Work and Play

Yesterday was a "work" day, as if on any other days I don't work. It almost seemed a break since I could do all of the things that I normally don't have time to do with students at school. I am moving to another classroom next year (or I should say two new classrooms as I teach Math and Science in different classrooms). I got to do some organizing that I normally don't do until June or August, and moved two large cabinets of materials and manipulatives into my new classroom. I won't be teaching in there until next August, but I won't be using these materials over the next two weeks. I am already grouping materials for when I will be using them next year, working in my head to plan it better, to teach it better and to assess and reteach more than I did over this year. Everything I will be using for the rest of this year is already set up (including finals for each class).

Last night, Joe took Joe A. and Raymond into town, picked up Daniel at school and then me at work. We spent the evening at the Legends, a courtyard mall in Kansas City. The boys ate at McDonald's and went to see the movie Speed Racer, while Joe and I ate dinner and walked the mall for the next hour plus. What a wonderful evening. I was much too tired to do any shopping although Joe said it would have been alright with him if I wanted to shop some. The temperature dropped a bit after the sun set, but it was still very nice. We spent the last twenty minutes of our evening watching the fountain and the people.

Today I am playing catch up. After a PTO meeting Monday evening, marathon meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, my headache Wednesday and Thursday, and a full day of cleaning and organizing at school and the evening out on Friday, my house needs some serious attention. Mount Washmore and just about every room in the house are on the list.

What a Week!

I can't believe how fast the past six weeks have flown by. It has been a busy schedule and many things have happened at work and at home. Over this past week Daniel and Joe went on a field trip to Red Barn Farm in Weston, Missouri. As usual, Daniel is ready to go back with the rest of the family (or his school if we won't take him LOL). Last night the family (I'm talking all five boys) sat out on the patio for dinner. Wow, it was really nice. Last summer Joe and Steven put in the patio, and we have wondered how we ever managed without it.

At work it has basically been decided that I will continue teaching Math and Science next year (I am told I am irreplaceable-whatever?). But I spent two days in marathon interviews with administrators and a few other teachers to hire for five open positions at our building. Our school is growing so quickly we have had to add two positions and we had two people retire this year. I will have the pleasure to work with one of the new teachers (new to us, but not to education) and a long term sub and good friend, that is now officially on my teaching team for next year. The bittersweet part is that my other teaching teammate is going upstairs to teach 7th grade Social Studies and I will miss her. She has really made my last three years a wonderful experience. I am not counting days to the end. I will miss teaching these kids and how things are working now, although I am sure I do need a break soon.

The two days of interviewing got the best of me. After the first day, I ended up with a headache that lasted for two days. I am finally relieved this morning to notice that I have finally gotten rid of it.

Have I mentioned that I love Spring? We have had an unusually long Winter this year, and I think Spring has finally decided to stay. It peeked in a few times over March and April, but has just really arrived over the past two weeks.