Terrific Tests and a Broken Bike

So Monday as I was riding home from doing taichi and dancing, one of my pedals felt a little wobbly. When I got home I gave the pedal a wiggle, only to have it come straight off the bike!! On closer inspection I found out that there was a bolt missing. In the moment I remembered hearing a tinkling of metal hitting the ground while I was riding but I thought I had just hit something. Oh dear. I don't think this was a pre-existing problem (aka, I don't think the guy I bought it from had noticed it was loose) and hopefully this will be easily fixed. I have to stay late today to make sure I finish up the monthly test in time, so I will hopefully be able to take Bikey over to one of those side shops tomorrow and get it fixed. I feel bad because with my lack of transportation I haven't been back to meet up with the dancers since Monday. I hope they don't think I abandoned them.

The tests so far have been going well. What I liked best about them is it means I get 10 minutes alone with each of my students. I get to find out a little more about them and see what they are like by themselves instead of just a part of the larger class. What seems to work best for class discipline so far is if I am a bit of a hardass when I am in front of the whole class, but super patient and friendly with individuals. I'm learning as I go. In a month I'll probably think differently.

One thing that I have been noticing bit by bit is student using things they have learned in my class. When we discussed the song "Innocence" by Avril Lavigne, I had to explain that innocent didn't just mean "not guilty", but that it also meant "child-like". Since then I have heard students using the term "innocent" in the way I explained to them. Also, after I taught them more interesting ways to say big, small, nice, boring, happy, sad, etc...I've been seeing the vocabulary pop up in their writing. It always puts a smile on my face. Makes me feel like maybe I'm doing something right.

I just finished putting together a guide of what different symbols mean in heraldry and family crests. I think I will use the Drew University crest (below) as an example when I teach my students about crests. This weekend I will be drawing my own and will be sure to take a picture for all of you.
I think I've decided to teach my students "What do you do with a drunken sailor?" and "Rattlin' Bog" when we do pub songs. Both are repetitive, upbeat, and silly. Also, with "Drunken Sailor" they can make up their own words to the song. I think I might want to do a third song if we have enough time...maybe "Wild Rover".

I'm making a power point about medieval life. So far I've covered food, education, the black plague, and clothes.

My mind kind of went blank and this entry is rather boring so I'm going to end it here...

Love,
Stephanie