Well, we're back in school, and while there were a good many absentees, it wasn't nearly the number I was expecting. All of my kids have power now except for a handful that I could count on one hand. The kids seemed genuinely happy to be back, but I could have used another day off to do research. :o

- "Give Me Five" seems to be working pretty well, the kids seem to quiet down a little more quickly.

- Using my laptops was a disaster for my first three periods today. Seems that the servers all needed to be restarted since the storm. My poor 1st period class, they seem to catch the short end every time! If there is a problem, it rears its head then, and doesn't get corrected until on up in the day. The result? They are behind the other kids.

My fist period students: "Mr. Dickinson, my password won't work."
Me: "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do about it, you'll just have to share with someone who has one that does."
My first period students: "But Mr. Dickinson, my password doesn't work." They then stare at me.
In the words of Charlie Brown, "Arrrrrrggghhh!" They know that I have no power over this, but I am the adult in the room. I say to myself "you must keep a warm caring atmosphere, you must keep a warm caring atmosphere". This is my mantra, even when these children shatter my calm.
As a new teacher, I feel that I am such a drain on everyone else. I am too new at my craft to be a help to any other teacher, but today I got to help! My wife, a ten year veteran, came to me last night to ask me what she should expect in the form of problems with using the laptops. Wow! Well, we got to school today, and when I experienced some problems in first period, I jumped across the hall to give her a heads up of what to expect in second period. I had a few opportunities to jump across the hall, and help her with her problems, etc. Man, that felt good for a change. Bottom rail on top for a change! I was able to collaborate and be a help to someone else instead of being the succubus of the hall.