Done!

Put this one in the books; it's history!  All in all, this was a very rapid school year for me.  I look forward to a refreshing summer break and hope that all of my students have an enjoyable time as well. Texting Tiffany just stopped in, so we'll wish her a good summer too!  See you in August . . .

Mr. Ballard

Today was Mr. Ballard's retirement breakfast at school and unofficial retirement lunch at Little Mexico.  I've eaten more than six people should, but I made the sacrifice to honor my friend.  Mr. Ballard is one of the few remaining teachers who's been working here longer than I have, and I'll miss him when he's gone.  I do wish him the best of luck in his retirement and am a bit jealous of his imminent Florida lifestyle.

Study Hall

I'm not a fan of study halls, but I'm overcoming that aversion today in hopes of providing students with some quality quiet time to prepare for exams.  I've done all of my review activities, so now it's up to the students to focus and study.

Quarter 4 Review

Both classes are reviewing similar material today since I did the Short Stories unit in both at the same time. The specific stories are different between classes, but the review is similar.  Students need to know authors, settings, main characters, major plot points, and vocabulary for each story.

Quarter 3 Review

Exams are Thursday and Friday, so we're reviewing prior to the tests. Today, I'm reviewing 3rd Quarter Shakespeare with both classes. English IA read "Romeo and Juliet," and the English II read "Julius Caesar."

The False Gems

Students in English II are reading "The False Gems," a short story with a plot twist at the end. On first read, the story seems quite simple, but after a little reflection, the plot contains a lot of complexity. There are many aspects of the story to discuss, but it all comes down to this question. What is more important to you, love or money?

Ride Your Bike!

Today is Ride Your Bike To School Day!  Mr. Johnson and I rode in with a group of students from the Lake Mattoon Marina, and several other groups rode in from various locations near town.  I must say that even though I'm not a morning person, a morning bike ride is quite invigorating!

A Sound of Thunder

Students in English IA are reading one of my favorite short stories . . . "A Sound of Thunder." The story is a futuristic sci/fi adventure in which a group of people take a time travel safari to hunt a T-Rex. Unfortunately, things go horribly wrong.  SyFy network has produced one of their gloriously cheesy, low-budget movies based on this story.

Celebration Day

Today is the seniors' last day, so we're sending them off with a bang. In all of my shortened classes today, I'm doing a guitar demonstration. Shredtastic!  This afternoon, all students will be enjoying the annual PBIS year-end celebration. I can't give away all the secrets, but I'll admit that there is a dunk tank again this year. Fortunately, unlike last year, I avoided the "honor" of being in the tank!

Band Concert

I had a blast sitting in with the Jazz Band during yesterday's concert.  Much thanks to Mr. Schulze for the invitation!  Also, congratulations to all the winners of band awards as well as all the performers for a job well done.

Academic Awards Banquet

Lat night was the annual banquet, and I enjoyed it, as always. Of course, the dessert buffet is a highlight, but more important to me is the pride I feel for my students who are having their hard work recognized and appreciated. Too often in life, our failures and shortcomings are magnified and broadcast, especially in the digital media age, and our successes are ignored, taken for granted, and minimized.  I heartily applaud all students who are working hard and progressing in their educations!

The Car We Had To Push

English II students are reading a short story called "The Car We Had To Push," and it brings back a lot of memories for me.  I've had an impressive list of junky cars over the years, and one in particular had to be push started once.  Do you remember the Renault Alliance? I had one when I attended EIU, and the starter went out. Fortunately, it was a stick shift, so with the help of some football players who lived in my dorm, I was able to have it push-started and drove it home for repairs.  Good times!

Bike

Mrs. Ludwig rode her bike to school yesterday and inspired me. Today, I rode mine. Morning traffic in Neoga is a little crazy sometimes, and I had to wait on a train, but I made the trip safely and look forward to doing it more often.