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Summer Cleaning
Dunno about other people, but spring cleaning is not for me, there is too much other stuff going on in that season. Summer, however, is my time to try to make the house a bit more streamlined, organized, feathered, etc. So cleaning out, I realized we have a ton of baby/toddler stuff we have grown out of. Last time I post this list; next week it ( Read more... ) -
Where did the winter go?
Вчера сидим с детьми за обеденным столом, я Алише говорю что-то вроде, "не знаю как с 6и-летними детьми, у меня старшая дочка которой только пять с половиной. И с 8и-летними не знаю как. И с 10и-летними. А вот пятнадцати-, шестнадцати- и семнадцатилетних у меня целых 125 штук." Алиша на меня смотрит сначала удивленно, потом чуток обиженно-задумчиво ( Read more... ) -
The dinosaur
The calculator I use in class is my trusty TI-82. Yep, the one I bought in high school for pre-calc, in the late 1990's. Actually, it's bloguser's; mine needs the button battery replaced. The screen plastic fell off some time in September, but it works just fine!. Absolutely fine. My darlings came up with a name for it, having made fun of the old gray lady ( Read more... ) -
Alishka's second report card
Got a note and Ali's second K report card. The teacher said she writes very well, but has "her own pace". This pace, she said, is more or less OK in terms of schoolwork, but at other times, like cleaning up and getting ready for lunch, is much slower than would be ideal. So she said she is worried somewhat for her being able to do transitions in ( Read more... ) -
Science Fair
went to the annual science fair last week. This year I also judged, so I got a close look at the five projects that wanted to be judged and go on to regionals. This was five out of about 80 or so. All science AP students were required to do a project, though they could choose to work with partners ( Read more... ) -
Ali's first book report
I can't explain how amazed I am that Ali is really reading, both by sight and sounding it out as needed, and can express herself in written form. It seems a magical thing to watch her suddenly be able to decode such a huge, previously incomprehensible part of our world ( Read more... ) -
Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow is screwing us over..
[sung to a tune familiar to some ( Read more... ) -
Can't tell
If my kids are just trying to annoy me by letting me know every five minutes of every class that it's too warm in the room, or they are in wonder at the fact anew each time. I tend to think toward the latter. And feel sorry for these near-adults who cannot control their bodily needs and wishes to this extent. -
The hostility was palpable
when I gave back the final to the honors class. "It's your fault you didn't make us study hard enough!" I wonder how many parents will be calling my boss. This shuffling of responsibility is as much of a problem with the honors kids as with the "regular" kids, but at least the "regulars" sometimes admit they are lazy or have other priorities. I ( Read more... ) -
A case of the Tuesdays
This year the two days I teach 5 classes and have only one prep are Tuesdays and Fridays. Fridays aren't as bad, since I have 3 in a row in the morning, lunch, prep, and two short blocks left. Tuesdays, though, I have two long blocks, prep, lunch, and then 3 in a row. And I'm usually pretty pooped by the time I leave, since it's also Science Club ( Read more... )