Smashing walls

Today's theme is walls. Walls come in many varieties. Some are brick; some are not. They can be tall, short, or somewhere in between. The first types of walls are the angry types that I get to try to teach every day. For some reason, many of my students are angry at me. They are angry because I want them to learn. They are angry because I have expectations for them. They are angry because those expectations are higher than what they can achieve with their questionable good looks and work ethics. But, most of all, they are angry because I ask them to think and it hurts to use muscles you are not used to using.

Seriously though, another teacher said that if felt like he was teaching to a bunch of walls. I commented that my walls were angry and the metaphor fit. I cannot believe the resistance I'm facing this year. A full fourth of my students are failing two or more subjects for this third marking period. To be honest, it all comes down to trying. I think that so many of these kids are convinced that they will fail, that they are afraid to even try, because that would be a bigger failure. So, I'm stuck teaching angry walls who want to keep others from learning as well.

The other wall I would like to discuss is the one I eventually dismantled (it wasn't exactly a smashing because it took me a few minutes to get past it) on my run today. The past two weeks have been a bit weak for the running, but I think I needed to slow down a bit. My body must have realized that I was doing something consistently that I hadn't been doing for quite some time and the poor guy got tired on me. But I came back with a vengeance today and ran another 7-miler and actually averaged 9:18 miles. About 3 miles in I face a huge headwind right as I started up a significant hill. It almost stopped me in my tracks and left me barely moving for the next half mile. I made myself proud though, because I fought through it and got back on pace and finished faster than I started. It was not a pretty run. I felt nothing like a gazelle. There was little fluidity of motion. There was little effortless movement. This run was a test of will power and I found more than I thought I had. I'm making my way back. I can go the distance. Now I need to find my speed again.

2 weeks to go until the Humdinger. I'm getting worried. I no longer plan to finish in under 70 minutes. Now I think I will make my goal to finish with 15 minutes of my student who is also running. Should be interesting. I just hope the course isn't gloopy.

You must be Slow or something

Great quote today. I had a student who likes to be belligerent every once in a while (what's the opposite of hyperbole?). He came in to class to day in rare form with nothing but a pencil. The moment I saw him he said not to even ask and that he didn't have his books. I rolled with it, as I do most things in the classroom. My team mates don't call me Mr. Patience for nothing. I just asked him not to talk or disturb anyone else. Moments later, he's starting a tirade and I ask him to stop talking. Yadda yadda yadda and he ends up saying, and I quote, "...but you keep talking to me like you're slow!" That is one line that I need to keep in a file as some of the best things people have said to me.

I love teaching Algebra. We are currently hitting the algebraic concepts pretty hard in one of my Pre-Algebra sections, and it's just fun. I don't think many of the students share my enthusiasm yet, but that were happy to see the calculator projector out today. Just wait until they get to start graphing on the calculators in a week.

Just about two weeks to the Humdinger and my confidence is less than it was. I can go the distance, that's no problem, but the more I look at that elevation map, the more worried I am. I think my initial goal of about 70 minutes might be out of reach. We'll see what happens. My wife was kind enough to knit a little pouch for the Nike+ sensor and I had my first successful outing with it yesterday (after I got it flipped over).

Cruel and Unusual State Testing

Two days into four days of the Pennsylvania State Writing Assessment for 8th grade and I'm exhausted. I don't even have to take the test. I'm getting tired just watching the kids. This year a third writing prompt was added to the test. Now the test consists of a day of multiple choice "pick the mistake" or "how would you correct" questions. Days 2 - 4 are five paragraph essays. Most of my students were busy for a full two hours planning, drafting, and writing the final version. It was great to see them actually using a graphical organizer and writing a draft, but they have to do it two more times! There weren't too many complaints today, but I'm already hearing the sore hand comments and it's just going to get worse. This is too much. So far, I've taught in two states and both of them are getting a little test crazy for federal dollars. I hope the new administration does a massive overhaul or complete re-tooling of NCLB. Five weeks from this week, we get to do the state tests for reading and math (which always stresses me out) and then within a month the 8th graders also have a science test. Somewhere along the line, I'll find time to teach.

Today was one of the worst runs I've had. I planned to get in 5.5 miles, but after about 1 I decided to just do 4. As it was, it took me over 12 minutes per mile. I was just trudging along with the deadest legs I've felt in a long time. Maybe it was too much pacing around monitoring the kids taking the test this morning. I hope it passes. Less than a month to the Humdinger.

Nike+ iPod thingie

I've had the Nike iPod attachment for a couple of years now, but I've never used it. One, I hadn't been running. Two, my computer still runs Windows 98 and, therefore, cannot run iTunes. Three, I haven't figured out a good way to use the accelerometer without buying Nike+ shoes. Last time I checked, they seemed to cost about $10 more for a removable part of the insole to place the sensor. This seems ridiculous to me and I can't justify it. Also, Nike (which I have always had a soft spot for) doesn't make a shoe that fits me well as a runner. For comfort and every day wearing, I still love the Pegasus, but they just don't quite fit me for running.

I finally tried it out today and had one of the worst runs that I've ever had, mainly because of the sensor. Some people have said to just put it in the sole. These people need to see a podiatrist immediately because they have lost sensation in their foot. That feels like running with a rock in your shoe the size five stacked quarters. Suffice to say, that did not work. Other people say to just lace it into the laces. I think that Nike foresaw this solution to not buying their shoes. Placed as securely as possible within the web of lacing, the sensor failed to last more than ten strides before not just falling out, but being launched out and skittering across the road in hopes of finding a nice car to help it get a little slimmer. I finally found a solution that kept the sensor in place. Wedged towards the toe box, upside down, it actually stayed in place with no difficulty. When I stopped the workout finally, Lance Armstrong came on and congratulated me on my longest workout yet. In just 19 minutes, I had managed to run 0.3 miles - that three tenths of a mile. The sensor does not work upside down.

Now I guess I need to find some sort of pouch that will lace into my shoes. This is starting to seem like more of a hassle than it's worth, but I shall persevere. One additional gripe: why is it so difficult to find a belt clip for my iPod. I still refused to wear the arm bands because I think they look ridiculous.

Any suggestions on where to get a pouch?

Re-evolution of my running

Four weeks have now passed and in each of those weeks I have run four times. That makes my number of runs this year and this incarnation of my running life my wife's favorite number, the square square sixteen. This has been the most consistent and steady my running has been since I hobbled to the end of Grandma's marathon almost 11 years ago. This time is different though. Usually, I have no problem going fast, but have absolutely no endurance. Having completed a seven mile run already, this is not the case. Speed is what's lacking, but it's coming back. Over the last four weeks, I've been rediscovering my form. I have been so tight, with a tiny stride, that speed was not possible. However, I'm finding that after a mile or two, my strides start to loosen up; my hips begin to open up, and I actually hit a flow that I do not remember hitting in the past eleven years. Something is different about this return to running and I think it is making the difference regarding whether or not my current running renaissance flourishes. I think it will. I need running now. It was always a part of my life before, but I think it's more important than ever before. When I'm out on the roads, especially country roads, I feel about as calm as I can. These days, that's worth a lot. Four weeks to the Humdinger!

Breaking the 7-mile barrier

I can't remember the last time I actually ran seven miles. It was probably when I trained for the marathon in 1998! I was worried for a bit that I wouldn't be able to do it. After school, there was strongly blowing snow, but I was not to be deterred. I headed out and felt extremely clunky and figured the run would take over 1.5 hours. But, after about a mile, I got used to the stinging snow in my eyes and fell into a rhythm. After that, it felt great. I was out on country back roads (one even gravel) and I felt more like me than I've felt in a long time.

Unfortunately, when I got home, my car slid into a snowbank at the bottom of my driveway. We had to pack up the whole clan to go down to the bottom of the driveway so I could push the car out while my wife was behind the wheel. It took about 20 seconds of pushing, but now the car is sitting at the bottom of the driveway and I get a fun walk to my car tomorrow morning. Good times.

I currently am wearing a band-aid on my right nipple because it was a very wet snow while running and I got my first chafed nipple in about ten years. And if you're curious, the band-aid does nothing. It hurts just as much as before, but now I get the swell anticipation of ripping off the hairs when I take the band-aid off to look forward to. But, I did run over seven miles!

Redemption

Quick addition to the last post. I'm glad I kept the game on and happened to be looking during the best part. There was a preview for the new Transformers movie.

Go Joe!

I have to admit, I'm having a bit of trouble getting into the Superbowl spirit. I even live in a state with one of the teams, but I just can't get myself to care. I may even pass on making wings tonight. So far, the only thing that has interested me in the slightest was the trailer for the G.I. Joe movie. I didn't get the same chill as when I first saw the Transformers trailer, but I wasn't into G.I. Joe as much as the Transformers. Even so, it looks good.

If I have to hear Madden say that the Steelers have the best defense in football one more time, I'll quietly seethe in anger.