Days Until Unemployment: 4
Tomorrow is the Friday before Halloween. You know what that means? I'm going to be tricky.
You see, the administration said at the staff meeting weeks ago that they would have no policy on costumes. They would not encourage costumes, but not ban them either. Well, today at the very end of the day, they made an announcement saying NO COSTUMES. Needless to say, I was a bit miffed.
Amber, the science teacher across the hall, had talked with me about costumes and said she would wear one if I did. She was planning as dressing as a cell because her students are studying plant and animal cells right now in the class. Her costume would have consisted of wearing all black and then sticking felt cut outs all over herself to represent the different parts of a cell. She suggested I wear something that had to do with my class as well. So I thought about it.
I was going to wear a toga. Yep, a toga. My students are studying Greek/Roman mythology, so what could be more appropriate. Tricia even has a nice garland of fake flowers and leaves that I can wear in my hair. Naturally I'd be wearing clothes underneath the toga, although I'm sure that going without would have been quite comfortable. You can understand my miffiness when I heard the announcement.
Thing is, I'm being observed by the associate principal tomorrow during one of my English classes. While discussing the observation with him, I asked about the change in policy about the costumes, and he said yeah, they decided to change that. So, I mentioned what I had planned for a costume, and he said well...I don't have to say anything about it if you just wear it in class. YAY! I'm such a rebel. Hell, it's not even an official observation--I asked him to watch me teach so he can write a good recommendation for me. Besides, I'm done in 4 days! What are they going to do, fire me?
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Days Until Unemployment: 6
Six days to go at the middle school before I enter the world of short-term substitute teaching. Yay. My English students are working on writing their own myths, so of course less than half of them had their first draft done for today for the peer editing we did in class. I just hope that a few of the students that never turned in their Hercules paper or did poorly on it will have to motivation to do well on this paper. Heck, it's a fictional story; how hard is that to write? Honestly, I am pretty much spoonfeeding this paper to them.
On the other front, I'm slowly gaining my humanity back. For the couple months I have been losing what's left of my humanity, bit by school-filled bit. Any human blood I had was being replaced by Teacher blood. It was a scary, scary moment. I feared my roommate's and significant other's life, that the Teacher in me would eventually destroy them.
Thankfully, that was not their fate. I have emerged from the abyss, using the little resistance I had left, and I'm finally leveling off. Teaching still takes a lot of work, but I've finally gotten into a good routine. Of course, now I'm finishing up in this position, and I'll be done next Wed. The teacher I'm subbing for came in today to talk about what's been going on in the classroom, and she'll be coming next week to observe and get things set. Yippee.
I'm so torn. Part of me is sad to leave MY classroom; the other part of me will be VERY happy for the time off from all the work. At least there's a party this weekend. Parties solve everything. And I can't wait to don my Catholic school girl "costume." ;)
Six days to go at the middle school before I enter the world of short-term substitute teaching. Yay. My English students are working on writing their own myths, so of course less than half of them had their first draft done for today for the peer editing we did in class. I just hope that a few of the students that never turned in their Hercules paper or did poorly on it will have to motivation to do well on this paper. Heck, it's a fictional story; how hard is that to write? Honestly, I am pretty much spoonfeeding this paper to them.
On the other front, I'm slowly gaining my humanity back. For the couple months I have been losing what's left of my humanity, bit by school-filled bit. Any human blood I had was being replaced by Teacher blood. It was a scary, scary moment. I feared my roommate's and significant other's life, that the Teacher in me would eventually destroy them.
Thankfully, that was not their fate. I have emerged from the abyss, using the little resistance I had left, and I'm finally leveling off. Teaching still takes a lot of work, but I've finally gotten into a good routine. Of course, now I'm finishing up in this position, and I'll be done next Wed. The teacher I'm subbing for came in today to talk about what's been going on in the classroom, and she'll be coming next week to observe and get things set. Yippee.
I'm so torn. Part of me is sad to leave MY classroom; the other part of me will be VERY happy for the time off from all the work. At least there's a party this weekend. Parties solve everything. And I can't wait to don my Catholic school girl "costume." ;)
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Days until Unemployed: 8
Just a week and a half left to this first teaching job of mine. I've been a "long term sub," but it has certainly been a full time job and more these last few months. I'll be sad to leave the staff, sad to leave some of the kids, and certainly sad to leave the reliable income. On the other hand, not having to get up EVERY morning at 6am also sounds rather nice. ::sigh:: Stupid work ethic :P
Just a week and a half left to this first teaching job of mine. I've been a "long term sub," but it has certainly been a full time job and more these last few months. I'll be sad to leave the staff, sad to leave some of the kids, and certainly sad to leave the reliable income. On the other hand, not having to get up EVERY morning at 6am also sounds rather nice. ::sigh:: Stupid work ethic :P
Friday, October 22, 2004
Call Me Crazy
Yes, call me crazy, but tonight I have plans to see Team America, what's sure to be a heart-felt piece of genius, teaming with majesty that brings it to the symbolic level of Forrest Gump and Care Bears: The Movie. Or it will sick and wrong and full of political criticism, just what I'd expect from the creators of South Park. Either way, it ought be a lot of fun ;)
Yes, call me crazy, but tonight I have plans to see Team America, what's sure to be a heart-felt piece of genius, teaming with majesty that brings it to the symbolic level of Forrest Gump and Care Bears: The Movie. Or it will sick and wrong and full of political criticism, just what I'd expect from the creators of South Park. Either way, it ought be a lot of fun ;)
Monday, October 18, 2004
Friday, October 15, 2004
Hacking and Slashing Our Way to Closure
Tonight, Tricia and I finally finished Champions of Norrath, or at least the beginners' level. We imported our characters to the "Courageous" level and will likely start the whole thing over again starting at levels 19 and 18 sometime next week. For now, we've decided we need a little break from it. What's nice is that we really drew out the game, playing for just an hour here and there, except tonight we felt like finishing it so it was more like 3 hours of playing.
In the real world, I'm finishing up my long term sub position at the middle school and searching for another long term position. The principal and Kelly Services have informed me about an opening at the high school Jan-Febish as another long term sub for an English teacher on maternity leave. Not a bad deal considering the kids have off half the days from now until then anyway, so it's probably the best time to be unemployed/short term substitute teaching now and then. I mean, there's the National Conference, Thanksgiving, and Christmas break, all with days off. So it's not like I'd be working much then anyway.
It pretty well sucks that I'm not under contract so I don't get paid as much or get the insurance benefits, but at least I'm getting $130/day right now, which could be worse. I'll just have to worry about buying my own insurance come January when I'm off my parents' insurance finally. ::sigh:: I suppose while I'm off of work I should get in an eye exam and a dental visit before it ends up costing me.
On a lighter note, today marks the end of Parent-Teacher conferences, which I have to say are pretty much a breeze. Yeah, it sucked having to sit all day at work, but it was cool to be paid to catch up on grading, sit at my desk listening to my favorite music, chat with some friends in the rooms next door, and occassionally talk to some parents about how good/shitty their kids are. In addition, next week's going to rock cuz there's only 2 days of teaching, and then 1 day of district inservice meetings, and 2 days of optional attendance at the state teachers' convention where you can get plenty of free samples (food, candy, pencils, pens, pointless knicknacks, and business cards) and also pick up some cheap shit for teaching. Sometimes the seminars aren't too bad either. Last convention I attended I was able to listen to Bob Kann speak, and he was hilarious and had some great ideas about using humor and storytelling in the classroom.
I guess that's about it for now. My parents are living it up in Aruba, celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary from August. My mom convinced my dad to go parasailing with her this time, they went on a cruise, and they're going snorkeling tomorrow. And so naturally I'm jealous of their beach-going in 85 degree weather while I'm bundled up here in the low 40's with freezing rain. But oh well. Tomorrow I'm off to see Death Cab for Cutie FINALLY in concert after falling in love with their music while traversing Europe last winter. And then it's a friend's surprise birthday party which should be a nice break from the monotonous life I've lived this week of conferences, working 12+ hour days.
A parent said today, "Teaching must be a calling. I can't see why else anyone would do it." And I just nodded my head. Sometimes I have no clue why I'm in this profession. And then I see a kid improve and succeed, hear a brilliant comment during a discussion, or have a student smile and say "Have a good weekend, Ms. Collins." And then I realize I can only hate teaching for so long before I remember why I love it.
Tonight, Tricia and I finally finished Champions of Norrath, or at least the beginners' level. We imported our characters to the "Courageous" level and will likely start the whole thing over again starting at levels 19 and 18 sometime next week. For now, we've decided we need a little break from it. What's nice is that we really drew out the game, playing for just an hour here and there, except tonight we felt like finishing it so it was more like 3 hours of playing.
In the real world, I'm finishing up my long term sub position at the middle school and searching for another long term position. The principal and Kelly Services have informed me about an opening at the high school Jan-Febish as another long term sub for an English teacher on maternity leave. Not a bad deal considering the kids have off half the days from now until then anyway, so it's probably the best time to be unemployed/short term substitute teaching now and then. I mean, there's the National Conference, Thanksgiving, and Christmas break, all with days off. So it's not like I'd be working much then anyway.
It pretty well sucks that I'm not under contract so I don't get paid as much or get the insurance benefits, but at least I'm getting $130/day right now, which could be worse. I'll just have to worry about buying my own insurance come January when I'm off my parents' insurance finally. ::sigh:: I suppose while I'm off of work I should get in an eye exam and a dental visit before it ends up costing me.
On a lighter note, today marks the end of Parent-Teacher conferences, which I have to say are pretty much a breeze. Yeah, it sucked having to sit all day at work, but it was cool to be paid to catch up on grading, sit at my desk listening to my favorite music, chat with some friends in the rooms next door, and occassionally talk to some parents about how good/shitty their kids are. In addition, next week's going to rock cuz there's only 2 days of teaching, and then 1 day of district inservice meetings, and 2 days of optional attendance at the state teachers' convention where you can get plenty of free samples (food, candy, pencils, pens, pointless knicknacks, and business cards) and also pick up some cheap shit for teaching. Sometimes the seminars aren't too bad either. Last convention I attended I was able to listen to Bob Kann speak, and he was hilarious and had some great ideas about using humor and storytelling in the classroom.
I guess that's about it for now. My parents are living it up in Aruba, celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary from August. My mom convinced my dad to go parasailing with her this time, they went on a cruise, and they're going snorkeling tomorrow. And so naturally I'm jealous of their beach-going in 85 degree weather while I'm bundled up here in the low 40's with freezing rain. But oh well. Tomorrow I'm off to see Death Cab for Cutie FINALLY in concert after falling in love with their music while traversing Europe last winter. And then it's a friend's surprise birthday party which should be a nice break from the monotonous life I've lived this week of conferences, working 12+ hour days.
A parent said today, "Teaching must be a calling. I can't see why else anyone would do it." And I just nodded my head. Sometimes I have no clue why I'm in this profession. And then I see a kid improve and succeed, hear a brilliant comment during a discussion, or have a student smile and say "Have a good weekend, Ms. Collins." And then I realize I can only hate teaching for so long before I remember why I love it.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Well, as Bailey says, "Sometimes life is just ruff." School's not that bad, just a few students who are growing up to be brats. I'm working on fixing that, little by little, call home by call home, and it's not like I'll be there much longer anyway. On the plus side, I may have a job for a couple months in the spring. So yay!
