Worst Brother Ever=Me

Let's all wish my young brother, Taylor, a happy 20th birthday shall we? I forgot to give him a shout out on the 16th when it actually occurred. Here's to hoping he gives up his desire to be a rapper this year.

Cheers

Fall Break...

Fall break is the simple truth that God really loves me. I woke up at 9 am last Friday!!! Well, it was more like 8:15, but I forced myself to stay in bed till 9. It was a great weekend. My battery needed a nice recharge and I accomplished just that.

In other news, I traveled down to Kansas City wif my wife to see out dear friend Rachel Micheel and also to see Sufjan Stevens in concert. It was a a nice little holiday. Rachel is just as vibrant about little kids as I remember and she is doing very well at her school. If I were a first grader, I would want Ms. Micheel as a teacher. Sufjan was incredible...simply incredible. His new stuff is a bit of a divergence from what we usually expect from him, but Jessica and I both agreed that he pulled off the "new sound". I love the way we crafts a song lyrically. I always find myself wanting to have a piece of paper with the lyrics on it as I listen to him so I can try and figure out what he is saying. Very deep that Sufjan is.

Now I am back at school, commencing the Student Teaching II phase of this experience. I like the nice groove I have discovered and I look forward to doing big things over the next 7 or so weeks. Cheers to those of you have who traveled to other places for your experience. I hope you made it safe and sound...and that some sort of big time adventure takes place while you are there. Health is going to be ever important as we move towards colder temperatures. I am hoping to keep using my bike to get to school at least till the end of the month. We'll see, my wife is urging me to use the car...but I'm much too tough and ignorant to do something like that.

ALSO....Eric Whitacre's new album, Light & Gold, was released today!!! Jessica and I listened to it while enjoying supper this evening. It's stunning. There were many occasions when we both looked at each other and thought...wow, what did we just experience. I aspire to move people with the music that I write. Studying and listening to his work always makes me want to scratch that creative itch which I have had absolutely zero time to scratch. Soon. I promise myself to write something soon. I have a brilliant idea about a choral operetta based on the conversion of Saul. Once I get a chance to put pencil to paper, look out!

Cheers

p.s.- I love you (I wept like a baby during that film)

Don't Wait...

I just got back from having a great conversation with a buddy (Keegan Bloomfield) of mine as I was biking back from the music building. We both are currently applying our trade of teaching at Seward High School and each lunch together everyday. We were reflecting on how much of a blessing it has been to go through this experience together and share stories. We shared how we are both still unsure about teaching as a career. It's so easy to just get stuck in a routine and not actually feel like you are doing something that matters. We both talked about how important it will continue to be to have other like-minded teachers on staff when we get out first gigs teaching. Just having a mentor to keep you focused on WHY you are teaching in the first place would be monumental in terms of our growth in ministry. Because that's what it is right? Isn't teaching a ministry? Didn't we decide to go into this profession because we wanted to impact young lives? So what are we waiting for? How come we look forward to the final bell of the day just like the students? Are we becoming complacent? I think that's part of it. You see, as a student teacher, you are just trying to make it. We don't really know what we are doing half the time and we find ourselves clock-watching the other half. Keegan summed it all up tonight when he said, "The devil feeds off of complacency". It's so true. I found myself becoming complacent. I found myself just filling time instead of actually planning something meaningful. We both recalled out amazing experience meeting the team of teachers from Orange Lutheran and how passionate they were about their ministry. I think I need to be in that type of environment. Don't get me wrong, Seward is a great place...but it's tough when you can't talk about the very reason you got into the job in the first place. Without that daily reminder of WHY, I and many other teachers turn ministry into a 9-5. There is too much work to be done.

I feel better now. Perhaps rejuvenated is the correct word for it. Whatever it is...this is how I want to feel once the school day is over. Is teaching hard? Yes. Is it extremely exhausting? Yes. Do high school kids make me want to bang my head against a cement wall sometimes? Ya you betcha. Is it worth it? That's up to you.

Cheers

p.s.- The mixed chorus kids are making sounds they never thought possible

p.p.s.- I love the fact that they don't even realize it yet

Fortune favors the brave

Before I begin...get your arse to youtube and check out Daler Mahendi. The songs " Tunak Tunak Tun" and "Bolo ta ra ra" will consume your soul and force you to do ridiculous dances that you didn't even know were possible.

In other news, I'm scared my friends. I already feel as though I am reaching the doldrums of student teaching. This past week was incredible since it was a short week and I had a great workshop to look forward to (By the way, Orange Lutheran High School is still blowing my mind). This coming week as well as the one that follows will be full and will separate the men from the boys. I have a great deal of planning to do and I am just hoping that something meaningful comes out of it for these kids. I had my first setback last Thursday while I was grading tests for the first full chapter that I taught. So many of them failed! I felt like I failed as well. I'm not sure what I need to change for this coming chapter to make sure there is more success, but after giving my pre-assessment...it's gonna be a long road. Most of my students are under the impression that the system of checks and balances must have something to do with financial success. Wish me luck!

I do have something sweet to look forward to this week. First of all, FIFA 11 comes out on Tuesday. Secondly...GLEE! When the rigors of the work week become too much to bear, find a mind-numbing video game and or television show and remove yourself from reality for an hour or so.

This week, I'm gonna inspire my choir. They are gonna get some serious excitement from Mr. Jenkins. If they thought I was weird before...they have no idea. Cheers!

Sunday

First of all, I'm not ready for the cold weather. Jessica and I learned the hard way that living in a house made entirely of wood is not conducive to staying warm when the temperatures drop. It has been a steady 65-68 degrees all day long...which really isn't all that cold, but it certainly is not warm. Anywho, cold or not, it is still the weekend and I still have yet another day off before I go back into the zoo that is Seward High. Yes, tomorrow is a "professional work day" (aka. It's Homecoming week and nobody wants a full five days of that sort of madness) so I will not being teaching. Rather, I will make a trip to Lincoln and apply for my Nebraska teacher's license. Jessica and I are planning on making a day of it with lunch somewhere and perhaps a bit of shopping. I am currently writing lesson plans (slash watching football) and wondering how I can possibly make the Articles of Confederation remotely interesting for sophomores.

In other news, I am realizing more and more that I am much funnier than I am given credit for. I make jokes all the time in the classroom and those kids eat it up like candy. Take that Bethany Kuhnle, I told you so (I'm also destroying you in Fantasy Football).

By the way, for all you choral music enthusiasts out there, Eric Whitacre is just weeks away from releasing the first album with his newly formed Eric Whitacre Singers. The cd, Light and Gold will feature many of his classic works, but recorded for the first time under his direction. I for one and stoked beyond belief. I love having new cd's to look forward to and this new release will definitely break up the monotony of student teaching. I hope all is going well for all of you. Keep living the life. Cheers!

Questions my students like to ask

Kody: Mr. Jenkins, what's being married like?

Me: Now is not the time to talk about that, finish your test.

Trevor: Dude, can I call you Master Jenkins?

Me: Tomorrow

This next one occurred today while I was using my cellphone as a stopwatch for the activity

Curtis: Nice phone Mr. J (I let that one slide), is it an iphone?

Me: No

Curtis: Can I see it?

Me: Is your group done?

Curtis: No

Me: No

Curtis: Can I see what type it is?

Me: Can you tell me what the Stamp Act is?

Curtis: Touche

Mary and Curtis are laughing in the back of the classroom after I assigned a short reading for them to do.

Me: Is something funny in the reading?

Mary: Giggle...No...Giggle

Me: What's going on then?

Curtis: I asked Mary if she would kiss George Washington and she said no.

Me: Why is that funny?

Curtis: Then I asked her if she knew who George Washington was

Me: And?

Curtis: Think about it...

Me: Touche

These are all true stories

Cheers!

Happiness is...

Now that I am living life on the other side of the desk, I realize how important the weekend is to my overall well-being. The simply joy of waking up at 8 rather than 6:30, the countless time spent not standing, and of course...NO 10th GRADERS! I loved weekends before, but they are vital now. This one in particular is important because I start teaching for real tomorrow. I'm talking about making my own lesson plans and teaching from the start to end of the school day. It should be a gas. My main goal is to still have the desire to teach once this is all over. I have some great kids...and a few...well...children who could use some guidance. I guess that's why I got into this gig right? We'll see how it shakes out. I promise to do a better job at keeping you all updated. Cheers!

p.s.- Happiness is...homemade meatloaf from my wonderful wife

p.p.s.- Go Ravens!