Winter, this is for you! I have not posted lately for three reasons. The first is that I have been REALLY busy!! The second is that I haven't had anything positive to say, and it seems that all of my posts are nothing but me complaining. The third and final is because I didn't think anybody really read this thing.
Anywho...as I said earlier I have been very busy lately. It seems that I eat, sleep (when I have enough time), and go to school. I have even been neglecting Anna to the point that I take her to play at the playland at McDonald's just so that I can grade papers and not feel so guilty about it. For those of you who know what it is I am in my second semester of LaTAAP right now. For those of you who don't, it's basically a bunch of bull! During your first two years of teaching in Louisiana you have to go through a series of evaluations to obtain your state license. The evals themselves aren't so bad. I mean, it doesn't bother having someone in my classroom watching me teach because if there is something that I am doing wrong I want someone to correct me rather than have me keep doing it wrong. BUT there is a portfolio that we have to put together that is nothing but crap!! I have to have all of these official documents showing how I complete all of the requirments of the portfolio which are stupid. Anyway, even my administration says it is nothing but busy work...boy does it keep you busy!
On top of that I am the only experienced 6th grade math teacher we have this year...and I'm only a second year teacher. Here I am trying to show them how our school runs as well as how the comprehensive curriculum works. I feel stupid..I mean I am still learning myself yet I am teaching others how to do it. LOL!
And on top of that, our school is giving benchmark exams at the end of each 9 weeks b/c it is part of our school improvment plan. This exam has been so stressful. We as teachers were responsible of making a leap like exam that aligned with our objectives for that 9 weeks. Needless to say, teachers that have lots more experience than me were crying daily and threating to quit and they aren't going through LaTAAP or teaching new teachers like I am. So...all I can say is that I have been STRESSED!
So...do you see now why I have not posted? I try to be optimisic but lately it is hard. I love teaching but it just seems that everything is on me right now at once. Only about two more weeks and I will have this whole LaTAAP thing behind me, we just finished giving our 9 weeks exam so I only have grading left, and the new teachers have now caught on. WOW...there is an end in sight!!
Among all of this stress and crap though I did get a raise and new car!! Boy, is it overdue for that car. We have been looking for months but have not found anything we wanted in our budget. I finally gave up looking and just went out and bought one. I found it and called Justin. I told him if he wanted to see it before I bought it he needed to come there right away. I did not trade my car in though. My brother is driving it right now, but will have his car back soon. So, if anyone wants a 2000 ford escort with 95000 miles and half a bumper let me know...LOL! I will leave you with a pic of my wonderful car!! Maybe my next post will be more uplifting! Sorry!