I liked block teaching, despite the fact that I taught in several classrooms, so I was always worried I'd go to the wrong room. I don't think I could go back to 45 minutes.

I liked the two hour block when I was teaching, mostly because it forced me to really plan and work out my teaching. I can bullshit easily for 45 minutes, and I know that there are times that I would have skimped on preparation if I only had to teach for 45 mins. Two hours made me get my shit together.

K-Bug has a block schedule. And she has so many credits that since she is taking a zero period class, she doesn't have anything during her 5th or 6th periods. On a regular day, she is done with school at noon. On Tuesdays, she is done at 10am.

Both kids are officially at school and have started their respective "last firsts". Her last first day of High School and his last first day of Elementary School.

Damn, I'm such a sap.

Her last first day of High School

Oh my! Has she got her eyes set on colleges?

She is making quite the list. I think I'm gonna need a student loan just to cover the application fees.

Plus she wants to retake her SAT's (she has already texted me today, reminding me to sign her up before the 10th).

Can't believe k-bug is a senior! Exciting!

And Vortex, yes. That exactly. Not just forcing us to plan, but forcing us to really help the students learn and reflect on the learning. Plus? Only homework for half of their classes each night. So much less stressful for them, you know?

I don't want two hours for high school kids, but 70 to 90 minutes is about perfect for my teaching style.

She is making quite the list. I think I'm gonna need a student loan just to cover the application fees.

Yeah, those are killer. I forget how much they are for college, but I remember some of the ones for grad school were up to, like, $80. Fuck you, Yale!

My oldest nephew is also a senior! He's been a rather lackluster student (he can get As if he just put some effort in, but he's willing to settle for Bs instead), but he found out that his school has an incentive for their seniors--if they get all As during the semester, they don't have to take finals in that class. His goal is to not take a single final all year long.

He wants to study computer programming, preferably at a school here in Chicago (either Roosevelt or DePaul, since they both have downtown campuses, which he loves). Since he's from NJ, Chicago was a surprise choice for me, but he apparently has fallen in love with the city in his family visits out here. Of course, the distance from the 'rents is part of the appeal. When he was out here last month school shopping, I told him I'd be available if he ever wanted to get away from campus for a free dinner, and his grandpa's house in the 'burbs would be available for free laundry.

Of course, the distance from the 'rents is part of the appeal.

Absolutely. Aunts and uncles and grandparents = free dinners and laundry; and away from the parents = away from the parents.

he found out that his school has an incentive for their seniors--if they get all As during the semester, they don't have to take finals in that class.

Yeah, we had something like that too, called exemptions. I forget what the requirements were.

Of course, the distance from the 'rents is part of the appeal. When he was out here last month school shopping, I told him I'd be available if he ever wanted to get away from campus for a free dinner, and his grandpa's house in the 'burbs would be available for free laundry.

Ah, this boy understands college.

I've sent an email off to my elder sister and spoken to my twin sister on the phone. Twin is tired of getting run over my my elder sister but elder sister doesn't handle these kinds of disagreements well.

I hope my email was polite and politic enough to sooth her into pulling her weight and not stressing my twin sister out anymore than she already is.

Thing is, I've tried really hard to spread the burden. My in-laws are chipping in, my parents are going to help. Twin is taking the lion's share of the time and I appreciate that. We'll see if I can get the issue resolved tonight without tears.

Connie, much car-ma to you. Maybe you can find someone that can do the fix for you without too much expense.