Updates

Well, I couldn't think of too creative a title, and nor do I have much new to report...but I figured I'd post because it might be a little while before I post again, since Sam will be here next week!
Well, Monday we had parent-teacher conferences. All the other schools had them like two weeks ago...our school always seems to be one step behind for some reason. It was rather uneventful (which I guess is a good thing) -- I had only about four parents from 8th grade, and then I talked to a few other parents from other grades who were concerned about their kids' language grades.
My favorite classes have changed since the start of the year...now my favorite classes -- by far -- are the seniors and the 8th graders. The 7th graders are too rambunctious, the 9th graders too crazy, the 10th graders too silly, and the 11th graders....well, let's just suffice it to say they have taken to calling me "Miss Beautiful." I'm not sure if I like the 8th graders better because now they're my homeroom class, if they like me better now because I'm their homeroom teacher, or if they actually have just gotten better. Either way, they are a really great class. It occurred to me how much I like their class when Rose was here -- she was saying how good the class was and suddenly it occurred to me: "This is a 180 from the beginning of the year!" Remember when I had to give them talks about focusing in class and that one time I made a zillion different forms of the same test to catch cheaters? Today I was just thinking about that because I gave them a quiz and was busy working at my desk and I didn't even have to worry about them cheating or talking. They're the only class I can say that about. (Meanwhile, I caught more cheaters today in other classes....)
And the seniors are just a great class too. I never would've said that at the beginning of the year either. Maybe it's because they're almost done (a week and a half left for them) that I'm realizing it, maybe they actually have gotten better, or maybe it's because I've started teaching them writing and research papers instead of grammar and they are paying more attention because they realize it actually might be useful. Either way, they are a really great class. And I'm trying to convince one of the girls to apply to Calvin for the spring semester.
Anyway, tomorrow we have a sports day at school (I don't remember the last time we've had a "normal" week) -- we are going to have some games and a bake sale (Tegus school wants us to raise money for something or other). So they just told us that today (shock), so it looks like I'll be making a few batches of cookies tonight! Luckily the supermarket had butter (the last couple of times I've been there they haven't had any). And then tomorrow after school I'm headed back to Tegus! Sam gets in on Saturday, so we'll spend the night at Justin's before coming back to Catacamas Sunday in time for classes Monday. But then I somehow managed to get Thursday AND Friday off of school (which I'm super excited about), so we'll be back in Tegus at the end of the week to spend some days at the pool! (Hopefully it's nice weather...it's rainy season now so it's rained pretty much every day this week.)