I lost my TA!

Having two TA's this term to help grade papers has made a huge difference! Now, one of my TA's, the one who is willing to do more than 15 minutes of work, and gets twice as much done as the other in that 15 minutes, is moving out of state. Sad ; ; The other TA is a sweet girl, I have known her since her 9th grade year. I am glad that I am not losing both of them, at least.

We have another game to work this Saturday. Ugh. The other advisor, the one that all the students coordinate with and love...the one who actually knows the students names...'cause, hey they don't talk to me, except when we are working games...today was her last day. She has transferred to the rival high school in town. So, my plans to tell the admin that I can't work both of these clubs next year, seeing how they have conflicting schedules and activities...yeah...not looking too good. At least the NHS president knows my name and sends me emails to schedule meetings. I actually feel I'm doing my job there. The other club, I'm just a live body when they need an adult present...particularly when they need an adult to work concessions. (There is a reason I NEVER worked in the food industry as a teenager, so why do they make me do it now as part of my career? Seriously, 10-15 people working 6 hours each to earn....$50.) I am a little stressed about the other advisor leaving, can you tell?

We had our first debate in my government classes today. One of the students, when the kids wouldn't quiet down so he could start, did a great parody of me. He put on a serious face and voice and impatiently said, "I'm waiting...I'm going to start counting." (I count how much time they waste and then keep them after the bell for that long.) Everyone broke out laughing, including me. That class is a real challenge, so it was nice to have a good laugh.

PT Conf...and Star Wars in History class

PT conference weren't as bad this time. Maybe because of the cold weather, or because I was stuck in the lunch room (with tiny wobbling tables), or because it's later in the year and parents aren't filled with the "my child is going to have a better year this year" hope/angst. Anyhoo, there was a steady stream the first three hours, but I never had more than two families in line to see me. The last hour things slowed down enough that Werty stopped by and kept me company - which also allowed me to take a potty break. It was a normal PT conference - like the other ones I have done. Last semester was bizarre. Werty and I grabbed some pizza on the way home. After eating, I was so tired, I went to bed around 9pm. It felt so good to get 8 hours of sleep in the middle of the week.

Werty and I didn't get each other any gifts this year, just spent time together. We went to see Desperaux - totally different from the book, but I guess they had to do something to fill out the ending, since it's too abrupt and neat in the book. They took out a few things that are too serious - like the reason why Miggory can't hear is because she was repeatedly beaten. And they change themes mid-story, but it was cute.

Yesterday, we had a great lesson in my IB class. (I warned the kids I might ruin Star Wars for them.) Last time, they watched chunks of Episode III while I met with them individually about the first drafts of their IB paper. So, this time we discussed it and drew comparisons between Episode III and Hitler's rise to power. It was awesome! At one point, one of the students pointed out that Vader was put in charge of building the Death Star, just like the SS were put in charge of the concentration camps. (Death Star is built to wipe out whole planets at once...) I was so proud! The best part is, they are supposed to be able to identify patterns and tactics used by dictators and single party states - and this helped them see some of those patterns in a way that will help them remember it come test time. Yes, I am a nerd...but I'm not a fanatic, or anything. Two students who were less familiar with Star Wars said our discussion made them reconsider it's value. "I always thought it was just a nerdy movie, but now I think it's interesting." Plus, it was fun to teach it this way.

It will be a busy couple of weeks

Why does it seem that in February, a short month, everyone tries to jam pack it with stuff? VT interviews the same night as PT conferences and ward temple night. (Hmm guess I will be at the event I am legally contracted to be at, which means I have to do the VT interview the next day - when I was planning on taking a nap to recover from the sheer exhaustion of PT Conf. Have you ever talked to 100 individual people in three hours? It wears you out physically and emotionally.) Then the following week it's enrichment group (my calling) followed my a RS board meeting the next night.

I am so not looking forward to the 12+ hours I will be working this Wednesday due to PT conferences. Last PT conferences, I had one of the longest lines of parents - people waiting 30 minutes to talk to me - and I never got to pee! (Since it was my day without a prep, I had gone all day without peeing - I already had to go when the thing started.) I think this year, I will lock my door after the bell, so that this time I don't have a flood of students in my room after school wanting to discuss their grade and get extra credit for attending PT conferences before the conferences actually begin. (PT conferences are not held in the classrooms.) That way, I will have 30 minutes to collect my stuff, breath deeply, and PEE before it all starts. I will lock my door and treat my kidneys better!

Oh yeah - I have to tell the school if I am coming back next year or not by...this Friday. Doesn't guarantee me my job or anything. We had a two hour staff meeting last week about budget cuts - and we were told not everyone will get to stay. Guess who doesn't have tenure? But I do teach IB...

On a happier note, I read my copy of "The Tale of Desperaux" they gave me at work - it's the book that all the elementary schools in town are reading this year. I woke up early this morning and read through it while Werty slept in. I was thinking of seeing the movie now that it's at the second run theater. I was a little disturbed that the abused child of only 12 years old was characterized as "fat" and "lazy."But it was nice to read something unrelated to work.

Random Trivia - Did you know that Napoleon was only 30 when he became the dictator of France? Peace and stability through military success was his promise.

Valentine's Day

is around the corner. What to get the ones you love? This also means that my baby sister Crayola is turning 18!!! She is going to be of legal voting age. My brother GLump is going to fly up to see her for her birthday. And no, I have no idea what I am doing for my birthday, Ddonn. It IS the big 30. So far, I know there will be family get together on one of the weekends that my FIL is going to be in town. Having both my niece and nephew born the same month, we usually do a combined b-day cake sometime in March. Then there's my other niece's birthday, and the fact that March is the month all year long that has abolsutely NO holidays or days off in the school calendar. Whoa, scratch that, they are giving us a TQ day in March (teachers have to spend the day in meetings completing assignments given by the principal...even though the day is supposed to be a chance to get caught up on grading...). Last year they gave us a week for Spring Break, but this year, they reduced it back down to 2 days plus the snow day we never use. April 16-17.

Quote of the day, "Teacher why does your room always smell funny?" "Welcome to D wing." "No, none of the other D-wing classes smell this bad." "I don't know, ask 3rd period. They are the only ones in here before you." Maybe it's because I have a kid with bad BO, and he is taking two different classes from me, so he is there one period each day. Ever notice that the kids with bad BO like to sit as close as possible to the teacher? WHY?

Oh, and I got my blood drawn to check my thyroid. Me and my little veins. Got a cotton taped to each inner elbow. At least the nurse was nice. Intead of sticking me a ton, she was saying to my blood in the butterfly tube, "Come on, come on, you can do it..."

Oh, and my sister Sue moved in to her new house this weekend. By the end of the month, they will have renters living in their old house. The new house has a similar layout to Werty's parent's house, built about the same time. Much more space with a complete basement.