Plugging through the curriculum . . . and other random info

Isn't this so true for so many of us teacher folk out there?

Still in the French Revolution. FYI: If anyone would like any more information about any of the activities that I do for the unit, please feel free to leave your email address in the comment section. I will send you (If I have the documents electronically) any materials that you may need or use for the French Revolution unit.

It seems like I will never get through all the curriculum that needs to get taught this school year. It doesn't help that my school lumped two years of World curriculum into ONE year! Goodness! And, it's a blessing (or is it?) that at least we are not state mandated tested for the graduation requirement.

My co-taught class is really behind compared to my other classes. Since we deal with attendance issues, learning disability issues, and behavior issues, it's quite amazing that I get any curriculum taught in this class at all. I currently have three kids in that class that are homeless right now (they are living in a shelter). So, learning about King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette is probably not a priority in their lives right now.

On a positive note: I attended some great professional development workshops the past few weeks on local history and primary documents. We received some great primary documents that I can incorporate into my local history class. So pumped! :-)

Still don't know anything about the potential cuts. There will be cuts; it's just a matter of how bad. Until the federal gov't figures things out, the state and local gov'ts can't figure out their budgets yet for next school year. Since this is my 3rd year, the administrators could get rid of me. If they go by seniority, I'm 5th in line. If they go by job performance, I should be good to go too (I've been told by my Principal and Asst. Principal that they don't want to lose me). So, the drama continues . . . . . .

My summer is up in the air right now. Don't know if I will be teaching summer school or going to Ghana for a travel study program. I applied for another travel grant (everything is paid for) to travel to Ghana for two weeks in July - the topic is the Transatlantic Slave Trade. I'm also going to apply for the same summer institute that I took last summer just in case too. I would get paid a $1000 stipend for the seminar (5 days of classes plus 3 grad credits).