A great week off

I have a fabulous week off. I got to enjoy some sun...met a guy ...who is of course currently living in the sf bay area... in town for the weekend. Got to spend a couple of days in the city.. just walking and enjoying the city life. Got some new work books... gotta love it. I am really trying to work on the behavioral narration. It is a HUGE thing in this book that I got. I have to narrate every behavior that I want to see within the first ten seconds and make sure every child is corrected in the first minute. Then hopefully after that they should all be perfect..right?

I tired it today in class... it takes a LOT of narration. It is only the first day but it seemed to maybe work for at least the first part of the day. I have to work on my stamina. Stamina is the most important thing. The longer I can go without being frustrated with the children the better off both of us will be. I had a small victory today with my child that loves to run and scream in the classroom. He didn't! He only ran once I think and only screamed when he left the classroom at the end of the day. It was quite interesting. I am working hard on the behavioral narration as well as the clear instructions. The thing that is still happening is the talking. They talk a lot. And I know that I have not corrected the correct way in the past so I am working very hard.....

The big question now is do I really want to put myself through that next year. It has been a hard year. I know it has. I know it is because of the way that I have acted. I have never been put in this type of a situation, but the lack of respect is the biggest issue for me. It is hard to sit and have so many kids just off the bat disrespect me. I know kids in Oregon are not that way. I know that it could/would be different in Oregon but I am trying to figure out if I want to teach at all. Do I want to put myself through this again. I say it time and time again, I didn't get into this to write curriculum. I didn't get into this to discipline kids all day long. I want to teach. I want to spend my time getting to know my kids instead of trying make sure that they can fucking walk down the hall. I just don't know what I will be doing come June! That's a tough spot to be. O well. Ill do something I guess.

So long

I know it has been a while but there really isn't much to blog about these days. I seriously go to work and come home. On weekends I might go into the city for a movie or something but I am usually so tired that I don't do anything. Its kinda sad but also I am so close to paying off my credit cards that all my extra cash has been going there instead of in my pocket or savings! but hopefully by the end of the month the credit cards will be gone and I can start saving again. Saving for what.. Im not sure but Im sure it will be an adventure.

As for school... Still frustrated with writing my own curriculum instead of having a base to work out of. I actually had an informal interview with a recruiter from a charter school this past week. It was interesting. I have no idea if they will call me back but it seems that it is much like this school where teachers write ALL of the curriculum and have to come up with their own resources. They pay a little more than the public schools but are not backed by a union which can be hairy.

I am super excited for this week. Parent teacher conferences are Wednesday and Thursday. Then the kids are on a trip on Friday which is always nice but that means I have to spend money to help by the communal lunch. O well. It is nice to be without them for a day and enjoy my fellow teachers. Then one ful week..three days the next and a week and a half break.

Most of break will be spent around the house. I really want to do some spring cleaning and enjoy the city...hoping that its nice enough to go outside! Maybe I'll do Washington DC for a couple of days but that depends on if I have the money.

Ok... enough avoiding lesson plans. Away I go!

Ugh

I am so tired of trying to come up with lesson plans out of my butt. I love to teach. I am not a curriculum writer and I have realized that when I do not understand or know what the outcome is supposed to be.

They said that I was 'lucky' to get material along with one sentence about the lesson. One freaking sentence does not mean a lesson. I want to teach somewhere where we have a curriculum!!!

Frustration

I am currently frustrated. I cant seem to get rid of my frustration. All week (since like Saturday) I have been doing well. I am relaxed and I am not too over the top. Today though... I was doing good. It being Wednesday I feel like I should do some work... I have little things that I need to do but I just opened a binder and my whole body got tense and I just feel like...even in February... I still have no clue what I am doing. Or at least that is how I feel.

I guess I have to step up even more but it seems that I can never catch up. I know I have to go back to work on Monday already behind in writing and just trying to play catch up with them while still trying to get the best products. On top of the fact that the state math test is in one week from Tuesday! O so much fun.

Im trying. i really am

Ever have that feeling where all your trying and hard work is not only not enough but just seems to go to waste for nothing?

Its been that type of week. Between a bad performance review from my principal to a meeting that just made me feel as inadequate as humanly possible.. it seems that I can do nothing right. Don't you love those weeks? I personally dont.

I am hoping that I can bounce back... come back bigger and stonger. I really hope it can. If I can't...it may be my career that doesn't come back. Of course... There are so many variables to everything..who knows I could end up being excessed again... I could end up back in Oregon... who knows?!? I thought when I left college I would leave limbo...but I guess life is limbo...especally when you have no roots to hold you down.

LAter yall...

Mental Health Days~

O how I love mental health days. I really dont take them as much as I should. But yesterday an opportunity presented itself and I took it. There really wasn't anything going on at school that was utterly important so I went for it.

The major reason I went for yesterday is that my mom said I should play hookie and go to Good Morning America the morning show. Whynonna Judd a country singer was playing and one of my favorites! So I did it. I went at 615. I walked in right as they started taping. And then at 830 they started promos and at 850 she sang live! It was great. At one point I was only like four feet from her.

Then I decided to go outside and see if I could get her authograph. Apparently she did a radio show before coming out which took FOREVER in the freezing cold. but FINALLY she came out. Beautiful as ever. I even got a picture with her! here it is!

thinking ahead

Thinking ahead to next year....
-Make sure tables have names.
-reading level charts- growth throughout the year
-math standard chart up on the wall... like needhams.


for now those are things that have to be done before school starts

A good day

Today was a good day. I actually got out of the house today. More than I can say for the last couple of weekends.

First I was up by 8. Lazing around I did the normal..email...facebook check... shower... then headed out. I had gotten a Starbucks gift card for Christmas so I used it and got a drink and a cupcake and did some grading. Then I said screw it and got my weekly cash out early and went to see Slumdog Millionaire. GREAT! Movie. Great great. I love the way it was set up and I love the characters. Then after the movie I decided to use my Subway gift card and had that for lunch. Then headed home. Makes for a great day.

Best Dream Ever

So I just woke up from the best dream ever and I want to get it down before I forget.

So for some reason my class and I were headed to Disney. We were on this funky plane that had sides so I was not sitting on with my kids but there were bunches of people around us. ( I was with a friend...) And for some reason I was taking Suzie on the plane with me. I didnt have a carrier so she was just sitting on my lap. I was trying to get her to lay down while we were going through the safety instructions and the flight attendant was standing behind me. Of course she noticed Suz. She got up set and took Suz. I had no idea where she was taking her but I figured that she would be ok.

About half way through the flight someone came up to me and said that the flight attendant had kicked Suz. for some reason (dream land) we had landed. I asked to talk to her in private so she backed up. And I calmly (or as calmly as I could) asked if she kicked Suzie. She of course said no. I said that I was going to go ask the boy who had Suz (bc he was holding her at the time of the incident) and if she had I was going to get her fired and sue her the airline and blah blah blah.

Then she started to walk off the plane. (where landing comes in ) and she walked down the hall way. I kept going on and on about how wrong she was. She then turned around and tried to clock me. She wa pulling my hair and trying to fight. I got ahold of her head under my arm and waited for security. They took her into the bathroom to wash off the blood from me hitting her. then they took her into custidy and I went to get back on the plane.

It was crazy!

Catching Up

Today I thought I would take some time to update you on the going-on's of my daily life.

First. home was great. This is the first time I have really missed home when leaving. I mean...don't get me wrong. I always miss the people but this is the first time that I have really missed my friends and Oregon in general.

When getting back into the swing of things here it seemed quite easy. Basically the first two weeks back have been all about the state test. Beside the field trip. Yes I survived my first official field trip as a teacher. I had one parent that joined us. Then we basically let them run loose in the police museum and then rounded them up and moved to the next floor. The state test you say... I think it went ok. I have no idea! We shall see.

Now we turn our focus to the math state test. Woohoo I am super excited. Cant you see!?! At least I have made it this far. I am sad to say that one of my friends has not. She has been 'removed' from her classroom. They are trying to fire her but its not easy so they are keeping her for small group work...aka... sub for kids who have been taken out of their classroom. It sucks. Im hoping and praying that Im not next on the list. I feel horrible for my friend but I dont want to be next. Ive gotta watch my p and qs.

Ugh. It should be interesting. A day off tomorrow then none until the February break. We shall see how it goes. Now its time to head outside to play in the snow.

Gearing up

I am gearing up for a nice long visit home. I am uber excited to come home. I am uber excited to see my family and friends. Only 6 days of school left to make sure my kids are ready for break and the test that comes up right after break. It should be interesting! Here we go~

Tis the season

I love the Christmas season but it seems that since I left for college the Christmas season sneaks up and never really has the appeal that it had when I was little.

This weekend like the last couple I have spent the weekend shopping for Christmas. Hopefully I will be done next weekend. But I will be sending packages ahead of time of time so that I dont have to worry about them on the flight home.

As for trying to get into the spirit I spend the evening making a gingerbread house. It is crazy. Damn things never turn out right but I also have the 'must finish' syndrome. I MUST USE ALL MATERIALS! So all those little candies they give you.. yep I have to use them. It was a lot of fun even though it was all by myself. .. maybe Ill put up a picture!

Laters...Im just trying to update so everyone knows.

Ps. I arrive in Ptown on Christmas eve and leave ont he morning of the second. So if you want to see me let me know... Kim... email me!!!

Ahh that time of year

As I freeze my ass off walking to and from school each day I hope for snow! Today I got my wish. Ok..well... it was really just a few flakes on the way to schol but it is a start!

Tomorrow is parent teacher conferences...my first official conferences by myself with my own kids. OMG! I am really not looking forward to an afternoon of parents non stop from 345 until 615..then a 15 minute break before two more sets come in. Thats right. I get fifteen minutes to myself between 1:20 pm and 7. Isn't that amazing. I guess it's why we went two months off a year because we work so much during the year.

And now... I must bid you farewell because I get the joy of working on lesson plans for Wednesday/Thursday/Friday tonight! Im not gunna wanna do Thursday tomorrow night and friday I ahve a sub since Ill be in the city for professional development...I want to have my lesson plans done by Thursday so that I dont have to worry about it! But I did want to let you all know Im alive!

Check off the list

Today I checked another NY experience off my list. Having a day off always gives me a reason and time to go into the city.

I went to Rockafeller Center today and went ice skating. It was so much fun to enjoy the cold but be warm at the same time. Sad that I had to do it alone but it was awesome to say that I did it and cross it off the list...of course my camera was here at the house but I did it!

Ahh life...

You know. I signed up for a hard job.. I know I did. I freaking teach in the Bronx. I understand that. I also understand they basically gave me all the kids that do not fit anywhere else...but seriously?

How am I supposed to react to a student who says that 'I hate miss erickson. i want to punch her." I just don't understand. I didnt look at this freaknig girl when she was sitting correctly. I dont freaking understand what I am doing wrong. I do not believe in changing cards imediately when they are sitting correctly but if I dont my bad kids never get their damn cards up. I relaize that they are really not getting any fucking praise but they arent doing any fucking thing right.

Im sorry but I have to ask you ten thousand times a day to find your fucking seat and you expect to do well in my damn class....grrr. whatever

So great

I am loving life currently. I know it's crazy to say but I am.

I just looked down and watched the cat flop over her scratch box and fall out off the side. It is the little things in life that make it all worth it.

For example. I got to makeout in Central Park yesterday. I know its hard to imagine..Annie makingout in public but it is so much fun! Just laying on the grassy hill in someones arms. Awesome. It is crazy how in a city of 8 million people and in a park full of thousands of people at any one time that you can dissappear into your own little world. There must have been 200 people in the area that we were laying...walking...playing..picnicing but there we were..dissappearing into eachothers arms. Laughing...kissing... laying quiet. Yet there really was no sound (besides the hellicopters).

Is the kissing necessary you ask? no. Its just super fun to have someone who is awesome to hang out with and see movies with. On top of being able to walk arm in arm and still smack eachother when someone thinks they shold put nipples on the breast canser walk balloons! Ugh..boys. O and it was super fun to sit back to back in the park and see totally different prospectives of the park around us. We actually had birds sitting like two feet from us scavenging from the leaves.

New York really is pretty in the fall. And I think he has gotten me to take more pictures of myself/us in the last four weeks than I have in ... four years! I actually enjoy taking the cheesey couple picts. crazy..too bad I dont always look good in them. I need to learn to keep my eyebrows down! O well.

Back to lesson plans. If I ever stop for more than 20 mintues maybe I will put more pictures up but you'll just have to wait unless you have facebook. They are up there as well!

Upstate New York

Here are some pictures from my trip upstate this past weekend.

Upstate is so beautiful. It is amazing how much color there is upstate on the trees this past weekend. There are more pictures that I will put up slowly.

Great times

So I have discovered a new love. It is called sumble! Stumble Upon is great. It is so much fun and may be dangerous for me. I love looking at all the random websites and lots of my time is being spent doing this. Crap but if you have come extra time check it out.

Great weekend

It has been a great weekend. David is in town from Oregon and it has been grea tto spend some time with him. I am always amazed how much I miss him when I spend time with him.

We have been traveling the city. The nice thing is that he has been here before so its not all tourist stuff. Yesterday we did a scavenger hunt through the Meat Packing District. It was a lot of fun. We actually didnt know some of the questions but we came in second with 14 out of 24 points so we did pretty well. If you come to nyc or want to check them out for different cities... WAtson Adventures does some freaking cool stuff!

It has also been great because David has had some time to get to know my new boyfriend. Yes... officially using the 'boyfriend' word. David has approved the new boy so that is always a good thing. The new boy is great. I really like spending time with him and it is even better to have someone to hang out with on weekends. Such as next weekend when we are going 'backpacking' with a couple of his friends from work. Apparently we are going like 5 hours north of the city for a great weekend. Should be nice. As long as it's not too cold.

OMG!

So much fun.
Last weekend I got the chance to go to OCC (orange country choppers for those who do not know). My new friend Paul lives only a half hour away from their world headquarters. It was SO awesome. The bikes are beautiful and I even got some Christmas shopping done for someone in my family.

Here are some pictures from the shop! O and the boy is Paul. My new friend.