Surviving the First Day

Well, I survived the first day of school! I have recomfirmed two facts that I have learned through teaching: 1) that I get along better with little boys than I do girls and 2) that I don't get along with "mini-Megan's."

I find that I too easily get annoyed by little girls, especially the "girlie" girls, but the boys just find a soft-spot in my heart. I love the tiny ones that have big smiles the best and those with red hair. There is one in the afternoon that I loved on first-sight.

Second, I feel sorry for all my teachers in elementary school. If I was as much of a "teacher" as some of my students are now, they must have been ready to strangle me all the time. There is one girl in my class that I have already (in two days) had to ask/tell three or four times, "Who is the teacher?" as she tries to boss everyone around and get involved in everything. She is the oldest and her mother is also a teacher, so I guess she comes by it naturally... :-)

I also have one little boy that just arrived from Mexico within the last month and doesn't speak any English. He is full of energy and very excited, so I am sure that he will learn quickly. He follows directions well and is starting to play with other kids at recess. Today he knew that his favorite animal was " a MONKEY!!"

So, the life of a teacher has begun again as I quickly fall in love with the students in my class. I look forward to "documenting" their progress over the course of the year and know that it will be fun to share stories of the ups and downs of this particular kindergarten teacher.

Tired and Sluggish

Well, Pret and I have each had a day this week where we have done nothing! I took mine on Tuesday after getting home from work and errands. I laid down on the couch to eat my piece of cheesecake and read and then fell asleep for about 30 minutes. I forced myself to get up so I could return a movie to the library and avoid late fees, but then got home and fell right back asleep until Pret got home about half and hour later. I really wanted to just go to bed, but instead stayed up with Pret to watch "Rumor Has It.." Shirley McLain made the movie--it wasn't especially good besides her part. It was very similar to her role in "Steel Magnolias" which I now have to get Pret to watch so he can more fully appreciate her role in the latter movie.

Pret took his turn last night. I got home from work and found him relaxing on the couch where he stayed until it was time for dinner (he did stir the Hamburger Helper while I was in the shower (thank you, Pret!)) I didn't complain and was completely understanding given my experience the night before.

We then ate dinner and went grocery shopping. Word to the wise, or unwise, women who normally go shopping on their own: plan to spend $10-25 more than normal when shopping with your husband--they always want things that aren't on the list... It was fun and we enjoyed watching other people attempt to flirt with our spouses (ask if you are confused or wonder). Then we relaxed again, watching an episode of "Smallville." We were actually in bed by about 11:15 with the intent that I would get up and go to the gym this morning. That hasn't worked out for me yet this week...maybe next? We have plans to go to the temple when I get done with work and after Pret goes to the doctor, then it will probably be another episode of "Smallville" before a long day ahead of both of us.

Mt. Timp looms ahead for Saturday--updates next week...

Another Day, Another Year

So I am sitting in my classroom procrastinating doing anything. I don't officially have to be here today, which is probably why I am not motivated to do anything. I still have tables stacked on top of one another and have spent about 2 hours just talking with other teachers, yet I have been sitting at my computer reading old emails and my friends' and families' blogspots. This is a serious problem I have--wasting time on the internet--so it is probably a good thing that we don't have the internet at our house.

As to the title of my entry today, I am not too excited about starting school this year. I think it is because my first two years had unusual circumstances surrounding their start, but this year is just blah. My first year was, well, my first year. Everyone is excited, albeit anxious, about starting their dream job, right? I was an intern at Sandy Elementary teaching Kindergarten. I didn't have to do student teaching (I like the power that comes with being in-control all by yourself) and I was getting paid , even if it wasn't much (half a first-year teacher salary--you do the math)! The year turned exciting when two months into the school year, there was a fire in our building and we had to re-locate and our classroom was packed into un-labeled boxes by people who just wanted to get it done quickly, not carefully. Life turned out well and I actually really enjoyed the year. Then my second year, they had re-opened our newly remodeled school and deposited the contents of our classroom right in the middle of the room. My ceiling had leaked into/onto two or three of the boxes, but the contents probably would not have been saved anyway as we were told to weed-out the old and request new, under the circumstances. I had a week to make my room presentable for 50 students students ready to start their first day of school--ever! It was quite thrilling and needless to say I was much more motivated and productive than I have been today.

But now it is today. It is not my first year teaching and I am not trying to recover from a year in boxes. I am team-teaching with an intern (who has to go through 5 days of new-teacher orientation as opposed to my 6 hours of it) so I can't do too much on my own anyway. As hard a time as she will feel having to share her first year with another teacher, I want her to feel like this is her classroom, too, not that she is just coming under me and has to do all things my way. Hopefully I will be good with change and be able to work with her well and respect her ideas and opinions. I think I will be able to, but I know that we are both looking forward to my vacation and her two weeks of solo teaching.

Well, I must become a "moving woman" and get to work so I feel like I have accomplished something before I leave in another 3 hours.

Only the Beginning

I was inspired to start a "Blogspot" by a parent of one of my students. His blog is very carefree and honest, and truly quite funny. Even though I no longer have his son in my class and they have even moved from our school boundaries so I will most likely never see the family again, I think I will continue to read his blog (flieswithoutwings, if you care to read as well.)

Anyway, I don't really know what I will write about, but I thought this might be kind of fun, and this way I can also respond to other people's blogs. Enjoy, for whatever it is worth.