it all works out in the end......

[teachski]

I may bitch and moan and groan here (as a form of release), but in real time, in the real world, I am calm, cool and collected.

For the past couple weeks you have been treated to the saga of my school woes, and there were many. First they give me high school, then all of the budget cuts and class size being twice what it should be, then not having instructional aides next they take my desks, then they give me two little tables...and my bitching goes on.

I still don't have desks, but as of 2 pm yesterday, I have 4 tables like the larger of the two I mentioned before...I can manage with them.

I still have high school, but as a friend said, at least I have a job.

My pocket is empty...about $6 left...but the person who bought my bass clarinet over the summer is giving me $200 more toward it today...now he'll only owe $200 more.

School starts for the students today. Yesterday I collected the high school books from the old resource room and brought them to my room. My tables are all set up and my room looks great! This morning my Born to Ski, Forced to work plaque will be hung and my door will open to greet the students at 7:15 am. I will be standing there with a smile on my face and the students will see no sign of the stress I have been under the past two weeks.

I am ready for the day..the only question that remains is...are they ready for me? :wink:

As a footnote: Five school years ago I was preparing for the first day of school with first and second graders...today I prepare for 8th - 12th graders... If I could make the jump from gr1-2 to gr 8, I can make the jump to gr8-12. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....

 

[SkiDog]

Best of luck......i'm sure everything will be JUST FINE.......

Remeber ski season is upon us..

M

 

[ctenidae]

Beat one kid mercilessly the first day to establish your reputation. You'll have no problem after that.

I started out in college doing Biology and secondary education. I realized the ed classes were bunk after hearing that to calm a rowdy room you should turn the lights off for a minute until everyone calms down. Riiight- in my high school, there would have been 2 murders and three babies made in the first minute of lights out.

Oh yeah- good luck, teach. Have fun- if you do, they will, too. If all else fails, there's always beer.
For you.
Not them.

 

[bvibert]

Good luck, hopefully all is going well!

 

[awf170]

Teach do you have any honors classes or AP, I know if i was teacher i would pray for as many of those classes as i can take.
My opinion is though that middle school kids are more rebelious and bigger punks then high schoolers so it shoudnt be that bad

 

[Paul]

My opinion is though that middle school kids are more rebelious and bigger punks then high schoolers so it shoudnt be that bad

Having taught Kindergarbage, 3rd, 4th, jr. high and H.S. I would absolutely agree with Austin, here.

Seventh was by far the worst. I liked teaching HS.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I taught Middle School for 10 years. Due to budget cuts I was transfered to Alternative school (GED preparation) for the best 14 years. More budget cuts and this year I was transferred to the High School. Budget cuts cost me my summer school job, as well as my stipend for Director of Adult Ed. I don't care for budget cuts much.

Teachski don't feel too bad about not having a desk. I have 5 classes and a study hall all in different rooms.

 

[teachski]

All went great until my 8th grade Math class when I was assigning books. Sounds like a pretty innocent activity, but I nearly lost it and became quite emotional. I put the names in the books because some don't and others use pencil...then try to change books if they ruin theirs. As students were completing a skill survey I was calling them up one at a time.

As some of you may remember me mentioning, I lost a student at the end of last school year. I had her in class the year before and she was my bright shining star. She died after having a severe asthma attack on a hot late spring evening.

I now have her younger sister in class. I called her up for her book and opened it to put her name into it and there was her sister's name. She saw it and tears came to her eyes and tears came to mine too. I took the book and set it to the side and took another. The big mouth kid sitting next to me made a comment and I said, the binding is broken and continued.

At the end of class she came over to me and said, as her sister always did, "I love you Ms. P, you dumb blonde" and gave me a hug. She told me she had to do well in my class because her sister would want her to.

 

[teachski]

Teach do you have any honors classes or AP.....

Hahahahahahahaha! I teach Special Education students.

 

[noski]

I now have her younger sister in class. I called her up for her book and opened it to put her name into it and there was her sister's name. She saw it and tears came to her eyes and tears came to mine too. I took the book and set it to the side and took another. The big mouth kid sitting next to me made a comment and I said, the binding is broken and continued.

At the end of class she came over to me and said, as her sister always did, "I love you Ms. P, you dumb blonde" and gave me a hug. She told me she had to do well in my class because her sister would want her to.

That story gave me goosebumps. If I had it to do all over again, I would be a teacher. Hindsight is 20/20. Good luck with your kids this year. You sound like a teacher who knowingly or unknowingly will make a difference in the lives of these kids. You go!

 

[ctenidae]

Teachski- my mom is a high school English teacher, with NAtional Certification, and is the only "gifted ed" teacher in the area. She managed to convince the district that gifted kids are "special ed", too, so she can tap that budget.

Brilliant!

 

[Paul]

As some of you may remember me mentioning, I lost a student at the end of last school year. I had her in class the year before and she was my bright shining star. She died after having a severe asthma attack on a hot late spring evening.

I now have her younger sister in class. I called her up for her book and opened it to put her name into it and there was her sister's name. She saw it and tears came to her eyes and tears came to mine too. I took the book and set it to the side and took another. The big mouth kid sitting next to me made a comment and I said, the binding is broken and continued.

At the end of class she came over to me and said, as her sister always did, "I love you Ms. P, you dumb blonde" and gave me a hug. She told me she had to do well in my class because her sister would want her to.

Very sad, yet touching. These are the things you really don't have at any other kind of job. I miss teaching, but being stuck in corporate hell for the last 10 years, I'm kinda painted into a corner.
Enjoy your classes, I'm sure they'll be very rewarding.