Downloading a giant screaming, sheep bleating and the crash of thunder. Who do you know who does this on the job? Some days, I love my job! I've been burning cds for the sound cues, buying fabric for costumes while juggling the testing schedule for the seniors who haven't passed the ELA Regents. It's this sort of odd head game that appeals to me about my job. On the other hand, I've done NOTHING outside of work today. I met up with a friend I suppose, but that too was to help with an interview project that he's working on related to the small school culture. So, it's a bit all encompassing at the moment. But I hope it will be worth it. The kids sure seem excited. They can't wait to get back to the auditorium.

Meanwhile, some of my students will have their orignial plays read by professional actors in mid-town tomorrow night.

On May 8, some of my students will be reading at BAM CAFE. It's an ARTS month and that makes me happy as one of the people fighting the good fight in a science and math school. Ok, fine, a science and math school with a marine twist. Not an arts school anyway.

Oh yeah, and 15 of my kids will sit for the AP English exam next Thursday. I am not expecting miracles, but it is a first step.

Teenage poetry. The only way to capture the category is to recite some of the poems. But I don't have any of them on me. All I can say is that without understanding what a cliche is, my students manage to create every single one of them. But worse, they think that the phrases are profound and soul felt. We are doing a ten week spoken word unit on Mondays that is run by BAM. It includes a highly motivating show which inspired us all. We left feeling so wound up. But it hasn't inspired revision, or dedication or hard work. It hasn't even inspired a willingness to look through the poems and take out some of the "ands" or "thes". We are back to the idea that a poem must rhyme. That the total sum of poetry is rhyme. That it needs a beat beneath it or it is "wack." Two steps up and four steps back. What happened to my lovely sonnets? Or I am just too old fashioned and too white? The best part of it all I guess is that the kids are excited to read their poems at the BAM Cafe next week. I have a huge line up of kids waiting to rehearse and read. It will be a fun trip. As an after school trip, most of the pressure to coordinate with other teachers is off. All I have to do is invite them and not be surprised when no one shows up. There will be brownies to help absorb the mediocre metaphors and the sleepy similes.