Cannon's Journal

how old are these kids with drugs? wtf?
Man i love NZ, you just dont get that kinda stuff as much (im not kidding myself that it doesnt go on, its just very uncommon)
 
G'day cannon just checking up on ya, it has been a few months since my last visit and it is good to see your still going strong :)
 
My Homeroom

I have had 34 students for most of the year. Now I'm down to 32. I have the following issues:

Two boys who are drug dealers. One of them has a gang leader for a dad. The other has a long juvenile record.

One girl who cuts herself.

Another boy who was getting his haircut when a kid attempted to steal his bike. A friend of his came to his defense and they fought off the would be thief. The thief came back and shot his friend in front of him.

A girl was removed from my classroom Tuesday. She had run away from home and her parents were looking for her. Her parents have now transferred her to a different school.

Then I have the more normal issues--Students whose families are going through divorce, students with dying parents, and one girl whose dad was an alcoholic who was deported to Mexico and whose mom died last year. She's been raised by her 23 year old sister.

The school I'm at is a city school and my homeroom is unusually difficult, but its not a bad school. Its actually slightly better than average according to our test scores. In some ways our schools are definitely failing, but I think even more difficult is that our society is failing and our families are failing. It makes it awfully hard to concentrate on your studies when all this is going on.
 
man, im glad i live in NZ then, if you were lucky that woulod be the whole school rather than just one class.
 
There is also a girl in my homeroom that is a straight A student, plays on two boys soccer teams and has a great outgoing personality. That girl who cut herself is a brilliant artist who could someday really do something with it. I've got a lot of college material in my room and some really caring students. I've seen great acts of emotional maturity and random acts of kindness. I have a girl in one of my other classes who has such a kick ass attitude. She's extremely bright, but she questions everything and I mean that in a good way. A lot of these things will go on to do great things. A lot of these kids won't. We just try to offer than a way and hope they take it.
 
Update:

I made a large book order today. I had $75 in Barnes and Noble gift certificates. I picked up David Allen's Getting Things Done because there are a few things I really want to do that I'm just not finding the time for like hitting the gym. I am also picking up some exercise books because I've learned just enough to doubt what I'm doing. The weather has made its way into the 30s that's plenty warm enough for me to get back in the swing of things.
 
Want me to save you some money? prioritize and put yourself first, that will get your gym and other stuff done. do you really need a book to tell you this?
 
Hey Joe - I think that is touchiong what you said about your students and your book order and book you bought is a good start...It is so hard to prioritize adn make time but it is one of those things you gotta do:)I struggle withit daily and right now time and stress are winning:(

Ive been missing you:hug2:
 
Cannon 2006 said:
Update:

I made a large book order today. I had $75 in Barnes and Noble gift certificates. I picked up David Allen's Getting Things Done.
Click to expand...

The only tip I got from that book - was dealing with email... and what a time saver that has become.... the rest of the book - was pretty useless...

there are a few things I really want to do that I'm just not finding the time for like hitting the gym
Click to expand...
You sure you really want to? Read back in your diary - you've got a whole list of reasons/excuses why you don't.. If you wanted to - you would... Find something you enjoy doing and you will do it...
 
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I can always count on Mal and Wishes to be blunt and I mean that in a good way. Organizationally, I'm challenged to say the least. I found a way to organize my money about 4 years ago and I went from $33,000 on my credit card to $2,000 and creeping down to zero. The time I need to work out is in the morning. That's because I know that I can maintain a routine there. Lately, I've been waking up at the time I need to in order to work out, but then I find myself doing other things. I know how important working out is to me so I am trying to get myself to stop placing barriers for myself there. I do enjoy the working out, but geez I am having trouble getting myself started again.
 
but geez I am having trouble getting myself started again.
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Pick a day on the calender and say - That's the day I am going.. no excuses... Just Do it...

Feb 29 - day that happens once every 4 years - seems like a good a day as any to start... PLan your workout and do it..
 
Mal, i bet you have the same trick as me for email - select all and delete? :D
I tell you it works! clears the inbox in no time! :D

Cannon, ive been where you are, and still to this day have days where i talk myself out of it. the difference is that now i see it for what it is and go do it anyway before ive finished making up the excuse. You have to ask yourself, what are you waiting for? somebody else to come do it for you?
 
the email trick is basically if the actionable email can be done in 2 minutes - from start to finish - do it and keep going - and don't put it away til later when you have to find it again, then act on it... for people who gete 100s of emails in a day - the majority of them are 2 minute emails... and it gets rof if clutter...

I tried the delete all approach - thinking well if it's important they'll write back and they almost always do write back :)
 
Ok taking Mal's advice I'm going to make this Sunday my beginning day. By a quirk of demographics--a large Polish community--Chicago has a holiday called Pulaski Day where we honor the father of the American cavalry. That gives me Sunday and Monday (2 days of my usual 4 days per week schedule) without having to worry about fitting it in with anything else. As for the organization--Cripes I need to that regardless.
 
if disorganization were an olympic event -I would seriously be a gold medal contender...

However... the best advice i give to myself when it comes to trying to stay organized.

never put off til later what you can do right now... meaning - don't leave the dish in the sink - wash it and put it away... don't drop the mail in a pile -sort it immediately.. throw out the junk mail and file the rest... Don't drop your coat on the chair when you walk in the door -hang it up before doing anything else.. Organization is just doing what needs to be done at the time it needs to be done and touching something only once...
 
Good for you! Sunday!

and you have been getting up early enough anyway ... Personally I would count that as a lot of organizational progress - if I should ever achieve it.
 
she's obsessed with shiney sinks :)

but the concept is sound - the idea behind it is to not put off things til later - do it when you are aware of it... and you don't fall behind...

It's sort of like the 2 minute rule with email - if you can finish it in 2 minutes - finish it becuase you will spend a lot more time than that filing the email, then going back to refind the email and acting on it... Just do it and get it done and delete it.
 
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