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« August 2004 | Main | October 2004 »
Old and busted:
New hotness:
This is a picture from the bar at Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club in Cleveland, MS. Below is a shot of the place. It's a great time. I highly recommend it.
A few weeks ago in class one of my kids made it known that he wanted a pair of Louis Vuitton Air Jordans. I was dumbfounded that such a thing could exist, but I've managed to find them on the internet:
For a mere $250 you can rock a pair of those at your next game. Although I've found nothing concrete, I don't believe for a second that the things are actually real. There is nothing about them on Louis Vuitton's website. Besides that, counterfeit goods make big profits. I can only imagine what the guy peddling these faux shoes makes.
When I got to Stern I was told that my new classroom would be available to teach in "at the end of August." By new classroom, they meant portable classroom, and by portable they meant 'trailer.' I find it odd that in California we called them portables whereas everybody else calls them trailers. In any case, I'm now known as 'trailer trash' around school since I'm out in the portable. Here is what my temporary classroom looked like:
I didn't like the room because the space was kind of awkward to use and the air conditioner was so loud that I sometimes had to yell when it was on. Here are some pictures from my new trailer:
Being out there isn't too bad of a deal. I can do whatever I want to the room and nobody will ever bug me. The first picture is of the door. I'm told that they're supposed to replace it, but we'll see about that. I kind of like the spraypaint, though. Next are pictures of desks and my reading center in the back. And, yes, that chair in the reading center is the one I had in my room in Brown. Last is the 'No Name' wall, where papers without names get put.
Lastly, here are some pictures from today's field trip to the blues festival.
Today I did a mini-lesson on rhymes. It was part of reviewing material on the Mississippi Curriculum Test that students did not master last year. I could have done a worksheet and all that jazz, but I decided to see how the students would respond to whitey busting out some Blackalicious. Plus, I'd be relating the lesson well to them and be hitting on the auditory learning modality. So, I printed out lyrics for "Making Progress" and played the song in class. They underlined rhymes that they heard in the song while it played. I of course edited the one curse word, out of the CD that I played and put 'even though stuff's hard' in the lyrics sheet. I was surprised that none of them picked up on the change.
The kids dug the lesson. I could tell that some of them were astonished that their awkward white teacher was teaching with rap as a tool. Some of them got really into it, too. A couple girls bobbed their heads as the music played while others sang lyrics from the song after it was over.
The independent practice that followed identifying rhymes was for them to write their own song by themselves or with a small group. Here are parts from some of the more humorous submissions. The sad part is that even they could beat Ian in a battle.
Breath
Proof be gone
Your breath is so strong
Wait, come back
I've got some tic-tacs
Your breath is so rockin'
It'll take a whole pack when you start talkin'
I just gotta step back not to be mean
But you need some Listerine
Not a sip, not a swalla'
But the whole dang bottle
(Untitled)
I want to go outside to play, play, play
I can't play a game because I get warnings every day
[lines with multiple names removed]
I don't like school 'cause we do work every day
I don't like work but I like getting a A
I like rocking jerseys but white t's is tight
When [name] walk outside he about to get in a fight
I like how the bathrooms are separated from girls and buys
But I don't like the fact that we can't bring cell phones and Game Boys
I know why y'all don't like me
'Cause I stay in throw back jerseys and Nikes
What You Looking At
Move step back
You ain't nothing but jack
So when I come through you better move step back
'Cause I know you don't want your neck crack
I'm the best player around
'Cause you know I get down
I swing like Ali
I'm having you saying 'ohh wee'
I roll through the street
With a biscuit and some meat
So when I come through you better step back
Before you get your neck crack
Fool, what you laughing at
Dispearal(?) demention, not false not fiction
Straight double religion and I steal demolition
I'm strong like Sampson, everyone's enhancing
So why you glancing
So move step back
Before you get your neck crack
Before I have pimp stampede
Fool, what you laughing at
(Untitled)
Top dolla'
With the gold flea colla'
Dippin' in my blue Impala
I'm a straight balla'
Some need a dolla'
I'm good with the honies
Some people acting funny
Because they don't got money
We ride on 24s
Sometime 84s
We call the elbows
Thsi is for the haters
That don't have gators
It's unfortunate that I started this blog about one month after Hurricane Isabel hit the mid-Atlantic coast last year. Isabel crossed right over Charlottesville, which made for all the elements of a fun night. The short version is that it was my (and many people's) best college night. So many crazy moments and stories took place that night.
Anyhow, with this year's hurricane season producing a storm about every week, it appears that Florida might actually miss one of them and Mississippi might get hit. That sounds like the ingredients for an awesome party midway through next week.
Hurricane Isabel
This is a small bit of advice to any first year teacher out there. Book and take a vacation during your first quarter. I was told to do it and did for two reasons. First, it seemed like good advice. Second, I already wanted to go to DC and / or Charlottesville for Labor Day Weekend; the advice just gave me an better excuse. I feel more relaxed and ready to tackle things now. It was really relaxing, especially after having practically no vacation this summer. Go somewhere fun, visit friends, whatever. Just book it months in advance -- then you've got no way out of it. I highly recommend it.
More on the trip tomorrow.
