New Classroom Pics





Dan's "Barn Modern" bookshelves he was building for my classroom.



Nasty terrarium that had been sitting in my parents' barn for about 5 years.
Will built the stand for me.



Sarah and Keesh teamed up to paint my front wall green.



Finished bookshelves and bulletin board.  Not sure what the bulletin
board is going to be about yet, but the dominoes look good as a border.



Map wall and clean terrarium with a fake rattlesnake.

Finished classroom.



Here is the students' view.



New Session

It is finally here; a brand new session with brand new kids.  I have a couple returners, but most of this semester's students will be band spankin' new.  The students aren't the only new thing.  My classroom has had an overhaul.  I have a new lighting system, a new custom made white board, some custom made 12 ft long bookshelves, a donated set of 1989 World Book Encyclopedias, an old terrerium like the one I used at Pine Hill Day Camp except about 25 gallons bigger, working windows, 1 newly painted green wall, and a tricked out projector to show videos and computer based graphics to the class. I am having trouble fitting enough desks in my tiny classroom for every student, but I am sure I will fit hem all in there somehow.  I will post pictures of my new classroom  soon.

Truth in Advertising

I have felt pretty useless this week at work.  It has been focused on recruiting and since I am not all that good at small talk and abhor fliers, I was put in charge of radio advertising.  I wrote lots of radio stations but only got replies from a couple.  Ultimately, we ended up placing advertising on WDGM, a sports station in Tuscaloosa that runs JOX sports programming out of Birmingham, and WTUG which is an R&B station.  That week consisted of  lot of me sitting in front of my computer, waiting for people to send me e-mail.  You know how a watched pot never boils? Anyways, here is the spot they are playing.  I will be glad when I am back in the classroom teaching again.

Basketball Jones

I hope everyone had a great Christmahannukwanzika and New Year.  We started off 2011 at YouthBuild by attending an Alabama basketball game.  The students are really into basketball, so they had a great time. They got to stay afterwards to meet the coach. I left early (because I'm old) so I didn't get to meet him, so the highlight of the night was at halftime when the alabama wheelchair basketball team came out and had a 10 minute scrimmage. Alabama ended up demolishing Toledo by a score of 83-41.