180 days as a teacher

Teaching and blogging, in my case anyways, is more about learning than it is about teaching or blogging. Here are 10 things I learned this week (in random order, which is exactly the way my brain thinks and accesses information...):

1) Frustration is an emotion I need to manage better - no point in letting my blood pressure rise because a certain group of girls are pressing all the right buttons.

2) I survived the lab experiment (carried out by the girls of course), it was even almost (only almost, I don't want to stretch the truth) pleasant. All is well in the lab as long as everyone stays away from Mr Skeleton. I don't even want to think about what would happen if all 103 of his bones were to be spread all over the floor.

3) Teachers gossip about the students - discussions about distressed students (one 10th grader whose father died when she was in grade 8, and whose mom is now undergoing chemotherapy with a poor prognosis) as well about about distressing students (like that group that drives me mad). I do "eavesdrop" on these conversations but it makes me uncomfortable to participate and criticize the girls.

4) A teacher's work is never done.

5) I brought in some donut holes (Tim Bits) for one group of girls today because I was so happy with their behavior in the lab. I found out that they are just as happy about being treated to empty calories as corporate weenies are (sorry Fred, no pun intended). The utter look of astonishment on their face when I came in with the box lead me to believe no other teacher had ever done that. None ever did for me, in 21+ years of schooling...

6) Keeping the blog a secret (especially considering what happened to Dooce) is a wise thing to do. It might not be that hard after all for a couple of reasons... For one, some of the teachers don't speak all that much English (can you imagine watching the translated version of Desperate Housewives? I can't...). For two, most teachers are not too computer-savvy - I explained to several (all with an innocent look of course) what a blog is.

7) It was brought to my attention that if you Google the following "Alligators in Louisianna", my blog is the #2 search result. The bad news being of course that I had a typo in Louisiana, and that people who can't spell find this post which supports their erroneous spelling...

8) A teacher's work is never done. Never.

9) My blog was actually referenced by another blogger (see here) - this is very very exciting for a novice blogger like myself - someone (outside my family and circle of friends) read and enjoyed what I have to say. Very cool...

10) A teacher's work is never done. Never. Never.