Monday, November 28, 2011

Monday, monday

Hope your Thanksgiving break was WONDERFUL! I had such a relaxing time with mom's side, dad's side, and just being at home. It was so great having all the sisters in the same place and getting to help mom decorate for Christmas. I really missed my little bees over break, so I was so excited to get back. It was hard waking up, but I was pumped to get back in the building. I was running late due to my daily Sonic run and the soggy weather.

Imagine my surprise when I walked in and met one of my students with her grandmother. Now, this is a lady who I have met with several times all ready. She has her stuff together and is doing EVERYTHING she can to help her granddaughter succeed. She has been to every parent-teacher conference, signs B's agenda every night, and makes sure any behavior concerns are immediately nipped.

Grandma shows me all this paperwork and says she doesn't know what to do. It turns out she had been trying to help out another family (that also has ties to my classroom) by letting them live with her. They messed up, and their actions have caused this grandma to become evicted. The only stable thing in this little girl's life, and now they have to be out of the apartment ASAP. Grandma comes to me (whose biggest worry so far has been whether or not Sonic had fresh tea) to ask for help, advice, and prayer. Jeez louise. Don't take your home for granted. Grandma doesn't know who to talk to or where to go. She was headed to Legal Aid when she left me, and I sent her to the principals and social worker. I told her I would do whatever I could to act as a reference, so she could try to fight this. Poor thing.

It really weighed on my heart. And when the other student whose family was involved rolled in, it made me so sad. I expect my students to come in, do the right thing, and work hard to get to college. How different is this from what they are seeing at home? How can I be so tough on my bees who don't do their homework when they are watching their parents get arrested the night before? Or being told they have to go live in a homeless shelter?

I used my planning to do research and talked to the social worker and housing coordinator. She does have options and may be able to fight this. I'm really hoping that she can stay in her home and have a good Christmas for her precious granddaughter. I am just hoping she can stay in my class and not have to go to a homeless shelter. That is really tough. A lot of my most troubled kids in middle school lived in homeless shelters. Can you imagine not having somewhere safe to go at night? Or having to sell/store all your furniture to go to the mission? Please say a prayer all works out both for my little girl and the other little boy. And really for all my kids.

It was a great day, and they were both remarkably normal considering their out of school drama. It makes me wonder what else my other students are dealing with that I might not even know about...

Hope you have lots to be thankful about today!

Much love,

Miss P

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Top 10 Things about my Weekend

I have had a super-chill but super great weekend in Nashville...here are some highlights:

1. Thanksgiving cards for my family.

2. Started Christmas decorating

3. Saw "Breaking Dawn"

4. Thoughtfully discussed all romantic scenes from BD with sisters and friends

5. Mazatlan

6. Caught up on some phone calls and Facebook stalking (Loveeee all the new baby and wedding pics on FB!)

7. Attempted to "edit" my news feed so I didn't see intimate thoughts from random acquaintances

8. Slept talked to M and then proceeded to be made fun of by the whole family

9. Taught 1st and 2nd graders in Sunday School at Grace that God is faithful.

10. Slept...

Hope you had a nice weekend, too!

New Year...New School

Okay, so it has been ridiculously long since I've posted. So many things have changed.

1. I'm at a new school

2. I'm teaching 2nd grade.

3. I'm blissfully happy and love my little bees.

4. I love my job.

I cannot even tell you how much I love elementary. I have an amazing principal and 2nd grade team. I am sooo thankful. As we approach Thanksgiving, I have so much to be thankful for this year. I think I have found my calling!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Mediocre

So, tonight I'm feeling kind of stanky. I have just come off of a 3-day battle with some nasty stomach bug, meaning I've been out of school since Tuesday. Although one day off is nice, and I love spring break, it's weird to think of someone else in your classroom teaching your kids. I am headed into school tomorrow for Saturday school, and I am super worried about what I will find.

Anyway, between bouts of Phenagrin (sp?) induced comas, I have been reflecting a lot on life. Right now, I really feel mediocre.

Let me explain. I keep talking to other teachers who have the most amazing test scores, classrooms, or results. One of my dearest teaching friends just got nominated for this most outstanding educator award, and I am soo completely proud of her. Her classroom is amazing, and I have never seen kids love a teacher so much. This, of course, makes me look at my classroom. It is definitely not amazing. Some of my kids love me, but nothing like the way her kids treat her. In the past two years, I feel like I have gone from a complete success to someone who is very mediocre. I know God put me in this place, and I will be a stronger person because of it, but being crappy at something is a tough lesson.

Two other teachers I know just took their kids on the most amazing trips. One wrote and got all these grants to do a tour of LP Field (aka Titans stadium), and the other is taking her kids to lunch and a show "In the Heights" at TPAC. OMG--these teachers are amazing! Imagine having the go-get-ness to write grants and letters to get these amazing experiences for our little bees. What have I done to change my kids' lives? Have I organized trips they will never forget? Have I written grants to get them experiences they otherwise would never have? What is wrong with me? I used to be an overachiever. Now, I feel like I'm barely getting by.

Personally, I keep looking at blogs about new babies or weddings or I keep seeing fellow teachers heading off to prestigious law schools or other amazing opportunities. I'm thinking JEEZ LOUISE.

#1 I have not met my husband in Nashville nor am I preggo (although Target sent me the most precious catalog ab starting a baby registry yesterday???)

#2 I am planning on teaching next year, but I don't know where or to whom. And I am not doing any crazo fellowships to Turkey or Peace Corps missions to Kenya. Nor am I starting Law School at Harvard or work at Google.

#3 I work approx. 70 hours a week and don't have time to workout, meet lots of new friends, or even hang out with old ones.

#4 I feel behind.

Now, I have truly led a blessed life. However, I am having a little bit of a pity party today. Don't get me wrong--there are days when I feel like a complete success, but today is not one of them.

However, after writing this, I am going to commit to to try to finish my 4 days of March, 21 days of April, and 19.5 days of May with excellence. Even if I don't take my kids to a show or a tour, I am going to try to finish the best I possibly can. And I hope next year will be even better.

Happy Friday night! I am now ready to tackle those piles of papers that need to be graded since Tuesday.

No longer nauseous in Nashville,

Miss P

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Spring Break!!

Can it really be that I've not updated my blog since January?!? Where did February and the first half of March go?

February flew by with more snow days, my birthday (woohoo in Nashville with roommates@OG/Bible study, Bowling Green with home friends and family for Superbowl Sunday, and Lexington for Greek Sing/birthday breakfast with more family). We celebrated two more b-days in Nashville with J turning 25 at the end of Feb. (PF Changs), and B turning 24 in March (Art Life). It was such a great month, and we also celebrated G's 87th birthday complete with the whole family and friends.

Beginnings of March flew by with a practice round of state testing. That finished last week, along with a field trip. Now, I am so thankful to be in sunny Florida. I have eaten seafood, been by the beach/pool, and read four books since Friday. It has been AMAZING!! I don't really want to ge ready to face reality: job applications, finishing grad school in June, and wrapping up my 4th and final quarter with my bees. I kind of just want to pretend I have nothing going on and stay in denial. When I start thinking about what next year looks like, I don't have any idea. I am just trying to pray and relax and give it to God.

Will it be kindergarten in Kentucky? Teaching second graders in Tennessee? Not sure, but I do think it's right to be in Nashville at least one more year. Mom and the fam want me back in Ky. We will see.

Hope you are having a wonderful week! Mmmmmm...sunset on the ocean.

Cheers,
Miss P

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Feeling "love, love, love, love, crazy love..."

Love like I have never experienced before = my love for the snow days that our district is receiving. Although I actually had a much better week, snow days never get old. Even though I know we will be paying for them (now at June 1st, I believe), I just cannot get angry. I did have a little stress today getting home. I love the snow, but I hate driving in it.

This week was a much better week. My little bees are finally getting into their groove (I think...). The changes are hopefully becoming more routine. The staff changes/people being out for different things have been the hardest as we are just strapped for people. I mean, same # of students with fewer teachers = bigger classes. That has been an adjustment.

What I can't help but notice is how my moods shift. I feel however my day was. For instance, Tuesday was an okay day in the classroom but my end of day homeroom was a mess. Conflict, mutliple kids out of seats, one little bee yelling, throwing down her purse, binder, etc. and stomping out of the room. My kids read too many "Drama High" books and are experts at making scenes. Drama, drama, drama. Therefore, on Tuesday evening, I was in the bottom. I slunk into dinner with a friend from school (pre-planned I thought about canceling because of my crappy day) and was in a bleak mood all night.

Wednesday had crappy lessons (poor planning of stations on my part but better homeroom), so I was happy because my day ended well. However, I thought all night about how I was failing my kids and wondered how much I had even taught them. I was frantically trying to revise my lessons until 10:30 pm Wednesday night.

Exhausted on Thursday after dreaming all night. Woke up out of breath and sweating as I had been trying to get to a wedding (LWB!!) to be a bridesmaid in my dreams. Contemplated going in late since I had first period planning but thought about all the work I needed to get done. Pretty good lesson (at least I hope they got main idea today...) that was cut short by early dismissal due to snow.

Tomorrow, I must grade exit tickets and get caught up on homework, classwork grades. I happily wasted my snow week last week but will not make this mistake again. Tomorrow, I will sleep in, watch Regis, and WORK! On a sad note, one of my roommates told me Regis has announced he is retiring. Surely not?!? I must look into this immediately. What will happen if my favorite morning show goes away? Worries for a late snowy evening. Hope all is well!

Xoxo, and sleep tight!

--Miss P

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Greetings from 2011!

Watching Ellen, Regis & Kelly, the Doctors (some), and the Today Show have become routine since I've watched them 3 DAYS THIS WEEK! I seriously thought I would not see another Regis and Kelly (my FAVORITE!) until MLK day. However, nature thought differently!

I was in a WONDERFUL wedding this past weekend. It was so unique and fun and beautiful. One small element of its unique-ness was that it was on a Sunday evening (4 pm Union Station + Bound'ry reception!). I had been PRAYING that we would have a snow day on Monday because I knew I would be struggling after a weekend filled with LOTS of UK friends visiting. KB + RW, AJ, MF, and CMB. Soooo happy. God answered my prayers and gave us a snow day at about 2:46 am on Monday morning. PRAISE THE LORD! I put a couple of pics on FB just to show off my beautiful snowy day.

Fast forward to WEDNESDAY 3:28 pm. I have accomplished VERY little and snow is still on the ground. I mean, God really knows what I need. Last week was a huge struggle with a particular low point on last Thursday. We have lots of changes happening at school due to personnel changes, which is hard for the little bees and the teachers. I am so thankful to have this mini-winter-break to recharge and relax. Plus, we are going into another long weekend with MLK day on Monday.

My district built in 4 snow days and now has axed President's Day for the 5th. If we miss tomorrow, that will be number 6. The only thing is that I kind of wish all this snow day love was spread out a little bit instead of crammed into all one week. Plus, adding on days at the end of the year is NEVER fun. And, it's hard to maximize your relaxation when you have 3 days of nothing-ness. I mean, I have a brand spanking new Kindle sitting upstairs that I can't seem to muster up the energy to use. YIKES BIKES! Plus (and this should NEVER be shared with the general public), I went to bed on Sunday night banking on a snow day without even a hint of a lesson plan. Once again, fast forward to Wednesday 3:36 pm and still no lesson plan. 3 days to perfect my planning and plan till spring break, and I haven't even finished my lesson plan. Epic fail. Must do better. Maybe I should take a bubble bath to rejuvenate?

Check in with you soon--hope things are snowy wherever you are!!

XOXO,