for only a moment

Tomorrow I am rearranging my classroom. It’s the last Friday of school this year. Then we go full days Monday and Tuesday then a half day Wednesday, although students only attend 1 hour on Wednesday. Today I did all my progress reports. Still need to proof them and pass them out. Also the checklist for the mentoring program. And the end of the year conference with the principal to "reflect".

I registered for a class tonight, the last one for my endorsement. It is from 5:30 to 9:00 two nights a week. Clint will have having the girls by himself two nights a week. They will go to preschool two mornings a week so I can do my homework. We’re planning a camping trip to a lake in Missouri with my brother and his family. Other than that, our summer is pretty much wide open. Oh, I’m potty training Clara the first couple weeks (hopefully she doesn’t thwart my plans. I’m tired of buying diapers!).

Clara begged today to go to the pool on our way home. She wanted to go on vacation to the pool and hot tub place. Spring Break at Great Wolf Lodge. She was super tired and cranky tonight. Hyper tired. Still making noise in her bed now. It’s 10:01. Yeesh.

So I really want to go out to the city to celebrate the end of the year. Most of my partying buddies hate going to the city for the expense but I like it. Not the expense, just the going out downtown. I’d love to go tomorrow night but probably would be more fun the following Friday when school is actually out, or sometime after that. 

The year has been good. Much like other first years in other places, with regard to being the new kid on the block. I am slow to make friends, or at least to feel like we are more than friendly coworkers. I really miss the teachers I grew close to at my old district. And the students. I like junior high better. I like having my own classroom. I like being seen as an actual teacher rather than mistaken for an aide. But I also like leaving work at work at 3:00 instead of bringing as much home. I like leaving and not looking back. But I miss my connections with coworkers and students. I miss feeling like I make an actual difference. It’s a lonelier job. For a loner.  It’s good for now when the girls are young and I need to be able to walk out of the room and focus on being a mom at home. My spanish is a lot better this year as I don’t have anyone to rely on to communicate with parents. I’m the one calling for other teachers and translating. I hope my Spanish doesn’t fade dramatically during the summer. I listen to a lot of music in Spanish so that will help. I don’t have time to take a second class, otherwise I’d take a Spanish class.

I’m looking forward to the summer to get the girls back into sleeping better (always a battle here, with the night wakings). I’m looking forward to getting more sleep myself. To having time to meet friends for lunch, having the energy to take the girls on outings, to swim, play, bike ride, go to the library and zoo with them. To share experiences and moments and get to know each other in a new way again. Now as toddlers/young children. Not babies. And naps. I’m looking forward to those too.

Yay summer

Have been busy since the trip to KS. I’ve gotten on the computer a few times, but haven’t written anything.

Today we picked up my best friend at the airport. She’s staying with us while Clint’s bowling tournament is going on. We have plans for some fun times this weekend but right now, it’s nap time. Everyone is resting…except Hannah.

I have an interview for a job on Tuesday. It’s at a school district I worked for a couple years ago, and it’s a different kind of bilingual program. It’s pull out. Which is alot easier on the teacher (the bilingual teacher) because you work with 2-5 kids in another teacher’s classroom. You bring the kids with you to your room and help  them with their work for their regular teacher, or do activities to help them with skills their learning in their regular class. There’s not as much planning involved and there’s no grading, not in the traditional sense. It’s more like trying to evaluate the child’s acquisition of English which often seems the same as his or her motivation, study skills, and responsibility. You don’t give daily grades, or average grades for the end of the quarter. It might work better for having a family llife while our kids are young. Plus, I enjoyed the people I worked with and I’d get to see some of them on a regular basis again.

Most boring post follows:

My day out was nice. I got a haircut. I browsed the clearance racks at Kohl’s. I did whatever I wanted. In the evening, we were both so excited about going out, that we didn’t know what to do, or where to go. Ended up at a little bar where Clint’s cousin works. Then went to his brother’s house after mainly to use the facility but ended up staying and playing some bacci ball. Got to see Sam and Jay, and I haven’t seen Sam for several weeks. Then Clint and I came home. It was good to get out. We needed some time together. We’ll go get the girls in a few hours. Maybe I’ll take a nap before then.

Give me a break. I’m typing one handed…  and I’m a tad dehydrated.