Mythology, mythology! There's nothing like mythology!

Salvete!

For the title reference, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFPKbg_dKyg at the 1:03 mark. Then, go see "Cats."

7th period was wild today! I never cease to wonder at the difference a group of kids can make when they are put together a certain way. Class chemistry is extremely important, and my 7th period class has chemistry. Here's a list of things that regularly go on in that class:
-The children tell each other they find each other annoying.
-They beg me not to sit next to this or that individual, even though I had no intention of putting them next to that person in the first place.
-They make lewd jokes.
-They swear excellently in their writing, usually for emphasis.
-They ask great questions.
-A few of them seem to have a particular disability that involves needing to rise from one's seat when speaking. This disability also applies to getting things out of their bag. In order to get out a supply, the students afflicted with this strage disease have to stand up, pull their bags off of their backs (because they sit with their backpacks on, for whatever reason), get out their items, put their bags back on their backs, and then sit down again.
-They are tremendously funny. I would never tell them this, but sometimes, when I'm trying to discipline them, it is all I can do not to crack up at everything they say.

3rd period, on the other hand, has some kind of chemistry that keeps them all from excelling. I sometimes think that it must be me, because they are the first class of the day in which I teach English. Periods 1 and 2 are Latin. In 3rd, not only is it my class with students who need In Class Support, but it is also the class when I don't really know what I am doing yet. By 7th period, I am a well-oiled machine (sometimes), but in 3rd, I just sort of fumble along. After I am done blaming myself, I realize that it is just the class's chemistry. Fourth period sort of gimps along between 3rd and 7th, having no real personality of its own. It has some characters, though. There are some interesting issues in that class that I probably can't discuss legally on here.

With the six weeks being officially over, we are starting a new unit! This unit has to do with mythology. I introduced it to them today, and they were so excited! A co-worker had told me that the kids don't do well at mythology, so I'm going to have to keep up their momentum. Today went better than I could have hoped. They were riveted to the lesson. The thing that clinched it for me, I believe, was the warm-up. I have not been following my team's warm-ups. I make up my own. Today, to introduce the unit, I had the kids tell ghost stories, then introduced mythology as the idea of the Ancient Greeks telling each other stories to explain weird occurances and other such things. They ate it up. I felt like one of those teachers you see in a documentary.

Anyway, my dear friend will be here soon, and we are going to get dinner. I haven't talked to my love in almost 3 days...I am missing him so badly! Hopefully I will get to talk to him tonight!

Valete,
Magistra