Boy's Day

Boy's Day Same lesson with some modifications. I did a PowerPoint presentation. Then, I model making a samurai paper hat. I had the students practice with regular 8X11in copy paper. After the practice, the students make large hats with extra large construction paper. Finally, will the students worked on a wordsearch puzzle I'd created the night before, I used a hot glue gun to make sure the hats didn't come apart. It was a lot harder workday than last year. Girls for the most part were out of the building. Day ended tired and exhausted. Out of the building about 6:30PM. Since I knew I would miss my train, I went to buy a converter for my TV.

I only paid $14.18 with my government coupon. So far, I believe I got what I made for. Junk! Now, I think I will have to buy a better antenna. The converter box I have seems only able to pick up about 23 channels, and not all of them are the regular ones I'm used to. For example, there are 3 channels each for CBS, FOX/WWOR, NBC, plus the Spanish channels. My new converter box also has a signal feature that lets me check the signal strength as I move the antenna around the room, but so far the signal flucuates between 0 and about 40%.


Post Date - Sunday, June 21, 2009 2:53AM

Monday, June 16th Boy's Day Today turned out to be a very nice day. Once the morning confusion ended, it was an enjoyable day. Quick weekend wrap-up.

Since I'd spent all day at the Bronx Zoo, I didn't do any lesson planning or errands. Sunday was Father's Day. Since I did not have Saturday as my recovery/sleep day, I was tired Sunday morning. I just couldn't seem to do anything. I was planning to do. I finally, got out of bed, showered and wrapped my foster father's Father's Day gift by 4:30PM. I took the MN train into NYC. I arrived at my foster father's place about 5:15PM; his lady friend's adult kids were there wishing him Happy Father's Day. It was nice, then his daughter showed up.

She has worked in the day care center nearby for several years, often needing to walk past her father's building to get to work, and she rarely stopped by. Now, lately, she seems to be making a concerted effort to build bridges with her father. Once the argument started, I was getting a headache and left. I said that I needed to catch my train.

Before heading home, I decided to stop off at Barnes & Nobles to buy a juicing book. I bought a blender a couple of days ago. I thought it would be a waste of money for me to buy a juicing machine. I know I would hate cleaning the different parts after each time (especially the grater inside). I also have not had fresh vegetables in months, if not years. I'm hoping that with the blender, I can throw in a handful of this green vegetable, or that green vegetable to get the vitamins I need. Maybe if I have a glass of fresh vegetable juice each day, it will help me with my weight, my skin and my tired feeling. I went to the B&N on 14th street because they stayed opened late on Sundays. After perusing the diet and healthy cooking sections, I settled on:

The Big Book of Juices and Smoothies by Natalie Savona

I like the layout of this book. I also like the simple recipes (just 2 or 3 fruits and/or vegetables). After B&N, I rode the subway down to 42nd street where I could take the MN train. Since I was early for the 8:20PM train, I went to see if I could buy something to drink. I stop in one of the nation chained drug/convenience store. I was planning to buy a small orange juice. This was the first time I noticed that the 16oz Tropicana that I used to buy has been replaced with a 14oz, but the price is still the same...well at least uptown the price is the same (about $1.50), but in the midtown drug/convenient store, they wanted $2.19 for the 14oz. I put the orange juice back.

I arrived home about 9PM. I then had to start working on my PowerPoint Presentation. My school is doing a Boy's day event. Since they did a girl's empowerment day, some of the male teachers thought it was only fair to do a boy's event as well. Microsoft Office has made making a PowerPoint presentation super easy. The computer teacher/tech guy said that since he forgot to set up my Smartboard, he would do it if I came to school early between 7:15AM and 7:30AM. I was in bed by 2AM and up by 6AM, however, I managed to make the early train. And I arrived at school at 7:15AM.

And...

The tech guy was not there. At the last minute, I had to scramble around to find a way to show my PP presentation. Luckily Ms. Down the Hall lent me her older model where the projector is separate from the screen. It still didn't work. I called the tech guy(he arrived late), and he agreed to come. He came just as Ms. DTH got the screen on. Tech guy immediately said that everything was alright. I'd wanted him to stay until my PP came on, but he insisted that everything was okay and "everything would work". As soon as he left, the message flashed that my PP was using a newer version and it could not play. Tech guy was now too busy to return, but suggested that I send my flash drive to him and he would work on it. I copied my PP onto Ms. DTH's laptop (thinking I wouldn't see my flash drive anytime soon). About 30 minutes later, the student I sent my flash drive with returned. He said that Tech Guy put the flash drive down and told him to wait. After 30 minutes, the kid got tired of waiting. He returned empty-handed. My presentation consisted of the kids who decided to come to my Boy's Day presentation gathering around my laptop as I did my presentation. My presentation was on Boy's Day in Japan. I ended with teaching the boys how to make a origami samurai hat. After the two presentations, there was a raffle contest in the auditorium. I volunteered to read the numbers. I wanted to be useful, or the teachers who had my girls might try sending them back. Presenters had to split up their girls into available classes. Ms. Across the Hall was absent today. Did I mention that she was assigned to team-teach the mixed population class (a mixture of special ed and mainstream students). She would also have to move back upstairs to the third floor, and share a classroom. She was not happy. Since she did not reply to my email, I think she just took a mental health day.

Let me wrap this up, I've been blogging long enough. The day was nice. I was out of the building about 4:30PM. I made my homework copies for the whole week. I went to the grocery store to buy some fresh fruits and vegetables. I haven't bought fresh vegetables in months. I'm just about finished this blog. After I save it into my draft folder, I am going to try making one of the juices in my juicing book. I didn't buy the book for exact recipes, I just wanted to have a ballpark idea of what to do. If it taste nasty, then I will just pretend it's medicine. First up, kale juice. Well, time to go play with my blender.

Completion Date - Monday, June 16, 2008 8:46PM
Post Date - Tuesday, July 8, 2008 10:52AM

Tuesday, June 10th
A very hot day in terms of the weather. The kids were okay (relatively speaking). AP1 called to offer me a couple of make-up preps. She forgot that she had given me my make-up preps. Since I was honest with her about already getting my make-up preparation periods, she gave me an extra prep period. Right before the prep period, the tech/computer teacher came in to tell me "bad news". He told me that I was getting a Smartboard for my classroom. I don't know why he thought I would not be excited about it. Just see the hyperlink I created to Wikipedia. It might have to do with most people in my school (myself included) having very limited understanding about hightech gadgets. Last year, about 4 or 5 teachers had the opportunity to go to a two-day training workshop out of state, and they received a whiteboard for their classrooms. Results? only a couple of the teachers have used their Smartboards on occasions. One teacher has not touched hers ...at all. I thought that was such a waste. Anyway, when I found out I was getting a Smartboard, I was excited. I had the area cleaned off and ready in about 5 minutes. Lucky for me, I was ready so quickly. There were two new versions of the Smartboards that appear to be better than the other Smartboards currently in the building. At first Ms. Across the Hall and I were to get the new Smartboards, but (I think) once the tech/computer teacher realized that the new boards were newer versions -- the projector is now attached to the screen. The tech guy had one installed in his room, and he gave Ms. ATH his (about a year old) model. Ms. ATH complained that her board will probably be rolled out for others to use on our floor. She is very nice, but she is even less tech savvy than I am -- she still has a bit of difficulty adding attachments to her emails. When I got the board, I was eager to set it up. Unfortunately, the tech/computer teacher told me to not touch it until he had time to introduce me to it. Ms. Down the Hall (received hers last year) says that she is still waiting for the tech guy to properly set hers up. She was one of the teachers that received the two-day training. The Smartboard can do some amazing things. I did a Google search to see if I could figure out how to use it -- I don't have a clue. I was surprised to find that there are free online lessons, free instructional manuals, free programs, and free tutorials. Can you guess the key word there?

The Smartboard was installed during my extra prep period and my regular prep period (the kids were not in the room at those times). When my prep period was finished, I asked Ms. ATH if I could bring my kids into her room. I did not want my kids getting in the way of the installers. She agreed. She is a very nice, easy-going person. Very easy to work with. I told myself that I would not touch the Smartboard, but I ended up trying to figure out the Smartboard. I installed the software on my laptop -- the laptop I purchased to keep in the classroom. Unfortunately, being a bit slow, I was not able to make much progress.

Wednesday, June 11th
Today was the 3rd grade make-up trip day. I'm surprised that no one else thought to ask about a make up date for the trip to Central Park Zoo. Originally, on the day 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade classes were suppose to go, it rained. When I asked AP2 about a make-up day, she said that we could go if we took the subway because it was too late in the school year to get a school bus.

The day started with me dragging myself out of bed. I missed my regular train, so it made me take a taxi from the Bronx in order to arrive on time. Since I've been taking a taxi a bit too much, one of the taxis has started waiting at the MN station. If I could afford it, I think I would do it everyday. Anyway, I had to go to the ATM for cash. On trip days, I don't like taking the small change and bills that my students bring in to pay for trips. I will either withdraw big bills out of my bank account, or just use my credit card.

I arrived at school on time, but I had to take my kids as soon as I walked in the building. The first order of business was finding placements for the students I wasn't taking with me. Two were absent. I had to find places for 6 kids. I took 10 of my students with me. Ms. Down the Hall took 12. Ms. Across the Hall took 14, she had the roughest time. Throughout the trip she spent most of the time keeping her kids in line. Ms. DTH is very strict with very good classroom management, so she had no difficulties. Ms. DTH is a bit sloppy with paperwork and sometimes forgetful, but her classroom management style is excellent.

Our school is on the west side of NYC, and the zoo is on the east side. Going, we took 3 trains to get to the zoo. On the way back, we took one train and walked the rest of the way. The travel times ended up being the same.

It was a nice trip. Central Park Zoo is a very small zoo, we finished in about an hour. We arrived back at school about 2:50PM. With only 10 minutes to go, my headaches caused problems. With only 10 minutes until dismissal, some still found ways to aggrevate. My plan was to be out of the building at about 3:30PM. Tomorrow is a half day. Tomorrow teachers make the new classes for the next school year. Also, teachers get to see the tentative faculty schedule(maybe). Last year, one of the kindergarten teachers (the union rep) was moved to the 6th grade mixed-grouped class (a mix of special ed and mainstream students). Next year, our school will be getting another special ed class.

On my way out, AP1 stopped to ask about what I was going to do for Boy's Day next week. A couple of months ago, girls had a special day of empowerment. A couple of male teachers thought that boys should have a day as well. Some people just don't think beyond the moment. Now male teachers have to come up with lessons and activities for "Boy Empowerment".

I was out of the building about 3:40PM. In the Bronx, I stopped off to pay some bills. I was home about 5:05PM. After eating a Healthy Choice microwave meal, I briefly chatted online. Then, I did an internet search for Smartboards. After the Smartboard search, I did a search for Boy's Day Activities. From my search, I came up with the idea of doing a cultural lesson about Boy's Day in Japan. Having lived in Japan for about 6 years, you would think I would have thought about Japan's Boy's Day without needing the internet.

Well, that is about it for now. I attached a photo I took of the new Smartboard in my classroom.

Completion Date - Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:28PM
Post Date - Friday, July 4, 2008 4:38PM