Just saw an ad for ER, it looks exciting this week!

I'd like to have a party or something for Halloween, any ideas?

I have detention duty tomorrow, so I'm stuck at school til 5, and should be able to get most of my marking done. I'm not accepting projects after tomorrow (such a bitch, eh?) since I haven't assigned anything new for a week, we've just been catching up and doing textbook work. Tomorrow is review and then Wednesday is a test, so all I should have to mark is the tests. I should be able to finish those up without too much trouble and be able to have some fun this weekend, before jumping right in to 3 new classes on Monday. *sigh*. I've got things set to go a bit better though, I'm giving a more detailed outline with the class supply requirements on it, those being class fee, pencils, a pen, eraser, notbook, and sketchbook. I was feeling all bad making them pay their fees, giving them pencils etc, but that's not the way it's been done before, so I'm going to follow this one thing in the old art teacher's footsteps. I'm also going to make them bring in 2 pieces of bristol board (2/$1 at dollarama) to make a portfolio they can bring home with them. The fee for 9s and 10s is only $10, which doesn't cover much, and gets them all the supplies beyond what was mentioned above, which is a lot of stuff. I also found a 'classroom expectations' sheet that he had the students sign, I'm doing that one over as well. It has really clearly spelled out consequences, what's ok and what's not, which is exactly the same things I've been telling my students, but this one they have to read and sign and give back, so there's no pleading ignorance later.

Anyway, I had planned on a really quick hello and then to bed, and this went long and now I'm sucked in to CSI: Miami, so I'll go watch that in my jammies.

a bientot.