Time... where has it gone?

QL Damsel

Al's Place / TVS & QR & Radio Files Administrator
Staff member
Aug 26, 2002
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Near Austin Texas
www.quantumleap-alsplace.com
It seems that since my school days have started up, that there isn't enough hours in the day to do all the things that I want / need to do.

I'm sorry that I've been scarce for the last couple of weeks. Until I can find my rhythm again and remember to leave my school work at school (can't seem to leave it up there because of all the work that I KNOW that I need to get done) I will continue to be scarce.

Just know that I love you guys dearly...

That I pray for you all....

That I'm wishing you all wonderful days ahead.

Talk with you soon, again.....

*sighs*
 
You've been missed, MJ, but your absence is well understood.

*HUG*

Many hugs and prayers being sent back your way.
 
MJ,
Missing you like crazy, but totally understand what the pressures of real life are like.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Come back as soon as you can.
 
I can stop by on the weekends... at least that's a good thing.

It's just that during the week that I'm a little tired and have alot of things on my mind. And most of them are story ideas as well as other things that I HAVE to get done for classes... notes, grading papers, working on the spec. ed. paperwork (oh... at least 5 inches thick for 5 kids) and making sure that I get work done for the kids who have gotten in trouble and are away from class because of i.e. disruption or other things, getting walkthroughs from the principal, getting called in to visit with the principal about the walkthrough, reading email about the kids, making sure that the kids understand Geometry and MMA procedures while they are talking and acting like fools (trying to be cool) and then getting work from them that they DON'T really want to do, making sure that attendance is kept up, making sure that I get the kids up to where they need to be to be tested on a level that they probably can't reach, but I am trying to get them there against their will... etc. Shall I go on? *grin*

And that's just to name a few of the things that I have to do.

Yes, a teacher's work is NOT an 8 to 5 job. Within the last two weeks, it's been more like a 7:00 AM - 8:30 PM job on top of making sure dinner is cooked, and the kids are taken care of....

BLAH!

At least, I'm still alive and kicking and I'm NOT letting these kids run me off (NO matter how tacky and crappy they can be!!)

Am I: :wacko Yes.

Am I doing this: :banghead There are times.

Am I: >: There are times.

Am I: :x Hehe... I think that's a part of being: :wacko

However, I'm ready to do this to the kids: :poke and :shoot HA HA!

I'm looking forward to : :cheers tonight. :lol

Ok. Even from me.

How are you guys?
 
You seriously are a whiz MJ... I have no idea how you do so much! (And your post has seriously added to my nerves about beginning student teaching in a week... eep! :eek )

We've missed you but, as always, completely understand. Remember to take care of yourself! We're here for whenever you're able to get on! :)
 
If only most 'men' realized what we women 'really' do on a 'daily' basis and tried to cope with the 'exact' same, they'd be 'nutty' too.

LMAO
 
Re: Time...where has is gone?

MJ are you one of the head Spec. Ed teachers at your school?
I just graduated in Educ. in May, but could find a full time teaching job, so I'm working as a paraprofessional at a middle school in town. It's been a trip so far. It amazes me how it's only the first week of school and already I'm fighting students to get homework done! While my responsibility is nothing like yours, I do understand to a point. You're all the things you listed about, :wacko ,:banghead ,:shoot , yet...you can't imagine not doing it (at least that's the way it is for me!)

And gelfling...you'll have a blast student teaching. I was totally nervous to, but after a couple days the nerves wear off and you realize your finally doing what you've gone to school for! I had so much fun student teaching...kept me busy, things were hectic, but I loved it! What grade are you teaching in?

Have a great school year!!

ChaCha
Have a good school year!
 
Re: Time...where has is gone?

Thank you guys! You are so sweet! :)

Now, I'm not the Special Education Head at the school. I'm just a lowly teacher. Ohh and add to that list of things that I also have inclusion teaching and am going on a stair-stepping event at anytime of the day.

1st period: downstairs
2nd period: upstairs
3rd period: downstairs
4th period: upstairs
lunch: downstairs
5th period downstairs
6th preiod: upstairs
7th period: downstairs

THEN.... every other week I have duty after school and it's BACK upstairs!

I should be thin as a rail by the time that May comes around! :eek

Ross wrote:
On another note, I noticed that you live in Texas and the pilot of TVS takes place in Denison, TX. I looked it up on the map to see if it was a real town and sure enough it was!

Just to let you know, Ross, Denison was the place where I was living when AJ and I wrote the first episode of Quantum Leap: The Sixth Season -- (that was the name of the site at that time).

Most of the stories that I've written, I pick places that I know. There are a few that the town likely doesn't exist... but there are times when I want everything to be really authentic so to speak.

I've used: Denison, Temple, Hutto (and yes, the school mascot is a Hippo), and I believe that in one I have even mentioned Burnet. :D Those are some of the places that I've lived in the past.

Gelf... please, I didn't mean to scare you about student teaching. Don't be scared. Just do this one thing for me: Whatever you do use the 10 second rule. That rule is: walk over to the student and lean over and tell them what they are doing wrong, ask them to do their work, (whatever it might be) then walk away. Don't fight with them, don't argue with them. Give them a directive and walk away.

Don't put up with anything. If you give a consequence... stick to it. No matter what. The moment that they find your button (try not to let them see it if you can) ... they'll try to push it every time.

Another thing -- if they tick you off... get quiet. Don't talk over them. Wait on them.

I have found out from my own principal that if the student is causing that much of a disruption in the classroom... to where the students around them can't learn and you can not teach to the class because of them.... they can be cited by the police to pay a fine. I even talked to one of the police officers that roam our school occasionally and he said that that was state law here.

Interesting... I wonder if it's the same up there in NY. I would at least ask a police officer and see what they say about that.

Cha Cha... I understand the not turning in work issue. I gave the kiddos an assignment and I'm sure that it's going to be interesting because only one out of 16 has turned their paper in.... and of course it was the one that you DON'T expect to do anything!

WILD!

But then again.... you never know....

Sorry for rambling but at least I'm happy that I have a few people (teacher friends here) that I can gripe to and you guys understand what I'm going thru even more so. :)

Thanks you guys! You've made my weekend (the one that I actually went up to the school this afternoon and will have to again tomorrow) even better!

Talk to you guys later,
 
Time...

I should be thin as a rail by the time that May comes around!

I thought my schedule of one end of the building to the other each period was bad! Plus we have to punch out for lunch and the lunch room and the time clock are on opposite ends of the school! Maybe we'll both be thin by the end of the year!!!

I also agree with you on the 10second wait time rule. Sometimes that seems to be my saving grace! It's great to have fellow teachers in the group. my roommate in College was also a Ed Major, and we student taught at the same time so every night we came home and just griped with each other (or told GOOD stories) but now she's in Oregon so we don't talk as often...glad to have you guys to complain to!

ChaCha
 
Re: Time...

Well as a lot of you guys know, although I trained as a teacher, I'm technically an ICT technician at the moment, but running the ILC as I do now is back to more like teaching again. (At least in the supervisory sense.)
All I can say is - MJ you are so lucky! Not in the running up and down stairs and the workload, (I keep telling you, hon, you need to learn to delegate!) but in terms of the being able to fine disruptive kids. We have no such sanctions over here!
 
Re: Time...

MJ and Chelsey, thanks for the advice! I'm going to be student teaching in a second grade classroom, and actually now that I think about it, I'm less worried about the *kids* as I am about the adults involved with student teaching! Teaching can be such a personal and stylistic thing that I'm really nervous about finally being evaluated on it - and the idea of kids being troublesome and uncooperative just makes it that little bit scarier and more stressful!

With regard to the question about calling in police intervention, I'm sure there are means to remove seriously disruptive students in NYC schools, though I don't know how well it's enforced around here, with some of the schools being as they are. I think it's done by having school security (who are associated with the NYPD) remove the students. I should certainly hope it wouldn't come to that with second graders!
 
Re: Time...

Gelf, just to reassure you..... about seven years ago I did a stint teaching high school. I was noncertified at the time and did not have an education course to speak of (unless you count the pedagogy class I took in grad school prior to teaching Freshman Comp). I was also teaching a course unrelated to my master's degree--Social Studies, and my master's was English. Did I mention I came in after Labor Day (after school had been going on for about two or three weeks)? Oh yeah, that the kids had been through three teachers already, and made a male teacher quit after only two days? Oh, and then the kicker---my Conflict Resolution students had signed up for Home Ec!

As if that wasn't enough, all new teachers had to pass the Lousiana Teacher's Assessment Program, a tool designed to evaluate certified teachers.

Now, gelf is asking---Uh, Jen, this is supposed to make me feel better?

I passed it. Me, with no classroom management training. no education courses (at the time--I've since gotten certified in 2ndary English), who spent every day winging it. I successfully passed two of my three support semester evaluations (ones that don't count) and all three of my assessment semester evaluations (ones that do).

So I know you'll absolutely ROCK at student teaching!