What is a Quafaie?


Quafaie (pronounced: kwa FAY) are fantasy creatures that exist in the fantasy writing of Hugh Kemeny, and are created by him. They are primarily in Hugh Kemeny’s Black Phoenix short stories...

To learn more, read this post: What is a Quafaie?

Sunday, September 30, 2012

(personal) News of the week

The biggest news from this past week of teaching was a reduction in my course load.

On Tuesday I had a meeting with my supervisor and chair of the department about how there have been a few complaints about my teaching to the chairs of other departments.

(Side note: I teach mathematics, it is a service division. So the students are actually in other programs and were commenting about me to the chairs of their departments.)

In the meeting I admitted that the course load felt too much, and by cutting my work load from 4 courses to 3 would help. The course I wanted removed was only 3 hours of teaching a week (and by Tuesday afternoon all 3 hours last week were taught!). The reason I wanted that course taken off my shoulders was:
- It was my only second year course I was teaching
- It was almost a pure calculus course, and I have not done calculus for a few years
- The other 3 courses have a fair amount of overlap in material being taught, where was this course does not

Needless to say it was a relief on Wednesday when I found out that they had already found another instructor to take over that course - someone who had taught it before.

The rest of my week felt a lot lighter after that.... however I still wasted half my weekend, and am not as prepared for all of this coming week as I had hoped.... but I have a good long break tomorrow to do all that - during the 2 hours of the class I no longer teach. (For good or bad, I still teach a class after that now vacant time.... my Mondays are: teaching at 10am (1 hr) and 3 pm (1 hr), so a good 4 hours of mid day prep for the rest of the week!)


Inspirational Updates

You must either modify your dreams or magnify your skills.
- Jim Rohn
inspire daily calendar Thu 27 Sep 2012


All our dreams can come tur - if we have the courage to pursue them.
- Walt Disney
inspire daily calendar Fri 28 Sep 2012


The nice thing about teamwork is that you always have other on your side.
- Margaret Carty
inspire daily calendar Sat/Sun 29/30 Sep 2012


School Satire
Citing the threat posed to their children`s safety, a Grand Rapids-area parents group is calling for the removal of arsenic from the periodic table of elements. "Our schoolchildren, some as young as the fourth grade, are being exposed to this deadly element in their science classes," said Tricia Montcalm, president of the Grand Rapids Parents Association. "We insist that this poison be removed from the periodic table and replaced with a safe, nontoxic element." To date, the group has raised over $4,500 for the development of a replecement element, "Nickelodeum," a springy, child-safe play foam with an atomic number of 33.
- www.theonion.com
Teachers daily calendar Wed 7 Oct 2009


Fun Facts: Sports
Up to twenty thousand pounds of pressure per square inch may be absorbed by a pole vaulter on the joints of his tubular thigh bones when he lands.
In speed skating, competitors wear colored armbands to indicate their starting lanes. White is worn by the skater starting in the inner lane; red by the skater starting in the outer lane. The skaters change lanes after each circuit of the track.
The huddle formation used by football teams originated at Gallaudet University, a liberal arts college for deaf people in Washington, D.C., to prevent other schools from reading their sign language.
- www.coolquiz.com
Teachers daily calendar Thu 8 Oct 2009


Teaching is not for sensitive souls. While reviewing future, past, and present tenses with my ninth-grade English class, I posed the question, "'I am beautiful' is what tense?"
One student raised her hand. "Past tense."
- Reema Rahatt in Reader's Digest
Teachers daily calendar Fri 9 Oct 2009

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Daily Inspiration

The man who does not work for the love of work but only for money is not likely to neither make money nor find much fun in life.
- Charles M. Schwab
inspire daily calendar Wed 26 Sep 2012


Teachers who address controversial topics in the classroom - evolution or anything else that touches religion or politics - may find it pays to keep their mouths shut. In Arizona, Senate Bill 1542 aims to forbid educators from advocating for one side of any social or political issue, claiming that students are impressionable and this sort of thing may encroach on parental territory. Must teacher, by the very nature of their profession, place stricter limits on their ability to express opinions in the workplace? Or are the kinds of free speech struggles that teachers face unwarranted and undeserved?
In an Edutopia online poll, 35 percent of voters said there should be limits on teachers' freedom of speech, because educators have the power to influence students. They assert that to promote neutrality and equity in the classroom, it's important for educators to keep strong political, religious, or otherwise controversial opinions to themselves. But the majority of voters - 53 percent - said the First Amendment should be applied to all equally. The stating of controversial opinions - as long as it is presented as opinion - is a good lesson for students in democracy, critical thinking, and tolerance. The remaining 12 percent of voters were undecided.
- www.edutopia.org
Teachers daily calendar Mon 5 Oct 2009

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Daily Inspiration

Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.
- Harold S. Geneen
inspire daily calendar Tue 25 Sep 2012 



Failure is success, if we lean from it. 
- Malcolm S. Forbes
Teachers daily calendar Mon 5 Oct 2009

Monday, September 24, 2012

Daily Inspiration

I do not believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process.
- Oprah Winfrey
inspire daily calendar Mon 24 Sep 2012 



For me, teaching is about making surprises and moments for kids that they will never forget. I think it would be much more fun to live in a world where everyone thought that way.
- Ron Clark, The Essential 55: An award-Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child
Teachers daily calendar Sat/Sun 3/4 Oct 2009

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Daily Inspiration

I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want, then advise them to do it.
- Harry Truman
Teachers daily calendar Thu 1 Oct 2009


Most Memorable Teachers
I knew she cared about me, wanted me to succeed, pushed me to work hard and do my best, and accepted nothing less than what she knew was possible from her students. When we finished fifth grade and faced the inevitable sadness about leaving a favorite teacher, she announced she was moving up with us to sixth grade and keeping us all together. The two years of continuity helped prepare me for success in secondary school and gave me the emotional support that every child needs as they move into their teen years.
- Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz regarding Fran Botton, Magnolia Open School, Long Beach, New York, on www.nea.org
Teachers daily calendar Fri 2 Oct 2009

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Daily Inspiration

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.
- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
inspire daily calendar Sat/Sun 22/23 Sep 2012 



Looking for a way to cut down on homework, Kris decided to combine her arithmetic and art projects into one "math-terpiece."
Teachers daily calendar Wed 30 Sep 2009

Friday, September 21, 2012

Daily Inspiration

Everybody thinks of changing humanity, but nobody thinks of changing himself.
- Leo Tolstoy
inspire daily calendar Fri 21 Sep 2012 



If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.
- W. Somerset Maugham
Teachers daily calendar Tue 29 Sep 2009

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Daily Inspiration

The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed.
- Richard B. Sheridan
inspire daily calendar Thu 20 Sep 2012 



Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.
- Parker Palmer
Teachers daily calendar Mon 28 Sep 2009

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Daily Inspiration

Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise.
- Maya Angelou
inspire daily calendar Wed 19 Sep 2012 



At school mrs. Dickens liked Paul's picture of the sailboat better than my picture of the invisible castle. At singing time shw said I sang too loud. At counting time she said I left out sixteen. Who needs sixteen? I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
- Judith Viorst, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Teachers daily calendar Sat/Sun 26/27 Sep 2009

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Less Nudity (for now)

After calling about 3 months ago to have the arborists come out to remove and prune trees, they finally came today!

The result, which I will get photos of on the weekend when it's not night time out, is that I feel like I have a backyard!

Supplemental to that, is more direct visibility into my bedroom from the back lane, especially since a board is missing in the fence. I should note that my bedroom has the glass patio doors out to the back deck; a vital aspect of the more visibility.

Will this mean I'm going to be clothed more? Probably not.
Especially since my house mates have gotten use to me being naked.

What it probably will mean is my blinds are closed more often, and/or I won't be around the house as much.Work does keep me out of the house for long days - which is now good, because I don't have to be concerned about the high school kids who hang out in my back lane seeing me naked.

Getting back to my question about being clothed more..... there is a 'probably yes' as well. Though it is not completely related to the increased visibility into my room, or the out of the house (will partially), instead it is related to the time of year....

... The time of year where the sun is shining less and less.

According to : http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=80
The September Equinox (Autumnal Equinox) is on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 8:49 AM in Edmonton.
However it is 3 days later (a week from today) that our hours of sun dip below 12 hours.... this generally means there is a dip in temperature too. (Note: today there was 12h 27m 02s between sun rise and sun set)

If you have seen any photos of me, I have very little personal insulation, so clothing becomes my insulation.

Stuck on a title....

A thought came to me to post a "moment of my day" or something that reflects how my day went. But I got stuck (briefly) on what to call this new series of posts. I will probably just have some random thing that may or may not relate to the day as the title.

Now on to today's 'summery' post

As anyone who follows this blog will have noticed, I am not posting much recently - same goes for the other few places I 'exist' on the web.

This has been due to the work load of a first year teacher!

Today, I taught 4 courses (all mathematics), each one hour. I was at the office by 7am, and left at 8pm. The rest of the time was filled with preparing for today's classes, brief planning for tomorrow's (and future) classes, editing 2 quizzes I will be giving later this week (one tomorrow, one on Friday), finalizing an exam (being given on Friday), and preparing notes for 2 other exams being given next week.

Luckily, most of the material is similar between the courses... that makes creating quizzes and tests a little easier because I can use similar questions.
Unluckily, most of the material is similar, but not the same, between courses.... that makes remembering what was in each course a slight bit more difficult; "was it course A or course B I taught this in?"


I will try and add more interesting tidbits of my day in future 'Daily Summary' posts.
If there are any questions or topics you, my readers, want me to answer or post about, please to email me or post comments.

Daily Inspiration

To win without rist is to triumph without glory.
- Pierre Corneille
inspire daily calendar Sat/Sun 15/16 Sep 2012 


Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
inspire daily calendar Mon 17 Sep 2012 


Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
- Francis of Assisi
inspire daily calendar Tue 18 Sep 2012

Friday, September 14, 2012

Daily Inspiration

We do not so much need the help of our friends as the confidence of their help in need.
- Epicurus
inspire daily calendar Fri 14 Sep 2012 



A compliment is verbal sunshine.
- Robert Orben
Teachers daily calendar Fri 25 Sep 2009

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Daily Inspiration

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.
- Tommy Lasorda
inspire daily calendar Thu 13 Sep 2012 


Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.
- Langston Hughes
Teachers daily calendar Thu 24 Sep 2009

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Daily Inspiration

You have to remember the value of your individuality, that you have something different to offer that no one else can.
- Jennifer Lopez
inspire daily calendar Wed 12 Sep 2012 


 As we study poetry, my sixth-graders like to name, find, and use various poetic devices and techniques. During one such review lesson, I asked who could explain the term "consonance." One boy immediately volunteered to put the word in a sentence: "My mom said, 'Clean up your room or there will be consonances!'"
- Constance McNaughton on www.teachernet.com
Teachers daily calendar Wed 23 Sep 2009

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Daily Inspiration

A determined person will do more with a pen and paper, than a lazy person will accomplish with a personal computer.
- Catherine Pulsifer
inspire daily calendar Tue 11 Sep 2012 


Have you ever really had a teacher? One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a pround shine?
- Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie
Teachers daily calendar Tue 22 Sep 2009

Monday, September 10, 2012

Daily Inspiration

If we have the opportunity to be generous with our hearts, ourselves, we have no idea of the depth and breadth of love's reach.
- Margaret Cho
inspire daily calendar Mon 10 Sep 2012 


I've always liked the notion of meeting the great figures of history. But then I think, what if it's like high school and all the really cool dead people don't want to hang out with me?
- Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce) in Frasier
Teachers daily calendar Mon 21 Sep 2009

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Daily Inspiration

Chances are good there is at least one boy named Matthew in your class - its been one of the top-ranked baby boy names in the United States for several years. Here are the top three boys and girls names for this year's third-, sith-, and ninth-graders. 
  • Third grade (born in 2001): Jacob, Michael, Matthew; Emily, Madison, Hannah 
  • Sixth grade (born in 1998): Michael, Jacob, Matthew; Emily Hannah, Samantha 
  • Ninth grade (born in 1995): Michael, Matthew, Christopher; Jessica, Ashley, Emily
- www.ssa.gov
Teachers daily calendar Fri 18 Sep 2009 



The wildest colts make the best horses.
- Themistocles
Teachers daily calendar Sat/Sun 19/20 Sep 2009

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Daily Inspiration

Progress has little to do with speed, but much to do with direction.
- Anonymous
inspire daily calendar Sat/Sun 8/9 Sep 2012 


The human capacity to fight back will always astonish doctors and philosophers. It seems, indeed, that there are no circumstances so bad and no obstacles so big that man cannot conquer them.
- Jean Tetreau
Teachers daily calendar Thu 17 Sep 2009

Friday, September 7, 2012

Daily Inspiration

Of all the "attitudes" we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life-changing.
- Zig Ziglar
inspire daily calendar Fri 7 Sep 2012 


The Internet is the world's largest library. It's just that all the books are on the floor.
- John Allen Paulos
Teachers daily calendar Wed 16 Sep 2009

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Daily Inspiration

You have to be able to center yourself, to let all of your emotions go . . . don't ever forget that you play with your soul as well as your body.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
inspire daily calendar Thu 6 Sep 2012 


Seeing the smiles of children and the sparkle in their eyes. Hearing a shout across the room, "Look what I did!" The magic of watching butterflies emerge and seeds sprout. Seeing the delight when a child learns to write his or her name for the first time. The feeling I have when I know that I have truly made a difference in the life of a child.
- Former Chatham County Teacher of the Year Debbie Glossom on www.chatham.k12.nc.us
Teachers daily calendar Tue 15 Sep 2009

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Daily Inspiration

Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.
- John Wooden
inspire daily calendar Wed 5 Sep 2012 


Q: What is the SAT?
A: The term "SAT" is a set of initials, or "antonym," standing for "Scholastic Attitude Treaty Organization." This is a series of tests that predict your ability to perform in the college enbironment by measuring the degree to which you possess knowledge that nobody would evey in a million years actually need.
- Dave Barry
Teachers daily calendar Mon 14 Sep 2009

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Daily Inspiration

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.
- Aristotle
inspire daily calendar Tue 4 Sep 2012 


Teachers must be celebrated for moving civilization from ignorance to enlightenment, from apathy to responsibility.
- Former National Teacher of the Year Sharon Draper
Teachers daily calendar Sat/Sun 12/13 Sep 2009

Monday, September 3, 2012

Daily Inspiration

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Muriel Strode
inspire daily calendar Mon 3 Sep 2012 


It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
- Confucius
Teachers daily calendar Fri 11 Sep 2009

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Taking a break from some of my worries...

I feel like I have barely survived my first week of teaching.
I had a few stumbling blocks, which made me stop and have to really consider a few aspects of my teaching.
Also confronted at least one class on the fact I am a new instructor at nait, and barely had time to prepare.

These realizations have, however, slighlty impacted my annual trip around the beginning of September. As much as I'd like to get away from all that, I know I have to prepare and plan for the upcoming (short, thanks to labour day tomorrow) week.

Every year, for the past nearly decade, I have tried to be in a different place for my birthday then the year before. In the past couple years I have had to modify that criteria as I have had to be back in Edmonton for work or school on my birthday, but luckily, labour day falls close to my birthday, so a long weekend away is easy :) ... My birthday this year happens to fall on Tuesday.

This year I, along with my friend and housemate Zack, decided to go to Saskatoon. It is a beautiful prairie city, with about 1/4 of a million people (220,000). Edmonton is slightly over 1 million (not sure the exact number).
Between time preparing for next week, we have briefly checked out Broadway (the trendy shops area), 2 used book stores (where Zack spend over $200 in books!), and the Western Development Museum.
While I was working yesterday Zack went to help his friend Zach door knock for the upcoming city election. Today, while I am suppose to be working now, Zack is at the Diefenbaker Centre (a museum to one of our Canadian Priministers who grew up in Saskatoon).


Daily Inspiration

Our family was horrified when my youngest sister arrived home from elementary school one day and informed us she knew hot to French kiss. She wanted to demonstrate, and she kissed my mother - first on one cheek, then the other. "There!" she stated proudly. "That's how the French kiss!"
- Allison Stein in Reader's Digest
Teachers daily calendar Wed 9 Sep 2009


Q: Why did the student eat her spelling test?
A: Because the teacher said it was a piece of cake.
Teachers daily calendar Thu 10 Sep 2009

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Daily Inspiration

One of the true tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.
- Arnold Glasow
inspire daily calendar Sat/Sun 1/2 Sep 2012 


Fun Facts: Plants
Almonds are the oldes, and most widely cultivated and extensively used nuts in the world.
Plants that need to attract moths for pollination are generally white or pale yellow, to be better seen when the light is dim. Plants that depend on butterflies, such as the poppy or the hibiscus, have more colorful flowers.
The world's tallest grass, which has sometimes grown 130 feet or more, is bamboo.
- www.corsinet.com
Teachers daily calendar Tue 8 Sep 2009