errrrr

What to say, slept through my plans for tonight (sorry laurel).


In one of my classes today I spent the hour talking to the students about expectations, responsibilities, taking your learning in to your own hands, finding ways to be excited about stuff that doesn't seem to matter. A student told me I did a good job.

The students asked for more recent stuff. Which is something I have been wanting to do anyway. I can't decide the scope though. In history you need to know what came before in order to understand the present, so how do I set a beginning date. I was thinking it would be nice to do a class on the last 60 years (since wwII) but I think that might be too much. Maybe just the last 28 or so... but then u need the 70s to explain the 80s and 90s.
You have to explain the state of Israel and the wars they had in order to understand Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Iran.

The other class I am more excited for is going to be one on Activism in MN. I don't know yet whether I want to make it a winder trimester class, or a interim (a 2-3 week period with more "fun" classes). I am also thinking of a class where each day we learn about a part of history through graphic novels (I think I have about 4 good ones to start, which would probably be enough because we will never get through them).

I want to introduce more documentaries and videos into class, but they are so long that it takes a whole week to watch a movie.


One thing I haven't done very well with my class time at this school is breaking it into different types of learning (using different learning styles). The way the students get credit is through writing evaluations using their notes. Well this means that they need to be taking notes rather than doing projects etc. Its a little bit frustrating and causes one to simplify the lessons into things like a reading or two, or a lecture and a reading.

With more time I will work around this.

I also might need a laptop and a projector so I can make power-points with short video clips, pictures, music and things. I have been using it in Elections class and it works a lot better than sending kids to the computer lab and hoping they will follow instructions but the school's comp is a mac which makes it hard to transfer things sometimes. I have a hard enough time printing shit I do at home. Need to buy ink.

I realized today in two months I have only been able to pay my mom 500$ back from a 1000 loan. Which means in 4 paychecks I have been spending way too much, or I am not making all that much. When I took this job, I thought, wow this will be the most I have ever made and it is. But its still not that much when you are living on your own. Last summer I thought I would be able to buy either a new laptop or at least a 4 track digital audio recorder. I probably could buy the latter right now... but I am trying to save some, so I can pay my mom back next time.
I'm not sure where the money goes. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a second job... I sort of thing it would be awesome to work at the Smitten Kitten. Some days when I actually have energy I think about stopping in to pick up an application... but the reality is that I am usually dead tired every night.
Saving takes time I guess, no trips to Mexico for me.

The senate race (before the recount) is only 238 votes off. I think Franken has a really good chance, which makes me happy. But James also hasn't called me back.

Another movie then bed.
I wish I had someone to cuddle with(its officially been two years, woot anniversary).