Overboard?

I complain about my job... a lot. So let me start off with a dose of cute for you. Prepare for a Centimeter Creature. My kids had to create a creature...later they had to measure the arms, legs, tentacles etc. for practice with a ruler. They got wayyy into it. It was awesome.

They always told us in school that one way to get kids interested is to make things relevant for them. So I try to use people and events in my life to make connections for the kids. Example: They know all about lovely Luka because I use him in writing frequently. He's had more poems written about him than any other dog can claim. Seriously. So when I had to teach letter writing I planned, drafted, edited, and revised a letter to my dearest friend Anna- ever so gently asking her to return to NC. (It was a letter of REQUEST after all.)

Then a few days later I had a little bullying incident in my classroom. I borrowed a genius lesson plan from my coworkers that involves drawing a picture of your best friend. As you talk to your best friend you give her compliments and add smiles and rainbows and sunshine. Then you start to say mean things to her instead. Each time you say something mean, you crumple her up a little until she is wadded into a little ball of paper. Then, you slowly start to apologize for everything you said. You flatten her out as best you can and ask the kids "What's different now?" With eyes as wide as saucers my kids replied that Anna was all wrinkly because I was mean to her. Even though I apologized to her and she flattened out SOME...I will never get her all smooth again. And THAT'S because every time you say a mean thing to someone you leave a tiny wrinkle in them that never goes away- even if you apologize. They may forgive you but its important to remember that  mean words can hurt forever.

 

(Insert Full House music here.)

It. Was. Awesome.

It wasn't until this past weekend when I was looking through my kids'  center work from the week that I realized I may have gone a little "Anna-Crazy" in my room.  Check it out.

 

But, hey, I guess it means they are listening. Sometimes.

Reasons I am ancient:

I.AM.OFFICIALLY.OLD(ish). 

1. I mentioned a "tape" in front of my kids today. Response: NONE. They don't know what that means.

2. Life before cell phones...my kids don't understand the concept.
"Well...what if your mom was at the store and you realized you needed something. How did you tell her?"
"You didn't. She was at the store. Without a phone."
..."HUH?" 

3. "Look at the chart and tell me what year Finding Nemo was released."
"OOH...2003! Hey wait, that's the year I was born!"
(Didn't that movie just come out YESTERDAY?!?)

4. Plugging a computer into  a phone jack= barbaric. They don't have any recollection of the noises computers USED to make as the connected to the internet.





5. I have to actually work to stay relevant. If I want to have a conversation about music, video games,  or TV..I have to RESEARCH it first. This means I am spending my own time to make sure I am up to date on Justin "Beaver" (no lie...that's what my kids think his name is) and Lego Star Wars.

6. DVR. They don't get that watching HOURS of mindless television wasn't always as easy as it is now.



7. Recycling. They asked me "Ms. Paul if everyone had started recycling back when you were little, do you think you could have stopped the hole in the ozone?" I am so old my generation is responsible for a HOLE IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE EARTH. (well, at least partially responsible....before we were old enough to know better.)


8. I could think of more, but it's almost 7 which is universal blue-haired bedtime.

Things I've learned from my student...

1) Shoes are important. Every single day of school my friend W finds some way to comment on or compliment my shoes. As if I needed more reasons to purchase footwear....

2) Always take the time to say something nice. W goes out of her way to say something nice to me every day. For example- the shoes. On a regular basis she finds something nice to say about my hair, what I taught that day...or even just say thank you for a hug.

3) Anything worth having is worth fighting for. W fights for every single skill and every single fact that she can claim mastery of. She works and works hard for everything she gets out of my classroom. Because of this- it all means more for her. At the end of the day she is PROUD because she EARNED it.

4) Sidewalk chalk cures all ills. Ok, so this is a metaphor. But seriously, simple things can brighten up an entire day for W. So why focus on the negative when there is (figuratively speaking) a bright new box of sidewalk chalk on the shelf  just waiting to be opened.

5) If it's out of your control...let it go. There are lots of things W has no control over. NONE. But, rather than get all worked up over things she can't change, she puts all her energy towards the things she can change. Like making sure that her friend T, who is having a bad day, smiles at least once before she goes home.

6) Own your dreams. W has a lot of dreams. Some of them may never happen. I know teachers aren't supposed to say things like this but...it's likely quite a few of them will never happen. IT DOESN'T MATTER. Her dreams are her own and she is going to keep on dreaming them. period. end of sentence. No one, but yourself, can damage your dreams. 

A lot to take in from a 7 year old...no?

Playing Susie Homemaker

Track-Out has taught me one thing...

I have sick deluded fantasies of being a housewife. And I don't mean the ass-kicking, name-taking,  efficient, volunteering, van driving, powerwalking, dry-clean picking-uping kind of housewife. I mean the black and white kind that were frequently featured on nick at nite.

This week I've gotten a lot of grown up things accomplished you know things involving insurance, gas companies, mechanics, and payroll at HR. Like BORING grown up stuff. I did manage to make it to the gym at least. :)

But then, when that is finished, I start cleaning up around the house. Folding laundry, vacuuming the floor, loading/unloading the dishwasher, taking care of my furkid....etc. Then, about 30 minutes before Crystal gets off of work I put dinner in the oven and go get myself cleaned up.

So to sum it up, when she walks in the door dinner is ready, the house is clean, the (fur)kid is happy and quiet, and I am (mildly) presentable. Usually dinner is served on the couch in front of the current Netflix obsession.

Add some pearls and an up-do and it begins to more closely resemble Cleaver-ville. Albeit slightly non conventional Cleaver-ville....but you follow.

And you know, I think it's ok that I'm enjoying this little fantasy of mine. My mind  and body needed a break from the stresses of moving, starting a new job, and dealing with all the changes in my life.

But, who knew that under my liberal and feminist exterior lurked just a touch of a traditionalist? Certainly, not me.

Friday night in the big city...?

Ok. So for the entire 11 months I lived in New Bern I talked (nonstop) about all the things I missed about Raleigh. All the things to DO and places to GO. I couldn't WAIT to get back.

So it makes absolute sense that last Friday night I got together with some of my favorites and we decided to THROW DOWN. That's right folks. You heard it here first. SCRABBLE.

Scrabble?

Eesh.

We started out with a nice dinner at Tripp's (yummmm) and took the required "This is us sitting in a booth about to eat food prepared by the hands of others" photos.

Once those photos were out of the way we commenced with our dinner. After things really got out of control. Yep, that's when the board games entered the scene.

And we had really awesome luck the WHOLE GAME. See. Proof. 

At one point, Kelly decided her time would be much better spent as an Eastern Princess. Fortunately she was wearing some bohemian jewelery that stood in nicely for a crown.

Once she was done playing princess she put down some words. Turns out we are not so dumb after all.

And, I won...therefore the evening ended happily.

And such is the life of a twenty something, on a Friday night....in the big city.
And I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Today is a good day. Today I feel like I am adequate at my job and maybe I made a difference in the life of my students.

There are days where it is very easy to forget why I became a teacher. The days that paperwork outweighs the time I spent with my kids. The days the kids talked more than I taught. The days that Autism, ADHD, sensory disorders, and learning disabilities seem insurmountable rather than just a part of the package.

Today was not one of those days. Today I laughed with my students, played with my students, and learned with my students. I was a math expert, a reading consultant, a caterpillar wrangler, and a sidewalk chalk artist. I was a mediator, a therapist, a first aid aficionado, an organizational consultant, a hairdresser, a cheerleader, a peacekeeper, and a traffic director. Before and after school I also managed to be a professional, a collaborator, a data collector, and even a friend as I sat and laughed with my team.

Today I remembered why it is all worth it. I remembered why I love my job.

Today I realized how lucky I am to be where I want to be, with the friends I chose for myself, in a profession I was meant to be a part of.

If that wasn't enough- this is what I came home to yesterday...

And on top of all of that- my apartment is clean. Clearly the planets are aligned.
(The only thing missing is YOU, Anna Morgante)

A (less than) triumphant return

Ok. So I had dreams of being this amazing blogger. I wanted to be (internet)famous which, seriously, is the only kind of famous that even matters anymore.

But alas. My real, 3-D, grown up life has taken over my dreams of digital stardom, which I suppose just means  I finally got that "life" i've been trying to acquire since graduating from college. In actuality I guess celebrations are in order.

So, updates.

New Job, 1.
Offers to return to old job part time (hello caffeine!), 1 
New apartments, 1
Number of storage bins still containing classroom stuff, one million
School nights spent going to bed at a reasonable hour rather than hanging out with fabulous Raleigh type friends....um 2.

Seriously though. Iamsobusy. It's ridiculous. School is and always will be a beast at the beginning of the year. This year has been even worse because, well, hello new school, new county, new grade level, new school calendar. I'm finally starting to feel like I'm gaining on some things rather than just treading water. And this is doubly a good thing. Not only is this good for my career but it makes me a muuuuuuch nicer person to be around. I am looking forward to the return of fun "I love to be a teacher but I have a life outside of school" Jen as opposed to "RAHH I am so stressed out I don't have time to talk to you about anything but how stressed out I am" Jen.

Plus plus plus...I track out in THREE WEEKS. Count 'em. My track out includes- nights with fabulous Raleigh type people, a trip to CALIFORNIA to visit a displaced awesome Raleigh type person, and a roadtrip to Edenton to watch a friend get hitched.  And even after all of that I will still have time to write lesson plans/stalk facebook/get back to the gym/ abuse netflix/ terrorize my favorite New Bernians for the start of their school year. Lovehappylovelove.

Some old guy once said "It's not where you are but who you're with." Weellllll...I do agree that who you are with has a lot to do with how you feel. But sometimes where you are makes a big difference too. I love my hometown and alllllll my friends and family there. But, for me, it was too hard to be a grown up in the place where I grew up. Here I feel like I can be just a little more "me"....whatever that means these days.

So anyhow, I'm semi-settled and realizing that after agonizing over every life choice I've made in the past month (which has been an unusually high number for such a short period of time) that I've made good ones. I still have a lot to figure out....but at least now I believe that I can do it.

So I'm not internet famous...but I'm happy. Beat that.  <3