What is a T.V.?

Last year I would watch my shows nightly. My night revolved around what was on. I have not had the T.V. on once this past week. It is amazing how much more fulfilled I feel that I am producing good lessons. The kids are doing more of the work in the room and my lessons no longer revolve around the textbook. I am giving notes using PowerPoint, I highly recommend it, the kids are working in groups, and I am giving activities that matter. I am going to sleep later than I did last year and waking up earlier, yet I do not feel tired. I am exercising more and eating better, not to mention looking better too. To be a good teacher it takes a lot of hard work. I do not feel that I am anywhere near the status of a good teacher but I now know that I am no longer a “sorry” teacher.

It is always better the second time around.

I am going to go out on a limb when I say this but I believe I will not have to write any discipline referrals this year. I am teaching 55 kids a day, 45 of whom I taught last year. I am not fighting the battle of the kids not knowing who I am, the kids acting as obnoxious as possible to see if I care about them; furthermore, the kids already know I have an open line of communications with all of their parents.

My relationship with the principal is great. My relationship with my coworkers is great. I am the football coach at a small rural school, which is awesome. I never knew I could have the potential to have such a great impact on so many young lives.

If a person decides to leave teaching I will never hold a grudge against them. I will feel sorry for them because they have no idea on what they are missing out on.

2 observations

1. This coming Tuesday elections will be held across the state for county positions and the gubernatorial primary. Listed below are some quotes I have either heard on the radio or received on a flyer.

"I got my trophy wife the first time." Haley Barbour referring to John Arthur Eaves, the Democratic front runner for Governor, at a county fair. Eaves divorced his first wife and upgraded to a younger pretty wife.

"Vote (I will not name who) Justice Court Debuty Clerk" What is a Debuty?

"...old law for criminal, civil and traffice case for the state of Mississippi." What is traffice? Same flyer from the Debuty.

"I received good audit report." Obtained from an ad in the paper for a person running for tax collector.

"Do not use these till A.C. man looks at these doors." sign posted on three freezers at Wal Mart today. It has nothing to do with politics but I thought it belonged.

As the ad says, "I'm stickin with Haley." I refuse to vote for someone who cannot proofread a political ad. It is a bad sign when people are running for a county position and cannot proofread.

2. Reflecting on my experience last summer and this past summer I believe their is some room for improvement in MTC. Primarily is the lack of exposure to the area until you actually arrive in your classroom. Reggie Barnes gives a great talk but he is only one man. We need speakers who grew up here, both black and white. We need people to come in who grew up in generational poverty, who had huge silver spoons, who were middle class. I feel like MTC can do more to expose us to the community.