Drama Class

My drama class has been particularly successful this semester. I believe this is a result of numerous factors. 

1) I'm more experienced. 

2) I've relaxed a bit but also set stronger boundaries in terms of class etiquette (especially when it comes to electronics)

3) This semester my class list is primarily made up of students who want to be in drama, not students who couldn't get into photography. 

4) We are studying improv

5) I've been participating in games and activities (more fun for me!)

6) The grade 8's have joined and they are full of piss and vinegar. 

7) Slightly smaller class. 

8) Drama is the best. 

It is very good to feel successful. It wasn't as though I didn't experience success in last semesters class, but I feel as though this is now a course students look forward to participating in. I know I look forward to the periods I get to spend in the drama hall. 

We are going to be producing a one act play as well, which I am excited (and nervous) about. I'm wondering how to approach it though. I need something with an all girl cast, that allows for 20 students to participate. I think I may have to do short vignettes. Maybe about the treacherous jungle that is the hallway? I'm not sure. 

I've got some time to mull it over, though. 

Upcoming Weekend

James and I are going to Galiano Island next weekend. There is a literary festival there that James wants to attend. Raffi will be there. Raffi, as in Baby Beluga Raffi. THE Raffi.

I haven't purchased a ticket for the festival, even though I am going to stay at Galiano for the weekend. I haven't quite decided yet if I want to get out of my pajamas. I mean, meeting Raffi sounds amazing, but so does sleeping all day.

We aren't bringing the puppy. It will be the first time I will be away from Chewie for more than a night. Should be interesting. I've grown quite attached to the fluff ball.

I will take many pictures. I will blog about it, using the free wifi provided for my convenience.

I look forward to relaxing. Moving into James' house, getting a puppy, writing course outlines and completing the second round of report cards have taken a lot of my time. I shall lay in a bath for a ridiculous amount of time and watch an obscene amount of television.

I won't do any work. Don't tell my school, but I don't want to work at all.

Report Cards

Report Cards are only fun if you are in Grade 4 and Grandma gives you a toonie for every A you receive.

 Even then, it depends.

Why am I on my blog when I could be productive and edit the last of my report comments? The answer to that question is quite simple.

My head may explode.

Grades are so superficial. I think the one thing we (as teachers) should mark is effort and participation. That is how kids learn. If they don't try, if they don't buy in--they don't retain any knowledge.

I just want to send a quick note to parents once a month being like "Yo. Your kid listens really well and she also gave a girl a hug when they were sad. It was pretty top drawer of her."

Isn't that enough? Why should I spend 20 hours over my weekend giving numerical value to each and every assignment a kid hands in? What does that number matter?

But I'm a hypocrite, really. When I was in University there were some ungraded courses. I hated them. "Why should I put in maximum effort if all I get is a pass or a fail?" I said. "Why not scrape by if that is all I require to move on?" I said.

I am a Grade junkie. Yet I want something better for my students. I want something better for my kids, if I have them.

I want school to be about the friggen journey, not the grade at the end of the tunnel.

Puppy Fever

Let me list the reasons why I have sucked at doing a weekly entry in this blog.

1. School is busy.

2. Report cards are imminent.

3. Sometimes I forget I even have a blog.

4. We got a puppy.

Chewie. Short for Chewbacca. He is fluffy, he is sweet, he loves to Chew (which is basically our fault as we named him Chewie) and he is all ours.

I am completely in love, and completely overwhelmed.

Everyone tells you having a puppy is a big deal. Everyone says it is like having a baby. Everyone says it is time consuming. Everyone says you have to be ready to dedicate a huge portion of your life to this little animal.

Everyone was right.

Getting a puppy is a big deal. For an undetermined amount of time you have to clean up poop and pee.

It has been 4 days since our last in house accident.

Getting a puppy can be stressful. For the first two weeks we didn't sleep through the night, and the crate training was not exactly what I would call successful.

Now he sleeps in the hallway in his crate with a sheet draped over top. We had our first full night sleep last night.

Getting a puppy can be a wonderful bonding experience for a couple. And an opportunity to learn. James and I have had many discussions about how this is good practice for when we decide to have kids.

Thank all that is holy we haven't got children also. Chewie is our fur baby and that is good. That is enough.

Cats do not like puppies. Especially when the dog barks and chases the cat. I want them to snuggle each other but that may just be a pipe dream.

Suggestions for people getting a puppy: 

Take them to puppy class. 

Tire them out with play time. 

Introduce them to kids who are good with dogs and let them run around. 

Introduce them to other dogs and let them run around.

Tire them out with car rides.

Cuddle them when they are tired.

Listen to the teacher in puppy class.

Take them out to poop a half an hour after they eat their food.

Take them out to pee, a lot.

Buy a good jacket if it is winter.

Buy easy to slip on shoes.

Read books, but don't believe everything you read.

Listen to advice, but don't believe everything everyone says.

Look on the internet, but don't freak out if you are reading too much.

Love.

Love.

Love.

Cry if you have to.

Ask people to play with your puppy so you can have a nap.

Leave the puppy in a safe place while at work with nothing to destroy.

Buy toys.

Live your life, and love the dog.

Be nice to your spouse.

Try to talk about something else to your friends and family.

And take lots of pictures.

Adopting a Puppy

"Let's just meet puppies" I said. "We will wait to take one home until we find the right one" I said. 

This is easier said than done. 

What James and I want: a medium sized puppy, good temperament, and we want to adopt it. Preferably from an organization called "Victoria Humane Society"(check their Facebook group). We have filled out an application and we went to visit some puppies today. 

We knew that these doggies were going to be a bit too big for our needs, so we decided to just go meet them and talk to the foster parents. 

Then they were adorable. They had wonderful, sweet personalities and I wanted to take them both home. 

When we left the foster parents, my heart hurt. I could hardly tear myself away from them. 

James and I talked at length. Then I texted some friends. Then I was sad. We decided they would be better with a family that wanted a big dog. 

What scares me is how hard it was to NOT adopt the first dog we see. This process may be more difficult to complete with a clear mind. My emotions are pretty strong when it comes to sweet little puppies. 

Anyways, here is a picture. As you can see, this puppy isn't really little...

In The Effort to Post More

Happy New Years (Eve) friends!

Today I slept in until 11. This is because I'm on holidays and can do such things. Plus I spent all yesterday planning and marking and sitting in front of a computer trying to get my life organized. So I deserved to stay up watching British television.

I am all caught up with Downton Abbey, which is delightful. And by delightful I mean heart wrenching, beautiful and really really well done. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes television. I could write a whole blogpost detailing the high points of Maggie Smith's acting. That woman is probably my hero, and not just because she played Wendy in "Hook".

Because of my whole (not-so) new love for British television, I am watching a show called Doc Martin. It is a cute little series about a surgeon who moves to a small town in Britain to be the local doctor because he develops a phobia of blood. It isn't Downton Abbey, but it is easy to do my homework while it plays in the background. In fact it is playing in the background right now.

New Years Eve. 2014. Woah.

 I believe one of my resolutions was to write more blog posts. I think a result of this resolution will be that I end up writing more, but writing about inconsequential things. Hence the current subjects of this particular post.

Usually if I write something that I can justify as being even remotely interesting to other people I write something to let them know. I probably won't mention this post on Facebook. 

Off to shower!

New Years Resolutions

Christmas has come and gone but the turkey weight remains. I wouldn't be female if I didn't have a resolution that had something to do with being "healthier" or "losing weight". Though I do have these thoughts, I think I want to phrase it differently. Keeping this in mind, my first resolution will be:

-I won't let my body weight effect my happiness.-

In a way this is no different from saying I want to lose 10 pounds or I want to go on a diet. It is just a more positive way of looking at it. All about the packaging, I say. I'm determined to have better energy levels and a more active lifestyle. In doing this I will probably lose weight, but I refuse to stress about that cookie I had 2 weeks ago. 

Next I want to talk about my career. Being a teacher is incredibly rewarding, but can also be time consuming and stressful. I am determined to be better prepared for lessons and assignments so that I avoid any kind of extra stress. So my next resolution sounds a little like this:

-Only fake it till you make it when absolutely necessary-

Any new teacher knows what I'm talking about with that one. 

The following are other resolutions that don't need much of an explanation:

-Go on more interesting dates with James-

-Write one blog post a week-

-Write more in general-

-Nap less, sleep better at night-

-Manage my money more efficiently-

-Drink more water-

-Finish renovations on the house-

-Take more photographs-

-Garden-

There are so many more that have escaped my memory, but really that is probably plenty for 2014. I know so many people that have wonderful intentions in January but by February they are stuffing their face with chocolate (okay maybe when I said "people" I meant me) because they have deprived themselves. This is what I hope to avoid. I don't want to delete or ignore any aspect of myself, but add positive goals and actions so I can feel like a more rounded person. 

Fill your life up with the positive and the negative will take care of itself. 

Now I'm off to nap (remember, nap LESS, not never.... Moderation being key with that one). Now, to leave you, one of my favourite gifts this Christmas...