Two days ago, I quizzed my students on the basics of solution chemistry. I really thought that I had seen it all by now but I had one girl who decided already that she would just show up to class and not do any work. Needless to say, she "christmas-treed" the entire quiz.
Here's the problem:
The quiz was only 16 questions long.
The bubble sheet was designed for 20 questions.
Little Missy bubbled in all 20 spaces.
Now for the cherry on the top!
Kid today: "Miss, can she get 4 extra credit points for bubbling the four extra spaces?"
Never a dull moment!
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Monday, November 02, 2009
Fall colors
Recently, while on my trip to upstate NY, I took these pics. The scenery was so foreign to my eyes and everything was so colorful that I wished my cousin was outside to be a part of these pictures. We (my other cousin and I) stopped the car and got out in the middle of the road to take the first pictures.
We were running a few errands in between trips to the hospital and we ended up at the park where, six years ago, when all of us cousins were together, we played soccer. That was in the summer and back then, ducks were sharing the swimming pool with the kids=0) This time, it was colder and lacked the joy of the five of us (Sanj, Vin, Furgie, Vim, and I) being together but nevertheless, it was so cheerful that I couldn't resist playing with the leaves.
I saw a squirrel gathering supplies for the long winter ahead.
View at the college campus.
This time, the trip consisted of numerous trips to and from the hospital, some more hopeful than others. In spite of all that, Nature was insistent on showing off her beauty.
This is the view from the hospital room.
My cousin was laughing when I tried to take this picture because I had to get the camera lens in between the blinds to get an unobstructed view. It became a daily thing. I would take pictures outside and bring them back for him to look at. However, I opted to not take any photographs with my cousin...mainly because I didn't want to remember what he looked like in the hospital. Maybe it's enough that the image is already in my mind that I didn't want a tangible reminder.
Finally, my favorite of them all!
We were running a few errands in between trips to the hospital and we ended up at the park where, six years ago, when all of us cousins were together, we played soccer. That was in the summer and back then, ducks were sharing the swimming pool with the kids=0) This time, it was colder and lacked the joy of the five of us (Sanj, Vin, Furgie, Vim, and I) being together but nevertheless, it was so cheerful that I couldn't resist playing with the leaves.
I saw a squirrel gathering supplies for the long winter ahead.
View at the college campus.
This time, the trip consisted of numerous trips to and from the hospital, some more hopeful than others. In spite of all that, Nature was insistent on showing off her beauty.
This is the view from the hospital room.
My cousin was laughing when I tried to take this picture because I had to get the camera lens in between the blinds to get an unobstructed view. It became a daily thing. I would take pictures outside and bring them back for him to look at. However, I opted to not take any photographs with my cousin...mainly because I didn't want to remember what he looked like in the hospital. Maybe it's enough that the image is already in my mind that I didn't want a tangible reminder.
Finally, my favorite of them all!
Statistics
I have found by far, the most tedious, repetitive, boring subject ever! Whoo hoo for statistics! Have never seen such mind boggling formulae before this class.....by the time I'm finished with this class, I'll be ready to go to Greece with all the alphabet I'd have learned!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Joys that come with Friendship
This week, I watched a dream of one of my friends come true. He wrote his first article in the sports section of a New York Daily News. I was so happy for him that I almost felt as if I had written the article! Of course we had to joke about our English teacher and the things we did to her (including stealing her pootigals/tangerines). She would be proud of him today though...even though he was one of the "bad ones." Here's to another small success and great news!
Full Article:
Iona Prep's Jordon Bronner quits the gridiron, focuses on hoops
by Shannon Boodhoo
special to the news
Updated Monday, October 19th 2009, 11:15 PM
Iona Prep senior Jordon Bronner hopes to earn college scholarship on basketball court.
Jordon Bronner felt nervous, maybe a little bit nostalgic. It was early September, and the 17-year-old was sitting in Giants Stadium, watching the Iona Prep football team play Bergen Catholic (N.J.).
Things weren't going as he would have hoped. The Gaels, who claimed the CHSFL 'AAA' championship last year, struggled in a 38-2 loss.
For Bronner, the game was bittersweet. The senior had spent three seasons playing football and basketball at Iona. He played an integral role in last year's title run, catching 33 passes for 532 yards.
This summer, after having multiple conversations with Vic Quirolo, who coaches football and basketball at Iona Prep, Bronner decided to quit football and focus on hoops.
Bronner says he made the decision with his future in mind, but that's been little consolation whenever he's watched the Gaels on the gridiron. Iona opened the season by losing its first two games before rebounding with three straight victories.
Here, Bronner explains why he left the gridiron:
"I had a good season in football, but most colleges give scholarships for basketball. So I decided to focus my attention on that. I was really looking out for my future.
"(My coach) wanted me to play football in my senior year, but he left the final decision to me. It was a difficult decision because I've been playing football since I was 4 years old, longer than I've been playing basketball. And I do miss the camaraderie.
"When I saw my old team at the Giants Stadium, it was hard for me to watch because I really wanted be on the field with them. The kids they got now are a little inexperienced. If I was on the team, I don't know - I don't want to sound conceited - but I think it would be a little better. "
"At the same time, I know it's a good decision I am making. I made my choice. It's one I don't regret."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2009/10/19/2009-10-19_iona_preps_jordon_bronner_quits_the_gridiron_focuses_on_hoops.html?print=1&page=all#ixzz0UnHynSKr
Full Article:
Iona Prep's Jordon Bronner quits the gridiron, focuses on hoops
by Shannon Boodhoo
special to the news
Updated Monday, October 19th 2009, 11:15 PM
Iona Prep senior Jordon Bronner hopes to earn college scholarship on basketball court.
Jordon Bronner felt nervous, maybe a little bit nostalgic. It was early September, and the 17-year-old was sitting in Giants Stadium, watching the Iona Prep football team play Bergen Catholic (N.J.).
Things weren't going as he would have hoped. The Gaels, who claimed the CHSFL 'AAA' championship last year, struggled in a 38-2 loss.
For Bronner, the game was bittersweet. The senior had spent three seasons playing football and basketball at Iona. He played an integral role in last year's title run, catching 33 passes for 532 yards.
This summer, after having multiple conversations with Vic Quirolo, who coaches football and basketball at Iona Prep, Bronner decided to quit football and focus on hoops.
Bronner says he made the decision with his future in mind, but that's been little consolation whenever he's watched the Gaels on the gridiron. Iona opened the season by losing its first two games before rebounding with three straight victories.
Here, Bronner explains why he left the gridiron:
"I had a good season in football, but most colleges give scholarships for basketball. So I decided to focus my attention on that. I was really looking out for my future.
"(My coach) wanted me to play football in my senior year, but he left the final decision to me. It was a difficult decision because I've been playing football since I was 4 years old, longer than I've been playing basketball. And I do miss the camaraderie.
"When I saw my old team at the Giants Stadium, it was hard for me to watch because I really wanted be on the field with them. The kids they got now are a little inexperienced. If I was on the team, I don't know - I don't want to sound conceited - but I think it would be a little better. "
"At the same time, I know it's a good decision I am making. I made my choice. It's one I don't regret."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2009/10/19/2009-10-19_iona_preps_jordon_bronner_quits_the_gridiron_focuses_on_hoops.html?print=1&page=all#ixzz0UnHynSKr
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Celebrating 4 years in the blogosphere!
To the date, it has been four years since I became a blogger. As I looked over these posts, some of them made me realize once more how much I grew up. There were some things, particularly about religions and my views on certain religions I wanted to delete but I left them. It will be verily like erasing something that was once real to me and in that way, telling a lie...somewhat. Religions aren't bad, there are just some followers that take things to the extreme and we tend to only focus on the bad things. Either way, I like thinking that I grew up....makes me feel important. Furgie will enjoy this=0)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Goals
In 2000, I made a promise to myself after reading Autobiography of a Yogi, that I would visit California and see the Pacific from the very same spot that Yoganandaji saw it. It was something that remained on my mind throughout all of my traveling and yet, it was forgotten until I planned this trip this summer. At the back of my mind, I knew that even though we were going to Las Vegas, we would definitely come to California this time. Somewhere, sometime in the six years that Ami and I have been together, I realized Ami listened to my rantings about seeing the Pacific because he was all for it. Although I spoke about the SRF and Yoganandaji many times though, I guess I never told him that the SRF was in California and in my ignorance, I did not realize that Encinitas was on the way to San Diego so going there was at the back of my mind.
Today, we were heading to the US/Mexican border for the heck of it because we were a little disappointed with walking on Hollywood Blvd. yesterday. The star walk was a little too dirty to be called a star walk and Ami and I found ourselves wondering about how honorable it really was. Probably just another thing that is blown out of proportion, Hollywood style. Either way, we were just driving and I saw the sign saying Encinitas and I remembered it from the book. If anyone visits Encinitas, the SRF is a little bit of a tourist attraction. The gardens are absolutely beautiful and perfect for quiet contemplation. Without intending it, I realized one of the major goals in my life today. Maybe it was the law of attraction at work...who knows? Either way, a promise made 9 years ago, came through today and it was every bit as I imagined it to be.
Today, we were heading to the US/Mexican border for the heck of it because we were a little disappointed with walking on Hollywood Blvd. yesterday. The star walk was a little too dirty to be called a star walk and Ami and I found ourselves wondering about how honorable it really was. Probably just another thing that is blown out of proportion, Hollywood style. Either way, we were just driving and I saw the sign saying Encinitas and I remembered it from the book. If anyone visits Encinitas, the SRF is a little bit of a tourist attraction. The gardens are absolutely beautiful and perfect for quiet contemplation. Without intending it, I realized one of the major goals in my life today. Maybe it was the law of attraction at work...who knows? Either way, a promise made 9 years ago, came through today and it was every bit as I imagined it to be.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Say a prayer for teachers out there
You know the economy is really bad when teacher start getting surplussed. I am still coming to terms with the sound of the word and either way, as fancy as they make it, it is still something that no one wants to hear. Especially when things are getting more and more difficult. Either way, I was lucky today. The students are a little better as well. Most are mellow now. They understand that things are bad. Then there are the few in between students who are so disrespectful that they make you wonder what thrill they get from behaving so ridiculously. It is for these ones, we say an extra prayer...and one for us to maintain our patience.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Online tests, cheating and survey
Recently, I took an online test that was supposed to be closed-book, closed-notes, etc. without much reading or studying being done. I managed to scrape by with a passing grade but not what I would normally like. When I looked at the class grade distribution, I saw that there were some who had done quite well and others who had not fared too well.
My students know that I am taking classes outside of school so the other day, when we had finished our powerpoint notes, I told them that in order to pass the test, they would need to read the notes several times until they understood the basics. Then, they would come in, without notes and take the test. We are always in an ongoing battle about open-book tests. I argue that they confuse you more and more people fail open book tests than if they had simply taken the test on their own. So anyway, I asked my students the question, "How many of you will cheat on an online test?"
In a class of almost thirty students, about twenty-five hands flew up. I was amazed. I really didn't think that they would be this honest about it but they were. It made me wonder about the state of morals. Here I was taking an online test, without any notes, trying to do it all on my own, and I had my students telling me that they would cheat if no one was there to supervise them, even if the test was timed. It made me wonder, naturally, how many of these students in my online class cheated on this test? Furthermore, if you were taking an online test, and there was no supervision, but you were timed, would you cheat?
My students know that I am taking classes outside of school so the other day, when we had finished our powerpoint notes, I told them that in order to pass the test, they would need to read the notes several times until they understood the basics. Then, they would come in, without notes and take the test. We are always in an ongoing battle about open-book tests. I argue that they confuse you more and more people fail open book tests than if they had simply taken the test on their own. So anyway, I asked my students the question, "How many of you will cheat on an online test?"
In a class of almost thirty students, about twenty-five hands flew up. I was amazed. I really didn't think that they would be this honest about it but they were. It made me wonder about the state of morals. Here I was taking an online test, without any notes, trying to do it all on my own, and I had my students telling me that they would cheat if no one was there to supervise them, even if the test was timed. It made me wonder, naturally, how many of these students in my online class cheated on this test? Furthermore, if you were taking an online test, and there was no supervision, but you were timed, would you cheat?
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