Sunday, October 17, 2010

Library Loot: Sunday Blatherings

What a nice week.  Working three days out of seven seems the perfect answer to a full-time job, right? Actually, we've been off from school for "Fall Break," which is actually UEA weekend.  Technically, they run a state conference on Thursday and Friday, but the district didn't really even advertise it, nor call our break UEA weekend.  Considering that our district purchased a new grading system and we're being asked to turn in all of our grades, finished, by the day before the term ends (in two short weeks), I've been using this break to grade, grade, grade.  I'm almost half way through a stack of 115 essays and see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Next week I go in for surgery.  I can't say it's not serious, but I do feel confident that it should be all right.  In preparation to be gone for a few days, I've had to move my "serious" units and teaching until after I get back.  I'm crossing my fingers that I'll have a voice and the energy to really hit them  hard when I do return!  I'm kind of excited though, since I'll be starting Oedipus with my juniors and studying language structures and foreshadowing.  With my AP students, we'll be starting Beowulf before I leave.  I have this great couple of lessons on linguistics and the history of the English language that the students get pretty sucked into.  It's fun times!  As for my Popular Fiction class, we're fully into Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows.  Helping students who haven't read the first six get up to speed has been a lot trickier than I originally thought!  We've had to spend about a week talking about different elements of the story so they can read book seven.  Honestly though, most of them have seen the films, so they should get the gist of the story.  Now it's time for them to just start reading!

As for my own reading, I can say that I've been doing a lot.  Most of it has been centered around still trying to finish up the Harry Potter series.  I still have about 1/3 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to read, so I'll need to really keep reading as much as I can.  My biggest issue is that I have to bounce around a bit.  I have been reading other things as well, so I haven't solely been reading just Harry Potter. 

Many of the books I currently have on hold at the library are books that they are ordering or processing, so I didn't have many to pick up this week.  In fact, I only had the two:  The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig and Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.  Both should be great reads though!  (FYI, Library Loot is a meme hosted by Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader and Claire from The Captive Reader.)


Well, I have nothing else great nor exciting to report.  I'm happily rested, my house is clean, and I know what I'll be doing at school for my lessons (that's over half the battle).  In short, I'm doing well right now.  How about you?

6 comments:

  1. I will be thinking of you this week when you go into your surgery. I wish you the best of luck and quick healing!

    I still think it is absolutely awesome that you are reading Harry Potter with your class. I cannot wait to hear how it all goes. I'm hoping to start Order of the Phoenix when I get back from my trip next week!

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  2. I hope your surgery goes well!

    What is up with all these fall breaks people are getting? The only "fall break" we ever had in high school was two days off for Thanksgiving. Kids have it so easy these days, I swear. ;)

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  3. My coworkers and I oftern muse about the fact that teaching half-time is really a full time job, which means teaching full time is a job and a half! We have our break this week, and I am hoping to get most of my grading done so I can actually not have to spend the whold time grading. We'll see how that goes...

    Hope your surgery goes well!

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  4. Tif--Thanks for the well wishes. I can't wait to see how my students like HP either!

    Heidenkind--Thanks so much. I'm nervous, but confident. You know, I don't know. In my HS we got a two week "fall break" to harvest potatoes each year, so only getting two days is still a bit of a shock to my system! :)

    Read the Book--Oh, good luck! Yes, teaching, no matter how much you do, seems full time! :) Thanks for the wishes as well. I'm hoping for the best!

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  5. 115 essays?! I realize that I now have nothing to complain about and I truly feel for you!

    I hope the surgery goes well and the voice is strong for your return :)

    Your lesson plans on Beowulf sound fabulous (would you be willing to share?) - and I can't imagine how fun it must be to teach a class on Harry Potter!!

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  6. Good luck with your surgery! Hope things work out well for you.

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