Thursday, November 29, 2007

Beds

I love my daughter. She is six years old and keeps me laughing daily (not always on purpose). Here is a conversation we had earlier this evening:

Daughter: Mommy can we put your sheets on my bed?
Me: No, our beds are not the same size.
Daughter: They look the same.
Me: No, my bed is a queen size and yours is a full size.
Daughter: Oh.
Me: (smile)
Daughter: So you are a queen and I am a full (fool).
Me: Yup!
Daughter: Hey!
Me: You said it!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

And So It Continues...

So today, I'm in the cafeteria with my students who are eating breakfast (I have the pleasure of taking my whole class to breakfast) and a certain TA walks up directly behind me and yells, for me to hear, to another TA if they are ordering food for lunch today. The other TA says not that she knows of and asks why. Annoying one says because she's not allowed to order out anymore. She's obviously saying this to make sure I hear her. It's purely for my benefit. I decide to be the bigger person and not turn around. I act as if I don't hear anything. Hard to do when someone is basically yelling in your ear and you can feel them staring at you. The TA she was talking to had no clue what she was doing and she eventually walked away. I don't think she fully understands that I don't care who, what, when, where, why, or how she eats. None of this would have been an issue if she hadn't yelled at me in the first place. UGH!!!!

Later during the day...

I'm walking down the hall during my planning period. She and two other TA's are loitering in the hallway. One of them says to another, "Hey, E, do you have a minute?". The infamous TA, let's call her "B", (make your own assumptions) says, "No, but some people have ALL day!".

I guess it was suppose to be a jab at me. Maybe she thinks that a teacher has nothing to do all day. I guess her job and life are WAY more difficult than a measly first grade general education/ESL teacher and single mom.

My question to all of you is...

What do I do? She has made my workplace a hostile environment. I am very uncomfortable when she is anywhere around me. I'm not sure what she's going to do next? I need some words of wisdom from my blogger friends.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

De-Stressing

Today during our planning periods we had an "optional" meeting with a psychiatrist for tips about de-stressing. Teaching is certainly a stressful job and I could see how these meetings could be useful. I'm actually a very laid back and happy person. When I do get stressed or upset by external forces, I tend to step back and tell myself that no one can "steal my joy" or control how I feel.

I went to the "session" mostly to show support and hopefully to gain a few tips. I was the only one to show up during my planning time. It turned out to be a bit of a "venting" session. Seeing as I really don't have much to vent (I do that here and at happy hour) I just answered her questions about school environment and overall feelings around the campus.

I was honest and told her that I truly don't have very many issues. I told her I try to not take anything personally and that usually works for me. Apparently, there are many others feeling stress because of negativity in our building. I think she is going to try to get more positives and fun things to happen at our school which would, of course, be great.

Later that same day...
I go to pick my students up from lunch. I'm about 5 minutes early so I just talk to the kids for a bit. I realize there are no TA's in the cafeteria and it's 2 minutes until we leave for recess. None of the children have taken their trays to the trash. We have 200 kids in there and I know it's going to be chaos very soon. I tell my kids to stand up and take their trash and trays. I turn around and a TA is yelling at me. Here is the conversation.

TA: "So, I GUESS we are ALL just DISMISSING our OWN kids NOW!"
Me: "No one was in here."
TA: "I WAS in HERE! YOU SAW ME!"
Me: "No, you were not in here."

Side note- another TA had gone to get them all lunch from Applebees (not their lunch time, lunch duty) and the custodian and TA's were in the hallway paying her.

TA: "I GUESS I will just STAY in one SPOT!"
Me: "Un-freakin-believable!"

All of this in front of my student teacher and students. Very unprofessional and rude. I immediately went to inform an administrator. This TA was actually suspended for 3 days for yelling at an assistant principal. Some nerve.

She's obviously a VERY unhappy person in the wrong profession. It made me think about what I said to the psychiatrist. I had to take a few minutes and relax and realize that this woman can not and will not "steal my joy" or control how I feel.

Here's to a fantastic tomorrow!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Rude Awakening

I awake this morning at 5am to the sound of a dog barking. It's a very unusual bark. A high pitched, annoying, continuous barking. I'm so angry that someone's dog has woken me and now I can't get back to sleep. I then realize, it's one of MY dog's barking! It's a bark I've never heard before. I'm so startled, I jump out of bed and run out into the back yard. I call the two dogs and they won't come to me. They continue to bark. All of a sudden, I hear yelping. Then it's quiet. I'm screaming my dogs name and there is no response. No movement, no sounds, nothing. I'm completely freaking out. I can't see anything because I don't have my glasses on, it's pitch dark, I'm in my jammies, and I have no shoes on. All I can think is that my dog's have been attacked by something and hurt badly.

I run into my house, grab my glasses, put some shoes on and then run back outside. It's still dark and I can't find a flashlight.

I run to where I last heard noises in the back yard. I see my dog's. They are standing, quietly, staring at a... POSSUM! There's a freakin' possum in my backyard! I am so confused and thankful that my dogs are okay I don't even know what to do. What was the yelping? How do I handle this situation? They won't come in the house with me. They just continue to stare at and bark at this possum laying on it's side. I'm assuming it's dead. I don't want them to do anything to it but they still wont come in.

I finally give up and go back in the house. By now, it's time for me to be up. I take my shower, get my daughter up, get ready for school, and look for a flashlight. Still can't find one!

I go back outside to check on "the situation".

IT'S GONE! The possum was playing possum!

It's still so dark outside I can't tell if it's gone or just somewhere else. Seeing as there is nothing else I can do and I have to get to school, I leave, hoping for the best.

I was dreading going into the back yard when I got home today. Great news! No possum anywhere. It was indeed playing possum and made it's escape. Yay little possum! Run! (And don't come back and cause my dogs to wake me up again!)