You are currently browsing the monthly archive for November 2004.
Up early again
I never get much sleep on Monday nights. I get up at 5h on Tuesdays because I have a 7h30 class, then have 45 minutes to drive out to a town 40km away and teach three classes, then 45 minutes drive back to Koblenz and teach one more class before having and hour break and teaching my final class of the day. If I don’t get up early, I don’t have any time to myself and I also have to finish preparing for the classes.
However, my brain is usually afraid that I won’t get up, despite having two alarms set, so I usually wake up around 4h and then can’t get back to sleep for the fear of oversleeping. So I get out of bed, like today, at stupid o’clock in the morning.
My candidate for ‘Teacher of the Year’
Teacher Turns Laundry Into Learning Time
Sat Nov 27, 4:12 AM ET
Yahoo News
By LUKAS I. ALPERT, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK – It used to bug Georgina Smith every time she drove by the Clean Rite Center laundromat in one of Brooklyn’s tougher neighborhoods. She’d look inside and see children — lots of them — sitting around, playing video games or watching TV.
Not once did Smith ever see one of them with a book.
“I thought there’s got to be something better for these kids to do,” Smith said, recalling those drives.
So the science teacher decided she would get them to read. What she came up with is an innovative program at the laundry fittingly called “Wash and Learn.”
It started out as Smith’s master’s thesis at Brooklyn College’s School of Education, and picked up speed last spring when she managed to get Clean Rite officials to donate $12,000 for books, supplies and general expenses.
In the early going, it was Smith reading to the children. Then, they began reading to each other. Before long, they were asking for help with their homework. Their parents noticed — and cared.
“No matter where you teach, whether it’s New York or Des Moines, Iowa, if you can engage the kids they will respond,” Smith said.
And the kids keep coming. Smith has expanded the program to a second Clean Rite, also in Brooklyn, and persuaded the college to let other students help out for credit.
“I like to read with all these people,” 7-year-old Brandon Bacchus said during a brief time-out from “Mummies in the Morning.” “It’s not like school, it’s more fun and you’re not doing stuff because the teacher tells you to.”
Brandon’s mother, Martha Bacchus, said she doesn’t mind driving nearly 10 miles so her son and 9-year-old daughter, Mycah, can read with other children while she does laundry.
“It really lets these kids do something productive and it allows parents to get their kids the tutoring they might need even if they can’t afford it,” Bacchus said.
For many of the Brooklyn College students, the program allows them their first hands-on experience dealing with children.
Amy Dempsey, a senior, had thought she wanted to work with younger children. But an encounter with at fourth-grade girl at “Wash and Learn” made her rethink her plans.
“She told me she didn’t like to read, didn’t want to read, but then she told me she liked to write poetry and with that connection I talked her into reading more,” Dempsey said. “Now I want to work with kids around that age. It’s things like that that really make you want to do this job,” she said.
And for the laundry’s owners, the program is good corporate citizenship.
“You know how busy our lives are and you always have to do chores,” said Clean Rite’s John Hayes. “That we can help create an atmosphere where parents can get that done and their kids can learn something is a perfect fit for us.”
My candidate for ‘Teacher of the Year’
Teacher Turns Laundry Into Learning Time
Sat Nov 27, 4:12 AM ET
Yahoo News
By LUKAS I. ALPERT, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK – It used to bug Georgina Smith every time she drove by the Clean Rite Center laundromat in one of Brooklyn’s tougher neighborhoods. She’d look inside and see children — lots of them — sitting around, playing video games or watching TV.
Not once did Smith ever see one of them with a book.
“I thought there’s got to be something better for these kids to do,” Smith said, recalling those drives.
So the science teacher decided she would get them to read. What she came up with is an innovative program at the laundry fittingly called “Wash and Learn.”
It started out as Smith’s master’s thesis at Brooklyn College’s School of Education, and picked up speed last spring when she managed to get Clean Rite officials to donate $12,000 for books, supplies and general expenses.
In the early going, it was Smith reading to the children. Then, they began reading to each other. Before long, they were asking for help with their homework. Their parents noticed — and cared.
“No matter where you teach, whether it’s New York or Des Moines, Iowa, if you can engage the kids they will respond,” Smith said.
And the kids keep coming. Smith has expanded the program to a second Clean Rite, also in Brooklyn, and persuaded the college to let other students help out for credit.
“I like to read with all these people,” 7-year-old Brandon Bacchus said during a brief time-out from “Mummies in the Morning.” “It’s not like school, it’s more fun and you’re not doing stuff because the teacher tells you to.”
Brandon’s mother, Martha Bacchus, said she doesn’t mind driving nearly 10 miles so her son and 9-year-old daughter, Mycah, can read with other children while she does laundry.
“It really lets these kids do something productive and it allows parents to get their kids the tutoring they might need even if they can’t afford it,” Bacchus said.
For many of the Brooklyn College students, the program allows them their first hands-on experience dealing with children.
Amy Dempsey, a senior, had thought she wanted to work with younger children. But an encounter with at fourth-grade girl at “Wash and Learn” made her rethink her plans.
“She told me she didn’t like to read, didn’t want to read, but then she told me she liked to write poetry and with that connection I talked her into reading more,” Dempsey said. “Now I want to work with kids around that age. It’s things like that that really make you want to do this job,” she said.
And for the laundry’s owners, the program is good corporate citizenship.
“You know how busy our lives are and you always have to do chores,” said Clean Rite’s John Hayes. “That we can help create an atmosphere where parents can get that done and their kids can learn something is a perfect fit for us.”
My candidate for ‘Teacher of the Year’
Teacher Turns Laundry Into Learning Time
Sat Nov 27, 4:12 AM ET
Yahoo News
By LUKAS I. ALPERT, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK – It used to bug Georgina Smith every time she drove by the Clean Rite Center laundromat in one of Brooklyn’s tougher neighborhoods. She’d look inside and see children — lots of them — sitting around, playing video games or watching TV.
Not once did Smith ever see one of them with a book.
“I thought there’s got to be something better for these kids to do,” Smith said, recalling those drives.
So the science teacher decided she would get them to read. What she came up with is an innovative program at the laundry fittingly called “Wash and Learn.”
It started out as Smith’s master’s thesis at Brooklyn College’s School of Education, and picked up speed last spring when she managed to get Clean Rite officials to donate $12,000 for books, supplies and general expenses.
In the early going, it was Smith reading to the children. Then, they began reading to each other. Before long, they were asking for help with their homework. Their parents noticed — and cared.
“No matter where you teach, whether it’s New York or Des Moines, Iowa, if you can engage the kids they will respond,” Smith said.
And the kids keep coming. Smith has expanded the program to a second Clean Rite, also in Brooklyn, and persuaded the college to let other students help out for credit.
“I like to read with all these people,” 7-year-old Brandon Bacchus said during a brief time-out from “Mummies in the Morning.” “It’s not like school, it’s more fun and you’re not doing stuff because the teacher tells you to.”
Brandon’s mother, Martha Bacchus, said she doesn’t mind driving nearly 10 miles so her son and 9-year-old daughter, Mycah, can read with other children while she does laundry.
“It really lets these kids do something productive and it allows parents to get their kids the tutoring they might need even if they can’t afford it,” Bacchus said.
For many of the Brooklyn College students, the program allows them their first hands-on experience dealing with children.
Amy Dempsey, a senior, had thought she wanted to work with younger children. But an encounter with at fourth-grade girl at “Wash and Learn” made her rethink her plans.
“She told me she didn’t like to read, didn’t want to read, but then she told me she liked to write poetry and with that connection I talked her into reading more,” Dempsey said. “Now I want to work with kids around that age. It’s things like that that really make you want to do this job,” she said.
And for the laundry’s owners, the program is good corporate citizenship.
“You know how busy our lives are and you always have to do chores,” said Clean Rite’s John Hayes. “That we can help create an atmosphere where parents can get that done and their kids can learn something is a perfect fit for us.”
Change
After 2 1/2 years of fighting it, I’ve just changed the title of this blog from ‘Germany Doesn’t Suck’ to ‘Germany Sucks’, because, frankly, it does.
This blog was named ‘Germany Doesn’t Suck’ because of a student I had in Poland that said everything sucked. Grammar sucks, forrests sucks, etc. I had hoped to show him that Germany really doesn’t suck, but right now, it does.
Microwave update
After reading the instructions, I bought a ‘microwave meal’ and put it in. Three minutes later, I noticed that it was on fire so I unplugged the microwave. After waiting for it to cool down, I took it out and noticed that the thing that rotated the glass place (that came with the microwave) was made of plastic, which is what caused the fire. I then went back to the shop (a Best Buy type place) and saw that all the others had the same type of rotating thing. I then tried to return my microwave.
The lady at the ‘customer service’ (I use the term loosely) desk then blamed the entire thing on me (this is normal in Germany….it’s always the other person’s fault, never yours), telling me that I didn’t know how to use it properly, that I had caused the fire and refused to give me a replacement or refund (this is also normal in Germany).
So, I’m out 37 Euros. Yes, I could write letters, but know that with as bad as customer service is in Europe, they’d be fruitless.
End of microwave story.
Before you ask, you have no idea how much I wish was a joke, but it’s not.
Second Book Order Placed
I’ve just finished placing my second book order. This one is from Hamilton Books, a clearning house bookseller.
Here’s what I ordered:
ANYTHING GOES! What I’ve Learned from Pundits, Politicians, and Presidents. Price: $1.95
THE LATE SHIFT: Letterman, Leno, and the Network Battle for the Night. Price: $1.95
LETTERS FROM A NUT. Price: $3.95
EXTRA NUTTY! Even More Letters from a Nut. Price: $2.95
THEY SAID THAT! The Wit and Wisdom of Modern Celebrity Culture. Price: $1.95
REGIS! The Unauthorized Biography. Price: $1.95
THE West Wing Script Book. Price: $5.95
America’s Historic Trails With Tom Bodett. Price: $1.95
THE LETTERMAN WIT: His Life and Humor. Price: $1.95
OFF CAMERA: Private Thoughts Made Public. Price: $1.95
Postage & Handling $7.50
Total Amount $34.00
Second Book Order Placed
I’ve just finished placing my second book order. This one is from Hamilton Books, a clearning house bookseller.
Here’s what I ordered:
ANYTHING GOES! What I’ve Learned from Pundits, Politicians, and Presidents. Price: $1.95
THE LATE SHIFT: Letterman, Leno, and the Network Battle for the Night. Price: $1.95
LETTERS FROM A NUT. Price: $3.95
EXTRA NUTTY! Even More Letters from a Nut. Price: $2.95
THEY SAID THAT! The Wit and Wisdom of Modern Celebrity Culture. Price: $1.95
REGIS! The Unauthorized Biography. Price: $1.95
THE West Wing Script Book. Price: $5.95
America’s Historic Trails With Tom Bodett. Price: $1.95
THE LETTERMAN WIT: His Life and Humor. Price: $1.95
OFF CAMERA: Private Thoughts Made Public. Price: $1.95
Postage & Handling $7.50
Total Amount $34.00
Second Book Order Placed
I’ve just finished placing my second book order. This one is from Hamilton Books, a clearning house bookseller.
Here’s what I ordered:
ANYTHING GOES! What I’ve Learned from Pundits, Politicians, and Presidents. Price: $1.95
THE LATE SHIFT: Letterman, Leno, and the Network Battle for the Night. Price: $1.95
LETTERS FROM A NUT. Price: $3.95
EXTRA NUTTY! Even More Letters from a Nut. Price: $2.95
THEY SAID THAT! The Wit and Wisdom of Modern Celebrity Culture. Price: $1.95
REGIS! The Unauthorized Biography. Price: $1.95
THE West Wing Script Book. Price: $5.95
America’s Historic Trails With Tom Bodett. Price: $1.95
THE LETTERMAN WIT: His Life and Humor. Price: $1.95
OFF CAMERA: Private Thoughts Made Public. Price: $1.95
Postage & Handling $7.50
Total Amount $34.00
Books ordered
I’ve just finished ordering a few books from Amazon.com. It’s interesting how it works…they also act as an agent for other booksellers, so only one of them is actually coming from Amazon.com. I hope the others arrive.
Here’s what I ordered:
Inside Bartlett’s White House: An Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to The West Wing
Item(s) Subtotal: $7.16
Shipping & Handling: $3.99
Total for This Shipment: $11.15
Fifty-Five Fathers: The Story of the Constitutional Convention
Item(s) Subtotal: $1.75
Shipping & Handling: $3.49
Grand Total: $5.24
The Compleat I Hate to Cook Book
Item(s) Subtotal: $12.00
Shipping & Handling: $3.49
Total for This Shipment: $15.49
There are several more books I want to order from a different website, and will be placing the order later today.
