Friday was a professional development day and the end of the first quarter for the Chicago Public School Students. It started really well- a staff meeting without much arguing, a math meeting where I could follow what was what (and since we were learning a computer system shared by all of CPS, I was learning something that might be useful to me in my next job). When I went to speak to the principal about my chess club proposal, he said it was great, all he was waiting on was the funding. I pointed out that I'd given an estimate of essentials that kept the price pretty low, and he said that the supplies weren't the issue, it was my stipend. I told him that I didn't need a stipend; he said that it would only be right to give me one. I said that would be great, stipend or no stipend I was in. So, he said he'll get back to me sometime next week. I assume that means that chess club is a go. And maybe I'm getting a stipend!

So, I'll be running a chess club at Thirsty Minds Middle School from Thanksgiving break through Winter Break. I'll be at the school for about an hour and a half each morning. If I get enough applicants (and the other teachers assure me that I will), I'll have two groups of sixteen students each. Each group will meet to play chess twice per week, and then once a week both groups will meet and do chess puzzles. I had assumed that I wouldn't be getting that much student interest, but some of the eigth grade teachers told me that they think I'll get thirty applications from 8th graders alone. So, so, so.

I am particularly hoping that working with students who want to be working with me, in smaller classes, will bring me back to a place where I can enjoy teaching. Because I'm not having a whole lot of fun right now. Four more days of student teaching left! Being there for only an hour and a half should also make sure that I get out and about every day, have plenty of time left over to apply for jobs (or sit around reading, or write poetry, or whatever), and it shouldn't be enough to tire me out. The fact that it's so early in the morning means I'd continue having a problem with evening activities- but so what?

Friday didn't end so well, because mid day we got the announcement that final grades, which we'd been led to believe were due this coming Friday, were due on this past Friday at midnight. So, a lot of folks prepared to stay up 'till midnight. I felt like a traitor leaving at 3:20 to get home in time for shabbes.

I spent the weekend with a mild to moderate pain in my upper left abdomen, around the pancreas. If I'm still having pain there on November 23rd (day of endo visit), I'm going to ask for serum amylase and lipase tests to be run (for pancreatitis).

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