It's been an unreal night, and one I wish I could have shared with fellow Tigers fans, or even baseball fans. But it's probably best, as I'm trying to finish my grad school projects and I shouldn't be anywhere except right here in front of my computer. But it doesn't stop me from consistently going over to the Detroit Tigers Forum and commenting on the big trade. I'm still in shock. This is a huge deal.
The day in school was mediocre at best. It started with 1st period, where I had a conflict with a student ...
Second period was nice, because my Troy Maxson returned. This 9th grader's attendance is spotty, and, for the last few days, he tells me he's only coming to English so he can play the role. We need him. He's - quite literally - 6'2, 300 lbs (at least according to the football roster sheet), so he fills Troy's size well. He's also bright, but troubled, with spotty attendance and more problems than answers. I've tried everything I can think of with him - phone calls, discussions with other adults in his life, but he's fallen off the map a bit since the end of the season. We get along well, but he needs to be in class more often. And figure things out a bit.
And, the afternoon was just fine. I've started Kiss of the Spider Woman with my Juniors, and it feels like they're into it. We had a couple of alright Socratic discussions today over the first six pages. It's a hard book to get used to reading - it's all written in uncredited dialogue - but mostly the kids seem into it. Maybe this is the start of a renaissance with the 11th grade course. I wish that class was smaller and that it felt a little less... something... I just don't think I can ever relax in front of a class of 35. So many eyes on me. I just never feel very comfortable in class of nearly 40. It's just too much, and there's not enough space. It's like there's a point at 30 students where I just can't monitor everyone, or I just lose something.
But today was good. They're a good group of young people.
Little Split Screen Action
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In the view of Indiewire‘s Boyd Van Hoeij (how do you pronounce that?),
James Franco‘s As I Lay Dying is “just passable,” which raises the question
of whet...
1 hour ago
2 comments:
Hopefully he won't just fill Troy's physical size, but also the size of that man's disappointment with the world and with life in general. Maybe your Troy has some disappointment in his life and finding common ground in literature is one that that made me fall in love with it while I was in high school. Hopefully, whatever the issue is, you'll find it.
And if he has any anger in him, he should also unleash it this Sunday night.
Can't wait for baseball season and the one visit the Tigers make to Baltimore!
(I'm too tired to comment on the school portion of your post. Area 2 came for a visit to our school today, and I'm pooped from last night's prep.)
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