Deep conversations.

As I'm completing the reading for Ed402's Monday class, I am realizing that I kind of miss reading education-based books/documents/articles. It's nice to get back to motivating theory, especially since I've had a rough couple of weeks.

I've officially picked up all 5 classes. I still dislike sociology, and I'm not a huge fan of my students in those classes. I think it might be because I'm not as into teaching the subject as I am about learning about the subject. I just don't feel like a knowledgeable source for my students. But whatever. Adjustments have to be made and I have to teach what I have to teach. What if someone asks me to teach sociology next year? I will have to be prepared one way or another.

My 9th graders are wonderfully insane, as usual. We are learning about East Asia and I was teaching them about Confucianism. I had them pair up and analyze a Confucian saying and explain why they think it might relate to them in their lives today. This led to a huge "life" discussion about how you are in control of your own life, how you always have choices in how you react to others, and to always think about how your choices will affect your life and others'.

A lot of my kids just wanted to TALK. I have one student that is getting legally emancipated this week, another who transferred here from another school after being sent to a group home, another who is trying to "stop making bad choices" (his words :) ) and another student who has hinted that she really needs someone to talk to about the negative influences her friends are having on her life. I think they just needed to vent, and I got really emotional after both classes. It was a heavy conversation, and I felt so good knowing that my kids felt comfortable enough in my classroom environment to unleash all the details of their lives.

I just cannot seem to get enough sleep lately! All I want to do is go to bed. As soon as I get up I think "I can't wait to go to bed tonight!" Is that bad?

Job fairs coming up this week. I'm nervous! :-o

That is all for now. Hope everyone had a great weekend :)