The end is in sight

So, faithful readers, the school internet is back up, however temporarily. My kids have just left for library and computer, so I have a teeny bit of down-time before I get the rest of my work done.

So, to update: the school has finished its dreaded AIMS testing, meaning the school year is coming to a close. We have just over a month left (29 more school days left, but who's counting?), and the kids are starting to get even antsier. As an aside, we were *supposed* to have the 4th graders do a pilot version of the Science AIMS test (it was traditionally only for reading, writing, and math), but the Arizona Department of Education lost the tests! Ha! My 4th graders are off the hook for the test, thank goodness. (Gotta love incompetence, right?)

Anyway, times are still pretty rough. I'm finishing the year on anti-depressants, which I hope to discontinue as soon as the last student leaves on May 30. It's difficult getting up in the morning, so I habitually show up just 15 minutes before school starts. (We're supposed to be here half an hour beforehand.) I figure that since I usually stay 'til 7 or 8 anyway, it doesn't really matter what time I get here, as long as I'm prepared for the day.

The class, as usual, is driving me absolutely crazy. However, there is solace in commiserating with other teachers. One of the other newbies, completely fed up with her bunch, has taken drastic measures. Apparently, yesterday morning, she split her class into two groups: those who put forth an effort and try to learn, and those who don't. She placed the "slackers" in the back of the classroom, telling them, "I don't care what you do, but do NOT interfere with the students who want to learn." The students who try are in the front. Though this seems inherently wrong to me, it is an awfully tempting idea. I hate the fact that it's so easy to just give up on students (and I never had dreamed I'd do so). It just gets to a point where the "trouble" students a.) do whatever they can to piss you off, b.) sit there and do absolutely nothing, or c.) actively try to get kicked out of class each day. What the heck do I do?? They don't care about lunch detentions; their parents just get angry if I call with bad news (and I'm sure little good comes of that); the principal does NOTHING to help in these situations... So I'm left angry and ineffective. Powerless.

Case in point: We have this brilliant new method of getting our students on the buses. For some reason, it seemed like a good idea to line up ALL the kids outside on the playground and have them get on their buses in HUGE lines. It's a nightmare. For about 10 minutes at the end of the day, all the teachers in the school are herding all 350 students. Yuck. Anyway, my (self-chosen) "job" is to stand by one of the tetherball poles, telling students not to touch the ball or rope. (The kids are jam-packed near the tetherball, and if someone were to hit it, people would definitely get hit.) One of my students (who's been driving me CRAZY lately) blatantly defied me. When my back was turned (for literally 3 seconds), he took the ball and BAM! hit it as hard as he could. I whirled around, furious, and said, "I told you not to touch the ball and-" before I could continue, I got pelted in the side of the head with the ball. I was absolutely livid (and in pain). "That's why you don't hit the ball! You've got a lunch detention tomorrow!" And the kid just looked at me and laughed. I was so upset, I almost cried on the spot. What nerve! It helped that a bunch of other students were appalled at the situation, and offered apologies and condolences. Sheesh. AND I'm the only adult who will go near the mosh pit of students. All the other teachers kind of stand back and watch the chaos unfold. It sucks.

Hm. I really don't mean to complain so much on here. We had a PTO meeting last night that was actually very nice. As secretary, I feel an essential part of the group, which is nice. This playground fundraiser is getting to be HUGE. So huge, in fact, that we've pushed it back to next month. The fire department will be here (firetrucks, ambulance, games, firemen, and all), local community figures and businesses will be helping, and we'll have a bake sale, cakewalk, raffle, auction, and more. Should be awesome. Actually, I have to go so I can type up a flier to go home to families. Hope this update helps. Keep your fingers crossed that I make it through the next month and a half alive!! Peace.