After school today, I grabbed my gear and raced out of the building so I could make it to LMK's soccer game this afternoon. The first one I've been to all year! Of course, I think I left some book order money at school. At least, I hope it's at school. Otherwise, I've lost it and that's just a whole kettle of fish I'm not ready to open right now. I'll worry myself an ulcer this weekend and find it first thing Monday.
LMK's game was pretty darn good. The guys played well and even though they only tied, it was a great game to watch. Yaaaaay, team. That being said, LMK has had quite a week. When I met him after the game, we immediately got into a conversation about soccer, his job, and his department head (**cough, cough** jack ass **cough, cough**). My usually observant husband never asked me about my day. So dear blogging world, you get to hear about it instead.
One of my kiddos has been diagnosed with OCD. I'm not surprised at all. This student walks around with his arms up so that he doesn't have to touch anything, washes his hands constantly, and won't eat his lunch if he thinks someone looked at it crossways. They put him on a medication and all I can do is hope it makes a difference for the best. His mom doesn't know just how closely I've dealt with mental illness. I'm grateful I can be his teacher. Just another reason I had to get through LMK's illness. Maybe I can help this student.
My new student is proving to be quite the behavior problem. Yesterday, I sent home detention slips with him and another young thug-in-training (do the abbreviation.....ahahahaha, ok, moving on) because they were caught where they aren't allowed when they were to be at breakfast plus some other misbehavior here and there. I threatened them with loss of recess until I got the forms back and both showed up today. I no more than saw those than the principal came to get them, again.
Evidently, they've been "stealing" food in the cafeteria. I use the word stealing loosely because the aides have been allowing them to eat whatever food is left on the trays that are "pushed to the middle of the table". They're putting the kabosh on the food free for all, but the principal investigated further. My two darlings basically told her they're just hungry. Lunch isn't all that impressive - a protein and 2 pieces of fruit/sides. It's all to common in this country. One goes home to ramen noodles shared with two teenage brothers and the other doesn't have much either. Since our lunch is very late, we've been allowing the students to bring snack.
Well, now we have to have snack for the entire class. The principal made the comparison of inviting someone to your home, eating, and not letting them have any. I can understand that, but here's the problem.
Just where do I draw the line at providing for these kids?
I already provide notebooks, composition books, pencils, crayons, markers, science supplies, books, etc, etc, etc for the students who need them. It's a common teacher lament, I know. Now I'm supposed to get enough snack for the class, too?
Luckily, the principal is aware of the financial strain that causes and is looking into ways to supplement the snack, which I appreciate. Half of me feels sorry for these children. That's all they are afterall, children. I never had to sit through school and be hungry. They shouldn't have to either. No child should have to be hungry.
That being said, they are in trouble constantly. Constantly. Every class, the teacher is telling me how they were misbehaving. They don't do it in my class because I've come down on them. Hard. I'm even pulling out the "I'm so disappointed in you" speech. So I spend my day vacillating between wanting to strangle them and wanting to bring them home and "save" them from this horrible life.
In other news, I finally got a smart board in my room. It's not mine, I'm using one of the one's the school has for teacher's to checkout. I love it! How did I ever teach without this thing? How will I teach when they take it back? It's the bestest toy - EVER! There is so much I want to do with it. I'm already doing my morning journal on the Smart Board. The kids love to come up and correct sentences on it. Today, I found a spelling game where the kid's can click and drag computer magnets. I love technology.
Add to that new teacher responsibilities, house responsibilities, LMK's school responsibilities, and family responsibilities and I'm just zonked. No wonder so many teachers quit in the first three years!
Hand in hand with all the "bad" things about teaching are the good things. I like to think I'm pretty strict with my students regarding behavior. I expect them to be leaders in the school and make good choices. Nine out of ten of them live up to that. Then there are the kids who live to please you. The silliness. The laughter and the learning. The hugs - except from Touchy Feely Kid, I don't want to have my boobs nuzzled like my colleague. Eek. Teaching is the hardest, longest, best job I've ever had. I just can't wait to feel like I'm doing it well, not just acting like a teacher.
Thanks for reading through all this, if you're still here, I needed to share it with someone. Have a great weekend!
Well, new teacher in-service is almost over. I must admit, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. At times, it's almost fun. If you ignore all the get to know you games that I hate and the group work. Each day there are door prizes and they give us lunch. True we have to sit through a presentation by whoever is sponsoring the lunch, but I think that is the least we can do for a free meal.
The only thing I do not like is the seating. We are either in an auditorium with the old, old, old style wooden seats or we're in the cafeteria on round stools attached to tables. By lunch time my ass hurts! It's awful. My tail bone still aches. Friday was so bad that with two hours to go a bunch of us were standing up, just so we didn't have to sit on those seats.
Everyone I've met has been really, really nice. They're so grateful to have us here that it makes me excited to work there. Yes, I have tons of meetings, but really, who needs sleep?
The trip to Chicago was great for another reason. LMK picked up a "part-time" job. Really, it's more like a consulting job. He's officially a staff coach for US Soccer. It sounds more impressive than it is, but it's still really exciting. It could be up to a year or so before he's needed, but it's still an honor. He's thrilled and it will make a fabulous addition to his resume. Woohoo!
Instead of watching the new episodes of Lost, LMK and I decided to watch the USA / Mexico friendlies game. We'll watch Lost on a night when LMK isn't zonked and can enjoy it.
Normally, I would be slightly miffed that we watched SOCCER instead of Lost, but the game was actually really good. It was fun to sit with my husband and watch soccer. We even took a page out of The College's men's team. After a really bad call, I couldn't help myself. "Let's boo at the ref! Booooooooooooooooooo" Heh. Maybe you had to be there.
I laughed when LMK yelled, "Albright, you're killin' me." in the second half. I wonder how many times he's said a variation of that on the sidelines for The College. He correctly called who was going to be subbed and where the new players were going. It's actually fun watching the games with him. He loves the game so much it makes those around him enjoy it too.
Finally, he came through with a funny. Please remember, when I married this man he was incredibly serious. Four years spent around my mother seem to doing him some good.
LMK: "A goalkeeper with Tourette's syndrome?..............How can they tell?"
Lawn Mower King is downloading soccer games from the video camera to the computer. I am hoping to compile the season into one dvd - keep your fingers crossed that this happens.
Anyway...as I surf the internet I can listen/watch to the game. That doesn't mean I do, but I could.
During this particular game the men's team came out to support the women. They always sit on the opposite side of the stadium as me and I hear some of their comments, but not most of them. They are hilarious. I swear, they're half the reason I go to the game.
Favorite quote so far:
"Let's boo at number 9...........................BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Morons. At least they're entertaining.