almost done

Well I am here at the school (again), finishing up the last of my grades.

I have a test and a half to grade. Then I have to enter in these last grades. Then I am done. After today I will not be a white collar worker, I will resume my job as a furniture mover which will make me a blue-collar no-collar worker, which is frankly the job that is more suited to my intellectual abilities.


My background music for this last little bit: Cool Hand Luke, the Fires of Life.

Overwhelmed!

I learned something new about myself today: Too many people get me overwhelmed.

I saw so many people today that I would have liked to spend about an hour or so with each of them. But there were so many all in the same place, all at the same time, that I ended up spending absolutely zero time with any of them.

I would like to talk more about this experience later, but I did want to do a short post just to let any of those people know that I didn't neglect them on purpose.

I love them all.

Look, you scoffers

"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus teh forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

'Look, you scoffers,
    wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
    that you would never believe,
    even if someone told you.'"

-- Acts 13:38-41 (NIV)

Finality!

Well, I gave my first two exams today: the Algebra I exam, and the Prealgebra exam. The results aren't in yet, I am about half done grading the first one right now.

Since I know that all of you out there are still using the Algebra that you learned in Algebra I, I would like to post 4 questions on this blog.

Post your answers in the comments. (If anyone can get all 4 of them right, maybe I will put an extra point on every Algebra exam... or something like that. Am I allowed to do that? Of course I am! I am the teacher! Ha, ha ha! Hmm... maybe if nobody can get all 4 of them right, I will take off points... Oh yeah! ...Wait a minute, hold those phones kiddies, I am just joking!)

Here they are:

1. Simplify this expression.



2. Solve this absolute value inequality.



3. Solve this system of linear equations.



4. Solve this quadratic equation.

The Finals!

It is Saturday, and I am at the school typing my final exams.



How fun.

The Priests

For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction -- because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.
Malachi 2:7 (NIV)

There are some things that just ought to be. One of them is that a priest ought to preserve knowledge. Out of a priest's mouth, there should be a flow of instruction. This just ought to be. I know that things are different now than Malachi's time. But I think that the principle is the same. And I am thinking specifically of teachers and pastors.

As a teacher, I know that whatever happens in my classroom, under my watch, teaches something. I usually summarize it by saying, "What happens, teaches." I picked this phrase up at some point in the last 5 years of teaching, but I can't remember where now. The point is that it is totally true.

It puts a whole new perspective on what I allow, and what I don't allow.

For example, let's say that I tell a class not to talk, and then a few minutes later there are a couple of girls in the back talking. To teach grace, I am gracious. I might allow them some mistakes, with no consequences. I might even let things go for awhile, but if it continues, there is something else that needs to be taught.

Obedience is important to God. It matters to Him. He tells us in more than one place that we should obey the authority that He sets over us. If I allow the disobedience to continue without anything, I am teaching, first of all, that this is OK with me. And then through that I am teaching that this is OK with God.

My life as a teacher ought to be a preservative of truth. The beginning of verse 8 says this,

But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble...

I hope that my life will not be one that causes others to stumble, but one that leads others into the truth.

frustrating

This time of year is so frustrating as a teacher. It is so busy. And it doesn't matter how hard I try, there is always more to do. Oh, and to top everything off, the students are so extremely restless.

Doesn't leave much time to blog.

Later.