Third Quarter Exams, Spring Concert, and Megan's Birthday

3-16-09 We had third quarter exams this last week. It was quite obvious as soon as I began grading the tests that my students hadn't studied. It was slightly depressing, to be sure. That's only because most of my kids have been doing better grade-wise, but have now torpedoed their grades with one test. I already fiddled with the weights and gave participation points, too. There is nothing higher than a "B" in my sophomore English class--and I wonder if that's because I'm too hard of a teacher, if I'm not explaining the material well enough. I know it's partially because they don't study, but still I wonder. I get complaints that they "have always done so well in English." (That's the complaint from them, not their parents and/or guardians.) They complain that I make them write too much, that I make them do too much grammar homework, etc., I don't know if that's good or bad or somewhere in the middle.

Last week we also had Spring Concert--we started about an hour late (but that was a rather short waiting period). All the kids sang (except for the ninth-graders, since only two of them had shown up). My kids actually sang! (They had practiced, too, and that was just as surprising.) The concert went well, and I went home afterward and graded tests and review homework.

Sunday was Megan's birthday, and there were cakes and calzones made and eaten. We sang her "Happy Birthday" and John Mark gave her some grapefruit (one of her favorite fruits which are rare on this island).

We went swimming at Beach Park and played Keep Away with Alan's football. Sometimes it's NOT an advantage to be shorter and less strong than your opponents. *sigh* Oh well. There's at least one thing I will miss about salt water: how easily I float in it. Fresh water will be so much work in comparison. :)

More later.