Finally Friday Update

Sorry I've been gone for a couple of days.  I haven't really been gone, I've just been busy working on my other blog.  Most of you have seen the Minecraft blog pop up on your Facebook page, and that's where I've been making sure that everything is up to date.

The reason I needed to get that done is because I'm going to Joplin, today, to make a presentation over that blog.  I told you all about it in my last blog post.  Well, today is the day.  I'm ready.  Kinda.  A little nervous, not sure what to expect, but I know my Minecraft blog and I know what I need to talk about.

I'm not concerned about doing the presentation, I'm more worried about getting the opportunity to say everything I want or need to say.  I only have about 10-15 minutes for my presentation, and that's NOT much time.  Anyone that knows me knows that I can talk.  I talk a lot.  And, being constrained by a time limit is not usually good for me.  But, I am going to do everything in my power to stay on topic and keep it brief but informative.

I also don't like being away from my students.  I mean, I'm getting to take part in a great opportunity and I'm excited and honored that I was asked to do it.  But, it doesn't make it any easier to leave my students.  It's a very vital time of the year, and any time I'm gone makes me nervous.  Although, if I had to pick a day in which I had to be gone, it would be Friday.  The kids are super charged for the weekend and ready for the week to be over.  Fridays are also a big assessment day in my classroom, so the kids will be busy taking their weekly formative and summative assessments today.

This is such a stressful time of the year, and I am trying so hard to keep my classroom's mood calm and collected.  I'm trying to not change our routines and schedules too much, and trying extremely hard to constantly remind the students that there's still 7 weeks of school left so they need to stop acting like summer break is a day away.  It's tough, but not impossible.  Most of the kids are staying on track and doing what they need to do.  There's one or two that have started getting a little lazy and unmotivated.  They have stopped making an effort, and don't really act that bothered about it.  Those are the kids I really hone in on and constantly remind them that 7 weeks can make a DRASTIC and DEVASTATING effect on their grades, and that they don't want to end the year off with F's when they've been making A's, B's, and C's all year.

Another thing I've really picked up on is the fact that my kids have started to mimic my sarcasm.  The same thing happened this time last year.  The kids finally start testing the waters of using some of my common sarcasms.  This year, however, they're having just the tiniest bit of trouble knowing when it's appropriate to use it.  They have tried it out on other teachers, and some of the those teachers think it's a little disrespectful.  And it is.  My kids know when and how they can use the sarcasm with me, and they understand how I use my sarcasm, but it's just a little confusing for them that other teachers don't respond the same way I do.

That's one of the downfalls of using sarcasm with my students.  They know that it's my "Language of Love" and that I'm only ever sarcastic with them when I'm playing around.  I never use sarcasm to belittle or make fun of my students, and it's our class language.  But, trying to get them to understand how and when they can use it with others is still a work in progress.

Anywho, I really need to wrap this up.  I have to get ready because I have to be at work early this morning so that I can get to the conference.  I'm hoping I can get up early enough to share more tomorrow, but I have to be back at the school by 5:45AM for a band trip... so no promises.  More about that when I DO get back on.

Have a great Friday, everyone!!