#68 Feeling like my old self at work

 Back to school Day 3! 

I felt like teacher today! My first class had students all over the room and outside and it was exhilarating to flutter around [read: WALK] answering questions, writing on WHITE BOARD instead of squinting at a paper held up to the camera in a little rectangle of my computer. I could tell just by reading body language when a student was lost and kids asked me questions that were not interacting at all on Zoom.

During class students were all around the room and outside in the courtyard with rolling whiteboards. There was so much learning--they worked together, they talked and argued over math and they learned! After class the room looked like a math bomb had gone off--papers, markers, pencils on the floor, equations on the white boards and windows and the desks askew. 

It was wonderful!!!!!

What my students looked like after class today!

#66 The First Day of School [again]!

 Today grades 7-10 started back to school in person. Grade 8 is full on, 5 days a week. 

It felt exactly like the first day of school back in August.

I got the Sunday afternoon blues yesterday and had to force myself off of the couch to get ready for Monday. No more staying up super late, no more getting out of bed in the 7 o'clock hour to be on Zoom at 8:15. I felt like it was my first day of teaching ever and felt a similar combination of anxiety, trepidation and at times plain old fear. 

Getting ready last night was so awkward...I have totally forgotten any routine I had for getting ready for school. I almost forgot lunch--no hourly trips through the throughout the day. Obviously I would have to wash my hair and dig out some decent pants to wear. I even wore makeup!

It was fun to see the students, although everything took me ages to do. I'm so used to teaching on Zoom I had to remember that in school we write on paper and that requires a pen. I'd forgotten how to use the printer and where the hot water dispensers live. What is my room number again? 

By the drive home I was beginning to sense that familiar feeling of routine resurfacing. It turned out to be a great yet exhausting day! 

#41 - Still being 30!

 I got a message today from a student:

Student: Ms. D, ___ and I are having a debate about how old you are. I know it's rude to ask, but how old are you?

Me: How old do you guys think I am?

Student: I don't know. _____ thinks you're older than I do.

Me: Let me think about it.

Then this: 

Yes, this is from two 13 year-old girls but I don't care. Don't take this away from me!

And whatever you do, don't tell them how old I am!!!

#236: Windows

It was hot in my classroom today, so I went to my one of my five WINDOWS that are inside my classroom and OPENED one. After which, it became cooler in my classroom!!

#235: First day at a new school

I love my new job!!! 

#232: My finished classroom!

My classroom is ready for the first day of school!

#228: Finally....relaxed

"To relax is to trust." 

I heard this quote about 10 years ago in a spinning class in Bozeman, MT. It was the one and only spinning class I've ever gone to, so I've always believed that hearing this quote is the only reason I went to that class. 

Today my body finally began to trust the universe and me. I finally realized that I will not have to be in [emotional] survival mode every day at school this year. I don't know what else to say about this except that I love love love the kids at my former school, but many days were an emotional battle. Today through meeting some parents, new staff and helping out a few coworkers, I really let go of the idea that school a place of defense. Rather, it has now become a safe place of trust.

#152: The penultimate day

One more day of school left!!!!!!!!!!

Blessing #56 of 2015: Bogus Basin on a school day!

I got paid to be at Bogus Basin today!  I was lucky enough to be a chaperone for a program where we take students up for the day.  Many of these kids have never been to Bogus ever and today was their first ski lesson ever!  The kids were awesome!


The skiing was way, way better than I thought it was going to be.  It was lovely.  I'm so grateful this was my job today!  I even got to spend some time skiing by myself.

Blessing #20 - I was wrong.

I thought today was going to totally suck.

And it did, until 8:05 when school started.

Then it was AWESOME!

•  my students were great
• I felt awesome once I started teaching
• I got to have coffee with a friend after work
• I got to hang out with more friends at a fun meeting tonight
• And now I will be in bed by 8:50.

Blessing #5

Today I go back to work, so I'm grateful that I have a job that has given me 2 weeks off at the holidays.  I tried not being a teacher and it was more or less an emotional disaster.  How do people endure going to work every day?  I'm willing to take the pay cut to have the schedule. 

I'm also so glad to have a job to go back to!