Good ole' fashion Gettin' Lite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTYoCCX_ePA

It's in the bag!

Check it.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016

I always knew it was a problem and occasionally made the switch or avoided it altogether. But this now puts me over the top. I'm a believer.

Hulu.com baby

During my blog break (if you haven't noticed), I've been trying to keep a low profile. However, this has proved difficult when meeting more of the Sinn clan. In the meantime, when I'm not allowed to come over ( when wedding stuff needs to get done) I resort to the tube, you tube that is. Although, youtube does get boring, so I switched to www.hulu.com Go there to see videos from Fox, NBC, comedy central, and some full length films. They are only sprinkled with occasional 15 second commercials. Not bad at all. Before I came home I watched The Usual Suspects. You'd be asinine not to.

I'm done!

Stick a fork in me Jerry.

More from "The Reason for God"

Keller continues about God:

"Now, what happens if you eliminate anything from the Bible that offends your sensibility and crosses your will? If you pick up and choose what you want to believe and reject the rest, how will you ever have a God who can contradict you? You won't! You'll have a Stepford God! (earlier reference to the movie "The Stepford Wives") A God, essentially, of your own making, and not a God with whom you can have a relationship and genuine interaction. Only if your God can say things that outrage you and make you struggle (as in a real friendship or marriage!) will you know that you have gotten hold of a real God and not a figment of your imagination. So an authoritative Bible is not the enemy of a personal relationship with God. It is the precondition for it."

Linebaugh.....this book is for you. Currently available on half.com for under 15 bucks

The Reason for God

I recently picked up a book authored by the pastor of Redeemer Church in Manhattan. This also happens to be the church I attend on a regular basis. "The Reason for God" gives answers to questions that both Christians and non-Christians alike struggle with. Although this is out of context for you (who reads this?), I thought it had a interesting perspective on the concept of freedom. He writes:

"Disciplines and constraints, then, liberate us only when they fit with the reality of our nature and capacities. A fish, because is absorbs oxygen from water rather than air, is only free if it is restricted and limited to water. If we put it out on the grass, its freedom to move and even live is not enhanced, but destroyed. The fish dies if we do not honor the reality of its nature."

-Dr. Timothy Keller.

A Question of Principle/The Holman Way

So I'm in line at Pace University behind three or four others. This is my second time in line, mind you. Five nauseating minutes pass to which I am now on deck awaiting two potential spots to speak with 1 of 2 girls that sit behind the desk. Most likely, both of these ladies are employed by our government funded work-study program. In other words, they're no older than me, just a little more knowledgeable than me in this area to which I am about to present my questions. As I'm glancing back and forth between the two desks, trying to anticipate who will be available first, just then a spot opens to which I, admittedly jump the gun a take a seat. As I'm getting comfy, the "lady" (for lack of a better word) says, "You usually wait until you are called, but I'll take you now"

Sure I jumped the gun, but I was hoping for a more pleasant response. I didn't get that. So I wasn't about to sit there and feel guilty while she helped me. I immediately said "fine then" got back up, put myself back in the front of the line as she said "It's okay, you can come up" I persisted, gave her my profile while shaking my head as I waited for the other lady to open up.

Maybe in a different setting, with a different mood I would have responded different. Or maybe I'm a Holman and that's the way it goes down.

Decisions

We have a class trip on to the movies on Thursday, but as much as I want out of the school for a day, I don't think a hefty portion of my students deserve it. What to do.

It's Crazy

The SQR is on Monday and Tuesday, and it ain't getting any less crazy. Maybe Wednesday, then again....maybe that's when the wrath is brought upon us. Bulletin board, data, differentiated instruction, print rich environment, but not too much clutter, etc. Will it end? Maybe Wednesday. Hopefully Wednesday.

Git 'r done

Math assessment binder, done.

Science assessment binder, done.

Math lesson plans for 19th & 20th School Quality Review (SQR), done.

Science lesson plans for 19th & 20th SQR, done.

Me, done

Dialogue

Mr. Holman: (answering the class phone) Hello?

Voice: Hello Mr. Holman, this is Ms. Rivera the principal, how are you?

Mr. Holman: Alright.

Voice: Well, you're not going to feel that way after I come up there and we have a talk.

Mr. Holman: (Pause)

Voice: There's no more of that Midwest lax attitude, it's time for the Midwest to meet the Northeast.

Mr. Holman: Ok. (Trying really hard not to mention that it's actually the Pacific Northwest in which I used to reside)

Tues. Thurs. Class

Aside from the obvious 3-hour commitment twice a week, the class doesn't seem half bad. He blatantly told us that we would have to "try really hard not to get an A." He also said that the last class he taught, some students turned in about half of the assignments during the last week, and that's not a problem for him. Furthermore, he knows his science. We're going through Kindergarten Science about "shape, color, quality, texture, light/shadow etc. and it's quite interesting. It's good stuff. He also said that last class he never once kept them for the entire class. Although he's not sure if it's kosher with the school, he's gonna give it a try by letting us out 5 minutes earlier than the last time until he gets caught.

A kid spit on my head today.

A kid spit on my head today.

The Apple Store

I'm writing this blog on a MacBook Air in the 5th Avenue Apple Store. The store is kitty-corner to that one big park everyone talks about. To enter the store, you must descend into the ground. The structure above the ground is pure glass, so you actually get a lot of natural sunlight from where I write this second. It's definitely a fun place to be and blog for that matter. 

It's a beautiful Sunday after church and I couldn't miss the opportunity to walk about with absolutely nothing to do. New York weather is treating me great, however, the humidity that NY boasts could bring rain at any moment, despite the fact that there are no clouds in the sky.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom

My Students Stand

I've noticed that my students in class 621 don't sit down anymore. It's like they've had it with all that sitting down stuff. I'm constantly telling them to sit. I have to resort to counting down from 5. Although that does work, I wouldn't like to have to do it at all. I just threaten holding them after school and they're seated in two shakes of a lamb's tail. Not threats, promises.

Correction

There's exactly 26 steps per floor.

Five + Teams

When I think of the number five, I think relatively small or low. Until of course, I'm asked to go up to a fifth floor coverage. I know, I know, I'm already on the 3rd floor. Isn't that just two floors? Well yes, but my legs know that I've already climbed two floors. They don't lose count. They remember it all so vividly. Forget being in shape, it'll still get to you. Not to mention, the 15 or so steps between each floor. It's practically twice the amount of steps. And my legs don't lose count.

I tried to split up my class into teams so they could compete behaviorally and academically to be rewarded. It has worked thus far, but there's still one class to go, in addition to extended day (60 mins). We'll see

A Bonus

Upon opening a brand new box of frosted flakes, which are indeed great, I did a double-take only to find a special spoon toy wrapped within the box. Apparently it has something to do with Indiana Jones. Bottom line: with a press of a button, the spoon lights up and all of a sudden, I'm eating red cereal. I wonder how long I'll be able to keep it once I'm betrothed (did I spell that right) I'll put my foot down on this one. Anywho, I better get on, besides, the cereal is getting soggy.

I've Tasted Better

There have been a many better days than the one that just passed. I'm trying to think of a worse day and nothing comes to mind. However, it can only get better from here. Right?

Run it off

From now on, i'll run it off. For the first time in a while I was able to react to stress in a positive way. Not to say that I've been turning to the bottle or sharing the needle, but I've decided to run. During the stressful time over the weekend, I had the honest feeling that I needed to go for a run. And I did just that. I kept a slow, steady pace, but ran at least five miles. Some hills. When I got back, I definitely had a different perspective on the days stressors. I came back rejuvenated and ready to pro actively attack the problem that had been churning in my stomach. Bottom line: It got figured out. And I'm happy about it. I hope to do it again, stress or no stress. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

A Different Frame of Mind

It's the first Saturday since I've been back in the city. If there's one thing I've struggled with more than anything here, it's been my perspective on time. Weeks, weekends, months, and even days seemed to have been so elusive yet so real and true. I now have eight weeks left of school. I feel like I can't quite comprehend it. I know it's not that long, however, once I have four, maybe even five weeks left I'll be in better shape to get my head around it. Five just because it's so close to four. And four to three and three to two and two to one. That'll be crazy. I know I've had this come up before, but this countdown is second only to one other countdown that I still can't comprehend, partly because the school countdown is still so much in the way.

War

I'm sitting in Mr. Sandok's social studies class. The students are learning about the Trojan War and something about a giant Trojan horse that helped the Greeks win the war. For some reason I don't recall ever learning about this in school. It never caught up with me until a pictionary game I partook in earlier this year.

For science I have a 5 question quiz on living things. I've scaffolded the questions with fill in the blanks using starting with helper words. Furthermore, I've added two extra credit questions on bottom of the quiz that the students have seen before on the science baseline test. I think my intentions are pretty obvious. I want them to do well, but we'll see.

Back in the Saddle

I'm back. I'll be saying the names Jorge, Dakai, Kevin, Angel & Sean again. It's always interesting to think about the way students perceive me as Mr. Holman compared to me, Wes. Whenever I do something resembling Wes, I get a look, a sort of double take that suggests that I'm a human rather than some sort of teacher zombie with no life outside of teaching. I spoke with Jorge during class today as we went over the worksheet on writing numbers in word and number-word form. As we were working, he paused to ask "Mr. Holman, do you type this out yourself?" I nodded. Then I immediately played the sympathy card. "I sure did. While you were having a blast on the weekend, I was busy typing this all out for you." He paused, shrugged his shoulders and proceed to work and not care about my sympathetic card I dealt. He passed it off as a pair of 3s instead of the full house I was anticipating. Oh well, maybe next time.

Sitting Pretty

Home again. Yeah it feels great to be back on the West side for a week stint. The best way to recuperate is to do a whole lot of nothing as time creeps on by. Just keep up with my weekly graduate papers and open months worth of worthless mail that becomes a pile of opened mail. Maybe I'll shower. Maybe. I foresee this weeks future extending to the Bier Stein, some darts, cuddling, a bike ride with Larry (weather permitting), window shopping, to name a few. All in a weeks work. Feel free to call me. I'll be doing nothing or lying to you about doing something.