The grade 10 class was in the kitchen this morning. We were baking a cake as their final test in Imperial to Metric capacity conversion. They all came out okay although the proof will be in the tasting, LOL! I'll have to try all three to give them their final mark...oh darn, eh?
While we waited for teh cakes, the students sat in on cleaning some seals from the recent hunt. They love to eat fresh from the catch, and offered me some as well. I got to try fresh (as in raw) seal liver and meat. A new experience for me. Not bad, but I still prefer steak, LOL!
Anyhow, it led up to a discussion about Michaelle Jeanne and her eating the seal heart in her Arctic travels, and how outraged all of the southerners were. It surprised a lot of the kids, who were baffled as to why anyone would object. It has been their norm for thousands of years, after all. So just an interesting note from the other side into that whole discussion. Yay for my kids for standing up for their beliefs!
TTFN!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Just updating...not too much is new.
I realized that I had not posted for a little bit, so here I am again.
For my Dad, the sunrise/sunset is as follows:
Today (May 1st)
Sunrise: 5:32
Sunset: 20:56
It means waking up VERY early in the morning, before 5:00 am as the sky gets light. It means going to bed in the daylight, and not getting to see the gorgeous Northern Lights displays because the sky is still too bright! The light show has been fantastic this spring, with the sky filled almost nightly. They were out again last night, but hard to see with twilight still on the horizon at 10:00 pm.
Stephen and I went to cribbage on Friday night. I came in second and won $40.00, he came in 3rd and won $20.00. WOOHOO! It is a lot of fun, but a tough choice between Bingo and cards for an evening of entertainment each Friday.
We're still waiting for the high school to be finished so we likely won't be in this spring. That's okay. I wasn't looking forward to slogging all of the boxes over anyhow, and my one year term is almost done. Ha ha, escaped the heavy work! :-D
Not much else is new, except that teh tax man will be nice to me this year. He will be VERY nice to me. It will help pay for our family Disney World vacation. Yay!!!!
That's all for today, TTFN!
For my Dad, the sunrise/sunset is as follows:
It means waking up VERY early in the morning, before 5:00 am as the sky gets light. It means going to bed in the daylight, and not getting to see the gorgeous Northern Lights displays because the sky is still too bright! The light show has been fantastic this spring, with the sky filled almost nightly. They were out again last night, but hard to see with twilight still on the horizon at 10:00 pm.
Stephen and I went to cribbage on Friday night. I came in second and won $40.00, he came in 3rd and won $20.00. WOOHOO! It is a lot of fun, but a tough choice between Bingo and cards for an evening of entertainment each Friday.
We're still waiting for the high school to be finished so we likely won't be in this spring. That's okay. I wasn't looking forward to slogging all of the boxes over anyhow, and my one year term is almost done. Ha ha, escaped the heavy work! :-D
Not much else is new, except that teh tax man will be nice to me this year. He will be VERY nice to me. It will help pay for our family Disney World vacation. Yay!!!!
That's all for today, TTFN!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Another week has come and gone...
It felt like a very long week, but it was a good week.
Report cards were finished on the weekend, and we had our parent-teacher conferences on Thursday. I have many more students passing this term, which makes me feel better. I have been working hard to find alternative ways of presenting the material to the students and it has really been helping. For example: the text showed them a word problem on building a bookshelf with 3/4" plywood, so high and so wide, and how far apart would the shelves be? Well, we first dissected the problem for important information, then drew a sketch on the board, and I gave the students 3/4" masking tape to mimic the "plywood" and had them "build" the bookcase right on the desktops. It worked very well. Another example: we were working on the radius, diameter, and circumference of circles. So first we just drew circles. Then we drew circles to a set radius on teh compass, and drew the radius on the circles. We labelled them and measured them. Then we did the same thing for diameter. Listed the measurements on teh board and found a pattern, namely that diameter was 2x the radius. Next, we took string and placed it around the outside of all of our circles, and measured it. We found another pattern, in that the string was always aroung 3.13-3.15 x larger than the diameter, so we "discovered" pi. The students had it down without a single struggle to memorize anything. Well done, sez meself!
Friday afternoon, the grade 7's and I went sliding. With the snow melting fast, it may have been our last time. I had a ball, and so did they. I went down a number of times until I wiped out and pulled a muscle in my back. Luckily, I was on a snow-covered hill, so I could "ice" it right away, LOL! Then we went back to teh class for hot chocolate, apples, and homemade oatmeal-banana-chocolate chip cake. Yummmmm!
Friday night I sold tickets for Bingo, then raced over to the Crib Club for my weekly card game. I lost only one game, but I was skunked, so I was not in teh money. Sigh....
Well, it has been beautiful weather, and gorgeous Northern Lights nightly, and I think that it would not be a hardship to stay another year or two. Let's see what contract I get offered in June...
TTFN!
Report cards were finished on the weekend, and we had our parent-teacher conferences on Thursday. I have many more students passing this term, which makes me feel better. I have been working hard to find alternative ways of presenting the material to the students and it has really been helping. For example: the text showed them a word problem on building a bookshelf with 3/4" plywood, so high and so wide, and how far apart would the shelves be? Well, we first dissected the problem for important information, then drew a sketch on the board, and I gave the students 3/4" masking tape to mimic the "plywood" and had them "build" the bookcase right on the desktops. It worked very well. Another example: we were working on the radius, diameter, and circumference of circles. So first we just drew circles. Then we drew circles to a set radius on teh compass, and drew the radius on the circles. We labelled them and measured them. Then we did the same thing for diameter. Listed the measurements on teh board and found a pattern, namely that diameter was 2x the radius. Next, we took string and placed it around the outside of all of our circles, and measured it. We found another pattern, in that the string was always aroung 3.13-3.15 x larger than the diameter, so we "discovered" pi. The students had it down without a single struggle to memorize anything. Well done, sez meself!
Friday afternoon, the grade 7's and I went sliding. With the snow melting fast, it may have been our last time. I had a ball, and so did they. I went down a number of times until I wiped out and pulled a muscle in my back. Luckily, I was on a snow-covered hill, so I could "ice" it right away, LOL! Then we went back to teh class for hot chocolate, apples, and homemade oatmeal-banana-chocolate chip cake. Yummmmm!
Friday night I sold tickets for Bingo, then raced over to the Crib Club for my weekly card game. I lost only one game, but I was skunked, so I was not in teh money. Sigh....
Well, it has been beautiful weather, and gorgeous Northern Lights nightly, and I think that it would not be a hardship to stay another year or two. Let's see what contract I get offered in June...
TTFN!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
What do YOU do with a potato?
It has been a good week back so far. On Monday, I had not a sinlge student in my early Math class. Got lots of marking done in preparation for reports, LOL! Monday afternoon, the floor in Grade 7 room was being replaced so the student s and I walked to the arena and spent the time skating. Or rather, THEY skated and I supervised carefully from the sidelines. A fool I am not, hmmm? Don't care to break a bone so far from a hospital!
Today, the students in my Grade 10 Math class were finally figuring out common denominators and equivalent fractions with some laminated fraction sticks I had made for them. I love to see the light bulb click on as they finally get it, and then they smile and say, "Well THAT was easy!" Ahhhh....a feel-good moment...
And we capped off the afternoon by getting out the potato gun with my Grade 7 boys while the girls were in the sewing room. We all sat in the hall (fewer lights to risk breaking) and they waited quietly, took turns, and cleaned up after. We got to use the idea that gases can compress, and by plugging both ends of the narrow tube with a potato core and then pushing in one end with a rod, the air pressure finally forces the other plug out with a deliciously satisfying "POP!" They all got quite a number of tries. It was a hoot! Man, I love Science! Wish my teachers had cool toys when I was in school...
So Thursday we are going sliding and then I am treating the students to hot dogs and hot chocolate afterwards. Oh, what a hard teaching life I lead! :-D
TTFN!
Today, the students in my Grade 10 Math class were finally figuring out common denominators and equivalent fractions with some laminated fraction sticks I had made for them. I love to see the light bulb click on as they finally get it, and then they smile and say, "Well THAT was easy!" Ahhhh....a feel-good moment...
And we capped off the afternoon by getting out the potato gun with my Grade 7 boys while the girls were in the sewing room. We all sat in the hall (fewer lights to risk breaking) and they waited quietly, took turns, and cleaned up after. We got to use the idea that gases can compress, and by plugging both ends of the narrow tube with a potato core and then pushing in one end with a rod, the air pressure finally forces the other plug out with a deliciously satisfying "POP!" They all got quite a number of tries. It was a hoot! Man, I love Science! Wish my teachers had cool toys when I was in school...
So Thursday we are going sliding and then I am treating the students to hot dogs and hot chocolate afterwards. Oh, what a hard teaching life I lead! :-D
TTFN!
Friday, March 18, 2011
An Igloo in the Harbour.
Here is a list of the top five ways you can tell that you're in Sanikiluaq:
5) Snow dunes created by the ever-present wind. Just like sand dunes, only colder.
4) Icicles hanging from the side of the house tell you whether or not you got water delivery that day.
3) You get one student in your first period of Math class.
2) Your students address their younger cousins as "Grandmother". Naming after a cherished relative is a way to honour their memory, and if the relative was a granparent, you call them "Grandmother" or "Grandfather".
And the number one way to tell that you're alive and living in Sanikiluaq?
1) You go across the harbour ice to spend time in the igloo!
It was really cool, and I wish I had brought my camera. I'm glad that I have lost so much weight, as I was able to wiggle in through the tiny front opening to sit inside with my students. We then all signed our names into the outside wall, slid down the hill a few times, and then got hot dogs and hot chocolate at teh Northern to enjoy when we went back to class.
A lovely end to the week! Except that my voice has gone again, thanks to a cold passed on from my lovely granddaughter, Typhoid Mary! (Love you, Kayley, LOL!)
TTFN!
5) Snow dunes created by the ever-present wind. Just like sand dunes, only colder.
4) Icicles hanging from the side of the house tell you whether or not you got water delivery that day.
3) You get one student in your first period of Math class.
2) Your students address their younger cousins as "Grandmother". Naming after a cherished relative is a way to honour their memory, and if the relative was a granparent, you call them "Grandmother" or "Grandfather".
And the number one way to tell that you're alive and living in Sanikiluaq?
1) You go across the harbour ice to spend time in the igloo!
It was really cool, and I wish I had brought my camera. I'm glad that I have lost so much weight, as I was able to wiggle in through the tiny front opening to sit inside with my students. We then all signed our names into the outside wall, slid down the hill a few times, and then got hot dogs and hot chocolate at teh Northern to enjoy when we went back to class.
A lovely end to the week! Except that my voice has gone again, thanks to a cold passed on from my lovely granddaughter, Typhoid Mary! (Love you, Kayley, LOL!)
TTFN!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Me? With an ulu? Woohoo!
The polar bear hunt has been on and so far the hunters have 23 out of the 25 quota. The skinning room has been full as the hides are dressed. Today, they gave me an ulu and some garbage bags for cover and let me loose. It was darned hard work! My arm muscles are not strong enough to be an Inuit, LOL! I'll try to get photos tomorrow.
TTFN!
TTFN!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Newsworthy news, and some that ain't so much so...
I realized it has been a while since my last post. So....
We have a new contract. The NTA (Nunavut Teacher's Association) voted 95% in favout to accept a contract with a retroactive 6.5% pay raise due immediately and over the remaining 2 -1/2 years a further 5%. Nice!
We had our first polar bears in town. Locals drove off the mom and young juvenile. I was sorely tempted to look, but value my life a bit too much for that! They were at the new teacher's housing site...not a recommendation for returning next year, LOL! Right into a waiting polar bear's hungry jaws?
My weight loss journey struggles daily but continues. I have now lost 82-1/2 pounds and have reached all but my last four goals. Yay for me!!!!
I have switched housing units and am in a double now, which is working out very well for the cat and I. Tigger is very content and that makes me content.
We got a look at the new high school, due to open as soon as all of the phones and intercom systems are in place. That could be who knows when, but the building and classrooms are gorgeous!!! Very exciting!
Classes are into the second term and are going very well. Tim is still very happy with my work, although I am somewhat less confident as I still struggle to meet the needs of the kidsover such a wide range.
Plans are made for leaving during our Porfessional Development week, and I will be spending the time at Timiskaming District Secondary School under the direction of my old Math teacher, Matthew Allen. It will be a great chance to see what others are doing with the same material and how they address behaviour and learning issues on restricted budgets. I'll stay with Katie and all, so it will be a great chance to visit family too.
Northern lights continue to dellight me when it is not blizzarding, which is happening frequently, although sadly mostly on weekends. Oh well. I got a day off school with my cold, as I lost my voice completely. Hard to teach when none of us know sign language (at least not the kind allowed in school, LOL!).
Anyhow, off to tidy up and get the morning coffee ready.
Love to all!
Skinny Minnie aka Terri
We have a new contract. The NTA (Nunavut Teacher's Association) voted 95% in favout to accept a contract with a retroactive 6.5% pay raise due immediately and over the remaining 2 -1/2 years a further 5%. Nice!
We had our first polar bears in town. Locals drove off the mom and young juvenile. I was sorely tempted to look, but value my life a bit too much for that! They were at the new teacher's housing site...not a recommendation for returning next year, LOL! Right into a waiting polar bear's hungry jaws?
My weight loss journey struggles daily but continues. I have now lost 82-1/2 pounds and have reached all but my last four goals. Yay for me!!!!
I have switched housing units and am in a double now, which is working out very well for the cat and I. Tigger is very content and that makes me content.
We got a look at the new high school, due to open as soon as all of the phones and intercom systems are in place. That could be who knows when, but the building and classrooms are gorgeous!!! Very exciting!
Classes are into the second term and are going very well. Tim is still very happy with my work, although I am somewhat less confident as I still struggle to meet the needs of the kidsover such a wide range.
Plans are made for leaving during our Porfessional Development week, and I will be spending the time at Timiskaming District Secondary School under the direction of my old Math teacher, Matthew Allen. It will be a great chance to see what others are doing with the same material and how they address behaviour and learning issues on restricted budgets. I'll stay with Katie and all, so it will be a great chance to visit family too.
Northern lights continue to dellight me when it is not blizzarding, which is happening frequently, although sadly mostly on weekends. Oh well. I got a day off school with my cold, as I lost my voice completely. Hard to teach when none of us know sign language (at least not the kind allowed in school, LOL!).
Anyhow, off to tidy up and get the morning coffee ready.
Love to all!
Skinny Minnie aka Terri
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