I arrived in snowy Minneapolis yesterday morning. It is a pretty big change to leave a city that is sunny and 70 degrees and arrive in a city that is below 20 degrees with snow on the ground. Needless to say, my body is a little confused.
Even though I am adjusting to the cold, I am excited to be home and am grateful that I am able to spend the holidays with my family and friends.
As I open presents this year it will be hard to not think about my students, many of them who will be lucky if they get anything for Christmas... I hope everyone understands how lucky they are to have what they do. In fact, if you are able to read this on a computer, chances are you are part of the elite in this country. Most of my students come from families that are computer illiterate and do not have a computer or Internet access at home. The only opportunity they have to be on a computer is a rare opportunity at school. (which has become even more rare after my classroom laptops were stolen). I know Thanksgiving was last month, but... I am still very thankful for all I have.
I wish everyone the best this holiday season. Thank you for your love and support!
- Joe
Sunday, December 20, 2009
"You Look Chubby Today"
Over the past few months I have definitely found that teaching is not for the self-conscious. Although I have trouble with honesty in my classroom, my students are always brutally honest with me. Here are a few of my favorite examples:
Last week I bought a new polo to wear to school. I was pretty excited, it was a nice shirt and another piece of clothing I could add to my "work rotation" that would give me an escape from the daily shirt and tie. About 5 minutes into the morning announcements one of my students commented, "Meester... you look chubby today." I have gained a little bit of weight since moving to Houston, but only like 3 pounds. I hope it isn't that noticeable. I am going to blame it on the horizontal strips and undershirt combination... hopefully.
On Friday I was in the middle of teaching my students how to measure precisely using the imperial system (inches, feet, ect) when one of my students suggested that I should use Proactive. I actually appreciated my students logic (I did have a pimply on my forehead), but didn't necessarily like the delivery. I think this means that my students care about how I look?
These are just two examples. I also receive a lot of comments about how I need to shave, look tired, or nerdy. My students also like to comment on how I gel, or don't gel my hair and how I look better (or worse) with my glasses on. I am not sure I should begin to take fashion tips from my 5th graders, but it is interesting to hear their comments.
My favorite comments come when I do something "weird" or funny, such as when I obnoxiously sang happy birthday to a student, and over half my class suggested that was the reason I didn't have a wife. They like to say that one a lot. "Mr. that's probably why you don't have a wife."
- You need to understand that me being 23 years old without a wife or children is pretty rare in this community (especially that I do not have children). My first day of teaching 5th grade my students asked me (in this order):
1. How many kids do you have?
2. How many wives have you had?
when I answered zero to both they were pretty confused...
Last week I bought a new polo to wear to school. I was pretty excited, it was a nice shirt and another piece of clothing I could add to my "work rotation" that would give me an escape from the daily shirt and tie. About 5 minutes into the morning announcements one of my students commented, "Meester... you look chubby today." I have gained a little bit of weight since moving to Houston, but only like 3 pounds. I hope it isn't that noticeable. I am going to blame it on the horizontal strips and undershirt combination... hopefully.
On Friday I was in the middle of teaching my students how to measure precisely using the imperial system (inches, feet, ect) when one of my students suggested that I should use Proactive. I actually appreciated my students logic (I did have a pimply on my forehead), but didn't necessarily like the delivery. I think this means that my students care about how I look?
These are just two examples. I also receive a lot of comments about how I need to shave, look tired, or nerdy. My students also like to comment on how I gel, or don't gel my hair and how I look better (or worse) with my glasses on. I am not sure I should begin to take fashion tips from my 5th graders, but it is interesting to hear their comments.
My favorite comments come when I do something "weird" or funny, such as when I obnoxiously sang happy birthday to a student, and over half my class suggested that was the reason I didn't have a wife. They like to say that one a lot. "Mr. that's probably why you don't have a wife."
- You need to understand that me being 23 years old without a wife or children is pretty rare in this community (especially that I do not have children). My first day of teaching 5th grade my students asked me (in this order):
1. How many kids do you have?
2. How many wives have you had?
when I answered zero to both they were pretty confused...
Monday, December 7, 2009
Coach Swartz
I just completed all of my online courses to become a certified coach in the state of Texas. Since I am going to get paid to coach high school wrestling in Texas, I have to be certified by the University Interscholastic League (UIL). From what I understand, UIL is very similar to the Minnesota State High School League, as it the the governing body of high school sports in Texas. Anyway, I had to complete three online "training sessions" on: steroid education, safety, and coaches and officials positive expectations. I am also required to be certified in CPR, which I will be completing tomorrow after school (well after tutorials and before wrestling).
My life is still very busy, but it is nice to have this taken care of so I can get paid for coaching. I don't get paid much, but it will be enough to cover my gas from driving to and from meets and practice as well as a little extra.
My life is still very busy, but it is nice to have this taken care of so I can get paid for coaching. I don't get paid much, but it will be enough to cover my gas from driving to and from meets and practice as well as a little extra.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Snow... In Houston?!?!
I am sure many of you are aware now that it snowed on Friday in Houston. It was quite the event.
By Thursday evening every local new station was covering the story of a possible "snow storm" in Houston on Friday. Friday arrived and at about 9:00am so did the snow. Being from Minnesota, the initial "snow" was not what I would call "snow." It was more of a combination of snow and rain or "sleet" as I taught my students (I need to take advantage of every learning opportunity I can get). As the day continued, and the temperatures dropped, real snow began to fall and even accumulate on the ground.
Not wanting my students to miss out on a truly once-in-a-lifetime event, I took my class outside. We were outside not just to play in the snow, but to learn hands-on about a new form of precipitation for many of my students, snow. We discussed freezing point, rain, snow, sleet, and lots of other good science and math stuff... and well, played in the snow too.
I attached some pictures of my students from the snow day. I am sure this will be a day many of them will not soon forget.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Home Again!
I wanted to make a note that I booked my plane tickets to come back to Minnesota for the Holidays! Here is my itinerary for those of you who are interested:
December 19th - Arrive in Minnesota 4:20pm
January 2nd - Fly Back to Houston 2:55pm
I have a lot of work to do between now and then so I will undoubtedly return tired, hungry, and a little grumpy. All things considered, I am looking forward to seeing everyone again.
December 19th - Arrive in Minnesota 4:20pm
January 2nd - Fly Back to Houston 2:55pm
I have a lot of work to do between now and then so I will undoubtedly return tired, hungry, and a little grumpy. All things considered, I am looking forward to seeing everyone again.
Robbery!
I returned to Houston late Saturday night, well-rested and refueled. I really enjoyed spending my break back home. It was great to see my family and friends from Minnesota again. I am truly thankful for everyone that is part of my life.
I woke up early on Sunday to accomplish as much as I possibly could in one day before the rush of school started again on Monday. I had to unpack, do laundry, clean, and complete what seemed to be a thousand other random things. Not to worry, I was able to have the Vikings game on while I lesson planned... although I live in Texas, I am still true to the Vikings (especially when they are winning). I went to bed Sunday prepared for what I expected to be an unruly bunch of students coming off of a long Thanksgiving break. If the students were going to be "wound-up," I was going to be even more prepared to be able to be an effective teacher.
No matter how prepared I was for Monday, I wasn't ready for what I was about to see when I walked into my classroom...
I arrived at my school at about 6:35am on Monday. I signed in at the office and walked back to my "classroom." It was still a little dark out so after I unlocked the door I turned on the light. My room seemed a little out of place. I first noticed that my LCD projector and elmo (modern over-head projector) cart was moved by the door with all the chords rolled up on it. Everything was unplugged, but this wasn't too strange. I was absent on Monday and Tuesday before break so another teacher might have borrowed them when I was in Minnesota.
I turned to look closer. My laptops were missing from my "interactive math station." Again, I thought someone might have borrowed them, but as I looked closer I began to notice they weren't "borrowed" at all... they had been stolen. I saw blood on my station table and another blood print on the wall. The table had been pulled out and my shelf was moved. Behind the shelf the Ethernet chords for the laptops had been cut and ripped out of the wall. My computer speakers were also missing...
Blood on the wall behind my shelf
Blood on the table
Cut Ethernet Chord and Broken Chord = No Internet :(
The police came to my classroom at around 9:45am to check out the crime scene. The school called them... I am not really sure why, because the officer basically told me that they weren't going to be able to do anything. A projector and Elmo were also stolen from another teacher's room at my school. They are thinking the robberies are related, even though the other room is on the other side of the school grounds.
I suspect the robber(s) came in through the window, as one of my students noticed more blood on the outside of my classroom by the window and blood on the blinds inside my room. The window was not broken though... so they must have taken it out or somehow prided it open.
It is really frustrating to me that someone would steal from a school, especially the school that I work at. I know how much those laptops meant to my students and how much they enjoyed learning on them (don't tell them they were learning... they got to play math and science "games" on them sometimes). It might be different if they were just stealing from me, but stealing from 39 fifth grade students?! That I do not understand.
Our classroom will continue to progress without the laptops and other equipment that was lost, but it was a serious blow to my morale.
Learning took place long before computers... and it will continue without them.
I woke up early on Sunday to accomplish as much as I possibly could in one day before the rush of school started again on Monday. I had to unpack, do laundry, clean, and complete what seemed to be a thousand other random things. Not to worry, I was able to have the Vikings game on while I lesson planned... although I live in Texas, I am still true to the Vikings (especially when they are winning). I went to bed Sunday prepared for what I expected to be an unruly bunch of students coming off of a long Thanksgiving break. If the students were going to be "wound-up," I was going to be even more prepared to be able to be an effective teacher.
No matter how prepared I was for Monday, I wasn't ready for what I was about to see when I walked into my classroom...
I arrived at my school at about 6:35am on Monday. I signed in at the office and walked back to my "classroom." It was still a little dark out so after I unlocked the door I turned on the light. My room seemed a little out of place. I first noticed that my LCD projector and elmo (modern over-head projector) cart was moved by the door with all the chords rolled up on it. Everything was unplugged, but this wasn't too strange. I was absent on Monday and Tuesday before break so another teacher might have borrowed them when I was in Minnesota.
I turned to look closer. My laptops were missing from my "interactive math station." Again, I thought someone might have borrowed them, but as I looked closer I began to notice they weren't "borrowed" at all... they had been stolen. I saw blood on my station table and another blood print on the wall. The table had been pulled out and my shelf was moved. Behind the shelf the Ethernet chords for the laptops had been cut and ripped out of the wall. My computer speakers were also missing...
Blood on the wall behind my shelf
Blood on the table
Cut Ethernet Chord and Broken Chord = No Internet :(
The police came to my classroom at around 9:45am to check out the crime scene. The school called them... I am not really sure why, because the officer basically told me that they weren't going to be able to do anything. A projector and Elmo were also stolen from another teacher's room at my school. They are thinking the robberies are related, even though the other room is on the other side of the school grounds.
I suspect the robber(s) came in through the window, as one of my students noticed more blood on the outside of my classroom by the window and blood on the blinds inside my room. The window was not broken though... so they must have taken it out or somehow prided it open.
It is really frustrating to me that someone would steal from a school, especially the school that I work at. I know how much those laptops meant to my students and how much they enjoyed learning on them (don't tell them they were learning... they got to play math and science "games" on them sometimes). It might be different if they were just stealing from me, but stealing from 39 fifth grade students?! That I do not understand.
Our classroom will continue to progress without the laptops and other equipment that was lost, but it was a serious blow to my morale.
Learning took place long before computers... and it will continue without them.
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