Crunch Time

So I know it's been a while since I've updated, so this could be a long one...

Well it's the end of the semester so things at school have been EXTREMELY busy. Friday is the last day of school so I had to grade about 100 tests, notebooks and assignments over the weekend. That also doesn't include all the students who just realized that they're failing my class and scrambling to turn in anything they can to bring their grades up. Finally seeing this phenomenon from the teacher's point of view is quite interesting. Memories from high school and college flood my mind every time a student asks me what they can do to gain those extra few points.

High School:

Biology "94.9% was rounded down to an A-, while having the head track coach as my teacher"

U.S. History "117% first quarter, 87% second quarter - somehow averages to be an A-"

College:

Calculus: "69.9% rounds down to a D+"

Abstract Algebra: "due to the bell curve, grades from 62%-79% are considered a C...I had a 79%, which was the 5th highest grade in the class"

I just don't have it in me to not let students do something extra to bring their grades up, even if they never show up to class or have blown off the entire semester. Thus I have been completely slammed with everything I do.

On a fun note, last Friday a bunch of the faculty got together and we all went to the Rockies-Twins game. So typical me, I got to the bar to meet up with everyone about 2 hours before the game and had a few drinks with the staff, then realized that I had left mine and Faith's tickets in the glove compartment of my car, back at my house....great! So we went to the game and talked to the head ticket office person and they said the only way we could get the tickets reprinted was if we knew the seat numbers. So I called up the roomie to check the tickets, and of course I locked the glove compartment and happened to lose the spare key to it 2 days prior. Awesome!

Well we decided that we would buy 2 more tickets for "Rock Pile" (nosebleed out in right field) for 4 bucks a piece and just sneak in. So as we're standing in line a bunch of the promoters walk around and announce that the "Rock Pile is sold out." Well...so much for the Rockies game. Not more than a minute after, Ryan calls me and says that Scott somehow talked the head honcho into reprinting the tickets and we were on our way :)

So the game was a blast even though the Rockies lost to the Twins (should make Carp happy), but the after party was even more fun. We went out to one of the dance clubs after and don't worry, I've got pictures!

The rest of the weekend was pretty low key; just graded papers all day Saturday. Sunday I went over to my buddy Johnny's with Kate (ski school) to BBQ and swim in his pool. It was about 86 degrees yesterday and I got my first Colorado sunburn!

And last, here's some pictures from my classroom: