I am so bored.
9/10s of my students went on a track field trip that lasts today and tomorrow. So today I have had a total of... letsee... seven students all day long. You would think that a "free day" would be fun, but I'll tell ya... after about two hours, the internet gives out on ya. And as far as actual work--I could be grading papers, or studying for my chemistry ceretifcation test--well, who wants to do that? Besides, even if you don't have many students, you still have to watch them. I spent an entire hour downloading braille books for one of my kids. Yowza.
I am so ready for this weekend, but not ready for that chem certification test that I will most assuredly fail. Yesterday everyone told me to stop being so pessimistic about it, but there is a difference between being "gloomy" and being realistic. As in, after five and half years of college (not to mention 12 years of school before that), I think I know when I have prepared adequetly for a test or not. Let's just say... I haven't.
I haven't studied for the chemistry praxis, therefore I will probably fail it. Unless a) I manage to guess extremely (superbly) well on every question (pick C!) or b) a bunch of English majors sign up to ceretify in chemistry thus giving me an advantage (no offense, my English major friends). Otherwise, I'm pretty much screwed. I was looking through a practice book I purchased in January (and just picked up today) and realized that I don't remember how to balance equations, forgot my gas laws, and couldn't draw a Lewis structure to save my life.
The only thing that keeps me from not showing up for the test Saturday is the belief that, if I'm going to throw $150 down the drain, I should at least attempt the test so I will know what's on it the NEXT time I decide to take it. IF there is a next time.
I never wanted a chemistry certification anyway. If I had my druthers, I'd be taking that elusive math course over the summer to get my math ceretification (I can pass that, LOL), or at least be taking a crack at the history praxis, which I think I could actually do better on than the chemistry, despite the fact that I'm teaching chemistry this term and my history minor is in European history (and the cert test tends to focus on Asian and United States history, from what I've heard).
If my appalling lack of knowledge in an area that I teach scares you, I apologize. I really do my best in my one section of chemistry (and thank God for teacher's manuals with the answers and explanations). Know this--the subjects I AM certified in (namely, biology and all related sciences), I know like the back of my hand. And I make a pretty good algebra tutor as well. And I've been known to correctly answer my students' history questions when they were studying in my class one day. LOL.
Chemistry is blech.
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You forgot your gas laws? Geez, how hard is it! Don't pass gas - people don't like it. That's all there is to remember!
ReplyDeleteAs far as Chemistry, it's the most useless course I've ever taken. I've told you that before. Thankfully, I only had to take it in high school and not in college. I do think that you'd make an interesting history teacher. I could help you study for the American history part of the test.
The only thing that stops me from seriously considering becoming a history teacher (besides the fact that it's much easier to get a job as a science/math teacher) is that a friend once told me that in 20 years I would be Dr. Fai, and if I became a history teacher I would be one step closer to fulfilling that prophecy. Don't get me wrong, I love Judy, but I don't want to BE her. :D
ReplyDeleteHmm...you probably haven't seen that friend in awhile. So who cares about her prophecy? Do what makes you happy. You are right, though, about it being easier to get a math/science job. Plus the tests are faster to grade.
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