An Update

I haven't posted in awhile and a lot has happened since November 2, so I will recap. Homecoming was great. I got to see my best friends and it sort of felt like college again. My family and I spent Saturday morning at a dentist's office so Peter could get his mouth fixed. (this prompted me to feel like the worst sister ever). Anyway. That next week was the end of the first quarter (to those in Texas -- the first 9 weeks) and my first official school holiday and turning in grades for kids that I was responsible for and my first real argument with my teaching assistant. I also figured out that I am very hard headed and want my way when it comes to my kids.

Another first and new experience was getting sick while living by myself. Sunday and Monday I was stuck to my bed and the kleenex box. Getting sick by yourself is sort of sad, but now I know that I can do it!

The new quarter brought with it some challenges. I am now teaching one math class and MUSIC. My only qualifications are taking piano for a few years and singing in choir for my whole life. Now that I have taught it for a week, I am glad that I am teaching it. I must say though that I was pessimistic when I saw my class roster. The 5 kids that chose to take the class were several of the girls that are always mentioned in staff meetings and have a permanent place on the shift reports that tell us how the girls do at the cottage before and after school. The class used to be set up only as the girls would self teach keyboard and then the teacher would show a musical the last 20 minutes of the period. I have changed it where the girls do keyboard some days and then other days we will actually learn about music. Today was the first day that they got to spend more than just a couple of minutes at the keyboard. I sat with two girls most of the time. One of them was really into learning how to play Ode to Joy. This is the same song that I learned to play first. She sat there for the 30 minutes playing this same song. She played it with me. It really amazes me how these girls so want to be perfect. She made two mistakes and got upset with herself. I told her that I have played this song a bajillion times and can play it without thinking or looking that the keys. After she played the whole song for me, I told her that she could go onto the next page, but she said she would practice this song more. I was very impressed.

Next week is Thanksgiving and though I have always known that I have much to be thankful for, it now hits me even more. Some of my kids are the happiest that I have seen them because they get to see their family for the day of Thanksgiving. I get to see mine too. We are all flying to Phoenix. I think this is the first time that we have spent this holiday in Phoenix. It should be interesting.

I hope this post finds everyone well.

grace and peace

Homecoming (sort of)

As I type this, I am lying (i had to check whether to use lay or lie) in a bed in the Holiday Inn Express in Georgetown, Tx. I am here for SOS, a program that the education department puts on for first year teachers. I have come to realize that this program was just an excuse for me to come home and see my family and best friends. SOS stands for Semester of Support. I have not received any support from the school or any of my cohort, which is sort of disappointing since there are about 13 of us going through the same issues. But I have received an immense amount of support from my family and friends from home.

This week has been very hectic. One of the office staff was and is on vacation, so we have been short handed again. But all's well that end's well (it won't really end until Tuesday). But this week has been very calm compared to last week, and it was still semi-crazy. As sad as it is, I have realized that some girls just can not make it through the school day without getting into some kind of trouble, but I do realize that sometimes this is more because of the teacher than because of the student.

And although I already knew this, it has just now really come to my attention. These girls are not my friends, they are my students. Today, one of my girls was sent to room 22 by another teacher during my class. When she came back, she was not at all ready to come back to class and participate and do her work. She was very disruptive, so I sent her back in there. Well I found out after that class was over that she was saying some very not nice things about me. The staff who told me asked if it bothered me. I said no not really because she is my student not my friend and she is just saying that because she didn't like me right then because I did something she didn't want me to do. The interesting part is that when she did come back, she sat down, got a book, asked what we were doing, and did her work, calling me over when she had a problem or when she knew she got an answer correct. That is what I love about these girls. Most of the time they can be so upset with me, but (at least in my class) they do know when to get to work and do what they need to do.

Today I also told the classes that I would be gone on Friday. One girl asked how long I would be gone and another student answered forever. She got very upset. I think she thought that I actually wasn't coming back. I said that I promised that I would be back Sunday night and be back in class on Monday. She made me pinky swear that I would be back. It made me realize that as much as some of the girls don't like the teachers, we are the ones that are the stable part of their lives. It makes us that much more important to do what is best for them and help them not only with school work, but also help them learn what they missed learning because of their different situations. As hectic as the past two weeks at school have been, I know I am in the right place with these girls right now teaching them math and even the girls that I don't have but that I see in the office.

It is time for me to go to bed because I will be getting up two hours earlier than my body is used to (ahhh). But it is good to be somewhere where I can take a huge breath outside and not be too poisoned. A place that I am so used to it feels like home!! If only everyone could have a place like that.

grace and peace