Somehow it seems like there has been far more time passed here than the calendar says. I'm feeling like it is into late October and yet here we are, barely into our third week of school, and already with 2-1/2 days of extra closure that should have me feeling refreshed. I cannot figure out if it is the disorganization or the effort that has me worn out. I need more storage space than there is in the classrooms. I miss filing cabinets to store work and papers. I miss my filing slots on my desk. I miss the extra room for tables, upon which I could store pencils and erasers and glue sticks and other paraphernalia. I miss functional calculators! And mostly, I miss my electric pencil sharpener. I am going to buy one next weekend when I am staying over in Montreal.
I am enjoying the small successes, though. My grade 7 class has gone bonkers for the whole concept of the "Good Student" tokens. I walk into the class, hold up the tokens, and announce that I am always watching for students who are seated and ready to work. The mad scramble to the desks ensues, and a sea of smiling faces with zippered lips beams at me. Ah, tokens, how I love you! For Mr. Murray, whose idea it was originally, many thanks.
My grade 10 students are another kettle of fish...too cool for school, stuck with a mandatory credit course, they are steadfastly resisting any effort to get them to work. Even the use of a "job" and "payday" system did not go over too well until today. Today was the first chance they had to spend some "cash" on free-time coupons, or iPod time coupons. I'm trying to lure them into paying a lot ahead so that they won't have enough to pay the "rent" on their desks...talk about real-life applications when I "evict" my "tenants" for not paying rent! Bwa ha ha!
Anyhow, the payday was actually being well-received. And then I threw a wrench into the works. I dragged out a jumbo tub of homemade cookies. Well! Pandemonium! They could not part with their cash fast enough. Most of them have nothing left in the bank now, so my scheme is going according to plan. And the few who never bothered to show up more than once a week realized that they had not earned enough cash to participate. Life is hard, and I think they got the point.
The grade 11 class, who is also learning to budget, is a study in contrasts. Every one of them banked all of their money whereas the 10's banked only what they needed to pay their first "bill". Every one of the grade 11's attends daily and works hard. Some earn extra money as tutors and my banking helpers. The cookies also went over well there, and a few who had desperately craved the free time chose the food instead, but most went for the iPod day. Interesting....and they all have cash left for their next round of bills. Very interesting!
I'm going to be working like a beggar for the next two days. I have loads of marking to accomplish, lessons and materials for the week I'm away to prepare, and work ahead for the week back. I also have several tests to prepare for the 10's (who will likely fail en mass) and the 11's (who will almost all pass with flying colours). Interesting...
Hope everyone is well, and I am looking forward to my trip to Cape Dorset on the south-west part of Baffin Island. There is a store that specializes in Inuit art and soapstone carving, so I will allow myself to browse. Here's hoping that I get a direct deposit cheque today! TTFN!
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