Wednesday, Jun. 02, 2004
Troy is drawn into another conversation with death after he hears that his baby's mama has died during childbirth, posted at 11:54 p.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com Right now I feel like I've hit a groove with my classes and my students. I go through some teaching slumps every now and then, but right now I feel like I'm going to compete with Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. School doesn't get out until June 25, but I only have four regular class periods left with my students on the A/B schedule. Every moment counts, and this is something I should focus upon more. If I can cut the fat out of each of my class periods like I have in the last few, then I could be very effective next year. The thing about 90-minute block periods - a time period that I generally hate because the kids (and me) get antsy, and I can barely make it through 90 minutes without going to the bathroom (seriously. I go 3 or 4 times every night, even. I must have a peanut-sized bladder) - is that it allows teachers and students too much down time. I feel like I could cover much more in shorter class periods, but more often than every other day. I'd like to try to teach on a 45-minute schedule, but think the ideal time is probably 55-60 minutes. The rotating schedule is intriguing, too.Anyhow, today was the second day of Fences, a play I had to finish today because the books need to be passed along to another teacher tomorrow. So, we just rammed our way through it. Even then, the kids were rapt at attention. It's a great play, the kids love it (one kid called it a "ghetto drama"), and I get to be a director and an actor. It's always exciting and the kids are focused as all get out. I also impressed them with my proper use of the term "baby's mama" today.
My big dilemma for the next 12 hours or so is handing out my awards to my baseball players. I have to award an MVP, a Coach's Award, and the Unsung Hero Award. There's sort of an unspoken pressure to give it to seniors. I'll probably do that. But even then, I'm not sure. I also have to give a speech documenting successes of the season. I'm not that great at that sort of thing.
I'm too tired to write better right now.