Wednesday, October 20, 2010

New Ultimate Frisbee Highlight Film

New favorite ultimate Frisbee highlight film. Competition day tomorrow in advisory - the game of Ultimate is on for tomorrow:


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Monday, October 18, 2010

Teaching Ultimate Frisbee in Advisory!!

Here are some promotional videos:





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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Saying "Good-bye" and "Good Job"

I was cleaning up the polyurethane and brushes at the end of the last class of the day as the bell rang to end class. A student came up to me as the bell rang and said, "Good-bye, Mr. Wiemers." This is not unusual since this has happened every day for two years. This same student never leaves my class with out making eye contact with me and saying to me directly, "Good-bye, Mr. Wiemers." Every time I respond, but I never act like I was expecting it. I always try to respond with no noticeable "tone" in my voice, other than to give the impression I was glad the student was addressing me and I was having a good day.

Today, for some reason, I recalled doing something similar when I was in elementary school and junior high. Every year on the morning of the last day of school my mom would tell me,
"Now, before you come home tell your teacher you had a good year and that you thought they were a great teacher."
Every year I did. It wasn't easy. In fact, I would almost get sick to my stomach. I would spend the last day of school worried about that moment at the end of the day (the last day of the school year) when I would have to move against the stream of kids running home for the summer. I would have to go against the current and walk back into the class room, walk up the the teacher, look them in the eye and initiate a conversation. The conversation would be focused on my evaluation of the teacher. I was going to have to compliment my teacher. This time the student would not ask a question, nor ask for help. I had done that all year long. In this case the subordinate would address their superior by paying them a compliment. Even a positive compliment indicated that the inferior student had made an evaluation of the teacher and had come to a decision:
"You were a good teacher and I had a great year. Thank you."
This was so hard to do. In the early years my voice was timid and shook with fear. But, I also remember that the teacher's face lit up every time. They seemed to actually take my compliment seriously. It was as if my words, my opinion, my judgment was heard and had left a mark. My words seemed to have made a difference.

After the last day of school I would always have to walk home alone since by the time I got my nerve up to actually enter the room, speak with the teacher and leave, the other students were long gone. I still remember the feeling, the emotional high, as I walked home. I did not understand everything, but I knew I, a mere student, had made an impact on my teacher. The teacher felt good about themselves because I said something to them about themselves. This was indeed strange territory for a young student to be treading on. It was like drinking from a cup in another dimension or speaking into a parallel universe.

Eventually my voice did not quiver and I knew, before I spoke, I was about to say something that would leave a lasting impression.

Mr. Wiemers
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Friday, October 8, 2010

Eighth Grade Adventures in Staining



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Ugg Boots

Today's blog deals with my keen sense for fall fashion. This week the temperatures were slightly cool, but still in the 70's. These temperatures sent a fashion signal through out our middle school causing a large number of 8th grade girls to simultaneously break out their Ugg boots on Tuesday this week. I noticed the first pair of Uggs in the shop during first period. More Uggs appeared in second period and by third period I knew the 8th grade girls had begun a mass movement into their winter apparel which is now being worn in early fall.

After having said all this, I do want to note that by Wednesday the Ugg season seemed to have gone into a stall. From my perspective, as somewhat of a fashion expert, this retreat from the wearing of Uggs in early fall may have been caused by the uncomfortable over heating of the feet by the time the students were dismissed from school into the warm fall afternoon. I anticipate a second wave of Ugg appearances will occur when the first cloudy sky produces a snow flake.

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Thursday, October 7, 2010

Epidemic of Spilled Stain

We have built and stained 100-160 mission style oak tables with eighth graders every year for 10 years. During the first nine years we spilled 2 cans of stain, total. This year (or, yesterday and today) we have spilled 3. Three cans in less than two days, compared to 2 cans in nine years. So, in 10 years we have spilled 5 cans of stain. 3 of those 5 were spilled during the last 24 hours!! Why? How can this happen? It is a continuous focus of my instruction that is accompanied with advice concerning how to avoid this huge mess, this huge waste of time and the destruction of the clothing of the students near ground-zero. Notable changes that may have led to this epidemic could be:
  1. the character of this 8th grade class??
  2. the scheduling of this class earlier in the year (1st quarter) instead of later in the year when the students are older???
  3. larger class size which crowds the tiny shop????
  4. the presence of 130 other end tables crowded in the shop to dry instead of being in the hallway?????
  5. the fact that I purchased the stain for the students this year instead of having them pick out their own stain with their parents assistance and their own money??????
  6. the failure of the school district to cover this issue during a teacher inservice???????
  7. my failure to write "don't spill the stain" as a learning target or as an ICDP????????
  8. the Tea party movement or the Obama administration?????????
  9. my fear of spilled stain and my abnormal focus on not spilling stain which draws unnecessary student attention to open cans of stain??????????
  10. stuff like this happens...it is what it is...clean it up and get another can of stain!

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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Antler Drawer Pulls

A couple of eighth graders cut up an antler to create their drawer handle on the mission style oak table.



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