SCHOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMER

Last Thursday was the last day for teachers but I had to miss that wonderful in service day to drive through the pouring rain to pick up Cap'n N at the Tulsa airport. I drove through horrendous rain from just past Vinita to Tulsa. I drove 55 mph on the turnpike so you know it was raining mighty hard. When I got there, I discovered that the airport was without full power. They barely had lights. To get to the bath room facilities I had to walk down the escalator, venture into a fairly dark pottying area and then climb back up the escalator. There were no flight announcements or boards to check for information. Various people who looked almost official came by with information every once in awhile. Because of the weather his flight was 2 hours late, and wouldn't you know for once I was on time, early even!!!!! Luckily, I always take some kind of reading material. I've been stuck before. The baggage carousels didn't work so they unloaded the luggage on the sidewalk in front of the terminal. Any way we got home all right.

I was going to check out of school on Friday but heck, I already had my grades posted and since they don't give out the summer checks when you check out any more, what's the rush?

We had a great week end with the kid. We did the usual...watched movies, talked, laughed, went to Joplin, and ate out or had fast food often. I offered to cook and even made a grocery run. He opted for going out for steak for his birthday. I did make brownies. They were edible but not the best.

I always thought we had planned out his arrival 32 years ago pretty well, but now I realize that while that was fine when we were younger now with the end of school every year, I get tireder and tireder. Oh well, "dems da breaks". To quote a woman who knows him quite well, "He is a mighty lucky boy to have had such wonderful parents all of these years!" He went home Monday and had to drive through terrible rain storms most of the way back to Texas. He was driving his new car though and had windshield wipers, a defroster, and turn signals that worked.

Hubby D had to work on Tuesday so I went to Wyandotte Tuesday afternoon and checked out. I had to make sure my room was in order and do my inventory. I threw away lots of stuff, but trust me, when I go back in August, I will still have oodles to sort and throw away. I always plan on doing it at the end of school but wind up piling stuff in my closets and file cabinet. I'm thinking that I might just get energetic and go down one day this summer to go through all of it. That's funny. I crack myself up sometimes.

Today was a veggin' out day. Tomorrow, I actually plan on getting something done. I've got to stop this I'm going to make myself sick laughing so hard.

I must admit I did do some dishes, some laundry, and some cooking today. The Hubby was off today and will be off tomorrow and Friday so we do actually have a few plans. Basically, this summer I will try to finish a few projects, read a few books, and get myself back into shape. Notice I said "try to" not "try and". Most people say "try and...." which indicates that you will accomplish whatever you try. I will try to do some things and be dang happy if I accomplish anything. There is a to do list on the refrigerator that I put up last summer. Nothing has been marked off so this is the summer to mark off at least one thing.

I HAVE A PLAN!!!!!

I'll let you know in August how the plan worked out. I'm pretty sure it will be one of those don't hold your breath things.

Knowledge

I have been grading research papers. I am learning so much. Some of them are even interesting. Some of them are helping me to learn patience. Some of them are telling me just how much attention my darlings actually pay to my written instructions, my examples on the board, and my sweet teacher voice as I entreat them to pay attention and do things the right way.

I know some of them have listened because they have actually written enough for 5 typed double spaced pages, have correctly documented 5 sources in their papers, have alphabetized those sources, and have indented the 2nd and 3rd lines on their entries on the source cited page. They used their thesis statement in the first paragraph. They tried to paraphrase and not plagiarize. They followed their outline. These students make me happy. The only problem is that there just aren't very many of these students.

Some of my students disappointed me. They had lots of time to work on this paper, and they could only come up with 2-3 pages of information. They wasted time. I had to let them so they would learn a valuable lesson. It is hard not to be on them all of the time when I know they are going to get themselves into trouble.

When they only put one line on every note card, I gave them credit but warned them that they might not have enough information. Did they listen? NO!!! But hey, what do I know I've only taught the research process for oh about 20 years.

Some tried to impress me with little information and pages of charts and graphics. I'm not that easily impressed.

Some made their margins at the top and bottom larger than 1". At least they all used size 12 and Times New Roman for their computer settings.

Computers are great...but students rely on them to correct all of the spelling and grammar errors. One example that I encounter frequently is that the computer does not know when you use there for their or were for where, etc. It always assumes that there uses a singular verb which is not true. Some things we just have to learn for ourselves. I am afraid that the majority of students aren't learning how to read and correct their mistakes.

Oh well, you can't stop progress. Our teachers worried that we weren't well enough prepared to make it in the world and we have so I guess I will trust that my efforts are not in vain and at least most of my students will be able to make it in the outside world.

Lord knows I've tried!!!!! For my seniors we only have 6 more classes then test. If they don't have it now, oops, I tried. Maybe they didn't but I did.