This is from some time ago, but we are still all proud of our K.
Team Member of the Quarter
Game Day
Name-Calling GOP
I was looking through old posts in the "random post" widget the other evening before heading to bed, and I saw this from 2008.
Sixteen years later, and nothing has changed.
Maybe immaturity is just a GOP thing?
Goodbye to the Bard?
South Carolina Regulation 43-170 has been wreaking havoc on education this year, and few are more directly affected than humanities teachers. It reads, in part, "Instructional
Material is not “Age and Developmentally Appropriate” for any age or age group of children if it includes descriptions or visual depictions of “sexual conduct,” as that term is defined by Section 16-15-305(C)(1)."
In turn, Section 16-15-305(C)(1) reads:
(1) "sexual conduct" means:
(a) vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse, whether actual or simulated, normal or perverted, whether between human beings, animals, or a combination thereof;
(b) masturbation, excretory functions, or lewd exhibition, actual or simulated, of the genitals, pubic hair, anus, vulva, or female breast nipples including male or female genitals in a state of sexual stimulation or arousal or covered male genitals in a discernably turgid state;
(c) an act or condition that depicts actual or simulated bestiality, sado-masochistic abuse, meaning flagellation or torture by or upon a person who is nude or clad in undergarments or in a costume which reveals the pubic hair, anus, vulva, genitals, or female breast nipples, or the condition of being fettered, bound, or otherwise physically restrained on the part of the one so clothed;
(d) an act or condition that depicts actual or simulated touching, caressing, or fondling of, or other similar physical contact with, the covered or exposed genitals, pubic or anal regions, or female breast nipple, whether alone or between humans, animals, or a human and an animal, of the same or opposite sex, in an act of actual or apparent sexual stimulation or gratification; or
(e) an act or condition that depicts the insertion of any part of a person's body, other than the male sexual organ, or of any object into another person's anus or vagina, except when done as part of a recognized medical procedure.
This is in the 2023 South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 16 (Crimes and Offenses),
Chapter 15 (Offenses Against Morality And Decency) Section 16-15-305 (Disseminating, procuring or promoting obscenity unlawful; definitions; penalties; obscene material designated contraband).
So this morning, I walked into the teacher's workroom this morning to put my lunch in the refrigerator, and the drama teacher was making copies.
"Are you still able to teach Romeo and Juliet?" she asked.
I told her that as far as I knew, we were still able to teach it. It is, after all, in the textbook the South Carolina Department of Education approved. I asked her what she meant.
"We're getting word that his plays are a bit too controversial, and we might not be able to act them anymore," she explained.
Pretty much.
Re-creation
The Honors kids are working through a parts-of-speech review, and today we went over pronouns. (Not for the whole class, mind you -- we only spend about 15 minutes per day working on this. Otherwise, it would be numbingly boring for everyone, including me.) Students were identifying demonstrative, interrogative, and relative pronouns, and number five was a question, an excellent opportunity to see for interrogative pronouns.
"Let's skip to five," I said, giving them a moment to read it. "The first pronoun in that sentence -- can anyone identify it?"
A smart young lady raised her hand. "What," she replied correctly.
And then it hit me -- there's always a joke of the day. I like to make the kids laugh, though most of my jokes make them groan. But here was a chance to recreate a classic.
"Number five," I repeated. "The first pronoun."
"What," she repeated, a little confused.
"I'm asking you -- the first pronoun in number five." I had to phrase the next part just right. "It's what?"
"Yes."
"Yes, what?"
"It's what," she confirmed, her eyebrows furrowing a bit more, smiles starting to appear around the room.
"What?"
"Number five?"
"Yes. I'm asking you. The first pronoun."
"What." She was starting to catch on here.
"The first pronoun!" I let a little faux frustration creep into my voice. "Look at number five and identify the first pronoun."
"It's what!" a full smile as she had caught on at that point.
"Why are you asking me?! I know what it is. I want to see if you know. What is it?"
"Yes!" Now she had it.
"Yes, what?!"
"Exactly!"
By now everyone was giggling, including her.
"Does anyone know what we just recreated?" I asked.
"Who's on first?" came a voice from the back.
"Very good!" And our first brain break of the day was to watch the first few minutes of that classic.
Perspective
An old friend -- my next-door neighbor growing up -- faced a daunting procedure today: due to various complications, doctors had to amputate his right leg above the knee. I can't imagine what that must be like. But one thing is certain: he hasn't lost his sense of humor.
Zeno’s Paradox
In English 8, we're off to our next set of required readings. I have very little say in what I teach English 8 this year, and a lot of the materials are too difficult for my students and too -- quite frankly -- boring to get their interest. Our piece is called "The Automation Paradox," and so we did a little pre-teaching today so kids know what a paradox is. To that end, I introduced them to Zeno's Paradox. We did some measuring, completed a little math, and I convinced them that the math was solid: the arrow should have never hit Zeno.
So then we tested the theory with a ball. Which students took turns throwing at me. I was fairly sure they would hit me quickly, but I failed to take into account the light weight of the ball and the tendency of smooth light balls not to travel in a straight line. So most of the throws missed.
But the point was made. And the kids had a blast throwing that silly ball at me.
This is what makes middle school so fun: they're cognitively developed enough that we can get into some abstract thinking and still childlike enough to enjoy being silly.
Hike
We headed to Paris Mountain State Park today for a warm-up hike for the coming fall hiking season. E and I, we prefer mountain biking. K enjoys it as well, but she prefers hiking, and she's got a goal for this season: the Dismal Loop. Today's hike was much less daunting:
We tried to talk the Girl into going with us, but she was intent on studying at the library. Of all of us, she definitely has the most negative opinion of hiking.
We've been to this lake several times, and we've even got pictures of L tottering about the place as a toddler.
The Boy managed fine, but he's insisting that he's outgrown these hiking boots -- which he wore daily just this summer at Scout Camp. Is it possibe? And they're the Girl's boots, not his own boots.
Two signs of how our kids are changing: our daughter elects to go study at the library (I'm sure there was a fair amount of socializing as well -- that's how I studied at the library in high school), and our son is approaching full size with alarming rapidity, with a full-size appetite developing and a full-size teenage attitude emerging.
We decided to come head back next Sunday, and the Boy and I will ride while K takes the dog for a walk. The Boy, by the way, now rides K's mountain bike whenever he gets the chance.
So that means we're also looking for yet another bike for him. He's not quite outgrown his bike physically, but he's already putting demands on it that the poor bike can't handle. He's broken a chain once and gotten more pinch-punctures than I care to recall.
Once we got back and had some dinner, K did what she always does: she found some chore or other she felt she should have accomplished ealier and gets to work.
I graded articles of the week for my honors kids and snapped a picture of K, noticing once I'd converted it to black and white how awful our front yard looks.
Pierogi Party
Ride
You know you've discovered a completely negected trail when you become a Strava Local Legend after only one ride on that trail:
