Monday, August 31, 2009

Red Alert! Teacher on Overload!

Oh, Spot! You have no idea what awaits you when you return to the classroom on Wednesday! I have one hundred eighty days to teach you all sorts of things, but you know what ranks highest on the priority list?

You guessed it: Swine Flu! (Didn't we just end the school year talking about this?)

The teachers had their "big talk"/convocation today, and you know...the big story was how to wash those paws of yours! For example, when you lick those paws, do you slide your tongue in between your toes? Do you rub them side to side for a full five minutes? Do you dry them properly on the pre-approved towels? Well, I hope you do...because those swine/H1N1 2009 Fall Flu germs can last from anywhere between two to eight hours! So...that was my inspiration for today. It's gonna get me lickin' and scratchin' and watchin' you for the first signs of any malady whatsoever.

Here are some of the other topics discussed on your behalf today: global awareness, twenty-first century skills, strategic learning, differentiated instruction, positive behavioral systems, teaching core values, how to handle birthdays, how not to handle birthdays, approved snacks, how we're already behind China, but India is right there too, changes in technology that we have to plan for but don't know anything about yet, and changes in how children are raised that we're planning for but don't know anything about yet too. If that wasn't enough, we were able to come back and learn about power schools, global curriculum changes that we probably won't have time to teach and scheduling so that all learners can and will learn well...pretty darn well, we hope! I'm a little confused, Spot, if you can't already tell. But I will have it all together come Wednesday. And you know what, Spot? I will not do to you what was done to me today...because even though everyone was very well-intended and polite, they fried my brain on the very first day! We're gonna move a little more slowly there pup, so don't you worry. SCHOOL IS FUN...and we're gonna have a great time this year!

3 comments:

  1. Wow Gael,

    You got much more out of today than I did. Great job paying attention. I felt like Charlie Brown listening to the adults talk at me...Wah Wah Wah.

    It's going to be a great year! We will make it work. The old Keep it simple.

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  2. It never ceased to amaze me how every rule you've ever learned about teaching is broken at back-to-school/faculty meeting speeches!! Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I was like Tim. In a few minutes all I heard was wah, wah, wah. Maybe it's a guy thing!!

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  3. No...it's not a guy thing!! The only way I kept myself on task was to write things down. I look at my notes now though, and I can't begin to figure them out! Somehow, it always finds its level!! One thing's for sure, those buses are ready to roll no matter what!

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