What a year!!

Hello old friend,

What a year it has been, huh?  My heart is heavy because of all the tragedies that have happened this year.  If we work our way back, it has been the fires in California, the Texas Church, the NYC event, the Las Vegas, the Hurricane, etc., etc.

It has been a tough year for me, too.  I made the switch from 6 grade to 10th--AP World History.  Goodness me!  What was I thinking.  I do not struggle with behavior as much as I did in 6th grade, but I do struggle with students that really don't care enough to try hard.  I am desperately seeking a way to motivate them, to make them work, and above all, to make them learn in spite and despite of themselves.  Guess what?  It "ain't" working!!!

I panic because everyday I think that they need to be learning because at the end of the day, next August, I will be measured against every other AP World History teacher in the district.  I do not want to fall flat on my face, but I also do not want to work like a darn mule every blasted day!!  I know that as of right now I am working harder than them.  I am the one learning all of the content and they are the one copying off of me.  How stupid is that?!

Today was a rough day because of a minor discipline issue.  It was resolved, but it was unpleasant.

Don't get me wrong, there are some fun times, and there are some fine times. But, friend, they are few and far between.

Goodnight!  I'm off to Target to get my Secret Santa gift for tomorrow.

Week Deux

Well, here I am.  I have yet to lose any weight, but I have tried to be more careful with money.
I am trying to get my life in order.  I think I am going to have more success this time.  What am I doing differently?  Well, for starters, I am being brutally honest with myself and others.  I feel like at my age, I am really coming into my own.  I need to wake up and smell the coffee.  What do I want out of life?  More importantly, what does God want me to do?  I have been searching in the wrong places.

Day One

So today I ate less and I didn't spend any money.

I walked for an hour, even though I was dead tired when I came home.  Did I mention that I'm a 6th grade school teacher?  I think that explains the dead tired part and added weight gain.

My goal is to lose 10 pounds by December 16th.  We shall see what great things may come!!

Good night.

comic relief

i am almost done with the five week certification program. only 2 days left! i don't have a teaching job, and i'm not sure that i mind that. i really want to continue to pursue my master's degree this fall. i have actually registered for the classes, and i really hope i can continue on that path.

anyway, what was so funny to me tonight (perhaps funnier that it actually was)caused me to pause and take a moment to laugh. we have been herded into classrooms for the last five weeks to learn how to be awesome teachers. i have learned about different group activities, teaching strategies, etc. perhaps the most important thing i learned is that while all students can learn, not all students learn in the same manner. therefore, while some students can excel at taking paper and pencil exams, some students are doomed when it comes to those kinds of test and will do better with other types of exams, such as, presentations, etc.

back to my story, the instructor handed out a package of sticky notes and asked us to take one and pass it back. well, one young (obviously inexperienced) student took the last one and passed the bottom blank paper to the girl in front of him. (i personally thought it was odd that he was passing it forward since it would be of no use to her.) when she saw the brown useless peace of paper, she said in her native tongue, "mira este cabr*n! el cree que es muy chistoso!" she then proceeds to scold him in front of the class, "you don't know where the trashcan is at or what???" well, needless to say, the little guy turned all kinds of red, but he was tough enough to just smile it off.

i guess it was so funny to me because the girl's frankness is something i'm unaccustomed to. i rarely call people on the carpet. or call them cabr*n for that matter.

ha!

the worse of two evils

i have started a 90 day fitness program, and i have also started a 5 week certification program. i am dreading both, however, i actually look forward to the exercise program more than i do the certification program. i feel like my dream of becoming a college professor will be put on pause because of this horrible economy. for now, i am on my second week of the exercise program, and on the first week of the cert. program. agony, agony, agony...

how goes your summer? better than mine, i'm sure!!

the suspense

the suspense is killing me!!! i turned in two papers last week, and i haven't heard from my professors. uggh!! i am trying hard to concentrate on my last paper, but i inevitably log on to the website, click on my lit theory class, and...NOTHING!!!!

someone please put me out of this misery and tell me what i got already!