Jenn's Daily Saga...
Quick notes on today:
Today a child threw up in the cafeteria. It's because he has an extremely weak stomach . . . anytime he sees snot, gets grossed out, etc., he pukes. Dante stuck his finger in honey mustard and the squishy stuff made him SO SICK that he literally puked (in huge great HEAVES) three times before I ran out of the cafeteria for a bucket! My assistant sat and watched. Another assistant brought him to the nurse while I was trying to find a bucket and then the lunch lady cleaned the mess. When I said (sadly) that I thought he'd have to sit alone because there's no way to know what will trigger this, she agreed, but she was disgusted by the CHILD'S BEHAVIOR. Not by his puke, but by the fact that he puked. She actually said "That's ridiculous. He needs to stop that NOW." I calmly said, "Well, he can't help it. Some people just have weak stomachs." She replied, "No, there is NO SENSE in that. He does that on purpose, he can control it if he wants to and he needs to learn that now." She goes on to say: "I taught MY children that if they didn't like something to think of something else." Whatever. I told her that I had a family member like that and she basically said there is no reason anyone should act like that. Yeah, so I'm pretty much disgusted with HER. He's FIVE YEARS OLD . . . if he gets sick, he gets sick. It isn't like he's even going homme, he just loses his lunch and comes right back to the carpet. I feel sorry for him. I am sure he'll grow out of MOST of it, but how DARE she act like he's doing it on purpose and that he should "know better" than to get sick. WTF is this dumbass thinking?????
Today she "suggested" that I go see how another class performed in their centers. I was obviously not interested. She KEPT insisting. I finally went to the room to 1) shut her the hell up and 2) because I wanted to talk to the other teacher ABOUT her. I walked in, announced that I was "instructed to come see how her classroom worked" and she rolled her eyes. This teacher is on my side, and in fact, wants me to go to Mr. Adams about the issues. So far I'm trying to avoid that. Anyway, she told me that when my assistant came in running her mouth she told her that it was "Jenn's classroom and it's her job to do ANYTHING I ask her to do, even if she doesn't agree." Mrs. Adair (assistant) kept insisting how much I needed to see it, etc. and Mrs. Hendricks (teacher) said "Vanessa, Jennifer is NOT interested in using these ideas and that's fine, she has to do what SHE wants to do and YOU have to do whatever she asks." After much huffing and puffing Mrs. Adair said that she could at least tell me to come see and then I could decide no if I wanted to. (Gee, thanks for the permission!) SIDE NOTE: I have already said SEVERAL times, SEVERAL occasions that I do not agree with the way they work in this one aspect that she is so damn hung up on. There is nothing for me to see, it's already been decided.
Right before the end of the day she said "I just don't know how much longer I can take this. This just isn't what I expected. I'm not enjoying myself. I guess I had a different idea of what it would be like. I thought I couldn't wait to get back into a classroom but this just isn't working. They are awful, they run through the room, they have no respect. I just have too much other stuff going on in my life right now." (This is a common complaint with her, except adding the "don't know how much more she can take" bit). I basically ignored every word and continued working on my interims. And THEN I had to stop working to go get the kids. Yeah, her job. She was "cleaning." One word for dumbass: PRIORITIZE.
Ya know, I realize that when the kid's eat, it's IDEAL for us to eat then too. That's the way it's SUPPOSED to work. But ya know, things happen. And in this job, the KIDS come first. That's why we're there. If something happens and she doesn't get to eat (or even if she has to eat "too fast") she complains (and acts as if it's my fault, which it ISN'T). I think I have eaten lunch three, maybe four times in the twenty-two days we have been in school. I once asked her if she was ready to spend her time with them on the carpet (that she REQUESTED) and she had the nerve to sneer and say "Sure, why not? I haven't brushed my teeth after lunch in two days anyway." WTF? Hygiene is great and all but don't bitch about insignificant bullshit like that. We have 28 kids that we are responsible for, 8 hours a day. Fuck your teeth until 3:00.
Whatever. Pretty soon when she starts to complain I'm going to say (as nicely as possible), that if these problems are too much for her to handle, maybe she should take her concerns to Mr. Adams. That should either shut her up or get her to talk to him. His answer will inevitably be to "talk to me about the problem." Whatever. It isn't a problem for me. I'm at the end of my rope as far as worrying over if SHE'S enjoying herself.
She constantly complains that "everyone does everything differently. You ask one teacher what to do, another says something else, so and so says this, you say this . . . I just don't know what I'm supposed to be doing." Simple answer for a simple-minded person: Every classroom is different; every teacher is different. She should do what HER TEACHER says to do. FHI: THAT'S ME!!! She should do what I say. I mean really, she shouldn't even ask anyone else.
She fucked herself over big time and I love it! Before school started I told her that she took Front Circle car riders at dismissal. I also said Latimer had FC duty. At first she did as she was told. Then suddenly SHE decided that bus riders needed more help. She made them walk in a line and she stayed down there with them. THEN the FC riders had to walk FARTHER by themselves. I told her over and over again that they didn't help, she insisted they did. She left early on Tuesday and Annie mentioned that McCall said they didn't need her down there. On Wednesday I hurriedly tried to send the bus riders away and she dropped what she was doing to take them. I again, firmly, told her that she should take FC. She insisted they all needed her and that all of the aids went to bus line. I reminded her that McCall went there, another assistant went to West End, and SHE should go to FC so THEY don't walk alone. She "didn't realize they were walking alone; she thought that all of the aids did bus and that the TEACHERS were taking care of the other stuff and doing THAT duty." No, sorry . . . I then had the pleasure of clueing her in: We have morning duty . . . THEY have afternoon. Her response? Well, I'll just ask Mr. Adams where HE wants me to be. She was gone FOREVER. She didn't say anything when she came back. Today she took FC without an argument. Then this afternoon she came back to the room to tell me that she now had FC duty so she wouldn't be back to the room. Hmmm . . . isn't that what I said BEFORE school started? And I reminded her that I said that. Amazing . . . Miss Crawford was right. Maybe if she would LISTEN she wouldn't be so damn clueless.
On a brigher note: besides being rushed and slightly stressed, I got all of my stuff ready for SWU. I am almost completely enrolled in my masters program!! I just have to do a promissory note now and my file will be complete and mailed off tomorrow. :) My financial aid package has been approved; I told the family (against Mom's wishes). I'm excited. This is something I've wanted to do awhile. Yeah, I gotta do a thesis (yuck). But I'll be finished by next December (2007). And then I get a $6000 raise!! :) And I'll feel more productive. And then I have the option of getting OUT of the classroom if I want to. I'm getting my Masters in Education so it's broad enough for anything. **Smiles**
I went to Union to drop off the boys. It felt weird to come in and not walk them. It felt weird to not have to herd them into my room. It's weird knowing I can sleep later tomorrow. Okay, so that's a good weird!
Tomorrow I'm having sushi with JD, maybe a movie, and then I'm heading to Clemson. I'm planning to spend some time with my favorite guys. I'm looking forward to seeing Ian and Casey and not having anything set to do (like 21st birthdays). Hopefully it'll be a good relaxed time. And ya know: tomorrow is FRIDAY. Hopefully that means Mexican . . . ?!?!
Susie leaves on Saturday. It's weird. She told the boys goodbye last night. I didn't see her at all today, and it's not certain that I'll see her tomorrow before I head out. How strange and anti-climatic. I had hoped for a dinner and a (couple) bottle(s) of wine or some martinis or SOMETHING! But, time's up. I leave tomorrow. She leaves Saturday. And then I return on Sunday to an empty apartment. My first true test of living alone. Here in 101A until the 21st and THEN the real adventure begins. Living between two apartments: 32 Cross Club on Haywood Road and 101A here in Simpsonville. That ordeal will work itself out between Thursday and Sunday. Not looking forward to it.
Today a child threw up in the cafeteria. It's because he has an extremely weak stomach . . . anytime he sees snot, gets grossed out, etc., he pukes. Dante stuck his finger in honey mustard and the squishy stuff made him SO SICK that he literally puked (in huge great HEAVES) three times before I ran out of the cafeteria for a bucket! My assistant sat and watched. Another assistant brought him to the nurse while I was trying to find a bucket and then the lunch lady cleaned the mess. When I said (sadly) that I thought he'd have to sit alone because there's no way to know what will trigger this, she agreed, but she was disgusted by the CHILD'S BEHAVIOR. Not by his puke, but by the fact that he puked. She actually said "That's ridiculous. He needs to stop that NOW." I calmly said, "Well, he can't help it. Some people just have weak stomachs." She replied, "No, there is NO SENSE in that. He does that on purpose, he can control it if he wants to and he needs to learn that now." She goes on to say: "I taught MY children that if they didn't like something to think of something else." Whatever. I told her that I had a family member like that and she basically said there is no reason anyone should act like that. Yeah, so I'm pretty much disgusted with HER. He's FIVE YEARS OLD . . . if he gets sick, he gets sick. It isn't like he's even going homme, he just loses his lunch and comes right back to the carpet. I feel sorry for him. I am sure he'll grow out of MOST of it, but how DARE she act like he's doing it on purpose and that he should "know better" than to get sick. WTF is this dumbass thinking?????
Today she "suggested" that I go see how another class performed in their centers. I was obviously not interested. She KEPT insisting. I finally went to the room to 1) shut her the hell up and 2) because I wanted to talk to the other teacher ABOUT her. I walked in, announced that I was "instructed to come see how her classroom worked" and she rolled her eyes. This teacher is on my side, and in fact, wants me to go to Mr. Adams about the issues. So far I'm trying to avoid that. Anyway, she told me that when my assistant came in running her mouth she told her that it was "Jenn's classroom and it's her job to do ANYTHING I ask her to do, even if she doesn't agree." Mrs. Adair (assistant) kept insisting how much I needed to see it, etc. and Mrs. Hendricks (teacher) said "Vanessa, Jennifer is NOT interested in using these ideas and that's fine, she has to do what SHE wants to do and YOU have to do whatever she asks." After much huffing and puffing Mrs. Adair said that she could at least tell me to come see and then I could decide no if I wanted to. (Gee, thanks for the permission!) SIDE NOTE: I have already said SEVERAL times, SEVERAL occasions that I do not agree with the way they work in this one aspect that she is so damn hung up on. There is nothing for me to see, it's already been decided.
Right before the end of the day she said "I just don't know how much longer I can take this. This just isn't what I expected. I'm not enjoying myself. I guess I had a different idea of what it would be like. I thought I couldn't wait to get back into a classroom but this just isn't working. They are awful, they run through the room, they have no respect. I just have too much other stuff going on in my life right now." (This is a common complaint with her, except adding the "don't know how much more she can take" bit). I basically ignored every word and continued working on my interims. And THEN I had to stop working to go get the kids. Yeah, her job. She was "cleaning." One word for dumbass: PRIORITIZE.
Ya know, I realize that when the kid's eat, it's IDEAL for us to eat then too. That's the way it's SUPPOSED to work. But ya know, things happen. And in this job, the KIDS come first. That's why we're there. If something happens and she doesn't get to eat (or even if she has to eat "too fast") she complains (and acts as if it's my fault, which it ISN'T). I think I have eaten lunch three, maybe four times in the twenty-two days we have been in school. I once asked her if she was ready to spend her time with them on the carpet (that she REQUESTED) and she had the nerve to sneer and say "Sure, why not? I haven't brushed my teeth after lunch in two days anyway." WTF? Hygiene is great and all but don't bitch about insignificant bullshit like that. We have 28 kids that we are responsible for, 8 hours a day. Fuck your teeth until 3:00.
Whatever. Pretty soon when she starts to complain I'm going to say (as nicely as possible), that if these problems are too much for her to handle, maybe she should take her concerns to Mr. Adams. That should either shut her up or get her to talk to him. His answer will inevitably be to "talk to me about the problem." Whatever. It isn't a problem for me. I'm at the end of my rope as far as worrying over if SHE'S enjoying herself.
She constantly complains that "everyone does everything differently. You ask one teacher what to do, another says something else, so and so says this, you say this . . . I just don't know what I'm supposed to be doing." Simple answer for a simple-minded person: Every classroom is different; every teacher is different. She should do what HER TEACHER says to do. FHI: THAT'S ME!!! She should do what I say. I mean really, she shouldn't even ask anyone else.
She fucked herself over big time and I love it! Before school started I told her that she took Front Circle car riders at dismissal. I also said Latimer had FC duty. At first she did as she was told. Then suddenly SHE decided that bus riders needed more help. She made them walk in a line and she stayed down there with them. THEN the FC riders had to walk FARTHER by themselves. I told her over and over again that they didn't help, she insisted they did. She left early on Tuesday and Annie mentioned that McCall said they didn't need her down there. On Wednesday I hurriedly tried to send the bus riders away and she dropped what she was doing to take them. I again, firmly, told her that she should take FC. She insisted they all needed her and that all of the aids went to bus line. I reminded her that McCall went there, another assistant went to West End, and SHE should go to FC so THEY don't walk alone. She "didn't realize they were walking alone; she thought that all of the aids did bus and that the TEACHERS were taking care of the other stuff and doing THAT duty." No, sorry . . . I then had the pleasure of clueing her in: We have morning duty . . . THEY have afternoon. Her response? Well, I'll just ask Mr. Adams where HE wants me to be. She was gone FOREVER. She didn't say anything when she came back. Today she took FC without an argument. Then this afternoon she came back to the room to tell me that she now had FC duty so she wouldn't be back to the room. Hmmm . . . isn't that what I said BEFORE school started? And I reminded her that I said that. Amazing . . . Miss Crawford was right. Maybe if she would LISTEN she wouldn't be so damn clueless.
On a brigher note: besides being rushed and slightly stressed, I got all of my stuff ready for SWU. I am almost completely enrolled in my masters program!! I just have to do a promissory note now and my file will be complete and mailed off tomorrow. :) My financial aid package has been approved; I told the family (against Mom's wishes). I'm excited. This is something I've wanted to do awhile. Yeah, I gotta do a thesis (yuck). But I'll be finished by next December (2007). And then I get a $6000 raise!! :) And I'll feel more productive. And then I have the option of getting OUT of the classroom if I want to. I'm getting my Masters in Education so it's broad enough for anything. **Smiles**
I went to Union to drop off the boys. It felt weird to come in and not walk them. It felt weird to not have to herd them into my room. It's weird knowing I can sleep later tomorrow. Okay, so that's a good weird!
Tomorrow I'm having sushi with JD, maybe a movie, and then I'm heading to Clemson. I'm planning to spend some time with my favorite guys. I'm looking forward to seeing Ian and Casey and not having anything set to do (like 21st birthdays). Hopefully it'll be a good relaxed time. And ya know: tomorrow is FRIDAY. Hopefully that means Mexican . . . ?!?!
Susie leaves on Saturday. It's weird. She told the boys goodbye last night. I didn't see her at all today, and it's not certain that I'll see her tomorrow before I head out. How strange and anti-climatic. I had hoped for a dinner and a (couple) bottle(s) of wine or some martinis or SOMETHING! But, time's up. I leave tomorrow. She leaves Saturday. And then I return on Sunday to an empty apartment. My first true test of living alone. Here in 101A until the 21st and THEN the real adventure begins. Living between two apartments: 32 Cross Club on Haywood Road and 101A here in Simpsonville. That ordeal will work itself out between Thursday and Sunday. Not looking forward to it.