A small victory for some, but for me it is a major victory. For the first time, I've managed to complete my lesson plans for the returning week of school, and I've done my laundry. It doesn't seem like much, but it is a big deal for me. It means that if I went into a coma until the day before school resume, I would be prepared for that first day back. What did I do? Unlike in previous years, when I didn't plan, or waited until the night before. Instead of looking at this weekend as the start of my vacation, I tried to think of it as just another weekend. I slept most of Saturday away, and almost did the same today. However, I eventually did get around to doing lesson plans and my homework sheet for the first week back.

So what now? I don't need to stress about the first day(s) back. I also don't need to stress myself (much) about the school work that I brought home to do over the vacation(papers to grade, extended planning, organizing books and mounds of paper, etc...). Tomorrow, I will have to start my Christmas shopping. Luckily, I only have to shop for three people. I was just going to do some shopping nearby, but having finished my lesson planning and laundry put me in a good mood. I'm going back to the mall up North that I mentioned in a previous blog entry. It will be my second time there. I am looking forward to a return visit to Panda Express. For some strange reason, the Tappan Zee bus doesn't not operate on Sundays, so I have to go during Saturdays, or Weekdays. I hope it isn't too crazy tomorrow. I don't usually like crowds. I'll spend a couple of hours at the mall. I need to buy gifts for my foster father, his lady friend, and my foster brother. I also need to do some clothes shopping for myself. My "work clothes" are showing signs of wear and tear (literally). I also need to go to Staples. I ran out of black ink for my printer at home. I also need to get some sheet protectors for my students' portfolio. I'll see what is playing at the movies there. And of course, I will be visiting Panda Express.

Now that I am technically ready for the first day(s) when school resume, what is on my agenda? I really need to clean up my apartment. I mean really clean it, not just make neat piles. I also want to move my computer away from the corner near the window. I think I am getting a bit of arthritis in my right arm. Hours of sitting here and sleeping in this chair is starting to take a toll. I also want to start going to the gym. Hopefully, I will start going on Thursday.

School work? Although I've finished my lesson plans for the week school resumes, there is still a lot of work that I should be doing this vacation (papers that need grading, progress reports that need to be done, organizing my day to day papers, completing "paperwork" for my "slowly developing" students. I also should get around to completing my salary step placement paperwork. With the board of ed, salary placement is not automatic, you have to file paperwork for the correct placement on the scale. Actually, I should have completed the paper work last year. If I got the placement for my time teaching in Japan, and the P-Credits I earned over the summer, I think I should be about 3 or 4 places higher on the salary scale. Luckily for me, my previous 3 years teaching with the board of ed were automatically factored into my current salary.

Well, I better go.


Post Date - Sunday, December 23, 2007 11:12PM