Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Rants and Raves Wednesday

I usually have a hard time ranting here, so I don't participate every week in Little Ms. Blogger's Rants and Raves Wednesday, but I've finally saved up enough to share....

Rave:  The four teachers in my "house" at school are such a pleasure to work with. I am soooo blessed.

Rant: My jaw is automatically clenching just writing this. To the dumbass inattentive driver who crossed the center line and came dangerously close to a head-on collision with us on the narrow, snow-covered country road we take to school at 6:30 in the morning: If I could have, I would have turned around, chased you down, and used your cell phone as a dagger to stab you with it until you coughed blood. (Yes, it ticked me off that much.)

Rave: I love, love, love Edmodo.  It's like Facebook, only for the classroom; we use it to communicate with our "house" of about 75 students, and it makes our lives easier.  If you have a child and would love to have his homework uploaded to a website daily (so he can't say he doesn't have the sheet!), you should try to talk your child's teacher into using Edmodo. It's simple to use, and I'd be happy to help anyone learn how.

Rant: I still haven't invented a way to get kids to turn in their homework on time.

Rave: My bullet-train pace the past ten days or so (busy, busy, busy work, etc.) may actually slow to a freight train pace by Friday.

Rant:  I'm afraid to open my email box.

Rave:  Loving The Bachelor, even though it is ridiculous. (I love me some mindless TV.)  And speaking of mindless TV, I watched the Totem episode of Gilligan's Island this week, and I found it oddly comforting.  I guess that show brings me back to an innocent, carefree time.

Rant: Still not caught up on Fragments....

Rave: HALF-DAY for students on Friday!!

Rant:  I taught a class tonight. It was my first time teaching adults, and it went pretty well. The only bad part is that I planned the material to take three class periods.  (I forgot to factor in that adults work faster than 11-year-olds.) Looks like my train isn't stopping at the station real soon....

That's it for me! Visit Little Ms. Blogger to link up your Rants and Raves or just to say hi! :)

16 comments:

  1. I thought you taught High School but in your rant you contrasted teaching adults to 11-year-olds. I'm confused.

    If I were a school teacher, I'd automatically mark down the grade for every day the homework was turned in late. But then, that probably wouldn't work either since it seems kids who don't turn in homework on time really don't care much about grades.

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  2. I teach 6th graders, but I have two teenagers at home, Karen, so that's probably where the confusion happened?

    In sixth grade, they pretty much all care about their grades. However, the difference is that some care when it's too late.

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  3. I am glad the train seems to be slowing down some....and I LOVE the rant about the driver-stuff like that makes me feel the same way.

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  4. I'll have to tell my Mom about Edmodo. I think they use Edline or something like that?

    Careless drivers on cell phones tick me off too!

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  5. My pace is OUT OF CONTROL right now. Can NOT slow down. I guess stress and worry really are drivings forces!

    Hallie

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  6. I love the women on the Bachelor. They are a bit nuts.

    How exciting you got to teach an adult class, but I have to tell you I laughed a bit at the fact your class ran out of work. Although....it does make me feel good to know this.

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  7. Feels good to get that off your chest doesn't it!

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  8. I LOVE me some mindless TV too! The Bachelor is ridiculous, but ridiculous usually means it's entertaining!

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  9. That road rage thing is so real. Ugh. Glad you are ok, and not in prison.

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  10. Just let it out sister, now don't hold back! You frightened me just a little usin' the cell phone as a dagger! An expert on Oprah said talking on the phone makes you four times more likely to have an accident, the same as a drunk driver. Texting makes you eight times more likely to cause and accident. OUCH, scary numbers!

    Have a great day slowin' down to a Friday pace.

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  11. I keep hearing about the Bachelor and I've never watched it. From what I hear though, I may experience physical pain in response to the antics of some of those women. You know how sometimes you get SO embarrassed for someone who has NO SHAME that you just want to hide? I like to avoid that whenever possible, and my quota is already filling up by watching Idol.

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  12. The only REAL difference between teaching adults and 11-year olds is we CAN learn faster if we're willing...other than that, most of us still have no clue! And that driver needs to be knocked-up side the head! I'd be right there with you.

    By the way - I TAGGED YOU! For a posting of your Top 5 favorite memories of 2009. (In case you haven't done that yet).

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  13. Love your post. Funny I write for a website called Rants and Raves (RantRave.com) as well. Hope life slows down soon...

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  14. I am very happy you were all spared from being hit by the maniac driver. I did thoroughly enjoy your weapon of choice however.

    "I would have turned around, chased you down, and used your cell phone as a dagger to stab you with it until you coughed blood."

    Brilliant!

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  15. Ahhh...I get behind on email a lot too...good luck!

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  16. I hate stupid drivers! And around here you'd think they'd already know very well how to drive in snow and ice. Grrr!!

    I can't watch the Bachelor, just not into it...BUT after all the hype I tried out a few episodes of Jersey Shore. Its like crack. I know its bad for me, but I keep coming back.

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