I'm still here... barely

Well it has been a crazy beginning to the school year!

We've been in school for 8 weeks and in that 8 weeks I've missed 6 days of school plus two more half days...(which may not seem like a lot... but it really IS!).

I started off the school year with bronchitis and laryngitis. So for the whole 2nd week of school I couldn't talk... (OK only half of the 2nd week, til Thursday when I yelled at a kid and my voice came back!)

The next week I was in Phoenix for 2 days.

Needless to say, my classroom, and my class, and myself had a really rough beginning. There was a good 2-3 weeks where we flat out didn't like each other.

During this nightmare I was in Indiana for 2 days.

In those 2-3 weeks there were 4 days where 14 children went to Think Time. 1 student went 2 days in a row... His mom called and asked that he be removed from my classroom because I'm too mean... I invited mom in to see I was equally mean to each of my students. Mom hasn't ever come in, he's still in my classroom, and he hasn't been back to Think Time since. (And all this about 1 of my 23 darlings)...

When I got back I was in my classroom for a whole week and I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! We fell in love with each other, my students and I. It was a turning point for all of us. Since we've only had the occasional Think Time and they've earned their first party.

The next week I missed a half day to go meet my student teacher and learn what I needed to do while she was in my class.

The following week my student teacher started and I was supposed to go to Phoenix for 2 days... Lucky for me (so I thought) our ELL director hadn't gotten a substitute so I got to stay home. YAY! But in reality it was most lucky for the other 3 people that had to go to Phoenix. On the 2nd day I would have been gone I GOT SO SICK! So I left halfway through the day and went to the doctor while John was in class (Oh did I forget to mention he's back in school!).

2 words


SWINE FLU

Yup, me of all people had swine flu.

(Here's what went through my head in 1.2 seconds...
I was in nursery on Sunday, I babysat the girls on Sunday, I taught my class for two days, I've graded all their papers, I sent all those papers home, I've touched everything, I have a funeral to go to, I have a baptism to go to, I have a RS activity to go to, I have to call SO MANY PEOPLE!)


We take a break from the "Back to school story" for the "Swine flu story"
I'd been texting my mom the whole time so she was the first to know... But I called my principal first. He was literally speechless, thought I was kidding, and kinda freaked out. Then I called my friend, whose girls I had watched, she's also my superintendent's wife so that worked out. I called everyone that I had spoken with in the last 3 days... It was loads of fun telling all these people they were possibly exposed.

Anyway, the first day was awful... after I got home from the Dr. office I hurt so bad I could hardly walk... But by Friday I was fever free for 24 hrs and feeling lots better.

There is nothing worse that being told you cant leave your house until ____ especially if you're a control freak like me! So I stayed put till Monday like I was told... grr

We no return you to the regularly scheduled "Back to School Story"

Swine Flu, home for 2 days.

So my poor student teacher go her first go at teaching a little earlier than either one of us had planned... but she did GREAT!!!

Anyway, I was at school all last week feeling much better, and loving it all, kids, student teacher, teaching in general...

Until I happen upon all the things I HAVE to do DIFFERENTLY this year because I'm teaching first AND second graders.

Just think; spelling tests, homework, reading material, not to mention all the different variable in WHAT they know. So, it is DEFINITELY been a learning experience for me, and I'm only motivated by my desire to have them learn all the can. Perfection at certain things is possible.

Some of the things we hope to perfect this year:

• Walking down the hallway correctly
• Capitol letters and punctuation in our sentences
• Short and long vowel sounds
• Addition
• Subtraction

Anyway, I'm alive... I survived the Swine Flu... All is well.