Sigh. Freshmen.

For the first time since I have been teaching, which is almost 10 years now (only 8 1/2 at my current school) I have had to teach two sections of the same course differently because of behavior. My freshmen course is on Western Religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. One class is amazing, inspiring, fun. They are working on a group project on the Judaic Covenants using Facebook as the outline for their investigation. My other class is sitting in silence reading scripture and answer question after question because if they are asked to participation they can't. I rarely say that. They are constantly turning around, poking and touching each other, talking out of turn, trying to be funny...and I have done all the traditional responses like redirection, assigned seats, and sending home academic warnings, so I am left with silence. The problem with this method is that I feel guilty. I feel guilty making them work in silence learning information in manners that are likely the least effective for a group of students with these types of struggles but they certainly were not getting the material before with the interactive style. So I sit. They sit. We all sit. In silence.

On a happier notes, my good friend CD made Lydia the most adorable berry hat and all I can think about is going home and putting it on her head. I got to see Stephanie (friend from college) and Addi (her almost 2 month old baby girl) this weekend and they are doing wonderfully. I attended the most delightful Mickey birthday party for little 2 year old Eva and had tasty sliders for Superbowl made by Pete. And I have to say as I bit into one, for a tiny moment, I felt like a giant. :)