Day 2 (Blue Day)

Curious. This year I have a sophomore study hall. What fascinating creatures. They use vulgarity like a form of pidgin language and they color their communication with equal parts observation and apathy. Some of the more timid ones have settled in the darkened recesses of the classroom while their more brazen classmates circle the computer cart as if it contained snacks, but snacks that no one really cares for, like blue Takis or McDonalds apple slices. Several observations were made. One of the larger and louder sophomores (I refer to him as "shouty" for his loud verbal outbursts) has been making observations that I can't disagree with. He claims the 400 building smells like cheese and claims that it is better to not go to college at all, than waste time at a sub-par community college. I will remain at my desk and continue to mark their progress towards 11th grade.

AP Gov and Politics listened to me introduce Federalist 10 and Brutus 1. The smart ones will read them tonight. Everyone else is common. I admit I never did assign it. I did assign a diagnostic and only now realize I did not actually publish it. I will do so shortly.

AICE Global Perspectives appears promising. Then again I have had this same thought before reality dropped on me like a condor that died mid-flight and fell on me from 4000 feet above the Earth. I began the class by mentioning that AICE has made me wish England would sink back into the Sea that surrounds it, only to be asked at lunch time by an innocent student if my mid-term exam would interfere with her plans to return to London for the holidays. I apologized for the slight to England, but personally I felt gratified knowing my opinion had landed upon fertile soil and would be repeated. This I think is a victory.

I then proceeded to teach about the demographic transition and we learned how to distinguish a core country from a periphery and semi-periphery country. I gave no homework, because I want to assign the first work in class. I find it more satisfying to hear the lamentations with my own ears. I look forward to this.

U.S. History learned about the way we do vocabulary. It's called PERSIA and everyone loves it. We then began learning in earnest. One of my students was able to answer every question immediately, then I discovered he had been there for my previous class and had his schedule changed. I was teaching about the Missouri Compromise when I asked a promising student to draw a map of the U.S. on the board, including of course Missouri. She did a somewhat lackluster job, and explained she had just moved from Chile. I have never been to Chile, yet I feel I can draw it from memory. I believe it looks somewhat like a crinkle-cut fry.