My kids took a district-wide math assessment. Although a few kids did well, most kids in my class did very poorly. I'm feeling very discouraged. I further embarassed myself by crying in front of colleagues in my room. I'm just feeling helpless. I'm certainly not a perfect teacher, but I know I'm a good teacher. I don't know what to do differently.
We'll start fresh again tomorrow...
Monday, January 22, 2007
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Dinner
Why is dinner a battle?
Shouldn't it be something to enjoy?
Isn't food good?
Not to my four year old.
To her --
Food is a battle.
Something to be fought over
Like boundaries or toys.
Sitting at the table
All by herself
30 minutes later.
B: Am I done yet?
M: Is your belly full?
B: Can I have my milk?
M: Not until you finish that part over there.
Sitting at the table
All by herself
30 minutes later.
Shouldn't it be something to enjoy?
Isn't food good?
Not to my four year old.
To her --
Food is a battle.
Something to be fought over
Like boundaries or toys.
Sitting at the table
All by herself
30 minutes later.
B: Am I done yet?
M: Is your belly full?
B: Can I have my milk?
M: Not until you finish that part over there.
Sitting at the table
All by herself
30 minutes later.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Conversation at "Big" B's House
H: Mom, Does Jacob have a penis and a vagina?
Mel: He's a boy. He has a penis.
H: You're a girl right?
Mel: Yes, I'm a girl.
H: You have a vagina right?
Mel: Yes, I have a vagina.
H: Is Betsy a girl?
Mel: Yes.
(At this point I was waiting for the seemingly inevitable question, but she switched gears.)
H: (pointing to T) Does he have a penis?
At this point my entire body is shaking and there are tears running down my face. I can't answer H. All I can do is run out of the room.
Later at home...
H is on the potty. She looks down and says: I have a vagina.
Mel: Yes you do. But we should only talk about penises and vaginas in private, at home with Mommy and Daddy.
H: I don't need privacy right now.
Mel: That's okay. But we only talk about penises and vaginas at home. We don't talk about them at other people's houses or at stores.
H: Just Auntie Elaine's right?
Mel: Not at Auntie Elaine's, just at home.
H: okay
I'm doomed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o)
Mel: He's a boy. He has a penis.
H: You're a girl right?
Mel: Yes, I'm a girl.
H: You have a vagina right?
Mel: Yes, I have a vagina.
H: Is Betsy a girl?
Mel: Yes.
(At this point I was waiting for the seemingly inevitable question, but she switched gears.)
H: (pointing to T) Does he have a penis?
At this point my entire body is shaking and there are tears running down my face. I can't answer H. All I can do is run out of the room.
Later at home...
H is on the potty. She looks down and says: I have a vagina.
Mel: Yes you do. But we should only talk about penises and vaginas in private, at home with Mommy and Daddy.
H: I don't need privacy right now.
Mel: That's okay. But we only talk about penises and vaginas at home. We don't talk about them at other people's houses or at stores.
H: Just Auntie Elaine's right?
Mel: Not at Auntie Elaine's, just at home.
H: okay
I'm doomed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o)
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Craziness
R's new job is definitely a good thing. He's coming home happy every night, I really think he's going to love it. I couldn't ask for anything more than that... but I'll be much happier once things settle down a bit.
First of all, his hours are all over the place, and will be until the second week of February. We've been spoiled since "little" B was born, we haven't had to stress about childcare. But now we're constantly trying to throw things together. Aaaaaaaaaaah! The end of January, beginning of February will be full time days for him. I have no idea how we'll get B to school each day.
His boss clearly doesn't have kids. He was supposed to be in training all day today and tomorrow. We had arranged babysitting for that time. Even got my mom to drive B to school and my brother to watch H while she did that. But last night, his boss happened to mention that the training is now Tuesday and Wednesday! Are you kidding?
Don't get me wrong. I know it will all work out in the end. This is very temporary and we'll jump through whatever hoops because it's all for a good reason. But I can't help but look forward to February 9.
First of all, his hours are all over the place, and will be until the second week of February. We've been spoiled since "little" B was born, we haven't had to stress about childcare. But now we're constantly trying to throw things together. Aaaaaaaaaaah! The end of January, beginning of February will be full time days for him. I have no idea how we'll get B to school each day.
His boss clearly doesn't have kids. He was supposed to be in training all day today and tomorrow. We had arranged babysitting for that time. Even got my mom to drive B to school and my brother to watch H while she did that. But last night, his boss happened to mention that the training is now Tuesday and Wednesday! Are you kidding?
Don't get me wrong. I know it will all work out in the end. This is very temporary and we'll jump through whatever hoops because it's all for a good reason. But I can't help but look forward to February 9.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Let me tell you about my day...
It all started around 11:25. There was the dreaded blinking light on my phone at school. That rarely means anything good. Turns out it was R. Poor guy -- first day of his new job, and he's locked his keys in the car. Fortunately his new job is in the same town as my school. I was more than happy to unlock the car for him.
I dutifully unlocked his car and took out his keys. I gave them to the lady at the front desk and headed back to school.
Fast forward a few hours. Now I'm in a meeting with several colleagues and a parent. The secretary knocks on the door and asks to see me. "Your husband called. He asked me to page you."
Needless to say, R never asks for me to be paged. He knows better. It definitely was something important. You'll never believe what it was. When I grabbed the keys he had locked in his car, I only grabbed half -- the wrong half. Turns out he had separated his car keys from the rest of the ring, so he wouldn't have to lug all his keys around in his pocket. I didn't realize this. I grabbed the ring without the car keys. (Who knew?)
So R called me at 2:20 -- still locked out of his car. But now I'm in a meeting and I can't leave. Thank God for B. She drove to his new job so he could drive home.
One would think the story ended here -- Nope. I left school at 4:30 to head to Costco, and then home. I'm driving on the highway, 60 mph in the third lane. I hear a loud, bizarre noise and almost lose control of my van. I carefully make my way over to the breakdown lane. I have a flat tire.
It's not so helpful that I'm the last person on the planet not to own a cell phone. So I hung out on the side of the highway waiting for someone to stop. A state policeman soon came by, I borrowed his cell phone and called R.
Fortunately, I have amazing in-laws and they have AAA. (Did I mention that I had let our coverage lapse this fall?) I got picked up, R brought the girls to their house and everything got taken care of.
Fast forward a few hours. We've eaten dinner, the girls played, we're heading home for bed. You'll never believe this - R can't find the keys to the Explorer. We looked everywhere - seven times each. He had my set - but not his.
Turns out they were home on the desk, where he'd left them. I just shook my head. Is it Tuesday yet?
P.S. For those of you who now think my husband is nuts, this is totally out of character for him. It's actually more in character for me. In the twelve years we've been together, I frequently have had to call him to get me out of a jam. I don't think I've ever had to do this for him.
I'd like the roles to go back now...
I dutifully unlocked his car and took out his keys. I gave them to the lady at the front desk and headed back to school.
Fast forward a few hours. Now I'm in a meeting with several colleagues and a parent. The secretary knocks on the door and asks to see me. "Your husband called. He asked me to page you."
Needless to say, R never asks for me to be paged. He knows better. It definitely was something important. You'll never believe what it was. When I grabbed the keys he had locked in his car, I only grabbed half -- the wrong half. Turns out he had separated his car keys from the rest of the ring, so he wouldn't have to lug all his keys around in his pocket. I didn't realize this. I grabbed the ring without the car keys. (Who knew?)
So R called me at 2:20 -- still locked out of his car. But now I'm in a meeting and I can't leave. Thank God for B. She drove to his new job so he could drive home.
One would think the story ended here -- Nope. I left school at 4:30 to head to Costco, and then home. I'm driving on the highway, 60 mph in the third lane. I hear a loud, bizarre noise and almost lose control of my van. I carefully make my way over to the breakdown lane. I have a flat tire.
It's not so helpful that I'm the last person on the planet not to own a cell phone. So I hung out on the side of the highway waiting for someone to stop. A state policeman soon came by, I borrowed his cell phone and called R.
Fortunately, I have amazing in-laws and they have AAA. (Did I mention that I had let our coverage lapse this fall?) I got picked up, R brought the girls to their house and everything got taken care of.
Fast forward a few hours. We've eaten dinner, the girls played, we're heading home for bed. You'll never believe this - R can't find the keys to the Explorer. We looked everywhere - seven times each. He had my set - but not his.
Turns out they were home on the desk, where he'd left them. I just shook my head. Is it Tuesday yet?
P.S. For those of you who now think my husband is nuts, this is totally out of character for him. It's actually more in character for me. In the twelve years we've been together, I frequently have had to call him to get me out of a jam. I don't think I've ever had to do this for him.
I'd like the roles to go back now...
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Impossible
Going to bed on time I mean. I swore to myself that I'd be in bed by 11:00 tonight. Here it is 11:46 and I'm just heading in.
I know, I know... I shouldn't be on the computer. But I haven't been. Everything I've done tonight are have-tos. And I'm just finishing.
I guess I thought I'd take a minute to complain. :o) Good night!
I know, I know... I shouldn't be on the computer. But I haven't been. Everything I've done tonight are have-tos. And I'm just finishing.
I guess I thought I'd take a minute to complain. :o) Good night!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Fun!
It was date night tonight, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. R enjoyed it mostly. :o) (The only reason he didn't enjoy it thoroughly is that the first half was spent shopping for clothes - for him. He HATES that. So I know he didn't enjoy that part. :o)
After shopping we went to Friday's for drinks and apps. The music was fun, the football game was on. It felt like old times. (Before kids I mean. :o) We both had a couple of drinks and just talked. We had a great waiter, the food was yummy (I LOVED the onion strings) and it was just plain fun.
On the way home we started reminiscing. We drove by Fessenden and remembered a sledding catastrophe we had there. One night (long before we had the girls) I convinced him to go sledding. (He didn't want to go - basically, I made him.) Well, I convinced him, but then we couldn't find a sled. We finally found our old sled at my aunt's house, but it was deflated.
As I'm sure you can guess, R spent the next 20 minutes outside, in the cold, blowing up the tube. (I have asthma -- I can't do such things. :o) Finally, the sled is blown up and we're at the top of the hill. We're a distance away from other sledders, but we just think we're smarter than they are. We jump on and start sledding. Within two seconds, R bounces off the back. I laugh, but just for a second. Because then the sled suddenly stops in its tracks, but I keep going.
So now I'm 3/4 of the way down the hill, lying in the snow. The sled is only halfway down the hill -- in shreds. I had no idea what happened, but I was laughing so hard, I couldn't walk. Really, I couldn't even stand up. I had to pee -- bad.
Ronnie wasn't laughing, he was growling. He had just spent 20 minutes blowing up a sled for 20 seconds of fun.
Turns out the other sledders were much smarter than us. We had chosen to sled on this drainage point. It was sheer rock ledge. The rock popped the sled. No more sledding. :o(
P.S. As we drove home tonight, we drove by that spot. Like I said, we started reminiscing. Well, I had a few drinks at Friday's. I started laughing hard - really hard. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. :o)
After shopping we went to Friday's for drinks and apps. The music was fun, the football game was on. It felt like old times. (Before kids I mean. :o) We both had a couple of drinks and just talked. We had a great waiter, the food was yummy (I LOVED the onion strings) and it was just plain fun.
On the way home we started reminiscing. We drove by Fessenden and remembered a sledding catastrophe we had there. One night (long before we had the girls) I convinced him to go sledding. (He didn't want to go - basically, I made him.) Well, I convinced him, but then we couldn't find a sled. We finally found our old sled at my aunt's house, but it was deflated.
As I'm sure you can guess, R spent the next 20 minutes outside, in the cold, blowing up the tube. (I have asthma -- I can't do such things. :o) Finally, the sled is blown up and we're at the top of the hill. We're a distance away from other sledders, but we just think we're smarter than they are. We jump on and start sledding. Within two seconds, R bounces off the back. I laugh, but just for a second. Because then the sled suddenly stops in its tracks, but I keep going.
So now I'm 3/4 of the way down the hill, lying in the snow. The sled is only halfway down the hill -- in shreds. I had no idea what happened, but I was laughing so hard, I couldn't walk. Really, I couldn't even stand up. I had to pee -- bad.
Ronnie wasn't laughing, he was growling. He had just spent 20 minutes blowing up a sled for 20 seconds of fun.
Turns out the other sledders were much smarter than us. We had chosen to sled on this drainage point. It was sheer rock ledge. The rock popped the sled. No more sledding. :o(
P.S. As we drove home tonight, we drove by that spot. Like I said, we started reminiscing. Well, I had a few drinks at Friday's. I started laughing hard - really hard. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. :o)
Friday, January 05, 2007
Dizziness
I'm really, really dizzy. I don't mean that dizziness that is my life - running from school to home, to girls, to dinner. to school work, to bed and start all over again. Not that kind of dizziness.
I mean physical dizzyness. It's been going on since about 1:00 this afternoon. Everything feels like it's spinning. I'm getting nauseous. I hope I don't have a bug.
Yuck!
I mean physical dizzyness. It's been going on since about 1:00 this afternoon. Everything feels like it's spinning. I'm getting nauseous. I hope I don't have a bug.
Yuck!
Thursday, January 04, 2007
This post is dedicated to Nicole
I guess I have more readers than I thought! Nicole has been faithfully checking my blog, only to find that I haven't posted since November! Oops! I guess I'll try to get back into it. If not, what will Nicole do with her time????
Tonight I went to a holiday party for school. There was a Yankee Swap. It was a pretty tame year in terms of gifts. But there was this obnoxious rubber chicken! Somebody actually traded to get it! I couldn't believe it... :o)
It's nice to spend time with my colleagues talking about something other than school. Although I have to say, I really enjoy when some colleagues do impressions of their kids - VERY funny.
Off to watch CSI. I guess Grissom's leaving. :o(
Tonight I went to a holiday party for school. There was a Yankee Swap. It was a pretty tame year in terms of gifts. But there was this obnoxious rubber chicken! Somebody actually traded to get it! I couldn't believe it... :o)
It's nice to spend time with my colleagues talking about something other than school. Although I have to say, I really enjoy when some colleagues do impressions of their kids - VERY funny.
Off to watch CSI. I guess Grissom's leaving. :o(
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