I really have the need to talk today. Do you ever get those days . . . the ones where you just have to talk to anybody about anything? I’m having one of those days.
I’ve been in a pretty good place—mentally. After getting feelings out in the open at school, and after having enough time this year to learn the procedures and expectations at my new school (although I still don’t understand all of them yet), I am finally feeling less stressed about life in general. I am a happy person. It’s who I am. I like being happy.
It’s testing week at my school. This month the third graders are taking the ITBS—Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. They also take the CoGAT—Cognitive Assessment Tests. That is eight straight days of testing those little brains. Poor little munchkins. In April, after Spring break, they will be taking another set of tests, the CRCT. (I don’t know what it stands for. Heh.) All I know is that if they don’t pass with a “proficient” score, they will be sent notification of being retained. There are going to be a lot of third graders getting that letter this year! It can be appealed by the parents, of course, but the panel they must go before must agree unanimously that the child would benefit more from a promotion instead of a retention. I’m on that panel. If I fully believe that the student will benefit from retention, that child will actually be retained. Wow. That’s something new. (Usually, if the parent fights it, they don’t get retained. In my experience.) I hope there aren’t too many in my class that are risk, but I know deep down that I have a nice little handful of slow learners. Really slow learners.
I think I’ve mentioned before how much I really like my kids. They don’t know how to shut the frickin’ stinkin’ stompin’ flippin’ up (and I mean that will all the love a teacher can muster), but they have the best little personalities. I really enjoy each and every one of them! I had one student last week make a little note at the bottom of her spelling test. She drew a heart in the lower right corner and wrote: Miss H, If I get any wrong please give me an F. These words are so easy!. Heh. How funny is that? Fortunately she spelled all words correctly, including her bonus words. Whew! Since we are testing, I am taking the kids out to recess every day. Normally, we only go out twice a week. (Yeah, nice, huh? School rules, not Miss H rules!) I love to sit there and watch them interact. I’ve mentioned before that it’s so interesting to me to have such a diverse group. They interact differently than a class of all Caucasian students. I can’t put my finger on it, but they do. Many things are the same, of course, but there’s something different with this bunch of kids. I don’t know, maybe I am attributing that difference to the wrong thing. It could be southern children for all I know! Whatever the reason, it makes it an experience.
I came home yesterday to seeing that my bike was stolen. I am very bummed about this. It’s been so beautiful outside and I was really hoping to start riding my bike soon. I would have had to buy a new back tire since that was stolen while I was away on Thanksgiving break. Man oh man. I filed a report with the police department, and I’m going to file with my insurance. I pay for renter’s insurance for a reason, right? I don’t know if I’ll get anything back for it, but good golly! I guess I’ll have to keep my future bike in the apartment. That sucketh, I say!
I still need to think about my future as a roommate or as a person with two jobs. Neither sound very good to me. In fact, both ideas depress the heck out of me! Heh. It’s been a long time since I’ve had roomies. I haven’t had them since I was in college. There’s an entirely different vibe when you are in college. I’m a professional now. I’m no longer a student. Can I really handle having someone whom I do not know live with me? However, the alternative is just as repulsive. I spend so much time outside of my regular hours doing schoolwork. I can’t imagine working weekends or weeknights. Yikes! One of those is going to have to happen. I might as well, get over it and move on!
So, all in all, things are going well. Some changes are coming for me, but I will handle them to the best of my capabilities. As I’ve learned, I’m very capable.
Is it Spring Break yet? Heh.
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