My craziness

Well, I suppose I'll write a quick entry before I head out to school. I got a call from my principal on Sunday evening. I had a feeling I knew what it was about, especially since I couldn't log in to the Spanish teacher's grade entry report to do report cards. Both the Spanish teacher and I have two log-ins since we teach two groups. In a nutshell, Diane (the principal) told me that Sonia resigned on Friday for personal reasons and that I needed to make the substitute plans for her sub on Monday. Part of the reason for her resignation was not passing a test that all teachers have to take (including me) in order to be "highly qualified." Diane can't employ us if we are not highly qualified. I have to take the test before my third year of teaching is over. So I still have another year and half.

Sub plans? Generally not a big deal. I wasn't stressing out too much even though Sonia's schedule was very different from mine. So I did what I could on Sunday evening and figured I could get the rest in place on Monday morning. Boy, was I making a overstatement! I went into Sonia's room yesterday morning and there was NOTHING! No files with work for the students, no homework folders, no plan book, NOTHING! Panic mode set in at that point. I only had things for the substitute to do math and for the kids to write in their journals; but what were they going to write?? Not a clue! So, I just made up stuff in English for the kids to work on and the freaking substitute didn't even follow the plans I made AT ALL! He's substituted before and he totally creeps me out. I was angry at Sonia for taking everything off the walls and taking student's names off the desks and cubbies. Literally the room looked sterile! Ugh! She even took the crayons so I had to give the sub my "lost and found" crayons. Yeah, I was totally exhausted by the end of the day because I had to keep up with my plans and the substitute plans. Plus, parent-teacher conferences are on Thursday and I have to do grades but i can't log into the other class's grades and Sonia has my math tests still in her possession. Yeah, this week is going to be crazy. I have to make sub plans for the whole week. Yay. That's my craziness.

School pics-cont'd

So, since I can't figure out for the life of me how to arrange several pictures on my blog, you're getting another post for my new classroom pictures. Look how much space there is!! AND OUTSIDE WINDOWS! The whiteboard on the left in the picture with the two whiteboards will soon be removed and replaced with an interactive whiteboard called Promethean Board. The kids can interact with it and it's a VERY fun toy! I'm looking forward to having one. Most of the pictures show what my room looked like before I tackled the unpacking and arranging job. The other two show my room all nice and ready for kidlets. Can I just say I love all the SPACE??? and no orange carpet or brown wall! Yahoo!

School pics

Well, here's my old classroom. Check out the lovely orange carpet and brownish-orange wall. The picture with me is what my classroom looked like after the movers cleared out everything. It was dark in the school because it was like 8:30 at night and Kory and I were packing up a couple of last minute things into my car. The yellow paper is covering two windows that looked into the library!! No outside windows or doors in my old classroom.

nooks and crannies

I'm half awake at 9:00pm writing this entry. I was ready for bed at 8:00! I have been working my hind end off in my classroom and still am not finished. It looks ready for students, but I know the little nooks and crannies that need to be taken care of--which will happen tomorrow. Yes, Saturday. It's rare that I actually go to my classroom and work on a Saturday, but tomorrow such will be the case. *sigh* It's down to the nitty gritty and that's the worst part. You have pieces here and there that you're not quite sure how to approach so it's basically you standing there and staring. Yup, that could possibly be me tomorrow. I am very tired and just want to go to bed. Off I go. Pictures soon, I promise!

untimely injury

Yeah, all I need is a back injury during the week that we're moving to our new school. It is not a constant pain, but one of those where if I bend in any way my lower back screams at me!! So, my back was so stiff today from standing so straight and sitting so straight and hardly bending at all! I felt bad that I couldn't do much in my new classroom and that Kory had to do all the work because he didn't want me injured anymore. It's sweet of him to help me and I'm grateful for the help but I'm just the kind of person where if I'm not working on something that's mine and someone else is doing it for me, I feel bad and unproductive.

I've got pictures now of my old classroom and the new place with all my junk piled in the middle of the room. I'll put them up when I can actually bend and get my camera. Plus, I don't feel like putting them up right now. I want to go back to my heating pad!

a little complaining with some rejoicing

Every other week at school, I feel like each day should be Friday. Unfortunately, tomorrow is only Thursday and I have two more whole days with my motley crew. Group A, as Sonia and I refer to them is a HARD, tough group. I want so much to just love all of them, but some days I really have to have a big prayer in my heart that centers along the lines of "please help me be patient; please help me be patient." The kids seem to be improving in their behavior, but then I have days like today when Brayan cried so much I hauled him to the office and made him stay until he stopped. I have found his weakness: recess. Take away recess time and you've got his attention. I might have to endure more tears, but maybe enough lost recess time will make an impact on his behavior. I can only hope, right?

Truly, I hate being the witchy teacher, but sometimes I have to let the little ones know that I mean business. It seems in this group that none of the kids even know what respect means. We've talked about it, I've called them on disrepectful behavior, and we've practiced showing respect. How do I make it sink in? Being a teacher for just over a year has taught me that when I am a mom, I might not be perfect, but I can at least teach my children the fundamentals for playing the school game. UGH! Honestly, do none of my students' parents care about them showing respect?

Well, that's my compaining for the week. On a happy note: Amy helped my arrange my NEW furniture in my new classroom because I helped her arrange her furniture in her classroom. One bruised foot later, I have a room that's actually starting to look like a classroom. My new teacher desk is HUGE! No seriously, Amy and I figure out we had to angle it to provide for ideal space usage and comfort. I'm putting my camera by my school bag right now so that I can take pictures of my soon-to-be old classroom and the new classroom. You'll see how big my desk is and if you're a teacher, your jaw will drop. Hee hee! I love it!

School picture

This is a picture of our new school (it looks slightly different from this). My class room is the farthest right corner on the bottom. 9 more school days until we officially start, Oct. 20 at the new place. We're moving over fall break (2 days) and it's going to be wild. We got a grand tour of the school on Monday and it's absolutely gorgeous and fun. If any of you saw my facebook status, my classroom is the only one that is not finished. Diane said that when it came around to doing cabinetry work, my classroom got completely let off the plans. She has been so apologetic. I suppose I just have to deal with what I have. I'll try to take pictures of it and post them here soon.

School is just crazy busy. I have one group of kids that makes me want to retire every day I have them! Kory has even said he notices a difference in me when I have that group of kids. *sigh* I just don't know what to do. That's all!