It was my birthday today!!  (And it was Zaizen's too, so happy birthday!)  We got cookies for it!  We also shopped for other things for next year.  Though right now I kind of have to focus on Praxis.  It's not very hard, but it is annoying...oh well.  It'll be done soon, at least (at least part of it).

Today I joined Oki in observing, because...well, I didn't really have much else to do, it would have been hot to sit here, and the lab was about astronomy so I understood it.

Now, I know that his normal class is very different (both in topic, students, and freedom), but even this was kind of crazy.  Some students were overly enthusiastic, and some wrote down every little thing that was said (in the not-paying-attention-just-writing-mindlessly way).  It was...odd.

And now I have much more respect for how he does that twice a week.  Especially after we got lost getting to the school.

Last week for education, I had to transcribe a student interview.  Now the interview went fine (well, trying to lead to the difference between area and perimeter was interesting), but the transcribing...was really annoying.  I never realized how frustrating it can be to listen to the same sentence over and over.

I have found new respect for Nishihiro when he did that oral history.  Considering that was eight times as long and much harder to understand.

Tomorrow (technically today) is my birthday.  And apparently we're going here.  I'm not really sure what to think about that.  I mean...it...look at it.  Although at least it's not this place--those two middle pictures are slightly traumatizing.

I was told that I just have to share the fact that today in history, we had a fairly long discussion about the terrifying principles of train whistles.  And yes, choo choo was even said.  The good this was that the discussion was actually interesting.

I taught on Wednesday.  It was on multiplication of arrays, which was actually a much harder thing to come up with a lesson plan for than it sounds.  It was very nerve-wracking (especially because it had to be taped), but I think in the end it turned out...decently, at least.  I made groups of students...and then it ended up that none of them worked out due to testing and absences.  But still.  I think the kids actually learned and had fun.  (Except for the two girls who had Austin in their group.  They weren't very happy about that.)

Then today we had to transfer it to DVD.  Which would be much easier with working equipment, maybe. 

But now I have to watch it.  Which I am not looking forward to.

So...somehow I went from having not too much work to do this weekend to having a lot.  For history I have to find an article and write a half-page summary on it...and then I also have to reasearch for the course cluster, having mainly to do with biology.  I found out about both of these in the past day.  And both are for Tuesday.

...Which is also my birthday.  I suppose at least that then everything will be done...but still.

So...this week was one of the hardest in observing, I think.  On Monday, I led a reading group.  I've worked with these students a bunch of times.  But...for some reason, one of them just would not stop.  After class, my cooperating teacher said that it seemed that they were testing me.  I think she's right.  And then she gave me authority to punish them.  It was...odd.  I'm not sure if I like having that power or not.

Then yesterday was...almost worse.  I was working with a different reading group, but again, I've worked with them before.  We were supposed to work together to answer two questions about a story.  Most of them were eager to answer.  But...well, it was almost TOO much sometimes.  To the point where everyone would have an answer.  And then it was hard to choose who I should call on.  But...then it got worse.  Because one of the students kept asking another one about...marine life.  It was weird.  (The book was about whales, though.)  The student he kept asking had a headache.  And she is normally fairly short-tempered...only not really...it's hard to explain.  She'll make snide comments to classmates if they say something wrong.  That fits.  So...she kept getting mad and then he kept asking...and then two of the other girls in the group started to cry.  Because they were just so frustrated.  And I do not blame them--it was hard to hear what sentence they were supposed to write because the two would not shut up.  It was a mess.

So...my class is interesting.  It's interesting to see math taught after reading about it.  Of course, being bombarded with homework papers was kind of scary, especially when one girl came over saying, "This is wrong!" and expecting me to know exactly what they were doing right away.  But it all worked out.  I even got to lead a group, learn what a quay is (I had to look in the teacher's guide, as Nishihiro obviously wasn't there), and...hear the same story 3 times (and then read it aloud to another student).  One student in my reading group...I think he was telling the truth when he said that he had 2 cups of coffee.  I like him, but he needs to...not put erasers on his head and actually listen.  Also, out of four kids, only one actually looked ahead like I asked.  It was kind of frustrating.  Hopefully they'll...maybe listen next time.

But for now, it is warm.  And therefore worrying about group three is not as important as hugging Katsuya.

So...I think it's official that I'm staying in my placement from last semester!  Which really makes me happy, because I know the kids and they're fun.  And I...know their names and stuff.  Which, really, is important.  Yesterday I was able to actually call kids by their names when I wanted them to give an answer (or, in one case, stop whacking the kid next to him with a pencil.)  Besdies, then I don't have to go meet someone knew and find my way and that's just...not fun.

Also, today in class I was able to explain seasons.  But I really only knew because Nishihiro explained it to me from astronomy last semester...