I know, I know, its been awhile and I've been MIA. But its not as though I have been slacking off with my time. The last few weeks have been somewhat of an insane blur--the kind of weeks that spin by and you cna't believe how much has happened and yet how interminably slow time creeps by. The start of the crazy seems like a lifetime ago.
We have had deaths close to the staff--colleagues that we have had to gather for and mourn with.
We have had parent teacher interviews--2 days of questions, poking prodding, reprimanding, unhappy parents oozing from table to table with mixed feelings--do I want to sit at your table and hear what you have to say about my child? do I want to go home and look at my son/daughter and tell them that they have to step up or get out? do I have to be the heavy? can I blink and it will all just go away?
Teacher evaluations are coming up and I am stressing to the max about them, wanting everything to go perfectly, punk students to suddenly have a "sick day", wanting the lesson to appear natural and fluid. Ugh.
We have had heated arguments in the staffroom, divisive staff morale crashing conversations about how much the load is, how unsupportive we are and how hard admin has to come down on us because of percieved flack. It's not a fun place right now.
But. Not all news is bad.
Some students rise up and shine like brilliant sequins, catching just enough attention to twinkle but remaining in the fabric of the school community.
Some students have come up and told me that they liked the way the class was going, even though it was harder than they expected.
My children who are so funny and are training in perfecting comedic genius. Julia, who will stand with fists on hips and announce "Well, what do you know!" Elena, who is mastering the art of the single eyebrow lift, who will instead if responding, just give a long level stare and then slowly lift one eyebrow as if to say "Is there more crazy or are we about done here?"
Colleagues and friends who have shared in Thanksgiving feasting and reminded me of what the important things are.
NaNoWriMo is coming up and while that is additional stress, perhaps I can categorize it as "good stress" and I am looking forward to plopping out another 50,000 words of sheer nonsense.
And so it goes...
9:55 p.m. - 2006-10-19