:: After a rough week health-wise, a student wanted to guess my age. Her guess was 15 years younger than I actually am. I counted my blessings and considered purchasing stock in my beauty regimen. I am also trying not to make it obvious she is now my favorite student. 😊
Physical pain, although invisible to the world, can steal my joy and steal my life – if I let it.
When I finally do fall asleep, I evidently sleep hard (even though it’s only for a few hours). Twice this week, as I have entered the school building, at too early o’clock, I have had pillow marks creasing my face.
:: We have begun our new unit on the civil rights movement and have specifically been reading about and discussing the Montgomery Bus Boycott. During my introduction to the unit, (as always), my voice trembled, my eyes watered, and my heart physically hurt. Students realized the importance of this unit.
I received notes from students and emails from parents, and even a few hugs from students, who appreciated my sincere concern over the responsibility I undertake when I teach this unit.
I consider it an opportunity, but at the same time a huge responsibility, to present this lesson to students when so many seem to have relatively no knowledge of it.
:: Working a full five day week for the first time in almost a month was exhausting but successful. I would like to say it was a regular 40 hour work week but this is never the case. My days are long but the classes are short. A typical day includes greeting, comforting, teaching, counseling, encouraging, and redirecting, etc. 25+ preteens on an hourly basis.
Included in this day is a 30 minute lunch break (which I eat on the go to maximize my planning time) and a 45 minute plan period which is used for parent contacts, conferences, meetings, note writing, grading, analyzing data, documenting, planning, and preparing for the next class, the next meeting, the next day, the next week, and/or the next unit.
Along with the regular school days this week, we had a club meeting to plan. The purpose is for each student in our club to enjoy time -- outside of the class time, and feel connected to a teacher -- outside of the class time.
And, let’s not forget the hallway duty (in between each class) so students stay responsible, focused, and safe as they socialize and pass to their next class.
I work hard to be outgoing and kind and welcoming to my students and colleagues but, as an introvert, this much constant socialization can be draining on my soul.
I know I fail OFTEN!
I want to be an encourager to my colleagues and make sure they know I do care about them professionally and personally. I want to help them be successful, too. Sometimes there is just not enough time. Included in this week were 2 faculty meetings, a team meeting, and a committee meeting. So after a 45+ hour week, it is important to stay healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally so I can participate in the “rest of my life.”
Listening to my corporate friends discuss their yearly bonus makes me want to laugh (or cry) because I am just hoping for an extra jeans day this month. 😉
“The rest of my life” is just as important. I have a family, an extended family, a church family, and neighbors. I want them to know I care about their everyday lives, their grades, their classes, their wedding plans, their health, their doctor appointments, their family issues, their test results, their sadness, their joys, their "pows and wows" because it’s all important!
I try to stay focused by starting my day with God and working to manage my health, as well, but it is hard to keep up.
Today, as I look out at the beautiful white snow we received overnight I think about two quotes I read recently:
If you are doing anything of worth, then the enemy is doing everything to make you quit.
If God will put this much detail in a snowflake, what makes you think your life is any less important?
Love,
Jan 💖
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