Tuesday, September 07, 2004

One Down So the first day of the new school year has come and gone.  A pseudo first day, anyway.  We're on an alternating day block schedule, but for this first day, the students went to both days' classes, but for only forty minutes apiece. As usual on the first day, some of the students came in with great attitudes and a big "hello" for me, some with wary glances and not a word in my direction, and a whole lot of others in between. My biggest group is a regular 11th grade English class loaded-up with twenty-seven Juniors, with a couple of Seniors and Sophomores thrown in to make it more interesting.  A few were a little rowdy on the first day, but they'd best get that out of their systems.  I don't want to start my Maroon days with discipline referrals and calls home to parents. The smallest class had all of seven people in it.  It's a 9th grade English class made up of all girls and one lone guy.  Very quiet group. Also had another 9th grade class, and a couple in there seemed awfully talkative when I was trying to explain their assignment to them.  Didn't seem like a bad set of kids, though. Then I also got my first look at the two AP Language & Composition classes I'll have this year.  Seems like a few of them had no clue what they'd signed up for.  One even asked if we'd be doing a lot of writing.  The title of the course just wasn't obvious enough. In fact, more than half of the Junior class is enrolled in those AP classes, which is fine if they are all prepared to put in the tremendous effort it takes to be successful in this sort of course, but I won't know that until I start giving them assignments that they can't just finish in a couple of hours.  Tomorrow, or the day after, they'll get The Catcher in the Rye, which usually goes over very well.  But then the Pre-AP classes in the past only had to read it and take notes on the repetition and symbolism contained in the novel.  These folks will get that and the extra dimension of voice and author's style. Those I had in my Pre-AP classes back in Eagle Pass will be happy to know these AP students got copies of some of the "Voices from the Past."  I thought those letters would be helpful for those thinking of maybe dropping out of AP.  Might just convince a few to stick it out.  I'll let you know if they work. Well, as usual, I snapped some pictures on the first day.  If you'd like to see what my new classroom and the students within look like, here they are: New classroom:  Last year I didn't have a room to call my own.  Now I do.  Feels good to have my own place again, just like in the states.  This one doesn't have nearly as many doo-dads as I had in the old classroom, but I'll start slowly gathering things.  It just takes time.  Sharp-eyed former students might spot a few items from a couple of years back, though. My podium:  Those who had me back in Texas should notice right away that it's not the same one that you probably autographed over the last six years.  I still have the old podium, though I have it in my home.  I just wanted to keep it the way it was -- as a memento of the good ol' days. First period:  Regular 11th grade English.  The overly sociable ones were seated to the far left outside the frame of the picture.  Some really didn't seem to want to be there and weren't too shy about showing it. Second period:  AP Lang & Comp.  Seemed like a sharp group of people to me, though some didn't say a word.  Don't know how many are thinking of dropping the class, though. Fourth period:  Regular 9th grade English.  One of them is a student I had last year.  She seemed surprised that I was actually going to do pretty much the same assignments as last year.  Romeo and Juliet again??? Fifth period:  The other AP class.  This class was odd in that the left hand side of the room was talkative and into the trivia contest we held the last half of the period.  The right side of the room didn't say a word.  Oh well. Sixth period:  Regular 9th grade.  The teensy class.  Hope it stays that way, though not as spread out. Seminar:  Seems like a good group of people.  That really got into the trivia contest and trying to solve one of my iron puzzles.  We'll see how they do when they're supposed to use the time to study or do homework. So there you have it -- day one summed up.  Now I need to get off the computer and get day two ready to go. Related link: Photos from the last six school years 7:02:37 PM     |

© Copyright 2005 Alex L. Mauldin.