I'll have to keep this short. I haven't been in a blogging mood since school resumed. Unfortunately, I had to deal with one stressful thing or another.
With the three day weekend, I did something I hadn't done since about last January. I planned my lessons for the whole week. Now, that I have some breathing room, I will try to follow up and start planning by Thursday, so that my weekend will be free.
What have I been doing for the last couple of weeks, mostly shopping. Unfortunately, since I've been so stressed out, I haven't been keeping up with my blogging. Long story short, When school resumed, I received a salary adjustment. I received about $3,000. How much do I have now, about $1,480. I spent about $1,000 on supplies, new learning center activities and learning games (aligned to the national standards). I also went to Brooklyn to the teacher's store to buy some more supplies ($72).
Today, I also went to the local Y to see about enrolling...again. Since I had the extra money, it was suggested by another teacher that I should spend some of the money on something for myself as opposed to my classroom. She was thinking in terms of clothes, but I came up with the idea of hiring a personal trainer.
I was surprised that the local Y recently underwent some renovations. One, the price is lower. Now, the price is $288 for a yearly membership. The cost used to be $450 for the premium membership(access to the sauna and the steam room -- now anyone can use the sauna and steam room). There is also some new equipment. Oh, and now they even have boxing lessons for adults. I do want the boxing lessons, but I want the personal training first. I think having a personal trainer for a couple of months will help me lose weight. We'll see.
Post date - Monday, September 28, 2009 10:44PM
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8 comments:
Whoa, you started posting again and I completely missed it! That's great news about the Y--I really like that price for a year long membership! Go for it, I say.
I just spent about $45 at the teacher store today, and I went in to buy a plan book and nothing more. Needless to say, I ended up doing a little more than that.
Hello Jeff. Yep, I can definitely relate to the quick pick up at the teacher's store. I always end up buying waaay more than I was planning.
As for the Y. I'll try to stick with this this time around.
Hey, some time with the personal trainer may help reduce your stress, too.
The beginning of school is always stressful. How are your kids this year? Are they pretty normal, or do you have any little hell-raisers to watch out for?
Hello Paperback. Yes, I agree. I'm hoping time with a personal trainer will help reduce my stress. That thought has been buried fairly deeply in my conscious.
Hello again Paperback. I forgot to answer the other questions. The kids also seem better than in previous years, but my lack of order and planning has made it as stressful as if I did have a room full of hell-raisers. Also, I got pick to host a college graduate working on a Masters Degree. Having the grad there watching me is throwing me off also.
Oh, yes. Having an observer throws off many teachers. That's a common feeling.
It doesn't bother me, but I know it sure bugs a lot of my colleagues.
I always find myself "amping up" when someone comes in to watch. In the classroom, I just think I get better that way.
When I'm teaching karate, however, my sensei used to come in and--without trying--would just intimidate the hell out of me. He's a really nice guy, and it wasn't his intention, but I would just get tongue-tied with how to explain things. I certainly understand the phenomenon of which you speak.
Made it to another weekend. I'm sooo happy this is a three-day weekend.
About the observations. What has been throwing me off is not so much being watch -- that doesn't bother me..too much. I think I probably do better teaching when I'm being watched. No, what bothered me, was 1. not being organized like I wanted to be, 2. it being too early in the school year, and 3. the person is a college student coming to see differentiated instruction, and I've been doing very little (with very little evidence to show). Also, projects like the bulletin boards, or given the students independent activities so I can do the school/city manadated individualized assessments. Since the college student isn't there to watch kids doing non-differentiated activities, that has added to the stress load.
However, having had another stressful week brought to an end, I will try not thinking in terms of what the college student is there to see. She'll have to take what she can get.
Actually, the problem describe above is mainly once again a creature of my own making considering the college student has told me a couple of times to not change anything for her.
Unfortunately, once the pen and pad comes out, I start getting self-conscious. I know what I should be doing (and not doing it), and the idea of being the model for "that's the way to not teach" stresses me out.
Hopefully, I can get a handle on this.
Oh, there was a grade-level meeting with the AP. She will be looking for evidence of differentiated instruction in our lesson plans and in the homework we assign. Oh, and a couple of changes need to be made to our classrooms to reflect differentiated instruction.
I better get off this computer and start my planning so I'm not stressed out next week.
Oh, thanks for stopping by Jeff and Paperback. I'll post some more blog entries at another time.
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