Late again

Hello,

I met with a Bowdoin student after school.  She will be coming into our class once or twice a week starting next week.  I love what Bowdoin's education department has been doing these past few years.  They are putting Bowdoin students into the classroom and now even offer a free fifth year to Bowdoin students that want to go into education.  We need that caliber of student in the teaching profession, especially in the public schools.

The indoor recess days make it hard to catch our breath around here, but it went pretty well.  Nine of our students put on a mini Witches play.  I was impressed with the acting ability in the class.  Our Grand High Witches were powerful, and our ancient ones were perfectly feeble. 

My math class had a bit of trouble with our time telling lesson.  I had hoped that it would be a review, so I had them do a human clock.  Twelve students knelt in a big circle as the numbers on a clock and then two others were chosen to be the hands.  They lay in the proper position, with the taller of the two being the minute hand.  I don't know if it was the lack of knowledge or just energy bubbling over, but we didn't handle it well.  Only a couple groups got to go before we were back in the class doing a more traditional lesson.  Maybe some other day.

Students should be finishing Fortunately/Unfortunately stories in the next few days.  I would rather have them write what they want, but I think I'll be coming up with topic after topic for awhile.  Those ready to go off on their own just need to speak up.  I won't be holding anyone back.

Spelling test tomorrow.  The ten words on the back count six points each.  The twenty words on the front count only a point a piece.  Another point for correct capitalization on the front.  That equals one hundred.  Early on, I only take off a max of ten for misspelling in the front so that they realize that the back of the test is where I am most concerned.  They know what words will be on the back, so I expect that they should do well on those.  Words missed on the front will usually appear on the back the next week.  I hope this makes sense.  This is late already so I'm not proofreading tonight.

Good night,

Mr. Shea