In some way, it's probably actually a good thing that I don't have time to socialize pretty much at all lately, because I've got nothing to talk about except lessons and the kids in my class - topics that I'm well aware are dull as piss to anyone not currently jumping through the same set of hoops as me. When I lay down to sleep at night, the personalities of all my students start flowing through my mind, and I start trying to dream up the perfect startegies for getting through to the kids who are stuggling and the perfect groups for my students to work in. A room full of 25 kids ages 13 to 14 is a pretty dynamic place - hormones, emotions, and social pressures all run high. The girls compete for better marks, and generally speaking, the boys compete for the title of most apathetic. Not that I can really criticize all that much, given my own experiences in high school...

This whole site meter thing is pretty bizzare. I decided to sign up when I saw the facinating results Milan gets from his page, and I have to admit, they're a bit transfixing. I hadn't relaized before that this page actually come up when you google my name now. It's not that I mind people finding and reading this, it just makes me curious! So, to the people in Ottawa and Calgary, I think you're the only readers I really can't identify at the moment, and I'd love to hear who you are (and most likely, hear from you in general!).

It's back to the lesson planning grind for me. I find myself thinking while I teach sometimes, gee, these kids really have no idea how much time I spend thinking about them, or planning and preparing everything we do in class. Today, for example, they did a "found poetry" Shakespeare activity. Some of the kids, I could tell, had a lot fo fun with it, but not a chance any of them considered the fact that I spent almost three hours hunched over the paper cutter yesterday creating all the pieces for their activity, and as a result, how bloody sore my back is today.

They sure do facinate me though. I'm so dead set on trying to find ways that they can all showcase their talents in class.