Like my fellow blogger Megan wrote in her last post, one of the best things about being a teacher is that we get two New Year’s celebrations. We have our Happy Back-to-School New Year in the fall, as well as the “regular” Happy New Year celebration in January.
New beginnings are fun; each one is a fresh chance to try something different, take a chance, and just celebrate life. This year, as usual, I find myself making a shiny new list of resolutions. I have made the following resolutions to round out the remainder of the 2010-11 school year:
- I will give up my quest to understand the humor of adolescent boys. Today, one student spent the entire day calling everyone a “noob.” No, I do not know what that is, nor did anyone else in my room (including the other students). But apparently if you are 13 years old, it’s hilarious. I don’t get it, and I’m not ashamed to admit I never will.
- I will remember to throw an extra apple-scented wax cube into my melting pot on all days that the cafeteria serves baked beans or Mexican food.
- I will try my best to always keep the Staff Happy Bowl filled to the top. I have the two best paraprofessionals in the universe. If fun-size candy bars will put smiles on their faces, it’s the least I can do.
- At least once a month, I will do something totally girly. I spend my days in a classroom with all-male students and two male paraprofessionals—only to come home to my husband and son. So I deserve a pedicure and a new shade of lip gloss on a semi-regular basis.
- Even though 5/6 of my students toss their papers in the recycle bin instead of bringing them home, I will continue to believe they really do look at them first and appreciate the stickers, stars, and smiley faces I put on them.
- I will continue to set high expectations for all of my students. I will not let the immediate complaints of “This is hard!” deter a lesson. After all, that almost always ends with a chorus of “Huh, I guess I can do it.” I will also continue to say “I told you so,” because I knew you could do it, and I will believe in you even on the days you don’t believe in yourself.
Happy new year to each and every one of you. I wish you good luck as you work to achieve your own fresh batch of resolutions.
And if anyone knows what a noob is, let me know. You can find me in the nail polish aisle.
When I read this I misread and thought you were asking about "knob" for some reason. Yeah, not sure if it's similar or not in while growing up, "knob" was then what "tool" is now. That's my two cents.
Posted by: JeanO | February 02, 2011 at 04:50 PM
Oops, sorry Lori, I just now saw that you had already made a comment about spelling. :)
Posted by: karla | January 24, 2011 at 02:17 PM
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/N00b
I like what Tom said...the only thing I would add is that there are spelling variations. hehe :)
Posted by: karla | January 24, 2011 at 02:14 PM
Ah!!! Thanks, Tom!! That totally makes sense with my class as most of them are really into computer and video games. :o)
Posted by: Melissa | January 18, 2011 at 10:12 PM
also, I thought it was a "newbie" "noo-b"-- new to something.
Posted by: Lori | January 18, 2011 at 09:38 PM
Thanks for filling us in, Tom!
Posted by: Anna | January 18, 2011 at 01:21 PM
Okay, seeing no one has responded to your post I feel it is important to do so. A noob is someone who is less skilled or has no skill in a certain area. This is gamer lingo used to put down other players for not being up to their standards.
For instance someone is a noob if they just started playing a game and make a mistake.
Posted by: Tom | January 17, 2011 at 03:43 PM