So I think I am finally in the right state of mind to write again. I have sat down a few times since school started waaaay back in August to write an update on my blog, but my mindset was never right. I was either exhausted and cynical, too tired to type, or I just couldn’t articulate what I wanted to say in less than 5,000 words. But my life has settled, my sleep schedule has regulated, and I think I’m good to write again, so I’ll give you the short-sweet-and-much-condensed version of the last few months of my life.
I began my first year as a teacher by accepting my first real coaching position. Can you say crazy? No one at EWU told me not to commute and coach my first year, but I’ve never been one to jump in half-heatedly, so for the first EIGHT weeks of school, I coached middle school volleyball. Did I love it? Yes. Did I love the time commitment? No. I was leaving my house at 6:30 after hastily dragging my butt out of bed at about 6:10 and not walking in my door again until 7:30 on a night that I didn’t have a game. Game nights were hours later. However, I had fun, my girls were great, and I decided that I’ll probably do it again. When I had hard days at school with cranky students, my volleyball girls were ALWAYS excited for practice. It was also nice to have them tell me how much they loved me and how great I was all the time. J Before I graduated from high school, I told everyone I know that I wanted to graduate from Eastern in four years, teach English at a small rural school, and coach volleyball. Well, guess who did just that? THIS GIRL.
I am teaching one period of 7th grade (thank goodness because I couldn’t handle two!), two periods of 10th grade, and two periods of 11th grade. I generally have good kids. Even though I do things differently than their other teachers and have them do a lot of work in class, they tell me they still like it and they are learning. One day after I passed back the monstrous stack of papers I was accidently hording, a 10th grade girl made the comment, “We have done A LOT in this class this year!” I replied with, “Yep. But do you feel like you are learning?” To which she responded, “Yeah, I am. We do a lot, but this is the best English class I have ever had and I’m actually learning things.” Notice the DIRECT QUOTES. I was so ecstatic at that compliment that I remember it verbatim. It’s good to know I’m doing something right at least some of the time.
So it’s Thanksgiving week, I am done with my work week at 3:30, and I get to go home and spend FIVE glorious days without driving an hour to work, seeing 100 kids, or answering 1,000 questions. I love my job, but I am ready for some time to laze around, cook some good food, and spend time with the people that I love. I think I’ll “accidently” forget the stack of papers waiting for me to grade on my desk and give myself a real break. Or I’ll just take them home and leave them in the car all weekend….We’ll see how I feel when my 6th period leaves.
Happy Almost Turkey Day!
