Last night was the annual National Honor Society Induction at Parsippany H.S. and it is always nice seeing my outstanding students inducted. For each junior inductee a list of their accomplishments and talents was read by a senior member, probably the only chance for any of them to be feted for non-sports achievements. I was very proud of them, as I always am, since my students are truly my “second family.”

In fact, when one of the girls was walking up to be inducted, Maria turned around and commented, “She’s one of Bob’s girls.” Maria visits the Math Lab frequently, so she understands the familial relationship we have in there. I was very pleased that some members of my “Math Lab family” were chosen as NHS officers for next year.

Speaking of next year, we got our teaching schedules, and I hope I haven’t bitten off more than I can handle, time-wise and stress-wise. I will be teaching my usual Advanced Placement Calculus, Honors Algebra II, and ESL Math (which is basically two preps since I divide the class into different levels to prepare the kids in it for next year’s math courses). I am also teaching one section each of Calculus and AP Statistics, the latter which I have neither taught nor taken before, so I will be sending much of the summer learning it. Fortunately Jean teaches Statistics, so I have ready advice available should I need it. I enjoy teaching upper-level students, and I don’t mind a tough workload, but five preps (which is really six with ESL Math) is a lot of work so it could be a very stressful year for me.

Stay tuned to these pages for more whining...