UEA!

Let's hear it for UEA weekend! UEA week...well, UEA stands for Utah Education Association. Every year they host a huge statewide teacher development convention in SLC. At least that's what I've heard. I've never been. In fact, I don't know of one teacher who has. You're not required to go, but they do give you two days off in order to facilitate your attendance. But who wants to sit in meetings for two days when you can be at home in your pajamas? Plus, I view UEA week as a life and sanity saving break. I know I'd have probably kicked one of my students by now if I hadn't been able to chant my mantra: Just till UEA, just till UEA. Anyway, it's here and I've been catching up on all my grading and of course sleep. Hat's off to you educators who did go. I'm sure it was fantastic.

Why English is Fun

Today was a day unprecedented in the history of my English class. I've never seen a group of students so excited, worked up, and focused as I did today. Too bad it wasn't about the lesson. We were just breaking into groups to work on our acting projects when students leaving the classroom to work in the hall start fanning out as if something smelled really bad. In the center was a girl named Paige. Someone yells, "Spider" and I think, "Oh brother. Getting worked up over a spider" (probably what Colby thinks every time I ask him to kill one--Oh the irony). Someone yells "Step on it!" and I heartily agree. Someone else yells, "Don't step on it!" and I think "They're in for a shock when my shoe comes down!" As I push through students and am prepping myself to step on it, I see Paige, standing stock still and Zack is using a paper to brush the offending bug off of her hair (which is long, brown and in ringlets). Still pushing through students, I say "Let me see!" Well, on Zack's sweater is one of these:
My next thought is, "That's not a spider." Zach and the 4.5 inch-long mantis make their way to the window to be free. Whew! If it hadn't been for Allison (another girl who was key in averting a giant bug smear on the carpet), Zach and Paige's calm heads, we'd have had one of two things:
1. A dead bug 2. A girl with a concussion from being whacked on the head with the largest textbook available. Crisis averted! Man, Mrs. Gage's class is cool!