The Joys of Insomnia

Okay it's ween almost two months since I last posted and I feel badly that I haven't written more, but I didn't want to complain about the same old, same old.

Yes I am still overworked. Yes I am still underpaid, Yes I am still under appreciated, but a few nice things have happened.

In my class with the Mouth of the South, one of my female slacker types, has for some reason decided that what I have to say may have some value, so she has taken it upon herself to get the class quiet. She does not take crap for an answer! I just smile and give her two thumbs up.

Mouth of the South is somewhat quieter, meaning she settles in, and I have turned her seat so that she is not facing the rest of the class. That has worked fairly well for the last couple of weeks. She is sitting next to a student she does not like. ( I admit it was fun to put her there! Sweet revenge)

We recently had an academics meet and the students I coached in one of the forms of dramatic readings, did well. Of the 6 2 recieved Superior, the highest rating, 3 received Excellent 2nd highest rating and the last one recieved a good. She stepped up at the last minute and agreed to read. With only a couple of days of practice, she did well.

We are putting in new carpeting this week. Mostly because I am on Spring Break (plus we got a great deal!) and can be here at the house. So if you have ever had carpet laid and have a ton of books, you know that we have been packing boxes like crazy! Add to this the satellite decides to go out after we have unhooked eveything, moved it 8 feet and rehooked everything up. They are sending a repairperson on Monday which is good, I'll be at home packing up boxes and shifting things around!

Tweo of my kiddos have lost grandparents in the last couple of weeks, so I've had kids sobbing on my shoulder literally. A couple more have gone into meltdown mode and sent to the councellor.

Backpack Boy has decided that this is an issue woth doing battle over. By that I mean, I do not allow backpacks into the room for several reasons:
1. weapons could be hidden in there ( I'm really not paranoid,, but it thefirst thing everyone in my building says)
2, stuffs gets stolen from backpacks and purses. I don't allow purses either.
3 THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM! I get tired of tripping over the darn things.

Backpack Boy has been in my class for more than a year ( He is a repeat "offender" ) and is well acquainted with the rule. So whenever I remind him of the rule, he gets explosive and with a look that could melt glass, he leaves the room. He is one of 4 in my class who are "emotionally disadvanted" or what ever the current phrase is. As he leaves I get on the walkie talkes and let them know in which direction he is headed.

My good kids I don't write about nearly enough. Currently the kids are all reading the Gordon Korman series, The Falconers, and The Kidnapping. So eveyday kids come to ask for those books. A lot of my good kids aren't the most competatively academically, but are just sweet people. There are several boys who hug me on a daily basis. Some of them have even commented on my hair, I started curling it, nothing else. This week a student shared the last birthday cupcake from another kid's birthday. I had a student BEG to read a book, Satch and Me, and whe he finished it loaned it out to someone else! I haven't read it yet, but that's okay I have a stack to read.

More good stuff, a few parents have approached me about having their child placed in my classroom. I just tell them to talk to the counsellor. Even nicer, was some kids who are not old evough to have been at my school but are asking can they be in my class. It is great for the ego!

I am one of very few who kknow what they will be teaching, and most likely I will be teaching social studies and world geography. I can either take a test or 4 credit hours of history to meet our districts qualifications. It seems stupid to me, as I have a minor in history. But go figure??

See what insomnia can do for you? You suddenly find the time to update the blog!
I hope you are enjoying your Spring Break, if not now then in the very near future! I also Internet shop when I can't sleep, or read. I hope y'all are doing well