Ah, Tuesday...

Today was INFINITELY better. I didn't cry, and I didn't feel like quitting at the end of the day. (At least, not with the fervor that I did yesterday!)

At 7am on Tuesdays, the principal has mandated first-year teacher meetings. At first I moaned and groaned, but I went to the first one today (arriving 10 minutes late, of course), and it wasn't that bad. It was actually... helpful! We discovered other people (besides the principal) who are there to support us, and the principal even offered to come in and team-teach with us once in a while if we are uncertain of how a certain subject should run. We talked about rules and procedures, and it wasn't so bad. Seems ALL the other teachers are having the same problems I am (being overwhelmed, the class talking too much and being disrespectful, etc.). I'm also not the only one who keeps other jobs in mind! :) One of my newbie peers said to me today, "I can't wait until I marry my boyfriend, have kids, and never have to work again." While I wouldn't quite go to that extreme, at least we get sympathy from each other on the impossibility of a teacher's first year.

At the meeting, we were also told to be almost mean to the kids- to let them know that WE are in charge. While dictatorship isn't exactly my style, I was a lot harsher with the class today. The payoff? None yet. It seems that today helped a bit, though. We'll see in time.

Things of note today:

-One kid fell asleep almost ALL day; I had to wake him about every 3-4 minutes the WHOLE day. He also cried a lot and couldn't focus on his work. I have to call his parents after I write this.

-We're having our first 2 (!!) field trips in October!! :) I haven't told the class yet, because I still have to see if we're doing it by grade level (i.e., half the class going and a sub covering the other half), or if my whole class can go. Logistical nightmare, but I am looking forward to two field trips soon! They're also back-to-back Thursday/Friday, so that'll be nice! We'll see if I even can go on two in one week.

-First fire drill today. Went better than I had anticipated. We had to walk a LOOOONG way to get away from the school, so that ate up most of the kids' time in music. Bummer for me, but it worked out OK.

-Had the students clean up the classroom not once today, but twice. Boo yah. The custodian came in to clean, and I asked her how the room was. "It's better, " she said nonchalantly, and proceeded to talk about how she hates cleaning the cafeteria. Pah! The room looked AWESOME, woman!!

-Stopped in to see the 4th grade teacher next door... I was just trying to clear up field trip stuff, but she ended up telling me a lot more about her life, so I couldn't leave. An anticipated 5-minute visit with her quickly turned into a 45-minute one. The aforementioned custodian also popped in to clean and give her two (thousand) cents. Topics of the conversation: stabbing ex-boyfriends (one wanted to and one did), tattoos (each of them have 3), sex (let's not even GO there; these women are crazy!!), dying husbands (both lost a husband to an untimely death revolving around motorcycles), poisoning significant others (apparently one woman has a plant that is "untraceable" and odorless, colorless, and tasteless). I quickly took my leave, escaping (!) into my own classroom. Where am I??? was all I could think. I packed up my things as quickly as I could, and now I sit here, writing, preparing to go home and do all my grading/planning there. Eeesh!

That's it for today. OH!!!! No, it's not!! I finally got some good news today!! Turns out I will get an aide after all!!! The preschool teacher here right now only teaches it in the afternoon. She is going for her principalship, and needs hours with new teachers. Bada bing, bada boom!! She'll be helping me about EVERY morning for a few MONTHS!!!! It's a godsend!! The prinicpal said she had "reevaluated" my need for an aide, and found one for me! Ha! She also said that when the preschool teacher can no longer come in (if/when her preschool grows to where they need a morning and afternoon session), she'll help find me a volunteer or two to help out. THANK GOD!!!

Anyway, I MUST get home, grade, plan, run, eat, relax, and sleep. Peace!