It was fun to return and have my colleagues and students so happy to see me. My sub was terrific, and everything I heard from students and colleagues confirmed this! It was definitely less stressful for me to have a very sub managing things for me while I was out. I did nothing the first week, but I spent several hours the last 3 weeks grading student work and addressing questions and changes in the plans, and my District credited me some time for this. I was also lucky enough to have two snow days while I was out and so I didn't lose those two sick days.
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| (Beautiful "get well" plant from my co-workers!) |
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| (Part of a car from my co-workers) |
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| (Part of a car from my co-workers) |
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| (Part of a car from my co-workers) |
Also while I was out I continued to work on the "Understanding Sacrifice" program. I made progress in my research on Fallen Hero Harvey Madore and in the development of my lesson plan. May will be a big month for us in this program as we need to have things in place to make the best use of our trip in July. We have received our itinerary for July and I included it below. There is still a long time to go before our trip, but I am already looking forward to it!
Our Itinerary July 9-22 Rome to Brussels...
This project will be introduced to my students this week. Not only will they learn about Harvey Madore, but his son Bob will visit to talk about his father. My students will then plan an Assembly to be timed for Memorial Day in which Madore and another local Fallen Hero, Captain Joseph F. Berry, will be remembered. We will use these stories to learn about World War Two.
Before I went out I had spent some time as part of the Social Studies Community Teacher-Leader Group. This group has come together to promote Social Studies in Maine schools. Unfortunately Social Studies has been pushed to the back-burner amid the STEMification of the curriculum in schools around the state and across the country (Many articles of late have been written on this subject). In an effort to reinvigorate Social Studies education we are putting together workshops around teaching Social Studies. Eighteen teachers from around the state will put on these sessions at a State Social Studies Symposium to be held on June 29th at my school. This week I piloted my session before 12 Elementary School teachers from my district. My wife, who teaches 2nd grade, helped me plan it and even tried it out with her students so we had video of her students learning about the difference between Primary and Secondary sources. It was really interesting to work with my wife for the first time, and I also found it interesting to try and think in the Elementary School world for a while. I appreciated the teachers who were basically my "guinea pigs" and I really look forward to doing it again at the Symposium in June. Due to my family commitments and surgery I have missed the last few meetings of the Maine Council for the Social Studies, but I know this group is one of the sponsors of the Symposium as well. I am anxious for our next meeting and to continue my work with this great group dedicated to Social Studies education!
I teach two different AP classes and those exams are in early May. This means that much attention needs to be paid between now and then to help them prepare for the exams. Luckily they get dual enrollment credit from Thomas College for achieving a "C" in the class, but the exam gives them a chance to earn more college credit. It's a stressful few weeks for them, but it's also a sign that the year is nearing the end!
Two of my Social Studies colleagues were very helpful to me while I was out! Typically I run a Model UN simulation to help students prepare for the annual Conference at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. However, due to the surgery I was unable to do this so my colleagues ran it for me! This gave the students a chance to practice the process and I really appreciate my colleagues helping out! The actual conference is May 13th in Boston.
Two weeks until April vacation and I hope I will be caught up from my absence by the time its over!
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