How exciting...I am now posting this message on my brand new laptop. I got it with money that I earned.....and it is actually MINE! It is a MacBook, and it is way cute. :0)
I got it now, because I plan on starting my classes in March, and I wanted a semi quick/portable computer to work on. Not to mention, the one I was using before this one was old, and it blew up. (not really that dramatic, but it stopped working for me anyway.....)
Anyway, I thought I'd share my exciting news.
By the way--I sent my resume' and application in for three jobs yesterday. We will see. Only one of them was for a position at my current school.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
bit of an update
With all of this house stuff going on, and not even going on my blog that often lately--I don't think I ever mentioned that I didn't get that long term sub position I interviewed for. It was quite a let down, I admit. It hit me hard--made me feel discouraged. They hired a girl fresh out of college. The principal told me that she was amazing--that she hit the ball out of the park. You can guess that I obviously didn't. I guess I hit a foul ball. He did tell me that I should still interview for other jobs.....but part of me feels like I was being humored. I am not convinced he thinks all that much of me. Other teachers told me they were shocked I didn't get the position, and the teacher getting the sub, actually came up to me after the decision was made, that she couldn't sleep nights over the whole thing. She felt for sure I was going to get the job. (The principal made the decision....and the 4th grade team didn't know who he was going to pick, until they were told three days later.)
Now--I am leary of even trying again. Being rejected is not easy. I felt completely inadequate.....and I haven't been able to shake the feeling. There is another obvious chance for me to teach again coming up. this time it is a long-term sub position for my current teacher I work with. She is prego and due in May. It is for less than a month. The job is with the class I already know, and who already know me. The position is also just half-time, as this teacher job shares with another teacher. She only teaches language arts, and switches with the other teacher, who teaches math, science and social studies at lunchtime.
Here is the thing---no one has mentioned this to me. Not the principal, not this current teacher. I noticed the posting online this morning. How pathetic is that? I can't figure out why someone wouldn't have brought up the opportunity---or at least told me they were going to post it. It makes me feel worse. I just feel like if they can't trust me in this teaching situation....when would they? Of course, this is the teacher I feel the least comfortable with. My other teacher, I love. I feel that she trusts me completely. But the one that is leaving has never really given me any teaching opportunities. She keeps me busy with filing, and correcting papers, and monitoring the class doing seatwork, while she does guided reading. I never understood why she doesn't use me otherwise--like to work with small groups, etc. She knows I am certified. It makes me feel like a lost cause....like I am never going to get there.
I really am discouraged--can you tell? I suppose all I can do is apply for positions and see if anyone calls me for an interview. I just thought that my best shot would have been with the school that knew me best.
Now--I am leary of even trying again. Being rejected is not easy. I felt completely inadequate.....and I haven't been able to shake the feeling. There is another obvious chance for me to teach again coming up. this time it is a long-term sub position for my current teacher I work with. She is prego and due in May. It is for less than a month. The job is with the class I already know, and who already know me. The position is also just half-time, as this teacher job shares with another teacher. She only teaches language arts, and switches with the other teacher, who teaches math, science and social studies at lunchtime.
Here is the thing---no one has mentioned this to me. Not the principal, not this current teacher. I noticed the posting online this morning. How pathetic is that? I can't figure out why someone wouldn't have brought up the opportunity---or at least told me they were going to post it. It makes me feel worse. I just feel like if they can't trust me in this teaching situation....when would they? Of course, this is the teacher I feel the least comfortable with. My other teacher, I love. I feel that she trusts me completely. But the one that is leaving has never really given me any teaching opportunities. She keeps me busy with filing, and correcting papers, and monitoring the class doing seatwork, while she does guided reading. I never understood why she doesn't use me otherwise--like to work with small groups, etc. She knows I am certified. It makes me feel like a lost cause....like I am never going to get there.
I really am discouraged--can you tell? I suppose all I can do is apply for positions and see if anyone calls me for an interview. I just thought that my best shot would have been with the school that knew me best.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
not a moment's rest
Things never seem to be easy over here.
I won't go into the VERY long story about this, but the short story is that Jacob had this science experiment he was working on for school. The science fair is at the end of the month. I spent $25 on petri dishes and agar, and a couple of hours preparing them for an experiment to see if a dog's mouth is actually cleaner than a human's. We were testing to see how much bacteria grew from each of the samples we swabbed. Anyway....Jacob blew it. He was supposed to be following a calendar of deadlines for each part of his scientific method. He did okay until this week, when we found out he was actually about a week behind. He was supposed to be completely finished with his observations and data collecting on Friday, and this week they were to spend three days in the LRC developing their graphs with software they have there. Okay--so here is the problem. We just started the experiment, and have had no growth yet in the dishes, and therefore nothing to observe or graph. So-after talking with his teacher, she is allowing him to start a whole new experiment--a "quick" one, so he can catch up to the rest of the class.
ARGH! That also means he has to do all the other parts over. He has to write a new hypothesis, write the procedure, do research and bibliography, etc. all so he is able to make the graphs at the same time as the rest of the class!
I actually appreciate her letting him change experiments at such a late time in the process......because I was worried about the petri dishes not showing growth in time, BUT this has added urgency to everything we are doing! No rest for the weary over here, for sure.
The new experiment is to determine how different storage temperatures effect the amount of microwave popcorn that pops. He will test popcorn stored in the freezer, the fridge, and then at room temperature. Not quite as fun as the dog/human saliva thing....but quicker anyway. :0)
I won't go into the VERY long story about this, but the short story is that Jacob had this science experiment he was working on for school. The science fair is at the end of the month. I spent $25 on petri dishes and agar, and a couple of hours preparing them for an experiment to see if a dog's mouth is actually cleaner than a human's. We were testing to see how much bacteria grew from each of the samples we swabbed. Anyway....Jacob blew it. He was supposed to be following a calendar of deadlines for each part of his scientific method. He did okay until this week, when we found out he was actually about a week behind. He was supposed to be completely finished with his observations and data collecting on Friday, and this week they were to spend three days in the LRC developing their graphs with software they have there. Okay--so here is the problem. We just started the experiment, and have had no growth yet in the dishes, and therefore nothing to observe or graph. So-after talking with his teacher, she is allowing him to start a whole new experiment--a "quick" one, so he can catch up to the rest of the class.
ARGH! That also means he has to do all the other parts over. He has to write a new hypothesis, write the procedure, do research and bibliography, etc. all so he is able to make the graphs at the same time as the rest of the class!
I actually appreciate her letting him change experiments at such a late time in the process......because I was worried about the petri dishes not showing growth in time, BUT this has added urgency to everything we are doing! No rest for the weary over here, for sure.
The new experiment is to determine how different storage temperatures effect the amount of microwave popcorn that pops. He will test popcorn stored in the freezer, the fridge, and then at room temperature. Not quite as fun as the dog/human saliva thing....but quicker anyway. :0)
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Whew!
Well--we are in our new home. It has been about a week and a half. Lovin' the new place....although sometimes, I wonder if I don't miss the "closeness" of all the rooms in my old house. To find someone in this house is nuts sometimes! Mainly, because the upper floor is open to the bottom floor, and the basement door is usually left open.....so, when I call someone's name, and they answer, I can't tell what part of the house they are in! I think I hear them from the upstairs, and I go up, search the rooms up there, and then, I call again when I can't find them.....and usually they were someplace completely different ...like the basement! Very odd.
Also, we have a regular visitor to the house. A very friendly (?) cardinal. I remember him from one of the times we walked through the house. He was hanging out in the bush by the dining room window. Every once in a while he'd bang into the window--and his beak would knock on it. It cracked me up. Well, he has been back a few times since then. Today, I heard knocking first thing this morning, with some birdie tweets....and there he was, all cute and red, trying to find a way into our house via the window. He makes MANY attempts. He flies from a bush branch to the window, smacks into it with his beak and legs, and the flies back to the bush. He does this over and over. We all thought it was funny and cute in the beginning. BUT-after a full day of this....we are starting to think it is just annoying.
Our neighborhood has been great so far. Since we moved in, I have not driven to one soccer practice. My nice neighbor friends have given me time to "unpack" and just picked Jake up, and brought him home. We have had a fresh oaf of Chocolate Cinnamon bread delivered by someone else, had another neighbor snow blow or whole driveway for us, another guy take his snowplow and clear away some heavy slushy snow off the bottom of our driveway, had another neiighbor clear our walk way, etc!! Nathan has played with the boy across the street everyday since we moved in, and Jake has been to a couple of friends houses, too. Most recently, he went up the street to his friend T.C's house for a snowball fight with all his buddies. Ben has still managed to see his best friend acre=oss town a few times a week, and also went to a friend's house in the neighborhood soon after we moved in. I guess we are doing just fine in the adjustment!
There has been a ton going on.....my mind is filled with more things to write about--but it will have to wait for another time. My typing fingers have said this is enough for now! :0)
Also, we have a regular visitor to the house. A very friendly (?) cardinal. I remember him from one of the times we walked through the house. He was hanging out in the bush by the dining room window. Every once in a while he'd bang into the window--and his beak would knock on it. It cracked me up. Well, he has been back a few times since then. Today, I heard knocking first thing this morning, with some birdie tweets....and there he was, all cute and red, trying to find a way into our house via the window. He makes MANY attempts. He flies from a bush branch to the window, smacks into it with his beak and legs, and the flies back to the bush. He does this over and over. We all thought it was funny and cute in the beginning. BUT-after a full day of this....we are starting to think it is just annoying.
Our neighborhood has been great so far. Since we moved in, I have not driven to one soccer practice. My nice neighbor friends have given me time to "unpack" and just picked Jake up, and brought him home. We have had a fresh oaf of Chocolate Cinnamon bread delivered by someone else, had another neighbor snow blow or whole driveway for us, another guy take his snowplow and clear away some heavy slushy snow off the bottom of our driveway, had another neiighbor clear our walk way, etc!! Nathan has played with the boy across the street everyday since we moved in, and Jake has been to a couple of friends houses, too. Most recently, he went up the street to his friend T.C's house for a snowball fight with all his buddies. Ben has still managed to see his best friend acre=oss town a few times a week, and also went to a friend's house in the neighborhood soon after we moved in. I guess we are doing just fine in the adjustment!
There has been a ton going on.....my mind is filled with more things to write about--but it will have to wait for another time. My typing fingers have said this is enough for now! :0)
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