And the 2015-2016 year has begun. The students dove back into math concepts like matrices, polynomial division, like terms, exponents, and changing time zones with an excited fervor. I couldn't even stop them, and my encouragements to take breaks went unheeded. They even wanted to work through lunch and didn't want to go home when the last bell rang.

Okay, so maybe the year didn't quite begin that way. However, the students have had good attitudes despite the difficult concepts that accompany math. Along with the topics listed in the first paragraph, they've had to face radicals, angles, functional notation, and about as many letters as numbers in their books. Despite all of this, we continue on and try to maintain a positive attitude.

The first little bit was rough. The kids came in only half awake only to be hit with new concepts and homework right away. It was like a groggy, half sleeping person trying to catch a ride on an already moving train. They may get it, but there's a lot of pain involved. I'm proud of my students for making it on the train. We'll keep you posted. Until then, enjoy the following: