eek!

I just gotta say this really quick before I chicken out: I am a little bit terrified.  Tomorrow I take over the classes for realsies.  Granted, I've been teaching the 7th-grade class solo for weeks now, so that won't be much different.  And I know the 8th-graders well enough by now; they're just not used to me being their only teacher.  I kinda (actually, I really) want to be a bit more firm and strict than we have been recently, but I'm not totally sure how to do that without just being unrealistically nit-picky (something I've been trying to actively work on NOT being).  The other factor is that I'm planning these units entirely on my own, and while planning is actually enjoyable to me (gross, right?), I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing this week (or in any of the weeks following).  I do have M-W planned solidly, though…that's enough for a Sunday night, right?

All that said, I actually do feel kind of excited about the lesson tomorrow.  I really believe it will be fun - as long as they don't get totally out of control with it.  But I'm using my trusty on-screen timer* and (I think) quick and natural transitions, so hopefully there won't really be any time to get out of control anyway.

Oy vey.  Wish me luck.

*To any teachers/student teachers/pre-service teachers/whatever NOT using a timer regularly, I highly recommend you try it!  Especially in classes that are tough to get going or that contain a number of students who like to get distracted or distract others.  I've only been using it for a couple of days - despite the advice practically every teacher I've ever met has given me - and it has really made an obvious change in the way class moves along.  The students don't necessarily all finish their work - probably have to give it a bit more than a few days for them to really get the hang of working quickly - but they realize that the time that they waste talking and goofing around will NOT be made up.  (Two points I feel I should make: 1) the goal is not necessarily to teach them to always work quickly, but rather teaching them to get and stay focused and to take ownership and responsibility for the time they spend in class; 2) I am certainly not against make-up work, but both of our classes have had serious issues with getting work done in class in the time allotted, so I want them all to learn that class time is, indeed, for working.)

Here's a picture that always makes me smile because why not right now?

G'night!