Family Story - Signed by Rob Neilson

In the following family story, signed by Rob Neilson, please compose in your words what his story talks about.

This is worth 50% of your grade.  This is due on Monday.

I Gotta Feelin' - Black Eyed Peas - ASL Dubbed by S. Torrence

Hip, Hip, Ho-ray it's a SNOW DAY!

I am of the opinion that having snow days in the fall, or before the end of the first semester is no blessing.  I think I am alone in my opinion though it a valid sentiment if you read my reasoning.

The first semester of school starts strong, students are excited to be there and so are you for the most part. Then the second 6-weeks begins and ends and the grading was more intense and so were the activities.  Then the beginning of the third 6-weeks begins only to be met with a SNOW DAY!  

WHAT!?

Have they no idea that the third 6-weeks is short enough as it is.  I've done the calculating, and it is only 4 weeks in length.  That is entering in all the days i have for instructions only.  Let me explain.  We come back from a Thanksgiving holiday (one whole week) to start a fresh new third six-weeks.  Only to have instruction for 3 weeks and then go out on holiday again for two-weeks. Students then come back for another 3 weeks before the end of the grading period. 

HOWEVER...

When students return from their Christmas break, (and, yes, I meant to say Christmas break that whole idea that it is a Winter Break goes against every fiber of my being) they have another 3 weeks until the second semester finals begin, or do they???

Upon students return in January, they only have 2 weeks before we  begin working on their semester finals. This means that teachers have to CRAM what they think is a 6 weeks time frame into 4 -5  weeks.  No small feat when you are a foreign language teacher and all you do is teach new vocabulary and grammar.  For me in ASL, the third 6 - weeks is horrific in the grammar department.  We have 120 vocabulary terms we teach them this 6 weeks along with 4 grammar rules that applied as well.  That is a lot for students recall in such a short time frame.  Knowing full well that studying on a holiday is more than likely not going to happen!  

WHAT TO DO?

Relax, enjoy your students, celebrate them and their achievements.  Work through all the mountains of papers together and along the way learning happens!