The weather is beautiful in South Florida this time of year. It's four days after New Year's and I'm wearing sandals and a tee-shirt.

I'm able to enjoy the weather because work has been good this week. It's the first week back from Winter Break and I'm starting a new class (Economics). As I said to my students, "Same teacher. Same students. Whole new class."

Here are some examples of what's different about my class:

• I'm throwing pieces of paper at them. They don't need to bring their notebooks. I let them write on the handouts, and we're not reading out of the textbook. The copy machine is working, so I haven't had to shell out at Kinko's.
  
• My room is more organized. I keep all their graded work in folders. I'm going to post grades every Monday. I rearranged my desk and cleaned up the room. I have a new map of the world and the united states. Vocabulary for Econ is taped all over the room.
  
• My syllabus is beautiful. Here's the section on "Grading":
  If a student asks whether something is graded, the answer will always be the same: “Yes, this is graded.”
  Since I cannot possibly grade everything students do, 1-2 class assignments will be chosen at random per week and entered into the gradebook. Approximately 40% of your grade will be based on this class work.
  Approximately 40% of your grade will be based on quiz and test scores.
  The remaining 20% of your grade will be determined by your conduct/behavior in the class. Disrespect towards classmates or myself, profanity, prejudicial remarks, cheating, or off-task behavior will result in a lowering of this conduct grade.
  This grading system is designed to insure that if you come to class regularly and do the assigned work, you will succeed (even if you do poorly on quizzes and tests).
  
• Finally, and perhaps most important, my comfortable level as a teacher has increased. I don't avoid arguments as much. However, I also know when something isn't worth giving my time to.

This is not to say there aren't minor disasters everyday. Two of my girls got pregnant over break, one of whom is 14. "Krystyn Roberts" was late and I told her to go to lockout. She told me my "fuckin' cracker-ass breath stank." I shut the door. My first period is bad in part because the kids who have been skipping now seem to be interested in disrupting the kids who aren't skipping. "Shaneah Williams" ruins my otherwise beautiful eighth period of freshmen.

But, the weather is beautiful. I have a job and am enjoying making money. I have a girlfriend who is beautiful and sweet. My students seem to be learning and I feel proud of myself.