Blogger Sabbatical. Highlights of the Offseason.

Here's the thing:

From August to October I was still running strong on lifejuice I had left over from those glorious summer months which I spent in intensive recovery from the traumatic first year, in which almost all joy for teaching was drained from my being. almost.

After that dramatic statement, let me take a moment to say that this year, while it is still incredibly challenging, is better than the first year. To say it is largely more blissful and manageable would be a lie, BUT it is better. Maybe a good analogy would be this: Instead of drowning, I am now treading water. (Still hoping to get to the swimming part someday.)

On really difficult days I am able to remind myself of this change for the better, no matter how slight, and cling to hope instead of snowballing into whythehelldididecidetoteach mode. So that's a plus.

Anyway:
November hit 2011 and I hit a wall.
My endurance, vitality, strength, spirit (whatever you want to call it) as a teacher began to fade. And, let's be honest, when your job is taking that much out of you each day, the LAST thing you want to do after work is revisit the day in your mind. I had absolutely no desire to spend my time writing about my job. Shoot, I'd just lived it for 10 of my 15 waking hours. No thank you.
I didn't even want to talk about my job.
*gasp* you say, "Lindsey, not wanting to talk??"
I know, shocking. But true nonetheless.
Boundaries. It was my way of creating them. AKA trying to keep the insanity of my professional life from bleeding into my personal life. It's a delicate balance.
Thus, the frequency of my posts waned, and then ceased altogether.

However, there have certainly been blogworthy experiences in the past 3ish months that firstyearfootholds fell to neglect. And, I think frequently about how many memories I am letting pass by without note of them.
So, today I am going to bring you up to speed, friends!
Get ready for a fast-forward version of November to now.
Ready?
Here we go!

One of my students brought this framed photo of her baby brother to our class for 'show and tell'. Yep. That's a beer.

I learned you can't be too picky when asking a parent volunteer for help with a bulletin board…

Discovery: Shellac manicure. An elementary teacher's only hope for no chip nails. Amazing.

I did, indeed, take that trip to the Seattle over Fall Break. I had a lovely time with Espresso My Heart.

My students earned the most AR points for reading!! Their reward was smacking me in the face with TWO pies at our morning assembly.

I got really good at make-ahead lunches. That cafeteria crap will kill you. (but I still eat it sometimes.)

I relapsed back into my addiction to tootsie rolls. My students became so concerned that they intervened by declaring that one of them had to stay with me each day during specials to make sure I didn't break into the candy stash that was locked in the closet. Not kidding.

I got a flower.

A pair of panties mysteriously appeared on my classroom floor one day. No one would claim them.

I baked my first Thanksgiving pie.

I became the school mascot. Scary, I know.

I got beat up by a snowboard in Crested Butte over Christmas Break.

Willy still can't quite get the hang of the sign language symbol for 'restroom'….bless his heart.

Okay. That's that.

I feel better knowing at least part of the empty months of my blog have been filled in with a series of random photographs.

I left a few things out so I could write more meaty posts regarding those events. 

In other words, more posts to come.

Stay tuned!

A child's life is like a piece of paper on which every passerby leaves a mark.

Chinese Proverb

Unplanned Redecorating

Are you curious about what's been going down at my school lately?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words...

Happy Monday!

This is a perfect example of what ONE very upset student can do to a classroom when they lose their mind. Whilst throwing scissors at people, I might add. 

Thankfully, this is not a picture of my room. It is, however, a friend's classroom who teaches across the hall from me. God bless her. God bless us all.

Hello, Seattle

Just booked a trip here for Fall Break!!!!!!!

So pumped to be doing something cool with my vacation days. 

So in need of a getaway.

So looking forward to exploring the city with EspressoMyHeart!

What is Important?

If you don't know what's important,

Then everything is important.

If everything is important

Then you try to do everything.

If you are attempting to do everything

Then people will expect you to do everything.

And, in trying to please everyone

You don't have enough time to find out what's important.

If you don't know what's important................ (repeat. you get the idea.)

 

Wise words, eh?

I think I need to read this to myself a thousand times over.

Also, I really wish I had been given this last year.

Gelecek Yıl?

Just applied here on a whim. Bah!!

Choice Words

Schoolwide email I received today from my principal:

"Please be very careful talking in hallways...remember not to use unkind words when talking about students even if that student has made bad choices.  Words like brats, turds, etc should never be used by teachers.  Certainly there are days when kids are stinkers and make bad choices but if a parent hears you call their child a brat, even if you mean it in a kidding way, they might be very offended. I have a friend that is a teacher and she calls her kids turds, also not something I would want said here so please just be aware of what you are saying.  I am certain every teacher here loves all their kids but visitors might not know that so please keep positive thoughts and words on your mind."

There's just something about your boss using the word "turd" so freely in an email...I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I read it. But, they say laughter is good medicine. So, yeah. That's about all I have to say.