bad blogger bad!

I have been a pretty bad blogger lately, but that is mostly because I have nothing nice or appropriate to say :) I will be back in a while with something kind.

~Tired Teacher

Just keep your head above the water

As a first year teacher I feel like I have multiple personalities. One day I am thinking, "Am I crazy for wanting to do this job?" and the very next day I think, "How could I want to do anything else besides teach?".

There are so many things I love about my job.

• My day flies by because of the constant movement and change of classes.
• I laugh everyday with my students (sometimes I laugh at them...but they don't know that)
• I get to see the moment when a student actually "gets it".
• I have awesome co-workers and an awesome administration. 
• I get to give at least one life lesson a day.
• I have students who go out of their way to say hi to me.
• I get to see change happen. From students raising grades to students making better choices.

There are some things that are pretty annoying too...

• 11-12 year olds giving me attitudes. (I wish I knew as much about life as they think they do)
• Terminology that never stops coming...
• My to-do list
• Short weekends

At this point the pro's out way the con's.....Should I add that to my pro list?

Quote of the month...."Who made the first American Flag?

                              Answer: "Wasn't that Betty White"

Jer 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Is it Christmas yet?

Here I am on week five of teaching and I feel like I have been doing this for thirty years! As you can see it has been a few weeks since I last posted. There are a few reasons for the absence. 1- I have not had the time to sit and write. 2- When I did have the time all I wanted to do was sleep. 3-I slept a lot.

I finally feel like my body is getting used to the routine of going non-stop for 9 hours a day. For a while there I was like, "honey!  if you want dinner tonight you might want to get your apron on!" Now I am at the place where even though I am still exhausted, I am able to function as a normal human being.

Now to the Juicy details....This past week was like a slap in the face from the get real fairy! I was going nuts. The students were ooc! (out of control)  I was not in the best of moods either. Instead of being that loving, caring teacher that I like to think I normally am, I was being that sit down and shut-up teacher that came out of the inner most parts of my being! ;)

I have decided that the kids I teach need some life lessons along with the geography. As far as I am concerned they need to know things like, "get used to working with people who you may not particularly like", "treat others how you would like to be treated", "sometimes you should just smile and nod", "don't argue with your authority, they will always win", "when you grow up, if you loose your light bill they still turn out your lights! stay organized", and finally " these hands can change the world" (but only if you let them)

In my last post I talked about having my kids raise their hands and say "these hands can change the world".
This week I was thinking that I truly believe that can happen, but only if they make it happen. I told my classes  that if they wanted to change the world they would have to reconsider things like disrespecting authority, picking on those who can't defend themselves, and treating school like it is nothing. They need to realize that life can only be as great as they allow it to be. I am pretty sure I seemed like the lecture queen this week, but hey, who cares!

My prayer for the week is that God uses me in every situation I cross and that I let Him control my actions, facial expressions, responses, and teaching.

By the way....is it Christmas yet?

Italian Shoemakers

I am the new spokesperson for Italian Shoemakers and they don't even pay me....seriously though, if you need some shoes that REALLY feel good, check them out....my feet have been thanking me all day!

Under the Belt!

This is going to be a very interesting year! I managed to survive my first week as a new teacher. It is easy to see which students will be a breeze and which ones are going to require some "special attention". I have already had some hilarious things happen and some pretty scary things too. Lets start with the hilarious!

I walked up to this boy with a Harry Potter book on his desk and asked him if he had read all the books. He replied yes, then asked the girl beside him if she likes Harry Potter. Her response was classic. "My grandma told me I am never aloud to watch that stuff. It is full of demons! She walked in and saw me watching one of the movies and told my momma that I better never bring that junk in my house again!" So...the boy says, "well did you like the one you saw?" and here comes the good part. She says "NO! that is WIERD! I aint never seen no people flyin around before! That is just crazy"

That is when I walked away because I was laughing so hard I couldn't control it! I just love the "I aint never seen no people flyin around before" part.

The next fun experience was my 1st school dance.

The dance starts off with all the kids against the wall. Girls separate from boys. Once the music starts they all run into the center of the room and form this big circle to try and hide the forbidden behavior, (booty dancing)  Well of course it is our job as chaperone's to ruin their lives and fun by breaking up the circle. It was kind of fun breaking through that circle and watching them all scatter to the other side of the room. Almost every time I had to break up the booty dancing it was from this group of girls that used to go to our youth group. When they saw me they were like "WHAT are YOU doing here!" and I got to say, "oh, I work here now so we can see each other all the time"  :)

There were also a couple things that had me saying holy crap!

To start have you ever stood on concrete floors for eight hours? ouch! Seriously, my feet have never hurt so bad in my life.

Then there was that kid.....(I am not joking) the very first thing I had them do was answer some questions about themselves. What does this kid do....he lets out this pitiful sigh "HHHMMMMmmmmPPPPHHHH", "do we have to". I just looked at him and said "you better get over it now because if you think this is terrible then you are going to hate school". He just looked at me and then answered the questions.

Finally, there is this.....on the FIRST week of school TWO, not one, TWO of the girls in my classes got suspended for fighting. (and not with each other) I'm thinking great...I need to hire a bodyguard or something! Apparently they both got caught fighting after school in the bus loop. lovely!

Anyways, I can tell that I am really going to enjoy this school year! I love the students, the teachers are great, and I am so happy to finally be doing what I have felt destined to do all my life!

I have spent this week trying to get to know my students and their interests, but also trying to get them to know me. I told them that the reason I am there is not for a paycheck, but because I truly believe in them. Everyday before they leave, I am making them hold their hands up in the air and say "These hands can change the world" I thought for sure they would think it was stupid, but turns out the really like it. They have been the ones reminding me, "hey! don't forget the hands"

I am so ready to see the outcome of these students. I could tell when I was talking to them about changing the world and telling them that they could literally be whatever they wanted no matter what their life has been like so far, that some of those students had never had anyone believe in them before.

God, Please let me be that person who believes in even the most unreachable student. Let them feel like they can do whatever they put their minds too.

Wait...What?

Wait...What?

This week was what they like to call "pre-planning". Kind of a funny name since I did not do any pre-planning! I found out real quick that there is so much that has to be done and so little time to do it. It has been  overwhelming going from one meeting to the next, then on top of that going to professional development training too. Did I mention that while all this is happening I had to get lesson plans, sub plans, focus calenders, and bell ringers ready! By Friday :)

Thank God for the school I am at! Everyone...and I mean Everyone that I have talked to or asked for help has gone out of their way to make me feel comfortable! The principal rocks, the teachers are beyond amazing, and the janitor has helped me get my stuff together. Since I am working with such great people it helps all the stress seem manageable.

BUT...what really helped all this hard work seem worth it, was tonight. Open House. I had the chance to meet almost all of my students and their parents. As soon as I saw them walking through those halls, all terrified and confused just like I have felt, I knew I was in the right place! I am so looking forward to getting to know them and helping shape their lives.

Here is to an amazing, stressful, totally worth it year!

What was I Thinking?!?

So! This week is the start of my teaching career. It consists of going to an orientation on Monday-Thursday with all the new teachers to Lake County. We are there from 8:30-2:30 and in that six hour period they stuff as much information as possible into our already overwhelmed minds. I am starting to panic! All of the things that I should have prepared are coming to my mind by the dozen. 

Here is just a quick list off the top of my head that shows how NOT ready I am

• Get a pencil sharpener
• Create a classroom rules poster
• Figure out a system where students will turn in and pick up assignments
• Figure out the names of the 6th grade team I will be working with
• Fix the desks in my room where they will fit and yet not take up too much room
• Make a supply list for the students and myself
• Prepare lesson plans at least 3-4 weeks in advance
• Buy some Social Studies posters for my wall
• Organize the materials I do have in the classroom

You get the idea.....These are just the thoughts in my mind at this minute

While I am extremely stressed out, I am also very worn out. All of the above mentioned are things I should be doing when I get home, yet the only thing I want to do is veg-out and allow my brain to rest. I am trying to remind myself that it is natural to feel this way and that it will all get easier with time. Once I am in my routine and I get through those first few weeks of change, I will adapt like I adapt to everything else in life. I am also trying to be real and know that even if I worked from the hour I woke up until I went to sleep, I would still have a ton of stuff to do!

I can't wait until the day when I look back on this post and say, "you did it...you survived your first week!"

Philippians 4:13 

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Destiny

It is so cool how God designs and directs our lives to help us become the people He wants us to be. I can remember times in my life thinking things like, "why do I have to deal with this" or "why does this always happen to me". I don't know if everyone knows their plans for life so soon, but I can remember wanting to be a teacher since I was small. My poor brother sat through so many hours of school (with a pretty bossy teacher) and when he couldn't take any more homework, well then it was up to my stuffed animals to fill that void! They were always so well behaved.

It is so amazing to finally be at the place that I have worked so hard to get to. I can't describe the feeling of destiny falling in place. It makes everything make sense. It explains why I went through some of the things I did. It explains why I had such an awful middle school experience. It explains why I grew up poor and beat the statistics that said I wouldn't succeed. (I showed you statistics!)

It is so awesome that I can stand in front of a class of middle schoolers and give them hope where they have none. I can say from experience that it truly doesn't matter where you come from, "you can be ANYTHING you set your mind to". Obviously as a teacher I want my students to walk away knowing the material I teach them, but more importantly, I want them to leave my class knowing that they can beat the odds, they can be a doctor or an astronaut. Honestly. I want to be the teacher who cares more about the student than the material. If they leave my class believing they have a future and knowing that they can make a difference in our world, then I have done the best job I could do.

I am so excited to see what happens on this new journey I am on!

Isaiah 6:8 

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

Money Money Money Money....MONEY!

Here is a break down of the money I spent on the classroom

Plastic totes with green lids: $5.00
All other green totes: $2.50 each  ($20.00 total...including some not seen)
Grass skirts: $40.00

Lamp: $9.00
Bean Bag: $20.00
Chair: $30.00 (big spend)
Carpet: $15.00

Lamp: $16.00

Posters: $10.00

Clock: $4.00

Not Seen

Side Table: $10.00

Lamp:$ 20.00

Storage bin: $10.00

Grand Total: $209.00

Not too bad for the first year

A little hard work goes a long way!

I want to start by giving a HUGE shout out to my sister-in-law, Heidi, and my cousin, Mackenzi! They helped me get the bulk of my room cleaned, organized, and put together. 

I also had some help putting the finishing touches from my great friend Shelly and (Momma & Tim!)

Lincoln was there too! He just helped make the room look even cuter. 

Here it is...Before/After

BEFORE

We had our work cut out for us!

This was the beautiful moldy board

Poor Mackenzi cleaned and lined up all of the desks herself! What a trooper!

When we asked Lincoln what he thought...he just made this face.

Working hard

AFTER!

Notice the grass skirts along the counters! Those are to hide all the falling tiles.

                            

My 1st Desk <3

My theme is green! I am so happy I have a smartboard!

More Green

My reading center! I love this area

Soon to be full of books and students

So Lincoln, what do you think of the room now?

Much Better!

coming soon....

This Monday I will post a blog about my room.

Before and After!

I have a lot of helpers, so I think we can get it finished on Monday.

Tick Tock

OK...So I am used to writing lesson plans for elementary school. Usually it takes me about 45 minutes to write the lessons for the entire week. A couple nights ago I decided to be proactive and write up some lessons ahead of time. I completed one lesson and it took about an hour to do just that!

I am scared. I hope that this is not a look into the future. FIVE hours of lesson planning a week!

My husband (who seems to see thing in a more positive light than I do sometimes) assured me that I will be fine after a few weeks of getting used to it. He reminded me of my internship and how it seemed overwhelming at times, but I made it through it, and did a good job too.

I may be a little excited about this whole thing

I have decided to turn this bad excuse for a blog into something I may actually be interested in writing about. I am about to embark on a new era of life. One that involves waking up early five days a week, spending countless hours preparing lessons and grading homework, and (my personal favorite) a paycheck! As I go through the experience I want to share with you what worked, what didn't work, and the hilarious things that happen on the way. Later this week I plan on going to see MY classroom. It is going to be fun and challenging to turn an empty room into an environment where middle schoolers want to hang out! My next post will be about the transformation!

I hope you enjoy