"Dear Diary..."

my little ducks

although I felt like crap, I subbed for my little first graders today.
I referred to them as my little ducks when trying to keep them in line, and they all thought that was pretty funny.
but when I tried to make them line up in a different order, this was not funny.
they always line up, aphabetically, by their last name.
well, today I thought it would be "fun" to line up alphabetically by their first name, and you would have thought I had asked some of them to chew on broken glass!
Abigail didn't mind at all, but Tommy was terribly put out.
I guess there's a certain amount of status attached to being at the head of the line.
I've never quite understood that.
it's like drivers who frantically pass you, just to be stopped at the next stop light
anyway, I stuck to my guns, told them it was only this one time, and they successfully figured it out, helping each other a bit, and placing themselves in the correct order.
lesson learned: first graders do not like change.
one little guy has recently been taken off his ADD meds by his mother, and he's a handful!
but he's very sweet.
just can't stay in his seat, stay on task, for very long.
I got very tired of calling his name every couple of minutes, but I kept reminding myself that this was not his fault, and it was nothing that he was doing on purpose.
as opposed to the little girl who deliberately does what I ask her not to do, and then rolls her eyes and flips her hair when she's reprimanded.
(can't wait to see her at 15!)
all in all, it was a good day, I didn't have recess duty, no one cried (even me), and the hugs at the end of the day are quite special.
later,
Mrs. O'R

herding cats

one of the non-resolutions I made at the beginning of the year was to find more ways to supplement our income.
basically, I had to get a job.
I did not want to completely abandon my artistic endeavors, but it was obvious that I could not help support us the way that I want to with what I had been making at art shows, selling on the internet, etc.
we all know it, and feel it - the economy sucks right now.
so, I began the long, drawn-out process of getting transcripts from several institutions of "higher" learning, rewriting (and then rewriting again!) my resume, and digging in the archives for other long-forgotten pieces of important paper.
like my birth certificate, my teaching license, etc.
I applied at many places, but unless I was willing to work the night shift at WalMart (no WAY!), I wasn't getting anywhere.
this is a very tourist-driven economy up here in Door County, and winter is not the time to be looking for work.
then it dawned on me that I could renew my teaching license, with the intent of "subbing" in the public schools around here.
getting a renewed license proved to be quite costly, and required taking several courses.
(if I had the money to take classes, I wouldn't be applying for jobs!)
so I opted for the 5-year substitutes license, and when it finally arrived, began all the paperwork for applications to the school districts closest to home.
and yesterday, after an absence of more than 10 years, I got my first call back to the classroom.
I was scared to death, but once there, and all heck broke loose, I didn't have time to be afraid.
I didn't have time to pee.
a dozen first graders (Brenda, stop laughing!) were counting on me to guide them through their very hectic day.
as it turned out, I had made my return to teaching on the day of THE PROGRAM - the entire school was having a concert that evening, in conjunction with parent conferences and a month-long exploration on the topic of RESPECT.
so my day was a series of we-usually-do-this-now-but-because-of-the-program-we're-doing-this.
I can punt, no problem.
if I have a plan.
but my teacher had left no plan for me.
the other first grade teachers were great, a plan was eventually delivered, and we made it through calendar time, glittering the covers of our RESPECT booklets (I'm an artist, but I'll be honest, I don't do glitter - what a mess!), several bathroom breaks, recess duty (I even got a whistle!), lunch (the meat with sauce poured over institutional mashed potatos was quite mysterious), and with the help of a movie, the rest of the day until time for the rehearsal in the auditorium for THE PROGRAM.
ohmygosh, it was like herding cats!
but, I must admit, I enjoyed their little songs, with all the hand motions, and attempts to "get down" in a particularly jazzy number, entitled "Respect."
where was Aretha when we needed her?!?
the rehearsal went much longer than expected, but we made it back in time for Art class.
I was so excited - what a cool art room, great big tables to work on, and shelves piled high with boxes of stuff!
art stuff!
but, because of THE PROGRAM and conferences, all they were going to do for 40 minutes was clean.
so I went back to the classroom, and tried to straighten up the room a bit, and read through the math lesson I was to present when they got back.
before I knew it, the day was over, I helped them all with packing their backpacks, putting on snowpants (thank god for velcro!), and sent them on their way.
schools are off today, and I was glad I didn't have to wonder if the phone would ring at 6 a.m.
I was exhausted, but it's a good tired.
I really earned my 82 dollars yesterday, and today I can do art, at home.
but no glitter, please.
later,
Patty

herding cats

one of the non-resolutions I made at the beginning of the year was to find more ways to supplement our income.
basically, I had to get a job.
I did not want to completely abandon my artistic endeavors, but it was obvious that I could not help support us the way that I want to with what I had been making at art shows, selling on the internet, etc.
we all know it, and feel it - the economy sucks right now.
so, I began the long, drawn-out process of getting transcripts from several institutions of "higher" learning, rewriting (and then rewriting again!) my resume, and digging in the archives for other long-forgotten pieces of important paper.
like my birth certificate, my teaching license, etc.
I applied at many places, but unless I was willing to work the night shift at WalMart (no WAY!), I wasn't getting anywhere.
this is a very tourist-driven economy up here in Door County, and winter is not the time to be looking for work.
then it dawned on me that I could renew my teaching license, with the intent of "subbing" in the public schools around here.
getting a renewed license proved to be quite costly, and required taking several courses.
(if I had the money to take classes, I wouldn't be applying for jobs!)
so I opted for the 5-year substitutes license, and when it finally arrived, began all the paperwork for applications to the school districts closest to home.
and yesterday, after an absence of more than 10 years, I got my first call back to the classroom.
I was scared to death, but once there, and all heck broke loose, I didn't have time to be afraid.
I didn't have time to pee.
a dozen first graders (Brenda, stop laughing!) were counting on me to guide them through their very hectic day.
as it turned out, I had made my return to teaching on the day of THE PROGRAM - the entire school was having a concert that evening, in conjunction with parent conferences and a month-long exploration on the topic of RESPECT.
so my day was a series of we-usually-do-this-now-but-because-of-the-program-we're-doing-this.
I can punt, no problem.
if I have a plan.
but my teacher had left no plan for me.
the other first grade teachers were great, a plan was eventually delivered, and we made it through calendar time, glittering the covers of our RESPECT booklets (I'm an artist, but I'll be honest, I don't do glitter - what a mess!), several bathroom breaks, recess duty (I even got a whistle!), lunch (the meat with sauce poured over institutional mashed potatos was quite mysterious), and with the help of a movie, the rest of the day until time for the rehearsal in the auditorium for THE PROGRAM.
ohmygosh, it was like herding cats!
but, I must admit, I enjoyed their little songs, with all the hand motions, and attempts to "get down" in a particularly jazzy number, entitled "Respect."
where was Aretha when we needed her?!?
the rehearsal went much longer than expected, but we made it back in time for Art class.
I was so excited - what a cool art room, great big tables to work on, and shelves piled high with boxes of stuff!
art stuff!
but, because of THE PROGRAM and conferences, all they were going to do for 40 minutes was clean.
so I went back to the classroom, and tried to straighten up the room a bit, and read through the math lesson I was to present when they got back.
before I knew it, the day was over, I helped them all with packing their backpacks, putting on snowpants (thank god for velcro!), and sent them on their way.
schools are off today, and I was glad I didn't have to wonder if the phone would ring at 6 a.m.
I was exhausted, but it's a good tired.
I really earned my 82 dollars yesterday, and today I can do art, at home.
but no glitter, please.
later,
Patty