I entitled this post "Waiting for Superman" because if you haven't heard about this movie, it's going to be awesome and it's all about what I'm doing now. It's a documentary about the education system in America and how we're failing many of our children, especially those living in generational poverty. I highly recommend you go see it this fall. The trailer is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKTfaro96dg and the website for the movies is here http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/. At the website, when you buy a ticket, you get a $15 voucher to donate to the classroom of your choice on donorschoose.com. I'm still working on getting my class on there, but I could seriously use some lab resources for my kids. (So don't use the voucher or donate to a classroom until I have mine on there).
I wish I could remember all the craziness of being a 9th grade teacher at The Wood from these past couple of weeks. Maybe I should carry around a tape recorder. One thing I know now is that I have a lot of control over how I feel at the end of the day. Whether the day was good or bad, it's ultimately how I decide to look at it. am I going to focus on the things that went well or the things that didn't? Am I going to celebrate the small successes or worry about the failures? It's easier said than done, but the more I can leave what happens at school AT school and the more I focus on what I'm doing well the better I feel. And the way I feel has a direct impact on how my students feel.
I've made a pretty good friend in Mr. B who teaches the same content right next door to me. He has a taught for a couple years already so he has definitely been there for me to encourage me and tell me I'm "holding my own". He's a good guy, and I like to just bounce stuff off of him (figuratively) if just to clear my head. Other than that, it has been pretty depressing going to some of my staff team meetings. Some teachers have pretty hopeless attitudes about the state of affairs and some talk about leaving and finding a different school, etc., etc. And I don't really blame them. If I was a real teacher and I wasn't in this for the social service aspect, I would totally go for schools that are better organized, well-run with experienced administration, better pay, and better-behaved kids. It's just sad to see this cycle that keeps the staff here so young in terms of experience. This year: new principal, new assistant principals, most teachers have 3 or less years of experience, and I would venture to say there are only a handful that have been teaching here for an extended period of time.
Like most first year teachers I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed with all the planning, grading, tracking, getting ready for open house, evaluations by my principal, classes for my teaching license, along with all the random stresses and changes that you have to handle on a daily basis just from the administration. That doesn't even mention the stress of daily life like having my brakes going out on my only car and trying to schedule an appointment to get them fixed that won't involve me leaving it overnight. I am actually going to grade papers that I've been way behind on for the rest of the night. The work never seems to end, and it is so much different than anything I've ever dealt with in school. If I didn't do an assignment or bombed a test, that was on me and I might be able to afford that mistake. If I don't go into work or make really crappy lessons, it not only reflects poorly on me, but I have 150 other human beings that depend on me. Not even on my rowing team was that dependence on my reliability that prominent.
The past 2 weeks at a glance:
- almost had a fight between the 2 tiniest girls in one of my classes, but the principal pulled them out before anything serious happened
- had a girl puke all over my floor after lunch as she ran out to the bathroom
- a student made a reference to my sex organ (sent him to the principal and made him scoop out the sand that another student poured in one of my sinks)
- gave out progress reports with over half of my students failing miserably (many with less than 50) mainly because they just didn't turn any work in. *Side note: it amazes me that a lot of kids never bring a thing to school (pencil, paper, book bag) and there is no excuse to not have school supplies because even if you have $0 supplies are donated. I even give them supplies. But they always come back with nothing and they're surprised with their grade even though they have never turned in any assignment to me.
- these kids don't do homework. They have gotten so used to their teachers never giving them homework that they are appalled at having more than one class give them homework more than once a week
- I got my conceptual physics books! A class set. Still no biology books.
- It surprised me when I learned that in a Title I school, we aren't allowed to have after-school clubs because we would have to provide transportation. So instead we have club meetings every other Wednesday for 30 min taken out of second block. It's really hard to have a science club and do fun experiments in 30 min.
- Last weekend, Mrs. K and I went to the state fair. Fun, but much smaller than the GA state fair. I got an awesome facebook profile pic there, and they were selling hot beef sundaes.
- We went to our first community group from our church, and we really love the group of people who are in it. We're hosting this Wednesday.
- We're also hosting the TFA prayer dinner tomorrow! Lots of hosting.
- We can't seem to get to our bowling league at 9pm Tue. nights. I never thought that 9pm would be my bed time. We can post-bowl at a different time though. We just don't get to see the people we play against very often.
- Just saw the movie, Easy A. Very funny, despite the poor Christian stereotyping.
- Cats are still awesome
- And the lab results came back, and you did great!
Until next time. Please send prayers and well-wishes.
