5 down, 175 to go
Ok, not so bad. My boss came today, he can't get back home for another two weeks because of passport problems, he looks so sad, so tired, and everybody seems to want to show him how much THEY care, never let an opportunity to kiss administrative ass pass you by.
Oh, well, I wrote him a little note today that said something about how God doesn't give you hardships without giving you the strength to come out on the other side, and that God must think of him as one of His strongest sons. That's all I could say.
So, all in all, I think I accomplished what I set out to do this week, which was to give my class a clear sense of my expectations, and establish a community of thoughtful learners, who value each other's contributions. Sounds pretty lofty for 8 year olds, but they worked together so beautifully with their first grade reading buddies, and the special day class kids that we do social studies with.
I know I feel more relaxed, more confident that I know what I am doing. Maybe it's the reading and research for my masters, maybe it's the meds, maybe it's that this is my fifth year (already, seems like only yesterday I was saying 500 times daily, paper or plastic?)
I wish I could translate some of this effective educator smoke and mirror trick to my parental skills. My son will be 15 in a couple weeks. I keep thinking of the Five for Fighting song, 100 years "fifteen, there's still time to..." I almost think it's too late to garner respect from him, like I grew up too late for him to take me seriously. I go to bed before him, then pace the house as he sleeps, worrying about car insurance, and braces, and college, and jobs, and those stupid girls that keep calling...He is embraced by the guys at the local rec center, his nickname is "Cheese", because he is always smiling, that's my boy!
off to the weekend, the glamourous life of a single mom, laundry, housecleaning, a few martinis.........bills, I don't pay no stinking bills!!!
Oh, well, I wrote him a little note today that said something about how God doesn't give you hardships without giving you the strength to come out on the other side, and that God must think of him as one of His strongest sons. That's all I could say.
So, all in all, I think I accomplished what I set out to do this week, which was to give my class a clear sense of my expectations, and establish a community of thoughtful learners, who value each other's contributions. Sounds pretty lofty for 8 year olds, but they worked together so beautifully with their first grade reading buddies, and the special day class kids that we do social studies with.
I know I feel more relaxed, more confident that I know what I am doing. Maybe it's the reading and research for my masters, maybe it's the meds, maybe it's that this is my fifth year (already, seems like only yesterday I was saying 500 times daily, paper or plastic?)
I wish I could translate some of this effective educator smoke and mirror trick to my parental skills. My son will be 15 in a couple weeks. I keep thinking of the Five for Fighting song, 100 years "fifteen, there's still time to..." I almost think it's too late to garner respect from him, like I grew up too late for him to take me seriously. I go to bed before him, then pace the house as he sleeps, worrying about car insurance, and braces, and college, and jobs, and those stupid girls that keep calling...He is embraced by the guys at the local rec center, his nickname is "Cheese", because he is always smiling, that's my boy!
off to the weekend, the glamourous life of a single mom, laundry, housecleaning, a few martinis.........bills, I don't pay no stinking bills!!!