I bought a Mr. Potato Head

Remember these! They're amazing. I haven't taken it into my class yet, so we'll see how it goes over. Something tells me that at least one or two of my kids will be scared of it. I'll let you know...

This sums it up...

i woke up early this morning
and i'm already runnin' late
there's a list of things as long as my arm
that won't get done today
is it Tuesday is it Wednesday?
they're running into each other
somebody tell me when it's my day
man, this life sure has been trouble

so, tomorrow i'm takin me fishin
hang a sign on the door of my life
tell the world that i've gone missin
and i won't be back for awhile
i'm so tired of only wishin
i could leave my trouble behind
i want to be front porch rockin' with a big sun droppin'
and a blue sky
kick back and get high
livin part of life
--Eric Church "Livin' Part of Life"

I don't even like fishing, but it's stated so well.

Clarifications

From talking to a few people over the past couple of weeks, it sounds like I just might need to be a little more clear about what's happening in my life! As of now, I'm living in Memphis at my parent's house. I was able to go back to the job that I have worked for the past couple of summers, but this time in my own classroom. This sounded really great at first, until I realized that it would consume every second of free time I have at home and I don't get paid any more than I did before. In case you're wondering, child care workers make only slightly more than minimum wage. I could make more working at the gas station down the street, working at Target, or maybe even asking "Would you like fries with that?" To me, it's a sad commentary on American society and our priorities. Another story for another time, though.

I heard back from a school last week and am hoping to hear from some this coming week. Several said that I could expect to hear from them around/before the end of June. Which is....now. I have at least one interview set up for sometime within the next couple of weeks, so hopefully there are more to come! I'll keep you updated. It's going to be rough traveling back and forth, so I want to get in as many interviews I can and make it worth the travel! Wish me luck!!

Thank you, Weather Girls

Terrible special effects (it was the 80's after all), but just love the song! Priceless.

Okay, B**ch!

That's what one of my three year-olds said to me yesterday.

I think my last post was in error. Three is the new fourteen.

Three is the new Two

Haven't you heard? The Terrible Twos are now the Terrible Threes (not the same alliteration effect, but still...). And I have a class of three year-olds. Given, they are about to turn four, but it really doesn't matter. Today, there were two girls screaming (and I do mean SCREAMING) and crying about something simultaneously. When you only have eight kids and about 150 square feet, this gets loud and old really fast. One of the girls cried and screamed for a solid hour and a half. I thought she was going to make herself sick.

To get through the craziness, I set small goals for myself. Like "make it to snack" (which is 30 minutes away). If I make it there without going crazy, I feel a sense of accomplishment. I didn't make it to my lunch goal today, though. Went crazy before that. One kid has very selective hearing (I admire his impeccable skill with this), one throws an average of three tantrums a day, one refuses to play with any children (just hangs off my legs, literally), one NEVER stops talking (even when I'm talking to him), one refuses to keep his shoes on, one is that kid that can make trouble with any object within reach, and then two are precious. The only time I stop moving all day is when they are all asleep for about five minutes (then I have to wake up one because his mother doesn't want him taking a nap for more than an hour). My days are ridiculous. Just give me 3rd graders already.

This is rough

I've started working in my new classroom, and it's rough to say the least. The teacher who was there prior to me had few (if any) routines or guidelines for the children to follow. Things as simple as washing hands with SOAP and water after pottying weren't being done. Gross you out? Yeah, me too. So I get there at 8:00 everyday, get an hour for lunch in the middle (where I can't go home because it's too far and gas is too high), and get to "leave" at 5:00. Although, I have yet to actually leave at 5:00 because I have to stay and do things in my classroom that I couldn't do with children there. So I usually get home around 6:00, completely exhausted. Most days I could just go to sleep right then. But no.

Then, I have been writing thank you notes, doing school research, looking for apartments, working on this middle school band thing I'm doing, etc. Somebody just give me a decent job already. Originally, I had thought that I can just stay at the job I have for the summer if nothing works out in Chicago. Then I got paid today and realized that I only make $7.00/hour. I make less than a gas station attendant and I have a college degree. LAME. So, can't do this for longer than like 2 months. Some people live on that salary and I just don't know how. That means I absolutely must must must must get a teaching job for the fall. Ugh. If you have any leads, let me know. I just want the job fairy to visit after I go to sleep tonight and lay a contract under my pillow. Can you arrange for that? K, thanks.