Breathe!

I can breathe! My observation (the first one, at least) is done, and I feel good about it. I wasn't perfect, but I feel like I covered the issue well and got good feedback from students.

That particular class is in a classroom which I share with another teacher. My administrator wants to set up another observation in which I'm actually in my own classroom. I'm much more comfortable in that setting, but I think I managed this morning's situation well.

My lesson was on the media and public opinion polls. We talked about polls -- the difference between "scientific" and "unscientific" ones... their effect on candidates and voters... what a "sound bite" is and why candidates use them... etc. I am rather passionate and fairly in-the-loop concerning polls and stuff. I'm thinking about introducing them to blogs and their significance in this year's election. Perhaps next week. I may see about getting them to start their own blog.

And speaking of blogging, I'd like to know where my favorite Floridian blogger has been this morning... he promised us a new cartoon.