The Good, the Bad and the Kinda Stupid

 

I was at a workshop today which shall remain nameless...  There I realized that:
1.  I have been teaching a very long time.
2.  I have tried nearly all the fun things at least once.
3.  There are a boatload of younger teachers out there who haven't tried all the fun things yet.
4.  Because of where we live some people run workshops like ... um ... less secular meetings.
5.  I have very little patience watching other people's not very talented children sing and dance during a workshop, especially when it goes on for over 30 minutes.
6.  I am kind of critical in general and maybe should stop going to workshops.

But I did bring home some very nice rock samples.

Head 'em Up, Move 'em Out

Two hundred and eighty grades calculated.  Thirteen teachers contacted.  Hundreds of final papers graded and handed back (well mostly).  12 dozen pencils chewed up and spit out by grades K through 5.  And while the top of my desk is still dripping with unfinished projects and slimy science projects that need to be rinsed down the drain, school is nearly over.  What a relief!  See you next year, fourth graders.  (Glad you're on your way to middle school, fifth graders.)  Honey, I'm pretty sure that after Wednesday I won't be coming home late for a few weeks.

I cannot believe it's nearly April

And I haven't made a post since December of LAST YEAR!!!  What was I thinking?
1.  That I would be completely consumed by my two (or four) jobs.
2.  That no one seems to stop by this blog except my kind and long suffering cousins.
3.  That even though I like to use this as a way to recall our family history, maybe there are some things I just don't really want to recall.

How about all the above?
The regular teaching job has been incredibly difficult this year.  Thank goodness I have a great new partner.  Together we have two jobs.  One is to plan the curriculum and the other is to teach it.  Add in the requirement that we purchase all the stuff we need and get it to school somehow, and that's about 2 1/2 jobs for the cost to the district of one.

The job at the college reminds me so much of when I taught classes for the museum.  I have to plan everything, gather the stuff, take it up there, use it, repack it, bring it back and put it away.  The difference is I also have to read term papers and reflections and stay one step ahead of my students in the textbook.  Again, two jobs for the cost of one.

The college course is over on April 25th.  After that I only have to make it through June 7th and I get a whole six weeks off before I get to go back for meetings and "professional development" because, as we all know, I don't know what I'm doing.

Retirement waves at me from the bed each morning as I leave a sleeping husband at 6:00 and head off to work.  I wish it would grab hold and haul me back to bed!

You can just call me "Professor Mom"

I've been taking a professional development class in fourth grade science from the district this semester.  I had to be pretty much coerced into taking it.  I didn't want to take one more class - ever.  It is being taught by a district teacher about half my age and a retired professor of education from Westminster College.  I ended up liking both the class and the women teaching it.  The former professor has also been to my classroom to observe a methods student who taught a couple of lessons to my second grade group.  I ended up sitting with the two of them giving some feedback and helping the young lady see that her lesson hadn't been a total failure like she thought.

That evening the professor called me out in the hall.  I, of course, thought I had done something wrong...me and my big mouth...but no.  She asked me if I had ever thought about teaching at the college level and did I want to consider teaching the science methods course at Westminster?  I was surprised and flattered.  She told me the college had hired someone to replace her and was dissatisfied with them.  She said she was going to talk to the dean.  I thought, "Yeah, sure."

The very next day she emailed me and put me in touch with Westminster.  Long story sort of short - I'll be teaching science methods for pre-service teachers next semester.  It's considered an adjunct instructor position, but I can't get the family to stop calling me Professor Mom.

It fell in my lap, but it's something I've been thinking about for quite some time.  Part-time work at a community college or university would be a great thing to do in another city, but most places won't hire you unless you have experience.  And here experience came, knocking at my door.  I am a bit intimidated by the caliber of the other instructors for the methods classes.  I know one personally and have met with another.  The level of discourse is incredibly high and I am hoping I have the ability to give my students the quality experience Westminster expects.  Fortunately, a colleague is teaching the graduate level of the same course and has offered to share his materials and syllibus with me.  He even asked if I would like him to come to the first session and help me get started.  YES - of course.  

Only time will tell if I have bitten off more than I can chew.  I hope not.  P.S.  I kind of like being called Professor Mom.

Moving On

 

We rented a truck this morning and loaded Sean's worldly goods into it.  He moved out of the home he bought with his partner and into a friend's spare bedroom.  Something went wrong between the two of them and while I don't know exactly what, I think things haven't been good for a while now.  They appeared to part friends and we are maintaining a caring if strained relationship with his ex.  Sean is disheartened.  As his relationship is ending for a reason (or two or three - I haven't asked) he's feeling like a failure.  His partner was the first person he was in love with.  And though he acknowledges this is for the best in the long run, in the short run it just sucks.  His new room mate is a nice guy and it should be a good place for Sean to regroup.  Still, I wish my baby didn't have to go through this pain.  (Isn't that what mothers always wish for their children?) 

All I Want for my Birthday is...

My family demands that I post this on my birthday and at Christmas.  Trouble is, I have become accustomed to seeing something I like and just buying it.  I guess I can come up with a few items I haven't immediately thrown money at, like this:

A shower curtain to go behind my shower curtain.  Really.
This boombox so I can listen to NPR at work.  No, they won't let me stream it.
To go along with the shower curtain this bathmat which isn't as awful as the one I now use. 
And finally, this splurge nightgown size XL.  I love Eileen West knit gowns. They are super comfortable and soft.
Is that enough?  Or maybe this.  Or this.  Or even this. 


Really, a meal cooked by someone else and a slice of THE chocolate cake would be enough.

Row, row, row your boat...

I spent Saturday at the Great Salt Lake with a bunch of insane people.  Yeah, they were teachers, so???  We kayaked around a place called Egg Island that is literally covered with seagulls.  Who knew there were three different species of those annoying birds in Utah.  We don't have a Sea!  We do not need seagulls.  I had a great time even considering I fell out of the kayak onto some rocks.  Yes, I do know how lame that sounds.  My arms are black and blue.  It's been so warm in my classroom that keeping long sleeves on was difficult.  Explaining the bruises was even more difficult.  So I put the long sleeved shirt back on.