How's your morning?

A student screamed at me that he's going to kill me and I'm a snitch. 

I introduced another student to satire via an Onion article and he laughes so hard he fell out of his chair and said I'm the best teacher ever. 

Phone Jail

Today I took up 6 phones. My new personal record!

Read Across America Day

To celebrate Read Across America Day, I took all my students outside to read our new novel, The Crossover. It was a gorgeous day and the kids liked the book. Win-win. 

Korra Hair

Today was "hair love" day at school. Korra requested "Korra" hair. 

World Thinking Day

Korra's troop is teaching other troops about Hong Kong. 

It's going to be a very long afternoon. 

Roller Skating

This morning Korra and I went to a park so she and a friend could roller skate. It was absolutely gorgeous out and I got to enjoy a walk and a doughnut with her friend's mom. 

Mentor

After I insisted via email that I needed more support for repeated unsafe student behaviors (like the horseplaying that resulted in me getting kicked before Christmas), I was given a conference where my faults and deficits were listed and then I was offered a teacher mentor to help me with my classroom management/culture. I didn't cry during the meeting but I did later when a reprisal of the meeting was sent to all admin via email. Yeah, not the help I was looking for and definitely didn't help with my feelings of self doubt. 

Pay Raise

The school announced they're changing the compensation system. It's been my biggest complaint about the school for 3+ years and NOW they finally changed it to be more fair and transparent. If I stay next year, I'd get a $9000 a year raise. Which kind of feels like I've been underpaid by that amount for the last few years. It sucks. 

Gulf Shores

This morning Korra and I borrowed a car and drive an hour to Gulf Shores where my parents and some of my aunts and uncles are vacationing. It was nice to have a time with them even though it was short. 

Prius Tires

We noticed the Prius has been riding rough so yesterday I tried to take it to get a tire rotation and alignment but they couldn't fit me in. On the ride down to Pensacola today, I called a couple of car repair places to schedule the work for while we're here visiting. 4 miles from our destination, the tire pressure light came on. At the next light, I looked out at the tire and noticed it was low. By the time we got here, it was half flat. While a flat tire sucks, at least it happened once we got to Nate's parents' house where we could change it in the garage with help rather than in the dark and rain on the side of the road. 

Getting things done

Korra and I got a lot of things done on our day off today. We walked to the library, purchased new shoes (Korra wore out her shoes we bought in August but STILL hasn't outgrown size 13), cleaned (bathrooms, vaccuming, mopping), got the car washed, made a couple of phone calls/appointments, and got the last 4 cookie orders ready to be picked up. And I still had time for a bubble bath! I can go into the rest of the break feeling like I can completely relax. 

13 Stop Cookie Delivery Route

After a long day of school (and a delicious dinner of homemade pizza), Korra and I loaded up the car to deliver Girl Scout Cookies.  We posted her flyer on NextDoor and while it drummed up some good business for her, it was a huge pain in the butt to map out getting to all these houses (even if there were all in a 3 mile radius of our house), text all these people I don't know to arrange the drop off, and then actually drive to each house.  It was not made easier when at the first house Korra tripped and scraped up her hand or when there was no parking for 2 of the apartment buildings.  Korra and I decided it wasn't worth the trouble (it took 2 hours!).  We'll stick to our neighborhood, friends, and family only next year. 

Amazing Pan Pizza

We tried a new pizza recipe tonight and I don't think we're ever going to make another kind.  

https://homebeccanomics.com/2021/04/07/cast-iron-pan-pizza/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-srfPL5CWZs

Cookie Delivery

Blairsville

After the Reading Bowl, we drove up to Blairsville to visit friends from college. We took a quick drive/hike up Bell Mountain before going out to dinner. Looking forward to more time together tomorrow. 

Just as Bad

The competition went from 8:30 until after 1:00. At 1, they announced that Korra's team won 3rd place (good but only 1st advances). At 1:40, they still had not even had all teams finish the final round for middle school so I gave on finding out the winner at least for today. Not only were there technology issues, but we had to contend with a rude coach who rolled her eyes and smacked her forehead repeatedly when my students were speaking. It was not a good way to spend 5 hours of my Saturday, especially since I didn't get to meet the quilt lady. 

Reading Bowl- Regionals

Today is the Regional Competition for Reading Bowl. Both our elementary (Korra's team) and middle (my team) are competing. I'm mostly dreading it because last time was such a disaster and because we have other plans for today. I need to meet the "quilt lady" in a church parking lot before 1:00. She only comes to Atlanta once a month to pick up and drop off quilts so I really don't want to miss her. We also made plans to drive 2 hours north to see friends. So here's hoping the competition goes smoothly and quickly. 

More of the Same

The rest of the week was pretty much more of the same except it didn't upset me quite as much. I did get a chance to speak briefly with the executive director and one of the assistant principals (in separate instances) after they saw what things are like.  I told them both the extreme irritability among the students, with themselves, their peers and the teachers, is constant and widespread and that we're not ok.  I hope they listened. I don't know how to fix it. I don't think they do either, but at least I said it and they saw it. 

Today was a bad day

I bought the kids pizza for lunch. And still...

A student cussed at me. 3 students told me "You do too much."  One student skipped my class. I found a picture of 2 animated Disney characters engaged in a sec act on a student's computer. Her mom later replied to my email in a very hostile and combative way. I had to cover a class during my planning. 

I'm doing all the things to keep my stress levels down, to reset, to... just be ok and I keep getting triggered back up to a 10. Over and over. I don't know how I can keep doing this. 

Time with Friends

Taking advantage of our "natural immunity" plus our vaccines to see more friends. Went down to LaGrange yesterday and spent time with a few people and then had some friends over for dinner tonight. It makes me so happy to be with people I love. 

300 boxes

I fit 300+ boxes of Girl Scout cookies in my Prius. Now I have to help Korra sort and deliver them all. 

All-inclusive Anniversary Trip

Nate and I had to cancel our 15th anniversary trip (thanks, COVID). We finally feel like big travel plans might be ok to make for the summer (we still bought the travel insurance though!), so today I booked 4 days and 3 nights at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun. I am so excited!!!

Walker

Today was the 3rd day in the last week that Korra walked home by herself. Before Nate's new job, she just had to stay with me but now that Nate's working from home in the afternoon, we decided to try it. She walks 2 blocks and Nate meets her right outside our complex. She was nervous the first time but now she feels so proud and independent. 

A pint for each

I bought each of my Reading Bowl kids their own pint of ice cream (their favorite flavor) to celebrate our win on Saturday.  They were exactly as excited as I hoped they would be. 

Cookie Sales

Korra has sold 373 boxes of cookies.  I have to help her deliver 300 of them.  I can't say I'm as enthusiastic about this part of the process.