Mixed Up, Mashed Up Monday

For the second time in my professional career as a wandering educator I showed up to a school and they didn't need me. Well they needed me but some beef jerky took it from me. I was called on Saturday to sub for someone I know pretty well. She said that she would request me and she did but I was not available to answer the phone call. Usually the request will hold online until I either accept or reject it. However it did not do that so some other lady picked it up. Imagine our surprises when we both showed up for the same job. I heard that this lady was crazy so I just let it go, for this time.

I instead found a job at another elementary school in the vicinity. I had not subbed there before so I was excited to sub there. I did first grade and it went pretty well. The kids were a little chatty and took a lot of firm repetition at first to get them on task. Despite a few who needed constant redirection it was a good day. There were a few incidents that stuck out to me.

Incident One:
I was giving the kids a pretest and the word I gave them was daddy.
Random Child: "Are you a daddy?"
Me: "No I am not a daddy."
Random Child: "Hey my mommy is single will you be my daddy?"
Me: "Ummm... ok the next word is..."

Incident Two
During writer's workshop the kids were coming up to me to edit a piece of work. They would read their story to me and then I would write down the correct spelling of words for them. After that they wrote a final draft on special paper and illustrated it.
Child D: "Ok here is my story. Jesus died. Then he was alive. Then Jesus told Mary to go tell his disciples he was alive again. And they lived happily ever after."
Me: "Wow. Thank you for sharing your story with me. Just make those corrections and you can publish and illustrate."
Child D: "Thank you. Do you want to hear my other story about one of Jesus' disciples going blind?"
Me: "I am sorry, we only have time for one edit today. Maybe you can read it to your teacher tomorrow."
Child D: "Ok well I am going to go draw Jesus now."

I love my job! I just can't wait until I have my own class in which the randomness of life occurs.

Free Gift With Purchase!

That is what today is about. Not only do you get Sunday's blog but you get Saturday's as well. Free gift with purchase!

Saturday:
Was a pretty good day. It was my first official day without carbs! And guess what was waiting for me this morning for breakfast? Breakfast tacos. My step-mom had 3 delicious breakfast tacos waiting for me. However I was determined to stick with my cause. So I just opened up those tacos and ate the innards out. I tossed the shells aside and was proud of myself.

Then it was off to play tennis with Jackie and Katie. Needless to say I totally dominated. Just kidding. Jackie was a good opponent and Katie is well... she can use some practice.lol Tennis caused us to work up an appetite so we headed over to Jason's deli and enjoyed the salad bar. I think I enjoyed the hard boiled eggs a little to much, but hey atleast they are not carbs.

I was then off to hang out with my friend Erin at her apartment. We had planned on hanging out by the pool, but I took forever to get over there. We ended up drinking some wine and chatting it up. It wasn't long before some other friends came over and we headed out to a party. It was a party in West Campus and I just wasn't feeling it. Ever since graduation I feel too grown up for parties in West Campus. There was this awesome kitty cat there that kept attacking people's heads when they got close to the stairs he was perched on. It offered some much needed amusement. I ended up crashing at Erin and Josh's that night.

Sunday:
Got a late start this morning waking up on Erin's couch. Josh decided he wanted to turn some unused space in their apartment into a loft so we were off to Home Depot to find a rope ladder. No luck there so we tried Target. Once again no luck. We decided to grab some breakfast at Tin Star on McNeil.

While waiting in line, anticipating some chorizo tacos, I heard a voice in extreme excitement, "Mr. Sosa!" It was a student whom I had subbed for many a time. She took me off guard and for some reason I became very uneasy. I greeted her and asked what she recommended to eat since I had never eaten there before. Then I sent her on her way. It is so weird running into students outside of school. Needless to say Josh and Erin had some fun interpretating the young girl for the rest of the afternoon. I think I felt so awkward because I had not showered yet and was hung over from the previous night. I guess as a future teacher you will always have to be on guard.

After breakfast we headed back to Josh and Erin's place. We lounged on their bed and watched ANTM. It was nice and chill. However all good things come to an end. I was off to play tennis with Jackie and Katie again. I was not feeling it but I managed to muscle through it. It was a good workout and I managed to get a nice little tan with it. Once again, free gift with purchase!

Carb, smarb. Your going straight to tummy town!

I was off to sub today at a school I had been at before. But not before I stopped off at Starbuck's for a little pick me up! The guy who took my order today was exceptionally nice. He asked what I did and I told him I was subbing until I found a teaching job. We exchanged some witty banter with one another until my coffee was ready. Upon leaving he advised me not to forget that since I was teaching kindergarten that day, that the wheels on the bus go round and round. It made me smile and set my day off on a good start.

The kids today were overall great. There were 2 that needed constant redirection but it was no big deal. When I read they listened, and when I told them it was time to work, they worked. What more could I ask for? I even got complemented by the principal in the hallway. Today was one of those days when everything went right and I left with that feeling of knowing that this is what I was meant to do.

After school I went back to hang out at Starbucks until my friends got off work so we could go eat dinner. It was nice and chill. I enjoyed a Passion Tea while I did my favorite thing in the world, draw.

I met some friends at my friend Katie's apartment and we went to eat. I love Olive Garden but I always fill up on bread sticks. Carbs are my mortal enemy, yet I still consume them like there is no tomorrow. I wonder how long I can go without carbs? Let's test that theory starting right now. I just hope my step-mom doesn't make breakfast tacos tomorrow morning.

High School Musical!

High School Musical is what I was expecting when I walked into Westwood High. Boy was I wrong. I did not have a sub job today so I looked online to see what I could pick up. The only thing available was a half day in math at Westwood High School. Since it was only a half day I figured I could take it.

My first period was an off period so I had time to prepare myself and go over the extremely poor written plans. It was less than half a page and I had no idea what I was doing. Lucky for me math was my forte in high school so I was able to swing it. Who would have thought that when I woke up this morning I would be teaching the quadratic formula to freshmen in high school. I sure as didn't. All I had to teach was 2 ninety minute class periods. Sound like a cake walk? Well it wasn't! My first class was horrid. I think only 3 kids actually followed along in my lesson and did what they were suppose to. Teaching kindergarten is so much easier than freshman. There were airplanes and spit wads flying, a total cliche, actually happening. However I gathered all my courage and in a firm voice told them to stop. Luck they did because I would not have known what to do had they not. They were just very immature with each other and chatty. No one disrespected me so I guess that was a plus.

My last period of the day was heaven. The students were on task and quiet when they had to be. I didn't mind the occasional story shared among friends because they were actually working. They answered my questions and actually learned the quadratic formula. Had the previous class been like that I would have totally switched to teaching high school. That class did so good that we finished early. So we had time to chat about their lives and what they do for free time. Some of the kids even told me some pretty funny jokes. I just had to remind them to keep them school appropriate. They were a good bunch of kids.

After subbing I went over to my friend Katie's school and hung out with her. We talked about my crazy day as a high school teacher and her crazy day as a 4th grade teacher. It was funny to see how alike are classes were when it came to maturity. Katie left to have dinner with an amazing woman and I went to go visit my week old niece. She is so stinking cute! And all she did was sleep, yawn, eat, and poop. Oh the life of a baby.

Knock, Knock

I subbed today for the class I did my student teaching in. I was a little apprehensive because last time I subbed for them they were a little crazy. However I had nothing to worry about today. They were awesome! I was so proud. Also their new intern was there to help keep the kids in line. I was a nervous for her because she was going to be teaching a lesson outside and getting observed. I need to learn not to worry so much because things went swimmingly. It was actually a really neat activity that demonstrated the food chain.

After school today I hung out with a few of the teachers and talked. Mostly about getting a job next year. Being a first year teacher sucks so bad. There are those who are lucky enough to get a job mid year and then there are those whom the fates chose to frown upon. I was one of those poor unfortunate souls. I try to be optimistic but when more and more doors close in front of you it is hard. I just have to keep thinking why I do this... for the kids. Until then does anyone know where I can crawl through a window?

Why I teach...

I was reading one of my favorite bloggers, Perez Hilton. He had this crazy teacher story and I had to share it with you all. Knowing my luck this would happen to me.

WAYCROSS, Ga. - A group of third-graders plotted to attack their teacher, bringing a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape and other items for the job and assigning children tasks including covering the windows and cleaning up afterward, police said Tuesday.

The plot by as many as nine boys and girls at Center Elementary School in south Georgia was a serious threat, Waycross Police Chief Tony Tanner said.

"We did not hear anybody say they intended to kill her, but could they have accidentally killed her? Absolutely," Tanner said. "We feel like if they weren't interrupted, there would have been an attempt. Would they have been successful? We don't know."

The children, ages 8 and 9, were apparently mad at the teacher because she had scolded one of them for standing on a chair, Tanner said. A prosecutor said they are too young to be charged with a crime under Georgia law.

School officials alerted police Friday after a pupil tipped off a teacher that a girl had brought a weapon to school, Tanner said.

Police seized a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape, electrical and transparent tape, ribbons and a crystal paperweight from the students, who apparently intended to use them against the teacher, Tanner said.

Nine children have been given discipline up to and including long-term suspension, said Theresa Martin, spokeswoman for the Ware County school system. She would not be more specific but said none of the children had been back to school since the case came to light.

The purported target is a veteran educator who teaches third-grade students with learning disabilities including attention deficit disorder, delayed development and hyperactivity, friends and parents said.

The scheme involved a division of roles, Tanner said. One child's job was to cover windows so no one could see outside, he said. Another was supposed to clean up after the attack.

"We're not sure at this point in the investigation how many of the students actually knew the intent was to hurt the teacher," Tanner said.

The parents of the students have cooperated with investigators, who aren't allowed to question the children without their parents' or guardians' consent, he said. Authorities have withheld the children's names.

Police expected to forward the results of their investigation to prosecutors, Tanner said.

Children in Georgia can't be charged with a crime unless they are at least 13, District Attorney Rick Currie said.

Martin told The Florida Times-Union of Jacksonville, Fla., that administrators would follow school system policy and state law in disciplining the students.

"From what I understand, they were considered pretty good kids," Martin said. "But we have to take this seriously, whether they were serious or not about carrying this through, and that's what we did."

Four mothers of other third-grade students at Center Elementary called for the immediate expulsion of the suspected plotters.

Stacy Carter and Deana Hiott both cited school system policy stating that an(AP) — y student who brings "anything reasonably considered to be a weapon" is to be expelled for at least the remainder of the school year.

"We don't want our children around them," Carter told the Times-Union. "The one with the knife could have stabbed my child or someone else's child at lunch or out on the playground."

"This is an isolated incident, an aberration. … We have good kids," Center Principal Angie Coleman told the newspaper.

Dollywood!

Today I woke up early to go sub for my cooperating teacher, so I thought. She had put me in for the wrong day! She needed me for tomorrow, not today. I was already there and the kids were going on a field trip so I decided to tag along. It was all kinds of craziness! We went to the Capitol since it is rich with Texas History and that's what the kids are studying in 4th grade. It actually wasn't that bad. It just was that is was soo humid and gross outside. Our docent was really good and the kids were on top of their game. Every question she asked the kids knew the answer. I was so proud.

The rest of the day a Lazy Town, U.S.A. I was exhausted from the field trip so I took a little siesta, and by little I mean 4.5 hours. It was refreshing. I awoke to the captivating smell of fresh homemade tortillas. And yes, they were delicious! I love it when my step mom makes tortillas. That always guarantees breakfast tacos the next morning.

Now I am watching American Idol and guess who the guest star is? Dolly Parton!!! I don't know what it is about big haired country singers, but I absolutely love her and Reba. I can't wait to see what songs the contestants choose!