- The scale hasn't moved, but somehow I am visibly fatter. Does fat redistribute itself into unflattering ways just to mock me? I should be wearing some sort of radical support garment under my clothes, but the thought of being squeezed into that much spandex all day frightens me.
- I have taken to carrying pencil-topper erasers with me to school to give to the kids I help. So far I've only given two, but the two kids in PreAlgebra who were struggling so hard on their test on Tuesday both went through the erasers attached to their pencils.
- The PreAlgebra teacher had me sit on a chair in-between the desks of these two students so I could "be their conscience" during the test. I wasn't allowed to help them do the problems, but if I saw them doing it wrong I could say, "You might want to look at that one again." It felt like high pressure to me and ended up driving one of them crazy because he's a big worrier anyway, so having me say that meant he knew he'd done it wrong, but had no idea how to do it right; it was heart breaking.
- I ate lunch in my car yesterday and was fine with that. The only weird part was that I had brought a microwavable lunch and had to navigate mounds of snow while carrying it to my car; it's funny if you think about it. If I had taken a header I would have had Broccoli Alfredo all over me! Luckily I made it to the car without falling, and then was able to eat and read my book instead of being the biggest, invisible girl the teachers' lounge has ever not seen.
- The kid from the ink-blot incident struck again! It didn't end up on his forehead this time, but all over his shirt! I don't know if he suffers from some sort of oral fixation or not, but this time it was a black gel pen that ended up all over his shirt. It's a good thing I didn't see this until after class or I may have lost it again. I heard one kid say, "Dude, again?!" So funny.
**Thoughts??**
Comment Window Tidbit: We've receive two Christmas cards already! Every year I think we're going to do ours sooner, but it has never happened.
17 comments:
I just had to say that I am really enjoying your blog, maybe even more so as a "working girl" blog. We were out of town all week for the holiday and then came back to discover that we needed to pinch-hit babysit for several days for a family friend. So, today is catch-up time for me but enjoyed starting it by catching up on your blog. I'm glad you didn't give it up when you went back to work.
Have a great Thursday ~~
Oh, dear. For a moment I thought that you had to sit between 2 students and be their conscience because they were having a cheating problem. Glad it wasn't that.
I can't help but think the teachers etc. in the lounge are missing out on getting to know you.
The kid with the ink... oh I'm so glad I'm not in Jr. High anymore...
thanks for blogging even when you are busy-
So funny about the ink.. I have to admit that I was that kid in Elementary school. I would chew my pens and they would break (although a lot of times I would not know this) and I would end up with ink on my lips and face. It happened to me A LOT. :)
I would eat in my car too. When I worked in an office I always went to the car. I like the privacy it felt like I "got away" even if I didn't go anywhere.
I'm trying to get out my cards but our toner is low and I don't know where to buy more so I can't print anything off until then.
Your comment about being the invisible girl made me sad to think about. I have been that girl so many times. It is hard for me to be out going to new people especially if I don't have a buffer friend with me.
I need to do one of these posts just to get one done!
It's horrible that you have to eat in your car! Are the people in the lounge rude to you, or do they just not include you? ( I guess they are basically the same thing.) My thought is that it will never get better if you don't sit in there with them sometimes. Can you try and befriend them one at a time, outside of lunch?
I'm glad you didn't get Broccoli Alfredo all over you! :)
yes, I do think fat redistributes itself. I actually lost 2 pounds, but my clothes were all tighter, how does that work scientifically?
How does the boy get ink everywhere? Does he bite the pens, take them apart, or are they old school fountain pens?
I am thinking that High Schools need to really embrace the parents in the community to help and hire more aides in class. Many of my students needed the extra conscience during tests!
I'm with Patsy, the others in the teacher's lounge are missing out by not knowing you. And this will never change if you are eating in your car! But I do have lots of experience with being the invisible girl, and that is not fun.
I think it's so endearing that you carry erasers for kids who are in need. Really, you are the perfect teacher's aide that ever has been.
I think it's very kind of you to bring erasers for the kids. An act of kindness that may be just the right thing to make someone feel rescued. I love that.
I, too, am sad to hear about the situation in the teacher's lounge. Eating alone in the car, and hoping you don't fall in the snow just sounds sad, so I hope that it improves and you start to feel more welcome. I know that feeling, and it's not a nice one. Sorry!
"Dude, again?!" That's hilarious.
I always think I'm going to send out Christmas cards early "this year" ... and then I don't.
what is up with that kid?!??!
ugh- i do think fat redistributes. i don't like this quality of it- then again, i don't like much about that substance at all.
i'd be terrible as the conscience. i'm such a push-over for helping.
i haven't even put our christmas cards together yet. perhaps they will be new year cards instead.
Kelly is printing my return address labels as I type! My cards are upstairs just waiting for addresses! Woohoo!
Whenever I worked, I chose to eat or take my break alone. I liked it that way.
I would want you for my conscience. It is heartbreaking though to think of that poor kid not knowing how to fix the problem that was wrong.
Okay, you NEED the camaraderie of the teachers' lounge. Jump in there, friend. Leap. Dive.
Belly-flop, if you have to!
That being said, I do understand the need for some quiet and privacy from the cacophony of school. It's very regenerative. I used to go through phases where I would eat in my classroom.
But go leap! They will love you--everyone does.
"Dude, again?" is going in my next book.
Good material.
...My Christmas cards are late, late late this year! And, I fear that because of our move - we won't get cards in the mail until Jan. Sigh!
The ink blog kid cracked me up! Poor thing!
I am a bit disturbed that you had to sit in between those two littles. I, too, thought it was because of cheating - glad to know it wasn't - but that poor 'worrier' ..that must have sent him over the edge!
I agree! You must stay in the teachers lounge. It might be painful for 2 weeks - but somethings will change. They will be missing out!
I think it's so sweet of you to carry erasers with you--and so you, totally a Jill thing to do (like I really know, know you, but I pretend I do in my head).
I think it's good for you to brave the lounge on occasion but I totally understand the need for solace and peace in the car.
Jr. high is so awful and awkward--that poor ink blob kid.
well, i don't think you should force yourself to sit in the lounge if it's making you uncomfortable. focus on getting comfortable with the job, the routine, the new changes in your life, then you can focus on breaking through the politics of the teacher's lounge. you need your lunch break to be a time of solace right now, if not, the whole day is going to be filled with things you don't want to do.
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