Monday, May. 16, 2005
respite, posted at 6:33 p.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com Today, after school, I sat in my room and did work. Graded papers and called parents and made posters and planned lessons. Then, I made it home at around 6:15.None of these things have happened since baseball season started on March 1. Ahhhh. I love baseball season, love coaching, love working with young athletes. But it's a lot, lot of work. And I'm ready to start putting that time into my classes.
I'm a slightly different teacher when I have the net of detention at the end of the day. A kid doesn't do something I want him to do? Detention. Forget your book? Detention. Tardy excessively? Detention. It's nice. I can't do that while coaching. I'm more confrontational, less understanding, and more on top of grading and knowing who is failing. All of this makes me more demanding and a better, more focused teacher.
Coaching does help teaching a bit, too, though. Because I have to get coverage for my classes, my lesson plans are often very tight. Because I know I can't explain things after school, I go at a less brisk pace, which helps some kids. I also assign work that I can grade in class, or at least try to, and that sometimes is better (and sometimes not).
I didn't make it up for the gym this morning, mainly because I couldn't fall asleep last night. I'm going to go tonight. I feel like I haven't been in a month. Of course, all I can think about right now is "nap, nap, nap, nap, nap." I'm really freaking exhausted.
I've been listening to the Violent Femmes an insane amount lately.
Garden tally, one week after planting:
* Both marigolds in pots still alive on front porch.
* Clematis vine still alive, but hasn't grown up the steps quite yet like I wanted it to. Looks healthy, though.
* 2 of 4 impatiens dead in front, and the other two not doing that great. They're supposed to like the shade, but maybe it's too much.
* 1 of 5 tomato plants dead. Must be a bad seed.
* 3 of 3 pepper plants still alive.
* Honeysuckle bush still alive, but possibly fading. Or maybe it was just too hot.
* New $4.99 rose bush looking like it should have cost four times as much - woo-hoo.
I guess that's not too shabby. I want to get some more, but I'm broke and will wait until payday.
I love this time of year, when it storms at night and is nice during the day.