tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39397992011-07-07T20:00:15.299-04:00A teacher journal - musings on students, lessons, good days, bad ones...Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.comBlogger1431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-75500262146455267872009-05-08T22:38:00.001-04:002009-05-08T22:38:46.705-04:00

I just had to share this.  It's hilarious.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNYfZd8iV2k

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-36496168785645366072009-05-08T22:13:00.002-04:002009-05-08T22:25:44.556-04:00

Been a long time...  I'm trying to get back into writing, so I thought that I would resurrect this old thing and dust it off.  Ah, mixing metaphors already.  At any rate, the idea is that if I sit in front of the keyboard and do a little writing a little more frequently, then I'll get back into the habit.  Let's see if that actually happens!Lots of stuff coming up in the next few weeks - AP exams

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154620568823261962006-08-03T11:44:00.000-04:002007-03-06T14:58:00.134-05:00

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154619848460042842006-08-03T11:36:00.000-04:002006-08-03T11:44:08.553-04:00

I tried to like the opera. Really, I did. I went with an open mind, and I was actually excited to see it. Alas, I couldn't enjoy it. What I did like: the costumes were gorgeous, and the choreography was quite stylized and interesting. However the singing and the plot were ... different. First of all, let me start by stating that I really like western opera. My family and I go every year

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154555027629648182006-08-02T17:31:00.000-04:002006-08-09T12:29:41.723-04:00

This morning it was bright, clear and windy! It was still hot, but the skies were beautiful and blue. We walked down to Tiananmen Square, and got in line to see Chairman Mao's body in the mausoleum. Now that wasn't as easy as it sounds, Tiananmen Square is actually quite large, as is Mao's mausoleum, and we had to walk all the way around the mausoleum to find the end of the line, which then

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154554247581836832006-08-02T17:20:00.000-04:002006-08-02T17:30:47.616-04:00

So today I hit my "too many people" limit, which I think is pretty good - 22 days in. I think everyone in China was at this place. Well, ok, 75% of them. This is an enormous park in the northwest part of the city, and it's where the Imperial Court spent their summers. I can see why, too. It was gorgeous, and actually quite breezy in several spots, as it is situated on Kunming Lake. A nice

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154553523296868222006-08-02T17:06:00.000-04:002006-08-02T17:18:43.363-04:00

I am pretty much templed out. I think the problem may be that I just don't understand enough about Buddhism, Daosim and Confucianism to distinguish the neat little details that must be in these structures, much as they are in European cathedrals (and I love me a grand old 1000 year old gothic cathedral). Nevertheless, the Temple of Heaven is neat because just before you enter into the actual

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154355857626999232006-07-31T10:16:00.000-04:002007-08-09T11:38:34.100-04:00

Returning to Beijing felt a little like returning home - what had been alien a month ago is now familiar and comfortable, especially in comparison to Chengdu, out in the western provinces.First order of business upon return was the Great Wall - because if you come to China and don't go, they make fun of you and take away your passport ("No more travel for you, you cretin! If you can't be trusted

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154216227250320592006-07-29T18:08:00.000-04:002006-07-29T19:37:09.180-04:00

On one of our last nights in Chengdu (don't remember date, sorry), we went to a tea house. I was sort of expecting that it was going to be like a coffee house - we'd have tea, there'd be munchies, we'd sit and enjoy each other's company, and then return to our hotel. Well, I was definitely wrong. I don't know if this place was typical of teahouses (in fact, in retrospect, I suspect not. The

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154210314499884522006-07-29T17:40:00.000-04:002006-07-29T17:58:34.533-04:00

This is a Zen Buddhist temple in Chengdu. Our bus driver dropped us off at the end of the street, which was blocked off by construction - they were completely redoing the road. Completely. We walked through the construction to the Temple, where we got a chance to walk around. This temple was founded during the Sui dynasty (581-619, one of the shorter ones. The dynasties average about 300

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154175847474182092006-07-29T08:11:00.000-04:002006-07-29T08:24:07.483-04:00

It was a little unclear what we were going to do this day (Bastille day! A big bonjour to my French amis out there), except that I think we were told we’d be going to a mountain to see a temple. As it always is in Chengdu in the summer (subtropical climate, I remind you) it was REALLY hot and humid. We got to the bus and drove for nearly two hours to this dam/irrigation project. According to

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154174562844905582006-07-29T08:00:00.000-04:002006-07-29T08:08:31.493-04:00

Haggling is expected here at all the street markets, and boy are there a lot of them. There are also tons of indoor markets as well. In these markets, you can find row upon row and stall upon stall of … well, frankly, Chinese crap. Chopsticks, fake Jade figurines, bracelets, stamps (so you can stamp your “Chinese” name on paper or something. They’re called chops), all kinds of Buddhas:

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154088559545268912006-07-28T07:47:00.000-04:002006-07-28T08:30:12.496-04:00

It began pouring practically the moment we left the hotel to go to the Panda reserve. I think pandas are native to this province, partly because a lot of bamboo grows here (I'm speaking from my vast biological and plant knowledge here). At the preserve they are doing a lot of research and are trying to repopulate pandas in China. They have a nursery for newborn pandas, and throughout the park

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1154086650318136622006-07-28T07:11:00.000-04:002006-08-03T08:32:16.273-04:00

Du Fu was a Tang Dynasty poet (712-770), who was actually born in a different province, but left to travel around CHina. He was captured by rebels and he eventually fled to Chengdu, where he lived in a thatched cottage for four years, where he wrote more than 200 poems. It's actually a park, with lots of walkways, a beautiful pond and a tea garden. There was a big pagoda called the Ten

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1153926348639943722006-07-26T10:49:00.000-04:002006-09-20T06:45:20.016-04:00

We arrived here about 9:30 am, and got a brief introduction from a student of the English department. Her English was excellent. The campus is one of several, and there is another one that is under construction. This was our first full day in Chengdu, and I think we were wholly unprepared for the heat and humidity. Ok, I was unprepared for the heat and humidity. What is interesting about the

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1153925312121995722006-07-26T10:29:00.000-04:002006-07-26T10:48:32.196-04:00

Chengdu is the capital of Sichaun province, and while my guide book says it's a smaller city than Xi'an, it seems a lot bigger. It actually reminds me of New York, although I couldn't really say why, even if pressed. Maybe it's because the buildings are tall here (in contrast with the buildings in Beijing, which are wider than they are tall in many instances), and the area we are in has lots

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1153923152417368182006-07-26T09:48:00.000-04:002006-07-26T10:12:32.470-04:00

We got our wake up call at 4:30 am, which is just so very early in the morning. (I suppose I could comfort myself with the idea that it was 4:30pm the previous afternoon on the East coast?) Xi'an had no traffic at all at that time. The city was barely waking up. At the airport check in was so easy, and there was hardly anyone there either, which was in stark contrast with the Beijing airport.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1153921578348835662006-07-26T09:35:00.000-04:002006-07-26T09:46:18.396-04:00

We were supposed to go to this museum on the previous day, but for some reason we didn't - I think it had something to do with the bus. I'm not sure which day we went, but it may have been the 9th. Anyway, the museum is organized chronologically, and by dynasty. The exhibits are comprised mostly of artifacts from each dynasty, and they actually go from prehistoric times. They did have four

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1153919250275887622006-07-26T09:01:00.000-04:002006-07-26T09:32:18.253-04:00

When you see this:

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1152709905293720412006-07-12T08:52:00.000-04:002006-07-12T09:11:45.350-04:00

The University of International Studies in Xian is about 20 minutes outside of the city, maybe a little further. it is an enormous campus that is actually surrounded by several other enormous schools. This school specializes in foreign languages. We strolled around the campus a bit, and then met with the dean of the English department. He had some interesting things to say, but I was most

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1152708587789539712006-07-12T08:42:00.000-04:002006-07-12T08:49:47.790-04:00

After the T-C warriors, we went to the Hot Springs (over 100 degrees plus that day, no less. Nothing says "cool" like some hot springs). It turns out they were no longer in use, just a shadow of their former selves, as the case may be. They were used mostly by the Tang emperors (and empresses), and were actually in quite a beautiful setting at the base of a mountain. Chiang Kai-Shek stayed

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1152708145425944392006-07-12T08:15:00.000-04:002006-07-26T09:00:37.763-04:00

The day we went here it was INCREDIBLY hot (actually, the guide book says that Xian is "bloody hot"). It was about an hours drive from our hotel. The soldiers were found by four peasants who were digging a hole for a well in 1974. They had the foresight to stop digging and contact some kind of authority to say "Hey, we found something!"When you enter the parking lot there is an enormous statue

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1152706508147119162006-07-12T08:14:00.000-04:002006-07-26T10:27:58.520-04:00

This is really the end of the world – the Silk Road ends (and I suppose, begins) here. At least according to the Chinese. There’s a statue facing west that marks the beginning of the Silk Road. The statue is of a general, and don’t ask me what his name is because I don’t know – they told us on the bus on the way from the airport, and I didn’t have anything to write with at the time. The

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1152665238517810762006-07-11T20:42:00.001-04:002006-07-11T20:47:18.516-04:00

Arrived safely in Chengdu. Surprisingly, it's a much larger city than I think any of us had been expecting. It reminds me of New York in a lot of ways - especially this morning when I went out at 7:30 to Starbucks (I was desperate, ok?). At any rate, not much time this morning, because we're off to Chengdu Normal University (I think) in a little while. Apparently in what can only be Chinese

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1152664953188817292006-07-11T20:42:00.000-04:002006-07-12T08:13:53.140-04:00

Geely Automotive University is about is about an hour and a half outside of Beijing by bus. It seemed to be really far away, but traffic was really horrible, as we’ve come to expect from Beijing. They have about 20,000 students, and expect about 10,000 more to enroll next year. They recruit their students, and are a private university. Geely automotive group is a (shocking, I know) car

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1151914871175522342006-07-03T04:21:00.001-04:002006-07-06T18:41:26.573-04:00

I dropped my camera. Now it doesn’t seem to show anything on the LCD screen. Nothing. Nada. Zip. The good news is that I still have the old pictures, and I can still see those, but the camera seems to no longer be able to take new pictures. More good news: I hear they have cameras in China. We're going to the mall after dinner to see if A) they can fix my camera, and if not 2) I can buy a

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1151914869204669502006-07-03T04:21:00.000-04:002006-07-12T08:52:24.800-04:00

I dropped my camera. Now it doesn’t seem to show anything on the LCD screen. Nothing. Nada. Zip. The good news is that I still have the old pictures, and I can still see those, but the camera seems to no longer be able to take new pictures. More good news: I hear they have cameras in China. We're going to the mall after dinner to see if A) they can fix my camera, and if not 2) I can buy a

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1151830763362372142006-07-02T04:25:00.000-04:002006-07-02T04:59:23.436-04:00

On Friday (which was Thursday night for you folks!), we went to Beijing Number 12 Secondary School. The school is for students who wish to pursue an education beyond the nine compulsory years of education, which begin at about age 5. The school we were in was a model/sample school, which means that it is probably one of the best secondary schools in Beijing, perhaps even in China. The school

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1151736778139583112006-07-01T02:36:00.000-04:002006-07-01T09:05:14.490-04:00

Ok, first of all, I hope that this post works...no censoring, please! Second of all, most of the options on this webpage are in Chinese, so I hope when it comes time to post, I click the correct button!Anyway, we have had an incredible few days! First impressions: It is very, very polluted, and I have had a minor sore throat until today, when I noticed that suddenly I didn't. So my body has

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1150808242363558052006-06-20T08:55:00.000-04:002006-07-06T18:39:43.336-04:00

I'm trying to sell my condo so I can get a bigger place (too many books, natch). Yesterday someone came to see it and said they liked it, but it was too small. Um, hello? It's a one bedroom. That's the point. It's supposed to be small. What were you expecting, a palatial condo with a reading room and jacuzzi? Seriously, what exactly were they thinking they were going to see?

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1150803653968229282006-06-20T07:30:00.000-04:002006-06-20T07:42:17.213-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday (hey! Where's my present??), and I had not one, not two, but THREE pieces of cake. It's a bit much, don't ya know?Cake number one: Student made. She made it for me so we could have it during their final presentations yesterday. Yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Tasty. The other students in the class were much appreciative of it - they swarmed around it like moths to a

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1149862910295696302006-06-09T10:10:00.000-04:002006-06-09T10:29:16.283-04:00

I admit to being a victim of World Cup fever. Not one to really watch much in the way of sporting events (I've been known to go to a baseball game once or twice a year, and I think I've actually been to one NBA game, oh, and of course the Harlem Globetrotters, that's more theatre than sport, isn't it?), I will acknowledge that I enjoy watching (true) football, and I do enjoy World Cup. I don't

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1149768941889916712006-06-08T08:15:00.000-04:002006-06-12T21:56:52.696-04:00

What you think of the new template. I'm not sure I like it yet.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1149768164573931202006-06-08T07:58:00.000-04:002006-06-08T08:06:07.390-04:00

So much to do… Everyone keeps asking me if I’m all set to go. Well, the answer to that is a categorical HELL NO not yet!!Here’s what’s on the agenda first:1. Get my vaccinations. That’s today's fun. Right now, according to the CDC website, I should get the following vaccinations:Hepatitis AHepatitis B – if having sexual contact with the local population…ummm…ok, no comment.Japanese encephalitis –

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1149537695047522972006-06-05T15:53:00.000-04:002006-06-05T18:21:50.296-04:00

That I'm going to China this summer? For a month? Ok, I was hoping to include a fab picture of the Great Wall (one of the many sites we will be going to see), but my computer is not cooperating. I hope to have relatively frequent access to computers, so I can post often about our adventures.More frequently than I post now. When I have access to a computer on a daily basis.Really.I promise.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1149536854332289322006-06-05T15:21:00.000-04:002006-06-05T15:47:34.416-04:00

It's funny how one class can have such a different personality than another. This is never more apparent than it is with my two AP Psychology classes this year. My second period has 29 students, many of whom are bright, curious and funny. My sixth period has 24 students, many of whom are also bright, curious and funny. However, my 2nd period is a vastly different group of students as a whole

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1146839610444970522006-05-05T10:23:00.000-04:002006-08-04T15:48:26.140-04:00

My dear AP Psychology students,Please, please, for the love of all that is good and holy, do NOT prescribe a prefrontal lobotomy for anxiety!!!Every year for the last five years that I have used this one essay that asks students to describe treatments for anxiety, my students have leapt right onto the lobotomy (or just as bad, electroconvulsive therapy) bandwagon. Why? Are they so quick to think

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1146766779149458132006-05-04T14:16:00.000-04:002006-06-29T11:05:44.360-04:00

In class today we asked our students: "What was Ronald Reagan's policy in the 1980s towards the USSR?" We were looking for something along the lines of "Massive military build up". One of our students replied "Coupons!"

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1146660663607647372006-05-03T08:48:00.000-04:002006-05-07T23:25:31.053-04:00

I am beginning to understand the impulse behind the Flagellants. At their height during the incidences of the Black Death in the Middle Ages (1348 ish), they wandered from town to town, whipping themselves because they believed that the plague was a punishment from God. They would often beat or even kill those who opposed them. And of course, in the process of traveling around the countryside,

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1145291793277898192006-04-17T12:32:00.000-04:002006-04-28T12:23:03.873-04:00

Pics from the Dominican Republic! Ahh, seven days of lazing on the beach.You can check out http://flickr.com/photos/jesstchr/130196573/ for more pictures.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1142540815678133102006-03-16T15:25:00.000-05:002006-04-04T15:15:13.636-04:00

I don't get 57%! Ok, so I'm upset by this...why? Explain to me - I don't even know what the score even means. This would be what we in the ed biz call a "bad assessment."The Completely Pointless Personality Quiz

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1141417152897849642006-03-03T15:13:00.000-05:002006-03-04T13:26:25.570-05:00

Seven Things to do before I die1. Get a PhD in history2. Travel to India and explore3. See Machu Picchu4. Perform a complete shoulder stand in yoga without breaking my neck5. Go hiking on a portion of the Appalachian Trail – preferably not the incredibly dangerous bits. :)6. Live in London7. Find the man of my dreamsSeven Things I can’t do1. Perform a shoulder stand in yoga without breaking my

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1141247831017435262006-03-01T16:12:00.000-05:002006-03-18T16:01:09.400-05:00

After weeks of wondering what the heck “being tagged” was, or even what a “meme” was, I have been tagged not once, but twice! The first one is from Leslie, which I will tackle today. I’ll tackle the second one later this week.And we’re off!1. Name five of your favorite booksThe Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson BurnettThe Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa LahiriA Year of Wonders by Geraldine

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1140181238542074522006-02-17T07:58:00.000-05:002006-02-17T08:00:38.556-05:00

Thanks to NPR for having an item about this site on Morning Edition (Bob Edwards, I miss you!). My new favorite blog is Overheard in New York. Each of these snippets of actual conversation brings me back to the city that never sleeps - and it is so typically New York, it's wonderful. Peruse, enjoy, some of them are not really suitable for work, but they're all wonderful.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1140017288762452032006-02-15T10:21:00.000-05:002006-02-20T13:04:00.290-05:00

In case you hadn't heard, DC is in the midst of panda-mania. Tai Shan was born this summer to great excitment (make sure you check out the slide show of photos). I'll admit I was one of those very excited people - not out of any particular panda love, but because baby animals are cute (although the baby porcupine (who was quite adorable, but not cuddly) born last week got considerably less

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1139925821289756362006-02-14T09:03:00.000-05:002006-02-25T10:43:16.376-05:00

Whenever there is snow in the forecast, most teachers become amateur meteorologists. We avidly watch the Weather Channel, or the local news, whichever is the preference, and make all kinds of proclamations that most of us are completely and totally unqualified to make."Oh, the snow will pass off to the west - we won't get much precipitation at all.""It'll sock us in, we won't be in school for

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1139602544834305992006-02-10T15:02:00.000-05:002006-02-12T15:39:24.666-05:00

One of the cool things about starting a school from the ground up (ha ha! Literally! Whee I'm punchy today), is that you can make all sorts of wonderful grand statements about how you WANT it to be."I want this to be the kind of place where all students are respectful to each other and to their teachers." "I want this to be the kind of place where academics take precedence, but we acknowledge

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1138981773769422262006-02-03T10:45:00.000-05:002006-02-10T14:49:49.600-05:00

A) the fact that someone took the time to do thisB) that there are so many interesting connectionsC) that while they list Mahler, Shostakovich and Stravinsky, they have neglected Bartok and Prokoviev, and a host of other 20th century composers.D) My aunt and uncle live near the Run-DMC stop. I'm sure they'd be thrilled beyond belief to know this. However, that's not going to change the fact that

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1138736052281262752006-01-31T14:32:00.000-05:002006-01-31T14:34:12.290-05:00

Even though this requires listening to a Backstreet Boys song (although you can turn the sound off), it is worth the time. These guys crack me up!

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1138280711749134072006-01-26T08:01:00.000-05:002006-02-10T14:43:21.006-05:00

Dropping an entire bottle of cologne in the hallway is not funny. Spilling an entire bottle of aforementioned cologne in your friend's locker is also not funny. Spraying yourself with half a bottle of cologne will not make up for the fact that you have not taken a shower in a week. Take a shower. Please. For the love of all that is beautiful in this world, take a shower. Really. If there was ever

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1137771895817228892006-01-20T10:36:00.000-05:002006-01-20T11:02:40.950-05:00

Really. Thanks to the Londonist for bringing this piece of information to our attention (and thanks also for some wonderfully amusing prose about it as well). You can also go here to see what the BBC has to say about it. The Londonist also has a link for some wonderful photos, if you're interested. So is the whale just sightseeing? Perhaps he was interested in see the Houses of Parliament,

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1137607142916461522006-01-18T12:54:00.000-05:002006-01-18T12:59:02.930-05:00

Don't you just hate it when you go to your favorite blog (or even the blog you occasionally visit just to see what's up), and you find that it hasn't been updated yet...and it's been months? I know I certainly do. Drives me nuts. Makes me want to e-mail the person and give them the ole e-mail throttle. Or something. It's called irony. I know, I know, I'm awful about writing here. And it's

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1136463945690072382006-01-05T07:16:00.000-05:002006-01-06T16:26:03.750-05:00

I know that they probably don't mean it the way it sounds when they ask "Are we doing anything today?". Or, even better "Are we doing anything important today?" Now, granted, not every single minute of every single one of my classes holds equal importance (one could argue that in a progression of increased knowledge, excellent planning and fabulous teaching, each moment is more important than

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1133538163931245012005-12-02T10:41:00.000-05:002006-01-03T11:10:34.000-05:00

Can I tell my students about James II of England's nickname, Séamus á Chaca?

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1131735055121517582005-11-11T13:31:00.000-05:002005-11-23T11:13:46.146-05:00

One of the things that was a challenge for me when I was in "teacher school" was timing. How much time should a particular activity take? How many different activities can I fit into a given class period? Our school is on a block schedule, so that means that over a two day period, you will see each one of your classes twice, except for one class that is an "embedded" period, which means you see

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1131466390008266612005-11-08T11:06:00.000-05:002005-11-08T11:13:10.020-05:00

Now this is cool. Thanks Google! You can search the full text of books, although it seems mostly for books in the public domain. Here is what Google has to say about the topic.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1131454950588272062005-11-08T07:49:00.000-05:002005-11-08T08:02:30.600-05:00

No no no, don't panic, this is not a teaching post. I'm not in over my head at school - I'm actually ahead!!! My grades are DONE DONE DONE and they aren't due until tomorrow morning, 8am. In fact, I've been pretty much done since last week. LAST WEEK! Whatever it is that I did, I must remember to lather, rinse and most importantly...repeat. I'm hoping that in the future I will be so

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1131453867462379172005-11-08T07:41:00.001-05:002005-11-08T07:44:50.500-05:00

Discovered this quiz through Sarcasmo's site ... Thanks much! Not sure how I feel about the whole Elmo thing. Was kind of hoping for Grover.ElmoYou scored 66% Organization, 76% abstract, and 54% extroverted! This test measured 3 variables. First, this test measured how organized you are. Some muppets like Cookie Monster make big messes, while others like Bert are quite anal about things being

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1130972007915014892005-11-02T17:47:00.000-05:002005-11-04T11:21:09.140-05:00

The scantron machine!!!

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1130152945479073452005-10-24T07:20:00.000-04:002005-11-08T08:04:07.680-05:00

E-mail is down! Red alert, red alert!!! Whatever will we do? We will never, never, never recover! Good God! We may actually have to...no, I can't say it, it's just too terrible to be true. We may actually have to...speak to each other face-to-face! Say it ain't so!

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1129143945067272352005-10-12T14:51:00.000-04:002005-11-21T18:03:56.590-05:00

Sarcasmo asked me if I missed my old school, and I've gotten e-mails from a few of my previous students asking me the same thing. This is a good question. The short answer is yes, of course I do, but then where would be the fun in just that?I miss the students most of all - I really miss knowing students that aren't currently enrolled in my classes. I like seeing students in the hallway that I've

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1127908958360861292005-09-28T07:43:00.000-04:002005-09-28T08:03:32.046-04:00

...You're too tired to come up with a proper rant about the lack of proper school supplies in your new building. Sorry yesterday's post was so lame.We do, however, now have a nice shiny, brand new scantron machine in our workroom. Hallelujah!Back to School Night tonight. This is a curious phenomenon. When I was a student (all those many years ago), I remember my parents going off to my elementary

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1127849330684520942005-09-27T15:21:00.000-04:002005-09-27T15:28:50.690-04:00

I was calm and collected when I learned we wouldn't have use of our Smartboards on the first day of school. I took it in stride when we were told we didn't yet have our World History textbooks. I was ok about the fact that we didn't have a laminator. What was it that finally sent me over the edge? We don't have a *#$&! Scantron machine! So that test I gave on Friday? Can't run it through

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1126620291130908872005-09-13T09:52:00.000-04:002005-09-13T10:09:09.536-04:00

Well, there's always a first for everything...I got punched in the nose today. Yes, you read that right, a student punched me in the nose. She didn't mean to, it was entirely an accident. It was hilarious! She is, of course, mortified. Let me set the scene for you...In AP Psychology, we're learning about research. I'm doing an activity to help students think about all the different aspects of an

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1126035846801186542005-09-06T15:32:00.000-04:002005-09-06T15:44:06.806-04:00

First day done! And successful, I would say. The computer equipments worked, our plans went ... well, as planned. Kids were on time to class, they were mostly curteous and seemingly eager to learn. One of the questions we asked the students was to tell us about their expectations for the year and the school, and the overwhelming response was that they wanted to continue to be in such a nice

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1125674962737346622005-09-02T11:28:00.000-04:002005-09-02T11:29:22.743-04:00

...and our syllabus was FINALLY APPROVED TODAY!!!!!!!!!!! I'm off to the copier!

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1124997340999932322005-08-25T15:05:00.000-04:002005-08-25T15:28:01.936-04:00

28: number of school buses we have74: number of acres of land the school and fields occupy256: number of staff, faculty and administration949: number of parking spaces1027: number of middle school students1454: number of high school students (that's a total of 2481, and we don't even have seniors).

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1124737773448463462005-08-22T14:57:00.000-04:002005-08-29T18:19:47.406-04:00

Workroom update: still all in boxes. At the earliest, the end of the week. It's more likely to be next week. Luckily, I have my own classroom to work in (and I mean that, I am lucky to have a room - a lot of people are in a bunch of different rooms).During our meeting Monday morning, we had a power outage for ten minutes while the power company shifted us over to a different transformer.The bells

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1124459321950181682005-08-19T09:40:00.000-04:002005-08-19T10:37:17.156-04:00

I had planned on carting every single box from my condo down my stairs and out to my car. But it is pouring, and I can just see myself slipping, falling, breaking several necessary bones (most likely in my wrist and/or ankle), and getting all my precious binders and papers wet. Can't have that, can we? However, I will probably bring down the smallest of the boxes that I can manage in a little

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1124294293266720812005-08-17T11:44:00.000-04:002005-08-17T11:58:13.273-04:00

The first day of school is 19 days away. I am sitting in my new classroom, which is in my new school, which is so new that the driveway out front isn't even finished! The construction signs are still out front, and the Social Studies workroom is still a pile of boxes - no furniture at all. My chair still has the plastic wrapping on it - yes, I haven't taken that off yet. I feel that I should

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1104948539464333182005-01-05T13:08:00.000-05:002005-01-05T13:08:59.463-05:00

I just saw the best t-shirt in the hallway. It said: Note to self: Do not eat pink insulation. Not cotton candy.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1102423028386926452004-12-07T07:24:00.000-05:002004-12-07T07:37:08.386-05:00

Every year there has to be some kind of issue. Something that keeps us occupied during our free time. Our oh-so-copious free time. In previous years it's been locks on the bathroom doors, bad copiers, terrible PSATs (and not scores, mind you, but the actual experience of giving the PSATs). This year's fun has been toilet paper. Yes, this is what occupies the minds of teachers and

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1099392450636406742004-11-02T05:46:00.000-05:002004-11-02T05:47:30.636-05:00

Please vote today.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1097863317513413642004-10-15T14:00:00.000-04:002004-10-15T14:01:57.513-04:00

Ok, so by popular demand, I looked it up, and apparently tigers are affected by catnip. Who knew?

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1097843940355761222004-10-15T08:37:00.000-04:002004-10-15T08:39:00.356-04:00

When discussing our "fight or flight" survival mechanism in class, I used the example of seeing a tiger on the street, and asked the students how our body would respond. One of my students went left field (beyond, actually) and asked the following question: Are tigers affected by catnip? It rendered me speechless.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1095517783036248492004-09-18T10:11:00.000-04:002004-09-18T10:29:43.036-04:00

Ah, fall. Hurricane season, new school supplies, the smell of mold in the classroom...wait, isn't that supposed to be chalk? To update: Still teaching AP Psychology and World History. This year I am the only teacher teaching AP Psychology. There are three sections of the class, but apparently the guidance department (and by that I mean the Director of Guidance, to whom I will henceforth be

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1086181597383127802004-06-02T09:03:00.000-04:002004-06-02T09:06:37.383-04:00

So last week in my first period, my tenth graders asked if they could bring food to class for a sort of party today. I said that as long as we did what I had planned for my lesson, then they would be welcome to bring in food. I think they were expecting that I would say no. They were pretty surprised. But here's the kicker. I passed out a signup sheet so everyone could write down what they

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1085507493494209762004-05-25T13:50:00.000-04:002004-05-25T13:54:05.783-04:00

"As England was trying to get rid of absolutism, James I came by." What, was he taking a stroll, and just happened to bump into England? "Sorry old chap, didn't see you there. Would you mind if I became king and tried to rule by divine right? Gorgeous, thanks."

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1085420329107113572004-05-24T13:37:00.000-04:002004-05-24T13:38:49.106-04:00

In a student's project about the kamikazes: "Pilots would load their planes with explosives and purposefully crash into enemy targets to cause major damage. They did this to show that they would fight to the death and weren't scared of dieting to win the war." I tell ya, I'd stick to a diet if it would help to win a war...

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1085404446652109252004-05-24T09:12:00.000-04:002004-05-24T09:15:46.633-04:00

"Rasputin had apparently died many times."

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1084903237582887692004-05-18T13:59:00.000-04:002004-05-18T14:00:37.583-04:00

Here's the evidence. On their World War 2 test (which they all had to retake, because someone cheated), I found the following information: lebensraum is also known as "Il Duce", inventor of Fascism. Franco is the leader of the Third Reich, and wrote Mein Kampf Korea was an Axis power. OY!!

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1084821591042709682004-05-17T15:18:00.000-04:002004-05-17T15:19:51.043-04:00

From one of my students homework assignments: "Imre Nagy tried establishing Hungary's independence from the Soviet Union, which didn't go so well and cost his life."

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1077825715569523342004-02-26T15:01:00.000-05:002004-02-26T15:04:43.093-05:00

"Social Darwinism was a theory that Charles Darwin developed. It goes back to the theory that humans were developed through chimpanzees such as the homo erectes." There are so many things wrong with this statement that I don't even know where to begin.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1074890099740653862004-01-23T15:34:00.000-05:002004-01-23T15:40:18.356-05:00

Just wish I had two more of me to get these $*#@$ essays read. Love the end of the quarter. I'm wondering why one of my students wrote "Woot woot AP Psycho" on my board. She signed it with a picture of a heart and her name. Hmmm. Yes, she's in my AP Psych class. So should I take the "woot woot" to be positive?

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1067520016794555062003-10-30T08:20:00.000-05:002003-10-30T08:20:16.996-05:00

In response to a question about someone who is alive/famous today that might be considered a "Renaissance Person": "Snoop dawg - he is a musical musician. He is very funny and a good person."

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1067458081168173942003-10-29T15:08:00.000-05:002003-10-29T15:08:09.530-05:00

"Two reason [sic] Europeans began to explore by sea was it was a lot faster to go by sea then [sic] by feet. Another reason is because they could find more land by boat because you can't walk across the ocean."

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1066132926759198962003-10-14T08:02:00.000-04:002003-10-14T08:02:06.900-04:00

"After Christopher Columbus left the Americas, the native Americans' population suffered in decreasion." Sounds contagious...

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1064855574984753182003-09-29T13:12:00.000-04:002003-09-29T13:12:54.966-04:00

Yes, I know. It's been a crazy opening, what with the master schedule not being right, and hurricanes, and new responsibilities (I'm the team leader). More later.

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1061649295737959122003-08-23T10:34:00.000-04:002003-08-23T10:40:59.303-04:00

One of the things that I really love about teaching is that I get to start new every fall. Or late summer, depending on how picky you are. Teaching is unique in the sense that what we do has a beginning, a middle, and a definite end. I used to work as an assistant in a tourism office when I was in grad school, I know from what I speak here - there is NO end. Sure, we would finish projects,

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1060957473678872092003-08-15T10:24:00.000-04:002003-08-15T10:30:43.216-04:00

So no doubt you've heard about the massive power outages in the northeastern U.S. and Canada. (look here or here for info) Frankly, I'd be surprised if you had heard about anything else, that was all that was on the news yesterday. It was on all the local networks here, plus the cable networks, as well as the BBC news. My question is this. If there was no power in NYC yesterday, how on earth

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1060865989940478432003-08-14T08:59:00.000-04:002003-08-14T09:04:25.810-04:00

The cat has been sneezing alot the last couple of days. And not those little sneezes that are almost fairy-like, you could almost see Tinkerbell sneezing like that. No, she's been sneezing two or three times at a shot, and they're great big snuffly things. We did go to the vet last week (and it was dog day, apparently, she was the only cat in a waiting room filled with canines), and aside from

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1060142463062265562003-08-06T00:01:00.000-04:002003-08-06T00:21:16.313-04:00

Every fall when we come back from summer vacation, there are always changes at school. Teachers who told you to have a nice summer, and they'd see you in the fall, have gone off to other schools, to higher positions, to pursue other careers. Others who said goodbye to you in June suddenly reappear in late August, as if nothing had passed between you in the spring, as if there had been no

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1060001983581459792003-08-04T08:59:00.000-04:002003-08-04T08:59:43.370-04:00

I am excited about this. Heck, I'm just damn excited about today. First, according to the UPS tracking website, my Tivo should be coming today - in fact, it is currently in the back of a big brown truck, on its way from Alexandria!!! I wonder how many houses between me and my Tivo? Sad, I know. In addition, the current plan is to begin thinking about school again this week. Yes, I know, I

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1059513444455662422003-07-29T17:17:00.000-04:002003-07-29T17:17:24.430-04:00

As I was drifting off to sleep last night, I had a few things on my mind, most of which had to do with school. I was thinking about the kinds of things I could do with my students on the first day of school. The trouble with the first day of school is that everyone is getting to know everyone else, and figuring out how to get from one class to the next, and how to pronounce everyone else's

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1058981888364879202003-07-23T13:38:00.000-04:002003-07-23T13:48:04.490-04:00

I am not apologizing for my atrocious taste in television shows. I LIKE bad tv, dammit! So with that in mind.... I am Piper. Which Charmed One Are You? brought to you by Quizilla

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1058872644420394312003-07-22T07:17:00.000-04:002003-07-22T07:18:06.596-04:00

Yes, they did indeed correct the misspelling of "etc." at the gym. A good thing too, since I didn't have any dry erase markers with me to do the correction myself. I think that I was probably not the only to complain - either that or there's a manager who works there that can actually spell. Complete and total subject change, hold on to your hats... I think I mentioned at some point that I

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1058736503863378322003-07-20T17:28:00.000-04:002003-07-20T17:28:23.860-04:00

So I did it. I posted an online personal on not one, but two separate singles websites. I even put up my picture. Hopefully I'm not asking for stalkers or psychos or even just clingy weirdo guys who listen to their walkmen and talk to strangers at the same time. Anyway, thus begins the adventure, or something. We'll see what happens. I'll keep you posted, dear readers, and someone will have

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1058620921183590482003-07-19T09:22:00.000-04:002003-07-19T09:22:01.140-04:00

See, I told you teachers don't take the summers off... Went to the gym the other day, and noticed they had put up a white board with helpful hints on how to stay healthy. They listed common hazards to maintaining good health, among them smoking, and then they meant to write "etc.", but they wrote "ect." OY!! So of course, being the teacher that I am, I had to point the error out. I was

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1058620756257960482003-07-19T09:19:00.000-04:002003-07-19T09:19:53.500-04:00

Our current terror level. I know everytime my eyebrows get like Bert's children go running in the street...

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939799.post-1058532743559888262003-07-18T08:52:00.000-04:002003-07-18T08:52:23.383-04:00

Mmmm, 80's music fest!!! Going to see the "Monsters of Arena Rock" next week. Really, can you fight this feelin' anymore?

Jessica Hodgsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14498011457721466969noreply@blogger.com0