Counting Class Periods Like Telegraph Poles from the Central Pacific

Three days of classes left, two weeks til graduation (which is the significant end point, though two days of staff meetings still have to be endured after that). The fourth quarter is always the fastest. That's a blessing in some ways--issues and problems and boring material just get run over and lost in the hubbub of field days and trips and activities. Even more that you would like to pause and savor flies by as you grasp at the last class days.

The last PT conferences of the year completed. I find it odd that we have them with only a month left—very little can be done at that point, beyond perhaps reassuring the few parents who are wavering about whether their kids should stay or go. Those who already decided to go are a lost cause, don't burn the bridge behind you (annnnd too late). The parents of the kids who do well don't really need to hear anything; so you struggle to come up with some sort comment or critique to save that is both helpful and constructive and not the same "he's doing great" comment you wanted to give last PT conference. Hard not to like the kids who leave you grasping at straws for conference material. "So, summer plans?"

Monday morning I judged six of the junior-senior theses. They were alright, two weren't very well thought out but did a nice job expanding common school themes (Christianity has been ruined by x). One of my favorite students from last year used David Bentley Hart to pin a lot of blame for secularization of the church on the Peace of Westphalia, which Mr. B and I both had a few issues with. But overall there weren't many issues or real questions, which I think is what bothered me about the entire project. There were some excellent students, but they all presented fairly common topics drawn from the upper school classes. Outside the school they might be very controversial, but inside it was nearly an echo chamber. Mr. B and I both had the most questions, but in some cases there just wasn't much to ask. Yes, welfare has made the church lazy in its responsibilities, yes, mega-churches seem bad for Korea. Now go outside these walls, say it, and see how people respond.

Later one of the board members said he was glad I wasn't questioning him, and I just laughed. Considering I never had to present or defend my own undergraduate thesis thanks to the program changes of Dr. Sundahl (nor would I want to given its content, I'm embarrassed to say), I found it all slightly amusing to be on the other side of the table.

Wednesday through Friday I ran double-periods of ninth and tenth history to keep them busy while another faculty was out of town defending his own Ph.D. dissertation. Due to some miscalculations I needed the time, so it worked out. But prepping two extra lessons a night (some of which I'd never taught before) was a bit stressful. It was nice having the second period though, knowing that I could take the English Civil War a bit slower and come back to something that didn't quite click (a lot with the various factions in the English Civil War, I'm afraid. But Hobbes was worse).

Normally tenth grade has my class 4th period, right before lunch. This means you usually hear something like "I'M SO HUNGRY" as class is starting. During the extra periods they were in my room 2nd period and 4th period, messing up their biological meal clock. "LUNCH....aww, it's just second period." "I know," the teacher replies, pouring his third cup of coffee.

PANIC IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL: "You are giving us a college-level final! Our school classes aren't cumulative, aren't they?!" -- panicking eighth grade female (the best!*) who didn't quite grasp the meaning of the study guide and choose to have a panic attack instead. Sure, it's a long list of terms but you've done them all before and did just fine. Thankfully her classmates understood this and tried to calm her down, but when that didn't work they just got annoyed and started mutterings, which leads to hurt feelings which leads to emotional emails which lead me to ignore the problem for the weekend. And then direct class to recite our Nicene Creed memory work and start a lecture on the challenges of Christianity in the Late Roman Empire, placing special emphasis on Christianity charity.

Half of  town is inaccessible right now and all of it is crawling with tourists and wandering re-enactors as we celebrate Day in Old Colonial Town. The King and Queen of Sweden were recently here to celebrate the 375th anniversary of Swedish settlement in the region, truly a historic mark, but sorta dinky compared to New York. I suppose this placed turned out better than the Swedish colonies in Central America. Still doesn't explain the Confederate Civil War tent that someone set up...

A colleague is getting married in two weeks and I have been designated an official wedding cake sampler for the last month. It's stretching my critiquing abilities to the limit—I haven't had a sample I didn't like in two weeks, and would be quite happy to have it served at my own wedding or any other time.

"Yes, this chocolate mousse is very good, the other is also very good and somewhat silkier." 

"Which do you prefer?"

"Uh, well..." *takes seconds* "that will depend on the cake texture."

"The third cake you had last week."

"the frozen chocolate or the unfrozen vanilla? Because it will have to be frozen eventually. I imagine the silkier will hold up better."

"And frosting. The butter creme frosting, or the stiffer one that J. made? Or the all-egg one? Which do you like more?"

"All of them. But channeling my whimsy I vote option 2 because I don't even know what we are talking about anymore."

 "Some help you are."

But I keep getting cake! Obviously my career as a food and wine critic is coming along well. I promise feedback on anything you send.

Three class days left and 16 history papers to grade. Hello Saturday.

* the only thing better than a dramatic eighth grade girl is a dramatic middle school mother of a middle school girl. There's gotta be something genetic about it.

There Is a Line Here Somewhere

While I appreciate the fact that students take an interest in my personal life (even if it is largely for the purposes of distracting us from class material), trying to set me up with their 20-something family friends is probably going a bit too far. On the other hand, since they've exhausted in the in-school possibilities romance possibilities for Mr. Fuller I gotta give it to them for the effort...

But really: dating suggestions and advice from 8th graders seems a bit much.

Whoops

Sometimes I'm not sure I have the emotional capacity to deal with teenage females (one could add something about all females, but we'll pass up the obvious for tonight).

As when one's (gentle but firm!) criticisms and exhortations regarding a National History Day project gone wrong mean that a student is later found crying in the bathroom...and another member of the class comes to...admonish? beseech? respectfully inform? one of this incident and expresses hopes that it will not diminish the character of the student or the classroom environment "since we still have you next year."

Lord have mercy. Where is my pipe.

State of the Union in Poetry

I've been reading through Walter Brueggemann's Prayers for a Privileged People (one of many pointers I have taken from Mark Perkins, most without his knowledge), and this was the next poem up the day after President Obama's annual speech. Brueggemann has rather more social justice concerns than my inner economist likes, but his prayer-poems are generally worthwhile (what a ringing endorsement). Two selections.

"State of the Union," Prayers for a Privileged People

We will listen to hear that the union is in good shape:

the war is being won;
the economy is coming back;
migrants are facing new rigors;
unemployment is down.

There will be much applause—

and we will be glad for such political performance. 

...
Our Lord is so weak and so foolish and so poor,

and yet he is our Savior.

We are pulled apart by our double awareness

of self-satisfaction and dis-ease.

We submit to your goodness our vexed lives

that we cannot resolve.

Give us honesty and openness that we may become aware

of the true state of our union. 

Further Thoughts on the New Year

A further thought that occurred on an airplane regarding on our celebrations and observances of the new year, lest you think me so disagreeable to even deny the existence of a long-standing holiday in the human tradition:

From the practical, Getting Things Done™, Lifehacker, and “Chuck” standpoint, making use of the new year to set habits and goals makes perfect sense, especially if one has a concrete, tangible, measurable goal. I want to lose 20 pounds by the end of 2013 – on December 31, 2013 I’ll know if I had the willpower, dedication, self-control and good fortune to lose 20 pounds (fear not, a hypothetical concern). Or perhaps I want exercise more and set a goal of running at least three times a week. On December 31st I will have a clear, measurable goal of my success in that endeavor.

The year thus serves as a measurement, providing a fixed, universal way of calculating progress. These metrics are certainly useful as motivational tools. Only made 125 runs out of the 150 run target? Lost 14 of the 20 pounds? Only got through Philippians in your Bible reading schedule? You now have a measure of your progress and areas where you need to improve in the coming year.

This is good and fine, where we tend to go wrong is setting unrealistic goals and failing to implement any sort habit forming system to see them through. An entire business of life coaches, websites, “lifehacking” programs and whatnot have sprung up to provide assistance in these areas. These are good and well as long as they are applied properly. One can determine weight loss – one cannot so easily measure “being a better person” or “growing spiritually.”