Tuesday July 28, 2009 - Busy week

Finally got my contract signed and turned in. What a relief! *Sigh* I'm still in the process of decorating the classroom. Putting things up. Hanging things on the wall. Etc. It's an exciting and nerve-racking process. I wish I had someone to just tell me where to put everything. That would just be too easy though. I need one of those easy buttons :)

Big garage sale this weekend. Def not ready for it to start, but ready for it to be over with. They are so much work! After this weekend summer will nearly be over with. How sad? I feel like it flew by and I didn't have the chance to really celebrate graduating college and having a free summer. Guess I celebrated by sleeping in everyday.

Monday, July 20, 2009 School Supplies

Of course, when I return home I find my contract in the mailbox. “Sign and return by June 30, 2009” HA! Good thing I have another one in the mail.

Mom and I spent Sunday morning school supply shopping…for the third time. I love it. There is nothing better than the smell of a newly opened box of crayons. My classroom will be decked out head to toe in crayola products, utensils, crates and baskets, and one pretty awesome treasure chest!

“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a newly sharpened bouquet of pencils if I knew your name and address.” – You’ve Got Mail

Thursday, July 16, 2009 My contract is running from me.

My future principal called three weeks ago to notify me I was approved by the school district and my contract would be in the mail very soon. I was elated at the thought of receiving my first contract, especially one that would rename me as an adult. A fully employed, money making adult. I needed this contract more than anything to prove I was actually taking the next logical step in life.

A week goes by and no contract. That’s okay. Sometimes these things take a while. It’s not like any ole letter. Second week passes and still nothing. Several emails and phone calls later, I found it was sent to my prior collegiate address. One I would be moving out of in just a week. Phew! So I really was hired and I’m not dreaming. I, Morgan Rhodes, am still a future third grade teacher. As mom and I pulled into my apartment parking lot today, I nearly stumbled to get out of the car and into my mailbox. This simple piece of paper had been like a lost treasure to me and I was finally at the end of my hunt. My sneaker-covered feet had reached the metal treasure box and I had the golden key to get in.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

Have you ever expected something to be sitting under the Christmas tree and woke up Christmas morning to find it missing? Literally missing, because you knew it belonged there and some tragic mistake must have occurred. That is how I felt at this particular moment. Nothing, there was absolutely nothing in my treasure box. Not even ads or super market coupons. When I returned to my mother and told her my contract was yet again on the run and my mailbox awkwardly empty, she reminded me of the Change of Address I had recently filled out at the post office.

Me (aggravated): “So, they just take it all out and throw it away?”

Mom: “No, they remove it and mark it to be sent to the changed address.” Me (angry): “People aren’t suppose to mess with your mail. Isn’t that some sort of law?!”

Mom: “Yes, but when you fill out a change of address…”

Me (worried and becoming infuriated): “So you’re saying it’s been moving around and is in the process of being mailed back to my new address?”

Mom: “No, after this much time it was probably lost.”

Did she just say lost? Wow, I’m so going to be the new, completely aggravating, hard to deal with employee that can’t seem to get their crap together. Back to the annoying emails and phone calls. Lord, this totally isn’t funny right now. Let go of your piñata string, and let me actually make a few hits before you draw it back up, and I swing and miss completely, please!

Student Teaching Pictures :)

Only 9 days left of student teaching for me. It's so bittersweet.  I feel like I am ready for my own class, but can't stand the thought of leaving Mrs. Cade or all my babies.  I already have baseball games, birthdays, and talent shows I have promised to return for! I'm such a sucker :) 

P.S. If you click on the picture it gets really big and is much easier to see. Then just backspace to go back! :) 

Mrs. Cade and I 

Aggie Gig'em pose 
Strike a silly pose! My Miss Amanda and I - she's always attached to my hip. She's the first and last hug I receive everyday ...makes my heart smile!!!!Class pic! 
My kiddos and I 

Hello Old Friend

Strike a funny pose!

Fourth grade teachers: Me, Mrs. Cade, Kaitlyn, Mrs. Pierce, Lauren, and tiny Mrs. Landers in the front.

Student teachers ~ Visitng before the day starts!
Me- being silly. I attempted to look cute at school one day and made the mistake of wearing TERRIBLE heals.  I was letting my feet breathe :) 

Have I neglected my poor blog or what? Nearly a month....GEEZ! 

A lot has happened in the last month.  Let's see- Did my two weeks of full responsibility.  They went by oh-so-quickly, but were GREAT.  I actually start my second rotation next week.  

My supervisor came for my midpoint evaluation 2 weeks ago.  I had forgotten to email her twice letting her know I was in full responsibility (even though she has a calendar I hand wrote saying I was-and I replied immediately when she told me I forgot) so she said I was NOT DEPENDABLE  with me supervisor, co workers, and peers, and that I needed to work on that.  I wasn't a happy camper after that meeting.  She took off in several areas of my review for that - really can't stand the woman! Last week she came back to evaluate me.  I was teaching a math lesson and surprisingly, I got a really good evaluation.  I think that's something very hard for her to give- so I was grateful.  

Right now I am back to observing the class and teaching a few subjects a day.  I have no idea how teachers get through the day, week, month, or year without an aid.  Seems like Mrs. Cade and I have so much to do (especially paperwork) and we can never get it done- even with the two of us.  

I spent Valentines with Holly and Emily.  We saw Confessions of a Shopoholic-Super cute! Jacob sent me a bouquet of flowers and a sweet poem.  I can't get enough of his writing :) Only 11 days until I am finally in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Yippeee! Time really has sped by. 

Last weekend I was in Victoria for heart doctor apointments.  Everything has checked out ok- I'm just going to have to live with the fast heart beats again- something I'm not very happy about. O well! 

I took my final certification test last week too- found out today I passed - Praise Jesus! Now all I have left to do is apply for certification.  A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.  BUT I jinxed myself- I had to lie to get the day off to take my test. I said I was sick and now I really am.  I finally, FINALLY, went out on the town Friday evening and came home with bad allergies. It has turned into a awful sinus infection.  I get to use this wonderful invention-the neti pot- where you pour water in one side of your nose and it comes out through the other side of your nose and mouth. YUCK!!! It's not pretty at all.  And very uncomfortable.  SO I missed school today, BUT will be going back tomorrow. The kids are taking their TAKS writing test. I get to act as an hall/bathroom monitor.  Basically, I get to read all day. Im okay with that!! Best part- we get to wear jeans or workout clothes :)  

Squash Smosh

Wow – I can’t believe it’s been a whole week since I’ve blogged!  I’m so behind.

 Let’s see: Last Friday I finally got to teach all day, just me.  Mrs. Cade was gone for the day.  Of course, there was a substitute, because I’m not allowed to be alone yet, but I did all the teaching.

 We did a fun macaroni activity.  The macaroni acted as apostrophes, commas, and quotation marks.  I wrote bare sentences on strips of paper and the kids had to use the macaroni to punctuate them correctly.  There were 10 stations and each pair rotated around until they had visited all the stations. 

 My favorite par during the activityt:   Here’s how it plays out ::

  Caleb:  Zariyah, your hair keeps leaving grease on all the chairs I sit in. (He didn’t mean it rudely at all – even though it sounds like it)

  Maya:   WELL, she is brown!  (She just smiled, thinking it was funny)

 I about DIED laughing.  I just went and hugged Maya.  Kids really do say the funniest things.  She wasn’t black, but brown. Haha.

 Anyways, Friday went great.  Sure there were a few behavioral problems here and there, but overall the kids did a good job of treating me as their teacher.

  

FAST FORWARD --- Week 5

 Monday went by in a blur.  Mrs. Cade let me leave right when school got out so I could run home to study for my ESL test (English Second Language).  Grr….so was not in the mood to study! Tests like that are just ridiculous.  Doesn’t the state know – that’s why God invented books! So we don’t have to memorize EVERYTHING!

 I took my test at 8 am Tuesday morning. I was out of there in an hour or so. The day was complete bliss. I felt like a college student again! ….. I ran to office max, then to target, went home and took a nap, ate lunch in front of the TV, worked on some lessons, worked out….. it was RELAXING!!!

 I concluded the evening by smashing a ten-dollar spaghetti squash on the sidewalk.  I told mom she was never allowed to introduce me to a vegetable that required a man to crack open.  I had the butcher knife stuck in it for a good fifteen minutes.  FINALLY once I threw it on the ground it cracked open…..You would think everything would go according to plan after that….Nope.  I cooked it wrong.  I totally forgot to cover it in the oven so it could steam properly.  Needless to say, I got aggravated- left it in the oven (overnight), put the chicken back in the fridge, and had popcorn for dinner!

 Today was a pretty good day. I was exhausted, but what’s new? My supervisor came and watched me teach a reading lesson. I got all good comments- something I wasn’t expecting! I’m finally starting to feel this weight lifted off my shoulders.  Or maybe it’s just the stress lessening? When Full Responsibility starts next week, so I’m sure I’ll be back to stress mode ASAP.

 Mom comes Friday and I’m THRILLED.  Girl’s night!   Mom, Amber, Emily, and I are going to see He’s Just Not That Into You.  I know it will be great. I’ve had that movie release date in my calendar since November…I know – I’m a weirdo!

 

OH – And Molly is doing wonderful.  Her naps have been a steady 8 hours, and mom has kept her food bowl filled properly! 

Week 4 .... feels like Week 100

This is one of those weeks that never seems to end.  I might have referred to the past few weeks as agonizing, but this one beats out.  It has been overly stressful and it’s only Wednesday.

 Monday I dealt with a kid who was banging his head on a door because he was frustrated.  Yesterday, a girl who could care less about her TAKS test, thus failed.  Today, a girl shooting food through her straw.  The girl sitting across from her got the food- strawberry juice and whip cream to the hair. 

 On a happy note – I haven’t received an apple, but I did get some jewelry.  One of my sweet little girls made me a bracelet with a big strawberry charm on it.  Super cute! She’s a sweetheart! The same little girl gave me the biggest laugh Monday morning – a silent laugh that is.  For some reason, neither Mrs. Cade nor I know why, our kids believe they are falling apart.  (I know mom – I did the same) We send at least five students to the nurse everyday.  What do you tell them? “Sorry kid, suck it up…I know you just don’t want to be here for math class!” …. Not exactly appropriate.  Well, my little bracelet-making sweetheart came up to me first thing Monday morning and told me – “Mrs. Rhodes, I might have some trouble with my ears today.  They weren’t working this weekend and I might lose my voice because my throat hurts.” ….. For your peace of mind – her ears are still working.  Well, as far as I am aware of anyways!

On another happy note – I finally bought (well, mom bought) a dress for Kemp’s wedding.  That makes one less thing for me to worry about.  I’d been watching this dress since the beginning of last fall and it finally went on sale!!!! I may be overdressed, but I’ll be a Grecian glamour goddess. Haha.  Well, the dress is a Grecian glamour goddess in my eyes at least. 

Today I taught two lessons – math and science.  Both went fairly well.  For math I reviewed homework problems many of them were having trouble with before I gave them their math exam.  For the review I used an overhead so everyone could watch me work out each individual problem…..Ya…..I had a shadow puppet show going on up front.  Needless to say, that little girl didn’t do as well as she would have if she had been paying attention. 

 Friday Mrs. Cade will be absent.  For the first time, ever, I will be the teacher in a classroom.  Of course there will be a substitute, but I will be teaching everything.  This will be a test – a test for my patience, a test of my teaching ability, and a listening and following direction test for my students.  I’m praying they don’t give me a hard time!