Busy reason number two: Tim. Okay so I don't have to do anything for him in terms of helping with this or that, but he is really, really busy. So he just isn't here to help with all the stuff here as often (though I must say that he still manages to do a lot).
Busy reason number three: FSHS yearbook. I am the new adviser. This is really a good thing. I loved being on the yearbook staff in highschool. The staff is great. They are really working well with me at learning new things, but they are basically starting from scratch. It is a lot of work. Right now we are beginning the book, selling ads (to finance the book), selling the book to students, designing the cover, and they are just learning the basics of good design and photography. Lots of fun stuff. Lots to get done in only 45 minutes a day. So some of it comes home with me. As if taking this on in and of itself isn't enough, I agreed to do it and take half as much planning time as everyone else for this semester. I have 45 minutes of planning a day (everyone else has 1.5 hours). Next semester though I will have two hours and 15 minutes of planning a day. So it all balances out, but it is a bit stressful right now.
Yearbook Class
Busy reason number four: I'm still teaching three chemistry classes (two honors, one college prep) and I'm still student council adviser. I didn't give anything up. I just took more on. I guess I could have given up student council, but I'm not really sure who would have taken it on. It is a huge job with lots of responsibility, and there aren't a lot of teachers who are just jumping up and down to take something like that on without any compensation. Oh, of course I meant pay--there's plenty of compensation. I love homecoming and everything associated with it, but if the right person comes along. . . I might be able to be convinced to hand it over.
Flame Tests: Everyone's favorite
Playing the Atom GameBusy reason number five: You didn't think I was finished, did you? I'm taking six hours at WKU. Two classes in library media education. Why? Well, I have to if I want to keep my job for one thing. But I'm not sure that I want to be in a classroom until retirement. Some days I'm not sure I want to be in a school until retirement. ;) Anyway, as a library media specialist (aka librarian), I would have some flexibility. I could work with little kids! That could be fun. There are days that teaching a high school student is just hard! So many of them have so many issues that are in the way. They don't care about atoms, chemical bonds, gas laws or stoichiometry. I mean, I'm trying to teach them chemistry, real chemistry, and I have one sitting in the front row with a safety pin sticking through his jaw (he came in with it that way). Yes, that is correct--as in the safety pin punctured his cheek on one side and came out the other. Where is the safety in that? I just told him if he was going to stick it through there, to at least close it because the sharp end could hurt someone. Can you believe he said okay? Later he asked if he could open it again because it was kind of tight around his lip. Hello--the thing is stuck through his jaw, and he's worried about his lip feeling numb. Now, just in case you are concerned, he has seen a counselor, and I am sympathetic to the fact that he and others have problems that are truly beyond their control. I'm just not sure that I want to deal with it on a daily basis for the next twenty years. Know what I mean? So anyway, I am taking two online classes, which require quite a bit of reading and have a good deal of projects (one of which is a blog--www.mbschlosser518.blogspot.com).
So there you go. Now I'm going to go work on my classes. . . or maybe I will clean the kitchen, or grade some papers, or put away laundry, or work on yearbook or. . . .
7 comments:
Did this kid stick the safety pin through his cheek while sitting there or did he come in with it already installed?
Already there. I don't know when he did it. I didn't ask. My approach is to make as little of a deal as possible, but no way will somebody sit in class and do that. It would become a big deal by default because I would probably throw up.
mary beth...remind me to never complain about how busy i am to you. i didn't realize you were taking 6 hours this semester! whew, be sure you get enough sleep or it will all go to pot. :) procrastination, i'm right there with you. as in this evening..i'm completely not freaking out as much as i should be about a huge test i have on wednesday. i think it's the meds i'm on for my sinus stuff--they make me feel happy and not stressed. :)
I edited my original post to make it clear that the safety pin was already there when he came in my room. I don't want anyone to think that I'm letting kids pierce themselves in my classroom.
Mandy--it isn't so bad. I just juggle and delegate.
Mary Beth, bottom line you do an outstanding job of juggling and remaining cool, calm and collected. It is obvious you are able to find balance in all that stuff...Annie and Emma certainly have one heck of a good time, all the time! :-) Take care of yourself too!
I have been trying to picture the scene in Mr. Maupin's chemistry class back in 1967 had someone showed up with a safety pin in their cheek.
mary beth - i'm tired just reading your blog - i had NO IDEA what all you had your hands in this semester. wowzers! your mom is so right - would anyone know that mary beth is stretched so thin that she could break? why heck no! you are amazing girl!!!
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