Whew!!!! Made it to spring break!

[Spectre]

We're off for a week. Our break came a bit later than most and that made the stretch from MLK day to now even more difficult.


Everyone was so ready for a break. :mad:

I have most likely made this year sound worse than it really is. The students we have are actually better than last year, but the issues we've had, while fewer, have been a bit more problematic.

There is talk of yet another teacher assault, this one, of all places, over on our 6th grade hall. Not sure if much of anything was done about that one either, although I cannot believe administration would be foolhardy enough to try that now.

In my case, the court date for the student who assaulted me is indeed wednesday, next week. That will obligate me to interrupt my spring break vacation in the mountains to return home for that. As some have pointed out to me, to not show up means the charges get dropped and gives possible validation to the initial assessment of our former resource officer, that the incident was my fault. Well, at least, it could be viewed like that. I am leaving no room for error or interpretation.:p

NCAE, which has really been in my corner on this, thinks I am doing the right thing in coming back. I feel a bit resentful as I see this as my being punished and I also see it as a ploy by someone to get this kid off scott free. There are elements in my school who would do that and juvenile authorities have been known to do that too.

Not gonna happen.:(

I hope everyone here isn't getting the mistaken idea that I am anti-minority or anti-poor kid. I am neither. I just don't think I or any other teacher ought to take abuse. My main problem with my current school is that it is mired in a culture of low expectations. Oh yes, they talk about raising the bar, about demanding more, but while they talk the talk, they do not walk the walk - not in the slightest. :?


That is the greatest reason I need to be someplace else.:D

[jsfowler]

I also have survived to enjoy my Spring Break. Today, the students were crazy but we made it.

[Ima Teacher]

I've got one more week until spring break.

I think I'll make it.

I've always thought that the kids are worse before spring break than before they're out for the summer. Everyone in the building is testy.

[Coach]

Is it June yet?

[busbus]

We've had our Spring Break - :mad:

Even though I regret that it came early and that it is now over, I'm grateful that, indeed, we did have the break. I remember when we had no Spring Break because of the blizzard of '96. We lost every "break and holiday" after that. The school year extended to the end of June. That was a looooooooooong year! I hope that we never see that one again. So, I won't complain (too much)! ;)

Those of you on Spring Break now, have fun, relax and enjoy.

[nandz238]

I still have to wait 3 more weeks... :(

[Spectre]

I still have to wait 3 more weeks... :(

Durn! It will almost be summer by then! :D

[MsCoffeeLover]

Spectre, I am glad it is spring break for you. It has been a tough year. Soak up every minute of that free and quiet time while you have it.

Our spring break was two weeks ago. I closed on a house on a Thursday, but my brother in law had a vasectomy, and we couldn't move until Saturday and Sunday. All that apartment and new home stuff was taken care of, and then spring break was over. There wasn't a chance to rest at all.

Last week was a blur for me because I was in a new house and a new area and couldn't find anything. Alarm clocks didn't want to do what they were supposed to do so I woke up later than usually many days. Nothing seem to be done right the first time, AND I HAD NO COFFEE!! There are a lot of light switches and outlets that work from a variety of areas, and I still don't know exactly where everything is. I hit the wall trying to find the light switch. Everything I picked up I dropped more than once. I have a four poster cherry rice bed that I put together wrong and had to rebuild. One of the posts hit me in the head. Amidst all of this, I ended up putting hazelnut creamer in my cereal, and that was not a pleasant surprise. When I finally managed to recover and put milk in the cereal, I ended up putting milk in the pantry. Then I had a flat tire after I had already taken the car to get the tire fixed, so there is probably more than one leak. The cable modem needed to be returned, and I got lost trying to find it. I never did find it, and waited until today to return it to the comcast on the other side of town where I was familiar. There is a delightful trail in my neighborhood, so I went to walk it only to discover there seems to be no end to it and had to turn around because I was then in an unknown neighborhood. On a lighter note, I had coffee with me as I walked and it made for an alert morning.

Last week was the most disorganized and frazzled week of my life, and as an organized person, it is even harder to adjust. However, there is a huge garden tub in the new place, and Mr. Bubble and that tub are my new friends. There are lots of kids in this neighborhood, and as I took my stroll this morning, despite the rough week, I was really happy I live in this place.

I also found the local Publix and bought two pints of Ben and Jerry's Mint Chocolate Cookie. Several trips to several different grocery stores produced Ben and Jerry's, but no mint chocolate cookie.

This weekend is my spring break, and it feels good. Shoot! Last week was so frazzled that I told the kids my story and asked them to take it easy on me, and they did.

[jsfowler]

Have a great weekend, MsCoffeeLover! Congrats on the new house. I bet it is amazing.

On a side note...I spoke with one of my friends that I had not seen in a while. She is now a professor (psychology, I think she said) and lives in Charleston. She said it is the best place in the world and she never wants to leave.

[MsCoffeeLover]

Thank you, jsfowler.

Charleston is a wonderful place. It is known as the city of hospitality and voted one of the most romantic cities in the United States. I think I have a power point if anyone wants one .

[jsfowler]

Good, I am glad it is a romantic city...she needs it. She is very picky! She has been so dedicated to her education that she now sees the light at the end of the tunnel. I am hoping she can find someone. Her family is here and she is there by herself.

[Bananas]

I hope everyone here isn't getting the mistaken idea that I am anti-minority or anti-poor kid. I am neither. I just don't think I or any other teacher ought to take abuse. My main problem with my current school is that it is mired in a culture of low expectations. Oh yes, they talk about raising the bar, about demanding more, but while they talk the talk, they do not walk the walk - not in the slightest. :?


That is the greatest reason I need to be someplace else.:D

Two thoughts here. Standing up for the safety of all, not just your won, is not a matter of race or class status. It is on taking care of yourself and your environment. This, in turn, conveys that the other person should have enough respect for him/herself through behavior and interactions with the environment.

Second, it can be daunting to me in being overwhelmed with the big picture in how things should be and where they currently at. It makes it difficult to walk the talk. Pardon the pun, but this is where baby steps come in handy. Don't try to solve the entire problem. Take one step toward it. Build upon the first step. Keep plugging away. You are not even seeing the slightest effort, Spectre.

As always, good luck! I will be thinking of you Wednesday.

[Spectre]

Last week was a blur for me because I was in a new house and a new area and couldn't find anything. Alarm clocks didn't want to do what they were supposed to do so I woke up later than usually many days. Nothing seem to be done right the first time, AND I HAD NO COFFEE!! There are a lot of light switches and outlets that work from a variety of areas, and I still don't know exactly where everything is. I hit the wall trying to find the light switch. Everything I picked up I dropped more than once. I have a four poster cherry rice bed that I put together wrong and had to rebuild. One of the posts hit me in the head. Amidst all of this, I ended up putting hazelnut creamer in my cereal, and that was not a pleasant surprise. When I finally managed to recover and put milk in the cereal, I ended up putting milk in the pantry. Then I had a flat tire after I had already taken the car to get the tire fixed, so there is probably more than one leak. The cable modem needed to be returned, and I got lost trying to find it. I never did find it, and waited until today to return it to the comcast on the other side of town where I was familiar. There is a delightful trail in my neighborhood, so I went to walk it only to discover there seems to be no end to it and had to turn around because I was then in an unknown neighborhood. On a lighter note, I had coffee with me as I walked and it made for an alert morning.

Last week was the most disorganized and frazzled week of my life, and as an organized person, it is even harder to adjust. However, there is a huge garden tub in the new place, and Mr. Bubble and that tub are my new friends. There are lots of kids in this neighborhood, and as I took my stroll this morning, despite the rough week, I was really happy I live in this place.

.

LOL!!!! Sorry, but I hurt myself laughing as I read your post. I KNOW it wasn't funny for you, as it happened, but your description produced mental images in my mind and I nearly tumbled out of my chair from laughing - literally!!!

Glad things worked out for you! :D

[Spectre]

Two thoughts here. Standing up for the safety of all, not just your won, is not a matter of race or class status. It is on taking care of yourself and your environment. This, in turn, conveys that the other person should have enough respect for him/herself through behavior and interactions with the environment.

Second, it can be daunting to me in being overwhelmed with the big picture in how things should be and where they currently at. It makes it difficult to walk the talk. Pardon the pun, but this is where baby steps come in handy. Don't try to solve the entire problem. Take one step toward it. Build upon the first step. Keep plugging away. You are not even seeing the slightest effort, Spectre.

As always, good luck! I will be thinking of you Wednesday.

Thanks for your kind words, but it will take more than me and my actions to better things at my current school. I fear it will take a makeover to even begin to address the problems there.

Meantime, I attended another job fair this morning and will be visiting with three mountains school systems this coming week as well as with two charter schools.

It may be selfish, but I am saving #1 this time....

[Oak Tree]

Spectre

I didn't see the thread where you mentioned being assualted. Were you hurt badly?



ps
No private messages here???

[jsfowler]

Yes, you can send a PM. I go in through my user control panel. There may be an easier way. On some sites you can just click on their name, but I don't think that is avaliable here.

[jsfowler]

I stand corrected...when I click on some of the names it asks me if I want to send a PM to them...other names do not do that.

[busbus]

I hope everyone here isn't getting the mistaken idea that I am anti-minority or anti-poor kid. I am neither. I just don't think I or any other teacher ought to take abuse. My main problem with my current school is that it is mired in a culture of low expectations. Oh yes, they talk about raising the bar, about demanding more, but while they talk the talk, they do not walk the walk - not in the slightest. :?


Spectre,

From day one on this site and reading your posts, it never crossed my mind that you were anti-minority or anti-poor kid. I admired the fact that your posts suggested that you were an advocate for all of your students. So, never think that you could be mistaken to be anti-minority or anti-poor kid!

I feel that you have given your school the best that you could. Now, it's time to look out for yourself. If you don't, nobody will. That school will continue to function without you. Perhaps another caring educator will replace you or you might be replaced by an uncaring person who is only working for a paycheck. But, that's not your problem.

Continue having high expectations for our students. You are connecting with many of them. Those who resist? Too bad! You can only do so much!

Have a wonderful vacation, good luck on Wednesday and I hope that things work out for you at your interviews and at the job fairs.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE SELFISH! :)

[MsCoffeeLover]

LOL!!!! Sorry, but I hurt myself laughing as I read your post. I KNOW it wasn't funny for you, as it happened, but your description produced mental images in my mind and I nearly tumbled out of my chair from laughing - literally!!!

Glad things worked out for you! :D

Thanks! Glad you found it funny as it is really funny when you look back on it. Everyone at work could see that last week was just not the week for me. Everyone took it easy on me last week. Even the kids.

Y'all got the consensed version of the story because that is all I can remember. It was just a week of whatever could go wrong did, and that happens every now and again.

Spectre, be a little selfish. Of course, I have to take heed of my own advice.

We are all TOO YOUNG to have to deal with any of this. I don't care what your age is.