One of my sweet kids brought me a little jack-o-lantern today for Halloween! Her parents had drawn a face on an orange for me and written Happy Halloween Ms. Stewart on the back. I thanked her for the cute jack-o-lantern and she quickly informed me that it was really just an orange. What a cute idea and it totally made my day! Gotta love sweet "homemade" gifts from kids!
Today was a half day staff development day. The kids went home at noon and the teachers went to a meeting. I know this is going to sound like a rant (and maybe it is just a little bit) but just bear with me. As a teacher, I'm already over-whelmed by all the paperwork that comes with teaching. There are so many things to do and assessments to give. I already feel that sometimes all that assessing gets in the way of actual teaching. Anyway, today more work was dumped in our laps. One teacher looked at me and said, "Is it too late to change careers?" I'm sure she was joking, but seriously...how many straws before the camel breaks?
All that said to just say that those sweet and thoughtful (and almost always simple) gifts from kids really brighten the days. I'd like to say I treasured it. Well, I did...right up until lunch. Tastiest jack-o-lantern I've ever eaten!
Hope everyone's Halloween is full of more treats than tricks!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween
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11 comments:
Now that is a cute idea!! I'll have to remember it!
I ALWAYS leave meetings feeling overwhelmed. They pile so much on us!! My new school is really good about trying to lighten the teacher's load as much as possible and I am grateful!! Even with its problems/issues, I don't think we could have a better or more rewarding job! Now...we have meetings the next TWO days, so we'll see if I keep that attitude! ha!
personally, i'd like work a whole lot better if it weren't for the stupid rules & regulations that keep us from being able to do our jobs WAY more efficiently.
and no one gave me a jack o'orange today, either.
I leave those meetings with my head spinning too. As if we don't have enough on our plates already. We are expected to change the world, and then some more too, and then a little more. Talk about burn out city! Hang in there.
Lori: Those kids do make it worth all the meetings and paperwork! Thankfully, I do still find it rewarding.
Valerie: Jack-o-orange...love it!!
Lindsey: In an already jam-packed day I'm supposed to meet with each student three times a day for 15 minutes each time. Hello...do they have an extra hour in their day that I don't have in mine?!
I HATE data. I wish we had a staff development that was actually meaningful to me. We don't even give benchmarks other than the writting one which it is almost pointless for kinder to do becuase they aren't fully able to write anything yet. We also give the PM benchmark, but that didn't have anything to do with what we were talking about today. I think my camel has already broken. I don't want to change careers, but I think I might want to change locations. I am not sure how much more of this I can handle. It is just too overwhelming, and too much.
I've been contemplating going back to school for my teaching credential, but listening to you and some of my other teacher friends, I'm starting to rethink it.
Jacquie
And that, my friend, is one huge reason I no longer teach in a school. It's become less about teaching children and more about politics, red tape and cutting costs. I know many former teachers, like me...masters level teachers who no longer teach because of the nonsense. The fact that I had to hire a lawyer and fight the school district to get my daughter the things she's entitled to by state and federal law just proves my point...until they got caught, they wouldn't spend the money.
As I've said many times, I give you all the credit in the world.
That is a really cute jack o lantern, I need to put that in my idea book for next year. Too cute! I am sure you do feel overwhelmed ALOT! That is a lot of kids to take care of and make sure are ready for the following year, and then to have more put upon you seems crazy. Keep up the great work!!!
If only you could concentrate strictly on the kids, imagine the difference it would make in everyone's life. God, I hate paperwork.
Keep your head up. We parents need good teachers like you!
My son is a special needs student (ASD) and I see all the things his teachers (he's in an ASD classroom 1/2 day and a regular kindergarten 1/2 day) have to do and I don't know how y'all find enough hours in the day!
Hope your Halloween was wonderful!
Nina: I feel very much the same.
Jacquie: It's not all bad. It's just hard when so much of this comes down the pike so fast.
Trina: Wouldn't that be the perfect thing for the kids to decorate and maybe take to your neighbors?! Fun and healthy!
Christina: Yep...paperwork is the death of many I would imagine.
Bunny: Teaching isn't for wimps! Mine was good...hope yours was too. :)
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