McTeacher's Journal
Wish it didn't take me so long to write in my blog, but better later than ......, right?
I am dog hunting again. I want a dog sooooo badly, but always think that it will be difficult for the dog being here alone. This time, I plan on going home at 3:30, picking the dog up and bring it back with me to work. Of course I want another schnauzer. Maybe a 3 to 4 year old one from a rescue? We'll see.
After 19 years of working two jobs, I am only dedicated to one now. I took a year off from the work scene. I want to have a good life, for the time I have left. Even though I have worked long hours this semester already, it's nothing like working a second job. After 10 years at ASU, I felt a little out there for awhile, but now I think it was the best decision I ever made. It's been a struggle monetarily, but I'm makin' it and it's OK. I enjoy going to work every day and don't feel so exhausted every minute of the day.
At work, I miss my principal, terribly. I realize now that my exhaustion these past few years greatly limited my ability to enjoy people and friends. I miss her very much! She truly looked out for us. She is happy though in her new position as superintendent of Douglas Public Schools, and I am happy for her. Things are changing on my school front faster than I can keep up. With an interim principal, the school is running itself. We begin with a new principal this coming week. He doesn't have the experience and background that Sheila has in education, but hopefully he will be able to realign the cohesive group community that existed once at our school. Right now, it is divided into small opinionated groups. I wonder if that's the norm when a long term principal leaves.
The summer heat is still hanging on in Arizona, but it's bearable because we all know that soon our 9 months of heavenly weather will begin! Can't wait! The days are certainly shorter as is witnessed by my grass.
I LOVE teaching again!!! The students are wonderful and my 4th grade teaching associates are also. Although it was somewhat of a battle, I managed to get into a room that is next to the 4th grade teachers. YEA! I can't express enough my gratitude for that move. One of these master teachers has been my saving grace since August.
Settling into a new system of schedules and routines has been constant and tiring. It's very much like first year teaching in that my materials and supplies were initially non existent. I have spent an exhorbatant amount of money trying to get settled in and provide my students with what they need to learn. I have questioned many times since August, the criticisms teachers bear in education.
There's something wrong with a public education system that evaluates teachers on student progress, yet doesn't provide teachers with the monies or materials to do an excelling job. Hence...major burnout, and poor attitude!! No wonder so many teachers leave the profession within the first 3 years. I am closing in on $1,000 of personal money spent providing my students with supplies, materials and reinforcements for learning, and I've only been at it for 9 weeks. I work until 6 pm most nights and 1 to 2 full days on the weekends. Part of that is typical for special education teachers, as our paperwork only increases year to year, but I wonder about the inequity. General ed teachers work just as hard, only on different types of paperwork.
My years of experience have been my saving grace as far as self-confidence goes. I know I have what it takes to teaching these students.
I have changed job descriptions in a year where my special ed. dept. was given no budget for materials or warehouse monies. I did, however request district special ed curriculum to get started and received a skeleton of teaching resources. I had a lot of materials from when I taught resource many years ago, but most was out dated. I'm catching up quickly though.
I still love teaching, it's why I went into education. I have never regretted being with one single student.
I spent most of the summer trying to get healthy again. These past two years have been beyond stressful for me and I'm sad to say I let my body get to a dangerous level of neglect. But, I'm on my way to complete recovery except for this dang cold I just caught.
I began an exercise program that I think will shape me up. Of course, I have to do it, don't I? I have lost 10 pounds through careful eating habits, so that's encouraging, but I have more to go. You know what people say about losing weight when you're older, well...it's all true. It's much more difficult. Much more!
All in all, I am happy now and my family is doing well. Darryl and Chell are heading on an anniversary trip to Savannah, Georgia for a week. They took the boys to California for a week this summer and now, it's their turn to relax. Michelle is back in college and heading toward a degree in public communication. My mother is doing well also.
So, until my next entry, ...All is good in the fall of 2010!!!
