Stay at home... fiancee?

And now, for something completely different, unemployment! Not sure how I'll handle this, as I've been working pretty much steadily since I was 17. Everybody keeps asking me if I will teach in England, and my answer is no, not right away. I want to spend about a year just getting used to the culture and learning my way around before I throw myself into a room of children with lingo completely different from the lingo I'm familiar with. That would just be professional suicide. So, I think I'll get a job waiting tables once I'm able to start working after Mick and I are married, then, next year, we'll see.
Promotion was good yesterday. The girls looked like they were going to prom and some of the boys even wore suits. They all looked so cute and cried like they'd never see each other again. Some of my students asked to have their picture taken with me and said they'd miss me, which was very sweet.
At the staff luncheon my Language Arts partner spoke some words about me that made me want to cry and the school gave me a nice set of desert greeting cards with really pretty pictures so I don't forget where I come from. I packed the last bit of stuff in my car, turned in my keys and ended my two years at Centennial. I learned a lot at that place.
Yesterday afternoon was a whirlwind of cleaning and packing- I just have to finish this load of laundry and decide what I want to take of that, clean out my desk and throw away the last bit of trash and I'm done. Thank goodness! I never want to move ever again!
My brother and his wife got into town last night. My sister in law brought cupcakes, I had a strawberry milkshake one and it was fantastic. We didn't do much last night, just sat around and talked and I crashed probably at 9:30. Not sure what's on the agenda today, except for some time in the pool, finishing up my room, and probably lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings.
Hope everyone has a great start to summer vacation!

Another year gone...

This has been a really tough year as a teacher. Even though I taught last year, it was a small intervention classroom and this year I taught full blown 8th grade Language Arts, so really it was like my first year all over again.
I cannot count the amount of times I felt like banging my head against the wall, throwing students out of my class, pulling my hair, crying, kicking inanimate objects, and just plain giving up. I felt, so often, that because of how rowdy my kids were, that I wasn't making a difference. Any students who wanted to learn were not getting the best teaching out of me because I was so busy setting up roadblocks and wishing for a stun gun in order to perform damage control with the rest of the class. For the past few weeks, I've been feeling a mixture of excitement and disappointment. Excited because, duh, it's the end of the year and disappointment because I'm just not happy with how the school year went. I didn't get to teach like I wanted to. But today I was proved wrong by one single student.
Remember, as a kid, you had that one teacher and you looked forward to that class all day? They made you laugh, and unlike the other teachers, they just seemed like a regular person? Well, teachers think that about certain students, too. I met the particular student I'm about to tell you about at the end of last year. I had to stand in for a 7th grade teacher one day when she had to run home to grab something. I started talking to this little girl and learned all about how much she loves to dance. I remember thinking "wow, I hope I have that girl in my class next year." And sure enough, I did. This girl was that student I looked forward to seeing every day. I wouldn't say she was my favorite because, first of all, teachers aren't supposed to have favorites and two, I had lots of favorites! But this girl and I just "got" each other. I enjoyed having her in my class every single day and looked forward to her bright smile. I attended two of her dance recitals this year and hope to attend the last one I'll ever get to see tomorrow night.
Earlier this week, I wrote my email address on my whiteboard for any students who wanted to keep it and stay in touch with me. The majority of them are very excited for me to move to England and want to hear all about my wedding and what it's like to live in England. Today, as I left the front office, this girl came up to me with tears in her eyes and gave me a hug. She asked me to sign her yearbook and I made her promise she would email me. On my drive home I thought about how much I really hoped she did, because I want to hear all about her future as a dancer.
When I got home, I noticed I had an email from an unfamiliar address.

Hey Miss Muldoon,
I know tomorrow is going to be a crazy, exciting and sad day but I was never able to tell you how much I enjoyed being in your class learning from you. You were the best teacher this year and I will never forget you naming my hairdo :) Keep in touch with me when you're in England and I want to see pictures too.
Love you always,
*name*

All that crap I dealt with this year? Totally worth it after reading that email. If I made a difference to one child, I'm happy.

5 shows a day, 180 days a year

I love the bit of time I have each morning from about 5:20am to 5:45 am. It's my time to eat breakfast, read/watch the news, and just think (and often freak out) about the day ahead- teaching 8th graders. Teaching middle school is a tough gig, especially two and half weeks from the last day of school. I stole the title for this entry from a fellow middle school teacher. "5 shows a day, 180 days a year." It's a grueling performance schedule. The apathy I see in these kids about their education, respect, behavior... pretty much everything, astounds me. I mean, yesterday, I literally engaged in the following conversation with a 13 year old.
"*student's name* you need to be following along."
"We're just reading a book. What did anyone ever learn from a book?"
I was literally speechless. But mostly I was sad for this kid.

Now don't get me wrong. A lot of these kids are fantastic. On more than one occasion I've asked a parent, "what did you do to get your child to be this way? I just want to know for when I have my own someday!" It's been a really difficult year for me. It started off pretty good, but then I went through some personal/health issues, and I tried really hard not to let it cut in with my job. I'm seeing now, though, that it probably did.That's okay though," 'e lives an' learns," as good old Del Boy would say (I'm making a reference to a British tv show. Google "Only Fools and Horses" if you want clarification). Teaching is a forgiving job, but I'm beginning to learn that a teacher isn't forgiven her mistakes for oh, ten months. And I'm not talking about the administration or anything, because they're normally really great at working with you and providing you with whatever resources you need. I'm talking about those moments where we see as teachers "oh, I shouldn't have done that...."

Moving on, though. Mick and I have an exciting adventure coming up in a few weeks. Apart from packing all my junk and throwing even more away (any of my local friends wear a size 9 shoe? I'm getting rid of loads, let me know!). We booked our trip to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. We're going to be spending one night in Williams, Arizona and then making the little trek up to Vegas. Mick is adamant about seeing the Grand Canyon before he leaves. He's been quoted numerous times saying "I can't spend 6 months in Arizona and not see the Grand Canyon!" Fair enough, darling. To be honest, though, I'm more excited about Vegas! We got a great deal on a room at the Luxor, and considering my nerd-tastic obsession with Egyptian history (even the Vegas cheesy take on it), it worked out very well!

We also have a mini-adventure this weekend. We're heading to my sister's in Ventura County for memorial day. She's taking me shopping for a dress for the engagement party and I'm taking family photos of she, her husband and my gorgeous niece, Ella. We leave tomorrow after work and I can't wait!

27 days until we go to England! Ohhh, I have so much to DO!