"Like an idiot!"
Well, lately I have been examining my health and fitness and the knowledge that sometimes walking up a flight of stairs gets me a little winded. I AM SOOOOOOO LAZY and have been since I graduated college. This is nothing like I am watching my weight or trying to lose weight - I can still wear clothes I have from high school - but that does not give me any excuse to be lazy.
Typical day - get up, go to school, come home, sit on the couch w/ tv & dinner, and then go to bed. This has been my life for the past 5 years and I hate being so lazy. In high school I played sports year-round and was active in all kinds of things. Now I am a couch potato!!!! I literally eat a bag of chips while sitting on the couch!
I don't really have any plans to change my eating habits, I tend to stick to a fairly balanced diet with fruits and veggies mixed in whenever possible. But I would really not like to be so lazy...hence the opportunity to tell the lady on the tv that I feel like an idiot.
I started on Monday and have had a pretty irregular routine since then.
Monday: 50 mins of Wii Sports & 30 mins of Pilates
Tuesday: 45 mins of Wii Sports & 30 mins of Pilates
Thursday: 15 mins of Pilates
Sunday: 45 mins of cardio dance
As much as I was movin' & groovin' with the dancing, I was getting frustrated because the lady was doing the moves too fast for me to learn correctly and therefore the comment "I feel like an idiot."
Hoping to get on a more regular routine in the weeks and months to come. Know of any good workouts on FitTV, send them my way!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Oh wow!
It's been 18 days since my last post and I'm not really sure that you have missed much. Back to the same ol', same ol' - sleep, work, sleep, work. Although, you might be interested to know one of my "sleep" stories...so let's start there.
I have been having trouble getting up and going the past few weeks so sometimes I skip breakfast or just grab something (a pack of cookies) on the way out. So on Monday, before I went to bed I decided that I REALLY wanted cinnamon rolls for breakfast the next morning. In my head I knew I made the plan and there was no way I was backing down. I go to bed about 10ish, like normal. So here comes the weird "sleep" story part. I wake up and the look at the clock and see 12:00 and I get up. YEP, I see 12:00, as in midnight, and get up thinking it is 5:00am. It was like my brain was interchanging numbers to try to make this make sense. ANYWAYS...I get up and turn the oven on to start pre-heating. When I finally go to put the cinnamon rolls in the oven, I just set them in and close the door, look at the clock again and see 12:34. Double take, WHAT 12:34!!! What the heck? Why am I up? What in the world am I doing? A normal person may say "crap" and then just throw the cinnamon rolls out. NOT ME!! I REALLY wanted those cinnamon rolls so I stay up for 15 more minutes while they bake, buzzer goes off, I take them out and put them on the stove, turn oven off, and crawl back in bed. When I finally wake up at the actual 5:00am I warm them back up and put the icing on them. When I told a colleague at work this story she says "so you were like sleep-walking. Well sleep-cooking really." My roommate has told me that I can't plan to use the oven early in the morning any more just in case.
Now I have gotten up at a crazy time like 2:30, turn the shower on, recheck the clock and realize, turn the shower off and then go back to sleep. This time, not so much.
We have over 300 kids in 6th grade with only 10 teachers, sometimes our classes reach numbers of 34+ so we finally found out we would be getting relief - an extra Social Studies teacher (for 1 class period), Math teacher (for 2 class periods), and a Science teacher (for 1 class period). Yesterday (Friday) I see about 12 new schedules in my box to hand out to students on Monday to make these changes happen. So we will see what the 17th day of school looks like when these 6th graders worlds are turned upside down! More to come I am sure.
Also, did you realize what time I am posting this? Before 9am on a Saturday. That's because on Friday's I get up a 5, work all day, hang out with some work friends after school, come home and go to bed at normal time 10ish. At least my body gave me 2.5 extra hours of sleep. But seriously, I was hoping to sleep til 10 at least! Oh well...whomp whomp whomp.
I have been having trouble getting up and going the past few weeks so sometimes I skip breakfast or just grab something (a pack of cookies) on the way out. So on Monday, before I went to bed I decided that I REALLY wanted cinnamon rolls for breakfast the next morning. In my head I knew I made the plan and there was no way I was backing down. I go to bed about 10ish, like normal. So here comes the weird "sleep" story part. I wake up and the look at the clock and see 12:00 and I get up. YEP, I see 12:00, as in midnight, and get up thinking it is 5:00am. It was like my brain was interchanging numbers to try to make this make sense. ANYWAYS...I get up and turn the oven on to start pre-heating. When I finally go to put the cinnamon rolls in the oven, I just set them in and close the door, look at the clock again and see 12:34. Double take, WHAT 12:34!!! What the heck? Why am I up? What in the world am I doing? A normal person may say "crap" and then just throw the cinnamon rolls out. NOT ME!! I REALLY wanted those cinnamon rolls so I stay up for 15 more minutes while they bake, buzzer goes off, I take them out and put them on the stove, turn oven off, and crawl back in bed. When I finally wake up at the actual 5:00am I warm them back up and put the icing on them. When I told a colleague at work this story she says "so you were like sleep-walking. Well sleep-cooking really." My roommate has told me that I can't plan to use the oven early in the morning any more just in case.
Now I have gotten up at a crazy time like 2:30, turn the shower on, recheck the clock and realize, turn the shower off and then go back to sleep. This time, not so much.
We have over 300 kids in 6th grade with only 10 teachers, sometimes our classes reach numbers of 34+ so we finally found out we would be getting relief - an extra Social Studies teacher (for 1 class period), Math teacher (for 2 class periods), and a Science teacher (for 1 class period). Yesterday (Friday) I see about 12 new schedules in my box to hand out to students on Monday to make these changes happen. So we will see what the 17th day of school looks like when these 6th graders worlds are turned upside down! More to come I am sure.
Also, did you realize what time I am posting this? Before 9am on a Saturday. That's because on Friday's I get up a 5, work all day, hang out with some work friends after school, come home and go to bed at normal time 10ish. At least my body gave me 2.5 extra hours of sleep. But seriously, I was hoping to sleep til 10 at least! Oh well...whomp whomp whomp.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sixth graders are so funny :)
Ok so I'm sorry I haven't updated on all of the first few days of school yet but here goes.
As I said, 6th graders are so funny! They ask the craziest questions (well I think they are crazy but really they just don't know how middle school works).
"Do we have the same schedule everyday or does it change?"
At the end of the day a child comes up and doesn't know which bus he rides so I find one of the people in charge of buses to see if she could help and this is how the convo went...
Ms. C: Did you ride the bus this morning?
Student: (mumbled) Yes.
C: Was your bus driver a man or a woman?
S: (mumble AGAIN)Woman
C: Ok. Was she black or white?
S: (mumbled and totally serious) I don't know.
C: YOU DON'T KNOW?!?!
(I busted out laughing at that one.)
Parents walking students to homeroom on the first day.
Parents sneaking in the building a few yards behind their student to see them get into their homeroom and have a quick chat with teacher about lunch or some insecurity the parent has.
Student: UM...I think that person is in my seat.
Me: Yes he is but you don't come to my class until 6th period.
S: How does this planner work?
Me: Um...you find today's date and then you write your homework there?!
I feel like some of the best things I can't even remember but I know there will be more to come. All in all the first 5 days has been really good. They get chatty towards the end of the day but with the exception of maybe 10 out of 150 they are well mannered and follow directions pretty well.
Lesson planning is going really well too! I already have my lessons done for the 1st quarter - that means I don't have any lesson plans to write until NOVEMBER!!! Holla! Yay for working smarter and not harder and HOLLA to my Social Studies partner Jackie who is working with me.
Should I be knocking on wood in fear of being jinxed? NOPE! I am praising the Lord for His faithfulness, wisdom, and support already in the new school year! Lord You are good and Your mercy endureth forever!
As I said, 6th graders are so funny! They ask the craziest questions (well I think they are crazy but really they just don't know how middle school works).
"Do we have the same schedule everyday or does it change?"
At the end of the day a child comes up and doesn't know which bus he rides so I find one of the people in charge of buses to see if she could help and this is how the convo went...
Ms. C: Did you ride the bus this morning?
Student: (mumbled) Yes.
C: Was your bus driver a man or a woman?
S: (mumble AGAIN)Woman
C: Ok. Was she black or white?
S: (mumbled and totally serious) I don't know.
C: YOU DON'T KNOW?!?!
(I busted out laughing at that one.)
Parents walking students to homeroom on the first day.
Parents sneaking in the building a few yards behind their student to see them get into their homeroom and have a quick chat with teacher about lunch or some insecurity the parent has.
Student: UM...I think that person is in my seat.
Me: Yes he is but you don't come to my class until 6th period.
S: How does this planner work?
Me: Um...you find today's date and then you write your homework there?!
I feel like some of the best things I can't even remember but I know there will be more to come. All in all the first 5 days has been really good. They get chatty towards the end of the day but with the exception of maybe 10 out of 150 they are well mannered and follow directions pretty well.
Lesson planning is going really well too! I already have my lessons done for the 1st quarter - that means I don't have any lesson plans to write until NOVEMBER!!! Holla! Yay for working smarter and not harder and HOLLA to my Social Studies partner Jackie who is working with me.
Should I be knocking on wood in fear of being jinxed? NOPE! I am praising the Lord for His faithfulness, wisdom, and support already in the new school year! Lord You are good and Your mercy endureth forever!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
It's that time again
So school starts tomorrow (insert sighs, screams, whoops, yawns, or whatever emotion moves you) and I am actually pretty excited about it. I tell you this to forewarn you that my next few posts slash next few months of posts will most likely be school related...rantings, ravings, laughs, etc etc...that you may or may not interest the three of you that actually read this.
My classroom has undergone a total transformation over the past three weeks and I have already started planning for this quarter. Technically I have the whole quarter at least mapped out - thanks to the help of the other 6th grade Social Studies teacher (we are working SMARTER not HARDER) - and already a couple weeks fully planned with accompaniments.
Last night was Open House and I got to meet a lot of my students and their parents. The majority of the students (and parents) are excited mixed with a smidge of nervousness! Like them, I am hoping for a wonderful year full of learning while having fun - I don't wanna be bored and I know for sure that neither do they!
I pray for patience, understanding, guidance, compassion, sanity, and wisdom working with these new students, their parents, my team, and the rest of the staff at school. Your prayers will be greatly appreciated as well!
My classroom has undergone a total transformation over the past three weeks and I have already started planning for this quarter. Technically I have the whole quarter at least mapped out - thanks to the help of the other 6th grade Social Studies teacher (we are working SMARTER not HARDER) - and already a couple weeks fully planned with accompaniments.
Last night was Open House and I got to meet a lot of my students and their parents. The majority of the students (and parents) are excited mixed with a smidge of nervousness! Like them, I am hoping for a wonderful year full of learning while having fun - I don't wanna be bored and I know for sure that neither do they!
I pray for patience, understanding, guidance, compassion, sanity, and wisdom working with these new students, their parents, my team, and the rest of the staff at school. Your prayers will be greatly appreciated as well!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
All good things must come to an end
Well, I have detailed many of my summer adventures and now school is starting in 2 weeks! I went to work on my classroom yesterday and realized that I have a lot to do.
I am really excited about this new school year and all of the challenges I will face. I took a few minutes to look through some of my class rosters and noticed that a few of my students have many ailments that make everyday a challenge - almost total blindness and cerebral palsy are just a couple. I have never taught students with such issues but I know that these will be great learning experiences.
I also go into the new year prayful for loving on the students no matter what is going on in their lives. There were many times that I thought I would explode due to misbehavior or disrespect and then, even though I didn't want to, I continued to hold it against those students - they got no second chances with me. I can't do that to these kids, they have to know that in my class they are respected and safe.
To accomplish this goal I am going into the year with a new plan - management rather than discipline. I have to not only teach the students about the mountain ranges in Europe or the animals along the Amazon but how to be a productive citizen and member of the classroom. I realize now that just because they have been in school more than half of their life, the majority of students don't know proper classroom "etiquette". Examples include (1) raise your hand when you want to talk, (2) don't sharpen your pencil while I am teaching, (3) if it's not yours don't touch it, and the list goes on and on.
Anyway, I hope you are excited for more interesting anecdotes as the year progresses!
I am really excited about this new school year and all of the challenges I will face. I took a few minutes to look through some of my class rosters and noticed that a few of my students have many ailments that make everyday a challenge - almost total blindness and cerebral palsy are just a couple. I have never taught students with such issues but I know that these will be great learning experiences.
I also go into the new year prayful for loving on the students no matter what is going on in their lives. There were many times that I thought I would explode due to misbehavior or disrespect and then, even though I didn't want to, I continued to hold it against those students - they got no second chances with me. I can't do that to these kids, they have to know that in my class they are respected and safe.
To accomplish this goal I am going into the year with a new plan - management rather than discipline. I have to not only teach the students about the mountain ranges in Europe or the animals along the Amazon but how to be a productive citizen and member of the classroom. I realize now that just because they have been in school more than half of their life, the majority of students don't know proper classroom "etiquette". Examples include (1) raise your hand when you want to talk, (2) don't sharpen your pencil while I am teaching, (3) if it's not yours don't touch it, and the list goes on and on.
Anyway, I hope you are excited for more interesting anecdotes as the year progresses!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
I miss my friends
OK so this is not a crazy weepy sad post...at least that is not the original intent...but who knows?
As you are aware, or should be aware, I moved 2 hours away from home and everyone I knew a year ago and it has been great. (I actually did move down with two friends but I think you get my point.) Anyway, I am in this new place, starting a new job, and basically trying to start a completely new life - all at the same time. Because of said life altering events, over the past year I have been neglected many of the relationships from my old life. That fact was brought to light tonight when I had dinner with two friends that I have known since 1st grade...FIRST GRADE!!!
Although there have been times when we have been apart, 4 years in elementary school when I switched schools, but they soon joined me and we picked up like we were never apart throughout middle and high school. In college, I happened to live with one of the girls 3 out of the 4 years at Carolina and the other was just in Raleigh and for 2 years we basically saw each other at least once a week. All this is to say that I love the girls a lot but over the past year they have been totally and completely out of my life (and me out of their's) and I realized that I miss them DESPERATELY!!!
We had dinner tonight and it was like nothing changed. We laughed really loud and got some funny looks. We stayed and talked for over 2 hours. WE HAD A BLAST! At the end of the night while saying our goodbyes it was mentioned that a year is really too long to be apart - comments strictly directed my way - to which I completely agree.
All of this to say...I miss my friends and I need to find a way to mix my new life with my old life even if I live an eternity away.
As you are aware, or should be aware, I moved 2 hours away from home and everyone I knew a year ago and it has been great. (I actually did move down with two friends but I think you get my point.) Anyway, I am in this new place, starting a new job, and basically trying to start a completely new life - all at the same time. Because of said life altering events, over the past year I have been neglected many of the relationships from my old life. That fact was brought to light tonight when I had dinner with two friends that I have known since 1st grade...FIRST GRADE!!!
Although there have been times when we have been apart, 4 years in elementary school when I switched schools, but they soon joined me and we picked up like we were never apart throughout middle and high school. In college, I happened to live with one of the girls 3 out of the 4 years at Carolina and the other was just in Raleigh and for 2 years we basically saw each other at least once a week. All this is to say that I love the girls a lot but over the past year they have been totally and completely out of my life (and me out of their's) and I realized that I miss them DESPERATELY!!!
We had dinner tonight and it was like nothing changed. We laughed really loud and got some funny looks. We stayed and talked for over 2 hours. WE HAD A BLAST! At the end of the night while saying our goodbyes it was mentioned that a year is really too long to be apart - comments strictly directed my way - to which I completely agree.
All of this to say...I miss my friends and I need to find a way to mix my new life with my old life even if I live an eternity away.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Music
Do you ever hear a word or see something and it reminds you of a song? I get that all of the time. Last night it was the word inspiration which ALWAYS make me think "You're the meaning in my life, you're the inspiration." I also saw a commercial advertising a sale that said "you don't want to miss a thing" and immediately Aerosmith's "Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" popped in there. And these things don't just pop in my head, I generally tend to belt them out at the top of my lungs for the enjoyment of all of those around me.
I love to listen to music and ask any of my friends and they will tell you that I have playlists that go from Backstreet Boys to Jason Durulo to Jason Aldean to Miley Cyrus. Life - and my playlist - is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get!
I think that I can probably think of a song for just about every word, phrase, cliche, what have you. I would love a challenge or maybe we can play a game back and forth!
I love to listen to music and ask any of my friends and they will tell you that I have playlists that go from Backstreet Boys to Jason Durulo to Jason Aldean to Miley Cyrus. Life - and my playlist - is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get!
I think that I can probably think of a song for just about every word, phrase, cliche, what have you. I would love a challenge or maybe we can play a game back and forth!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Summer of Adventures - BEWARE it's a long one!
OK so no more whinny, woe is me posts about my summer. I have decided that this summer will be a compilation of adventures of all shapes, sizes, and companions. So...let's back up and start from the beginning.
So after the kiddos left on the last day of school, I began the packing and moving process to my new classroom on the 6th grade hallway. It provided me lots of time for reflection and fun with my coworkers - most of whom I will see a lot less of next year. At one point I took - I mean RODE - my rollie desk chair from my old classroom on the 7th grade hall over to my new classroom on the 6th grade hall. About hallway over there, I realized how unprofessional and ridiculous I looked so I stopped, left my chair there, went and got what I needed, and the rode my chair back to 7th grade! It was REALLY fun and definitely helps work out the leg muscles on the back of the upper leg (thigh?) and your calfs. I also got done with my ginormous checklist early and twiddled my thumbs/hung out for a few extra hours.
Next adventure...
HIlton Head con mi amiga Laura! You can read a bit of her thoughts on the journey down on her blog but one of my favorite quotes occurred during a stupid traffic jam on the way down - "Ha, and only Brandi would say this: 'Alright, we're going 13 mph! That's pretty good if we were in a horse and carriage!'" Needless to say - the trip as a whole was fun. If you don't know anything about Hilton Head, its basically a place where really rich people go for vacation or what we did - crash her dad's work conference :)! Anyway, there was a cocktail hour (or longer) each night that included talking to people about concrete - sounds SUPER exciting right?! Although Laura thought so, I did not. One day we took a ferry boat to Savannah and met up with 2 people from the Anderson family that I like very much and hope to visit again soon. OH and major development for the weekend - I finally got to meet Laura's parents gah what took so long? Oh and Laura got to test out her new B&N Nook while I read on my Amazon Kindle - a battle ensued - she may have won with its capability to get online with WiFi access but, mines better because I got it first! Whatevs! Anyway, it was really fun to get dressed up each night and hang out with adults and not have to worry about anything for a few days.
NEXT...
I did have to spend two days working :( booooo but, I got paid for attending a two day workshop where I actually learned some good, new stuff so it was definitely worth it. I also got to spend time with a couple teachers I didn't really get to know this year and a few I got to know even better!
And den...
ECLIPSE!!!!! AT!!!!! MIDNIGHT!!!! So I made my mom watch Twlight and New Moon the day before so she would be caught up. Jody and 6 year-old Sydney also joined us for the show. It was really good and right afterwards my comment to my mom was that I couldn't wait for the next one. I am really sad that I have to wait a long while for it to come out. Now my mom bought all of the books, including the addition of the one about Bree, and I hope that she actually plans on reading them and not just adding them to her bookshelf.
And den...
I spent a few days at Kerr Lake where I LOVE celebrating "lake time". Lake time is a concept I have where it doesn't matter what time it is because I can do whatever I want. Case in point - many days I wake up around 10ish and proceed to make a ham & cheese sandwich for breakfast. Now you may think that sleeping late is bad but what you didn't know is that many nights I stay up until 2, 3, even 4 in the morning reading whatever book I just started. It may seem sad to you but it is like my "zen place" if I really believed in that junk. The lake is also the place that I have celebrated my birthday for the past 3 or 4 years so thats exciting. I'm 23 now and I feel the same as I did when I was 22 - we shall see what the new year brings.
And now...I am at home - at my apartment chillin' for the week until my next adventure - maybe the beach tomorrow - and then Charleston with my mom. Although I very much appreciate Christina letting me borrow/use her computer while mine is being worked on, I will gladly take my PC back when it is done being worked on. The mouse usage on the Mac still baffles me a bit but I am starting to get the hang of it.
My summer is also dotted with SUPER exciting World Cup and SwampDogs games.
Hope you made it through all that. I guess that what I get for being "silent" for a while! Come back for more updates soon!
So after the kiddos left on the last day of school, I began the packing and moving process to my new classroom on the 6th grade hallway. It provided me lots of time for reflection and fun with my coworkers - most of whom I will see a lot less of next year. At one point I took - I mean RODE - my rollie desk chair from my old classroom on the 7th grade hall over to my new classroom on the 6th grade hall. About hallway over there, I realized how unprofessional and ridiculous I looked so I stopped, left my chair there, went and got what I needed, and the rode my chair back to 7th grade! It was REALLY fun and definitely helps work out the leg muscles on the back of the upper leg (thigh?) and your calfs. I also got done with my ginormous checklist early and twiddled my thumbs/hung out for a few extra hours.
Next adventure...
HIlton Head con mi amiga Laura! You can read a bit of her thoughts on the journey down on her blog but one of my favorite quotes occurred during a stupid traffic jam on the way down - "Ha, and only Brandi would say this: 'Alright, we're going 13 mph! That's pretty good if we were in a horse and carriage!'" Needless to say - the trip as a whole was fun. If you don't know anything about Hilton Head, its basically a place where really rich people go for vacation or what we did - crash her dad's work conference :)! Anyway, there was a cocktail hour (or longer) each night that included talking to people about concrete - sounds SUPER exciting right?! Although Laura thought so, I did not. One day we took a ferry boat to Savannah and met up with 2 people from the Anderson family that I like very much and hope to visit again soon. OH and major development for the weekend - I finally got to meet Laura's parents gah what took so long? Oh and Laura got to test out her new B&N Nook while I read on my Amazon Kindle - a battle ensued - she may have won with its capability to get online with WiFi access but, mines better because I got it first! Whatevs! Anyway, it was really fun to get dressed up each night and hang out with adults and not have to worry about anything for a few days.
NEXT...
I did have to spend two days working :( booooo but, I got paid for attending a two day workshop where I actually learned some good, new stuff so it was definitely worth it. I also got to spend time with a couple teachers I didn't really get to know this year and a few I got to know even better!
And den...
ECLIPSE!!!!! AT!!!!! MIDNIGHT!!!! So I made my mom watch Twlight and New Moon the day before so she would be caught up. Jody and 6 year-old Sydney also joined us for the show. It was really good and right afterwards my comment to my mom was that I couldn't wait for the next one. I am really sad that I have to wait a long while for it to come out. Now my mom bought all of the books, including the addition of the one about Bree, and I hope that she actually plans on reading them and not just adding them to her bookshelf.
And den...
I spent a few days at Kerr Lake where I LOVE celebrating "lake time". Lake time is a concept I have where it doesn't matter what time it is because I can do whatever I want. Case in point - many days I wake up around 10ish and proceed to make a ham & cheese sandwich for breakfast. Now you may think that sleeping late is bad but what you didn't know is that many nights I stay up until 2, 3, even 4 in the morning reading whatever book I just started. It may seem sad to you but it is like my "zen place" if I really believed in that junk. The lake is also the place that I have celebrated my birthday for the past 3 or 4 years so thats exciting. I'm 23 now and I feel the same as I did when I was 22 - we shall see what the new year brings.
And now...I am at home - at my apartment chillin' for the week until my next adventure - maybe the beach tomorrow - and then Charleston with my mom. Although I very much appreciate Christina letting me borrow/use her computer while mine is being worked on, I will gladly take my PC back when it is done being worked on. The mouse usage on the Mac still baffles me a bit but I am starting to get the hang of it.
My summer is also dotted with SUPER exciting World Cup and SwampDogs games.
Hope you made it through all that. I guess that what I get for being "silent" for a while! Come back for more updates soon!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
There's Gotta Be Somethin' More
OK...so I am two weeks into my summer vacation and I am already starting to feel the blues. Not because I have any desire to get back to work or that I am not relishing my time away from being scrutinized and observed and counted on on a daily basis. But overall, once again, I am finding something lacking. Like my time right now has no purpose. I generally tend to be a "woman on a mission". This summer I really have no mission - no end goal I hope to achieve, just lots of empty time.
I do have lots of trips and things planned for my break and this week I had three days in a row where I did not wake up before 10 or even think of getting out of bed until 11! BUT once again, my goal achieving self can only find joy in these occasions on an infrequent basis. I have not had a complete summer off ie not work or school or super long excursion planned since before my junior year in high school.
Since the fall of 2003 I have been in school or working on a regular basis and now that I have 2 months off with no schedule or set-in-stone plan, I'm going a little crazy. I mean I wonder why you haven't stopped reading now as I realize I just keep talking about the same thing over and over again.
I could bust out a list of "Summer To-Dos" - short term goals to fill the empty spaces - organizing my closet or CD collection, read books to help me out with my classroom management, read books just for the fun of reading books, watch full TV series that I have wanted to watch start to finish, etc etc the list goes on.
My plan for the summer and the rest of the year, is to figure out something to do NEXT summer. Something that will make a difference to someone else. Something that will be a good and productive use of my time. Something that allows some time to check off a few of the above mentioned items. Something that provides my soul time to rest. Something that allows my mind to continue to learn. Something that allows my body to work hard and grow strong.
I realize all you heard from this post is a whining and complaining person who has 2 months off and nothing to do with her time. I want to let you know that I am REALLY excited for this time and it has not been totally horrible. I have read lots of books already, I didn't even keep a count; I have gotten to watch nearly 20 soccer games; I have watched a few Netflix movies that I have wanted to see; I have gone to many local baseball games; I have travelled to Hilton Head and have plans to go to Kerr Lake next week and Charleston a few weeks later; my birthday is coming up; all wonderful things to fill my summer - I just want my time to be spent being productive and being useful.
Well I hope for that to be the last of my complaining. I look forward to the remainder of my summer. Just remember in two months I will be complaining that I have to go back to school and my summertime is over!
The point of this post? I don't know but like I said - This...is my life. Make of it what you will!
I do have lots of trips and things planned for my break and this week I had three days in a row where I did not wake up before 10 or even think of getting out of bed until 11! BUT once again, my goal achieving self can only find joy in these occasions on an infrequent basis. I have not had a complete summer off ie not work or school or super long excursion planned since before my junior year in high school.
Since the fall of 2003 I have been in school or working on a regular basis and now that I have 2 months off with no schedule or set-in-stone plan, I'm going a little crazy. I mean I wonder why you haven't stopped reading now as I realize I just keep talking about the same thing over and over again.
I could bust out a list of "Summer To-Dos" - short term goals to fill the empty spaces - organizing my closet or CD collection, read books to help me out with my classroom management, read books just for the fun of reading books, watch full TV series that I have wanted to watch start to finish, etc etc the list goes on.
My plan for the summer and the rest of the year, is to figure out something to do NEXT summer. Something that will make a difference to someone else. Something that will be a good and productive use of my time. Something that allows some time to check off a few of the above mentioned items. Something that provides my soul time to rest. Something that allows my mind to continue to learn. Something that allows my body to work hard and grow strong.
I realize all you heard from this post is a whining and complaining person who has 2 months off and nothing to do with her time. I want to let you know that I am REALLY excited for this time and it has not been totally horrible. I have read lots of books already, I didn't even keep a count; I have gotten to watch nearly 20 soccer games; I have watched a few Netflix movies that I have wanted to see; I have gone to many local baseball games; I have travelled to Hilton Head and have plans to go to Kerr Lake next week and Charleston a few weeks later; my birthday is coming up; all wonderful things to fill my summer - I just want my time to be spent being productive and being useful.
Well I hope for that to be the last of my complaining. I look forward to the remainder of my summer. Just remember in two months I will be complaining that I have to go back to school and my summertime is over!
The point of this post? I don't know but like I said - This...is my life. Make of it what you will!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Well...I made it!
As I sit here I can now reflect on my first year teaching. Let me just say that if next year is like this year, I really will feel EXTREMELY incompetent and wonder how I ever graduated college!
- About 3/4 of the year, a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that I was doing it totally wrong. (Really, did I need 6 months to tell me that? No, but that is when I stopped being stubborn and realized I had to change my ways to survive.) I went into the school year under total illusionment. Who knew that 7th graders didn't know the appropriate times to get up from their seats to sharpen pencils or throw things away? Who knew that 7th graders will ask you totally inappropriate questions about your personal life? And then, when you don't answer them, they proceed to tell you about crazy things that they do that you never ever wanted to know? Now I realize you have to tell them how to do EVERYTHING or they are confused :(
- I know the value of my teammates! Without the support and assistance from them, I don't know how this year would have looked but I do know it would have been worse! Next year we are all mixed up throughout the school so I will only have one of the people next year. The rest of them are scattered throughout and really far away. It makes me sad to know I can't just poke my head in the door next to me for some reassurance or comic relief or a friendly smile.
- Patience! I thought I had a lot of it but I realize now that it is not limitless. After about 4 kids ask me the same question, I want to rip the head off of the next one to ask. I really don't think there is anything worse than having to repeat yourself 5 and 10 times a day! One part of it is inevitable because I teach the same thing 5 times a day but usually by the 3rd or 4th class I anticipate the questions that they will ask and try to answer them within the directions instead of waiting for them to ask.
- High point!!! At the end of each semester, the computer classes are working on correspondence and the students are asked to type letters to their favorite teachers. I got 4 of those letters this year!!! When I looked at other people's piles I got a bit sad because they had more but from what I hear it is unusual for 1st year teachers to get them so then I was happy again. I think I will cherish those letters - they almost made me cry because sometimes you really don't know how the kids feel about you.
All-in-all this year was a GIANT learning experience! It was really rocky at times and I didn't know how it would all work out but I think it was a really invaluable experience. Definitely not anything that anyone can really prepare you for. Now I know better for next year! Expect more blogs throughout the summer and I promise they won't be about school (at least not all of them!).
- About 3/4 of the year, a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that I was doing it totally wrong. (Really, did I need 6 months to tell me that? No, but that is when I stopped being stubborn and realized I had to change my ways to survive.) I went into the school year under total illusionment. Who knew that 7th graders didn't know the appropriate times to get up from their seats to sharpen pencils or throw things away? Who knew that 7th graders will ask you totally inappropriate questions about your personal life? And then, when you don't answer them, they proceed to tell you about crazy things that they do that you never ever wanted to know? Now I realize you have to tell them how to do EVERYTHING or they are confused :(
- I know the value of my teammates! Without the support and assistance from them, I don't know how this year would have looked but I do know it would have been worse! Next year we are all mixed up throughout the school so I will only have one of the people next year. The rest of them are scattered throughout and really far away. It makes me sad to know I can't just poke my head in the door next to me for some reassurance or comic relief or a friendly smile.
- Patience! I thought I had a lot of it but I realize now that it is not limitless. After about 4 kids ask me the same question, I want to rip the head off of the next one to ask. I really don't think there is anything worse than having to repeat yourself 5 and 10 times a day! One part of it is inevitable because I teach the same thing 5 times a day but usually by the 3rd or 4th class I anticipate the questions that they will ask and try to answer them within the directions instead of waiting for them to ask.
- High point!!! At the end of each semester, the computer classes are working on correspondence and the students are asked to type letters to their favorite teachers. I got 4 of those letters this year!!! When I looked at other people's piles I got a bit sad because they had more but from what I hear it is unusual for 1st year teachers to get them so then I was happy again. I think I will cherish those letters - they almost made me cry because sometimes you really don't know how the kids feel about you.
All-in-all this year was a GIANT learning experience! It was really rocky at times and I didn't know how it would all work out but I think it was a really invaluable experience. Definitely not anything that anyone can really prepare you for. Now I know better for next year! Expect more blogs throughout the summer and I promise they won't be about school (at least not all of them!).
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