When the final bell rings today, I will have been a teacher for a week here at Western Plains High School. Well, a week and two days if you count when school started on Aug. 19 and then we had school that Friday too, but those two days were worthless. I’m not going to even count them.
And if I need to further clarify things, I am actually done with my first week as a teacher already. My last of my three classes gets out at 10:25 a.m. Now I’m in paraeducator mode.
So far, though, I have enjoyed being in front of the class and explaining things to them. Sometimes it even feels like they are actually listening, though I’m not so naive that I really believe that. Still. It’s a nice thought.
This week we have been going through Photography Boot Camp. I decided I need to get all 11 of my students and the handful of yearbook students to be able to shoot decent photos right away. (I help teach yearbook, but I’m really in charge of the “journalism” classes. What’s the difference? I have to freaking idea.) So over the course of this week, we learned how to use the camera and compose decent shots. Some of the students produced some good work. I’m going to be posting them to the class blog next week so everyone can see it.
Oh yeah! The class blog! I probably haven’t explained that yet because I have been way busy and haven’t blogged very much. Sorry.
Anyway, the blog is how I am having students turn in assignments. I’m trying to go relatively paperless in the classroom, except for the actual newspaper which will take a lot of paper.
I also use the blog to post assignments on occasion, and I am using it as a way to teach the students how to use a Content Management System (CMS), which they will need to know if they go into any business and need to post something to the company’s website because very few places don’t use a CMS anymore.
Here is the blog’s link: http://wphsjourno2010.blogspot.com/
There are already a few assignments posted there. Take a look and enjoy.
Outside of teaching, though, things haven’t been going as well. The 8-man football team I am the head coach of is struggling. We had a few guys get hurt and few more quit. We’re down to 11 players. We had 21 signed up last Spring. About 16 showed up for the first of practices, and now, minus those who have left the team and those who are injured, we’ve got 11.
I’m not going to go off on a rant. It wouldn’t do any good, but I’m guessing you can surmise how I feel. And if you can’t, here’s a clue: the word describing my feelings starts with a “p” and ends with an “ed”
In any event, we have a soap scrimmage tonight. I know. Hilarious. A scrimmage when we have just enough to field the team and have three subs.
So basically, it is going to be the team running through plays against air. Oh well. At least we get soap.
Tonight the volleyball team plays its first games. So that should be fun, and it will give my journalism students a chance to practice their photography. Sweet.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I must go to lunch. We’re having Mexican food, which is my favorite, and I want to beat the English teacher to the line.
