Dang! Time flies when you're busy.

So I didn't realize it had been so long since I updated this. A lot has happened and I've been really busy. I've spent the last 3 saturdays coaching soccer. We finished the 2nd round of the annual frosh-soph tourney last week. The bracketing was a bit odd, but our official place was 6th, which was our best finish thus far. Last week was finals, so I spent the weekend and today trying to get grading done, despite the fact that I also had soccer games on friday, all day saturday, and again today. The new semester starts tomorrow and I'm just going to be winging it as I haven't had time to get ready. Thank goodness I really know physics.

Speaking of finals and grading, the freshman did terribly, and not just in my class. All of the conceptual physics classes were really bad. And it wasn't that the final was hard. It was easier than last year's, which I gave them as a review, and they did far worse than last year's students, and last year's students were weaker academically as well. I've got a pretty good idea of what the problem as and most of it is based on the attitude that they bring to class as a result of the caustic views of their parents, othe parents, and one of the teachers at school who also tutors a large number of them. I have my contract meeting with the head of school tomorrow, and I plan on discussing what changes I need to see to avoid having next year be my last year at Sage. I love the school and its philosophy, but the reality of finances and the concessions that we're forced to make as a result both in facilities and in catering to parents who simply don't trust us to be able to do our job without their telling us what to do is leaving me itch to find a better opportunity elsewhere. Considering my background and experience I have no worries about finding another teaching job.

Amy got back into town on Thursday, which coincided with the swing team getting some free tickets to see a horse show called "Cavalia" (google it). There was an extra ticket so I brought her along. The show itself was fantastic, and Amy may have got along a little too well with some of the other girls there. I knew there was a reason I'm typically so cautious about my different worlds colliding. At any rate, it's been great having her back in town, although once she starts her job in a week I may not be seeing much of her.