Bron's Blog II

Lifting Depression You Never Realized You Had

For those concerned, the parting is amicable and civilized, no drama, no taking of toys & going back home. After 15 or so years (!?!?!) of unhappiness, we both need...well...happiness!

Part of the catalyst for me to make a change (yes, I was the instigator) was the fact that two doctors told me within a month of each other that I was probably depressed.

But gee, I didn't feel depressed! I am always upbeat & cheery.....

Then I started thinking about my sleeping problems...my weight gain - I tend to eat when I feel bad....and things started to fall in place.

Since I made my decision, in the last two weeks, I've lost 8 pounds. Sleeping is marginally better, I'm sure that will come with time.

Yesterday I went out & bought new clothes - no old, frumpy stuff for me any more...and I did something I've been wanting to do for a long time (Hey, look Ma, no wrinkles! lol):

Yep - there will be more piercings to come..and yep...a tattoo too. ;)

You're never too old to get in touch with your wild side.

The freedom to do it?

Priceless.

MIA

Mea culpa.

Good news abounds, however:

• One last assignment to hand in tomorrow & I'm done, done, done for this semester.

• My principal has requested me for next year, so I'm safe, safe, safe! There is a hiring freeze, so not only am I safe, I'm incredibly lucky.

• I got to choose my room for next year and I already know I'll have 4th period prep.

• I'm incredibly happy right now!

Not-so-good news also abounds:

• I have some issues going on with hubbie - they will most likely be resolved by a split.

Unfortunately, I'm not one of those who knits through adversity....I need to be in my happy, calm place to stitch. Yet another reason I haven't done much in the way of crafting lately.

However, I still hold out hope for the next 4 weeks....one of those sweaters might just get finished!

Slumdog

It's a dog's life:

(She's not fat - she's fluffy!)

There's light at the end of the tunnel:

• Testing will be over next week. How was it? (I'm so glad you asked.) Stressful beyond what I thought it would be. But....it will be over next week. I'll probably have a few parting shots comments to make then.

• Two out of three of my classes are pretty much over - just two portfolios to share & I'll take my As & leave.

• I've having a mental block with my 3rd (NMSU - gifted) class. I know what I need to do and I finally figured out the topic to use....but how I'm going to do it escapes me. I've been doing a lot of staring into space and frowning. Bad for wrinkles!

• Honestly - I remember how to crochet & knit. Barely. Once again I thank everyone for putting up with my educational detours....

Finally Feeling Better - Just In Time For SBAs

I took two days off work, went to the Dr., took antibiotics like a good girl, and am on the road to recovery. Because I don't get really sick very often, I'm not terribly good at handling it.

I've mainly vegged out, read, and watched TV.

I think I'll finish my Kindle Kozy today because I'll be taking it to school quite often over the next two weeks:

 

SBAs start tomorrow - 8 days of testing.

Because I am technically a SPED teacher, I don't get a regular class of kids. I get eight 6th graders who must have the test read to them - except, of course, the reading portion. I'm not terribly happy - I was planning to get quite a bit done for my classes during the testing time but I'll cope.

What is disheartening...no....appalling....is that these kids, who are in SPED classes because they can't understand and learn material at the average level, are tested with the same damn tests as their "normal" counterparts.

Why - if they need special education - are they forced to take non-special education tests?

Of course the school won't meet NCLB's AYP requirements - these student's skills kill it every year. They are the only segment in our school that does not meet AYP.

Gee - what a surprise.

I was talking with one of the SPED teachers last week and we discussed what a blow it is to their self-esteem to be making progress in their classes and then be hit with the SBA. Every year they get a stark reminder that they aren't like all the other kids and gosh darn it, they're pretty dumb.

Ridiculous.

I'll see my regular class of kids once this week and, I think, twice next week. In that time none of us are supposed to give kids work, homework, or really even make them think. So - these are two wasted weeks of non-instruction. I broke the rules by handing out a research paper assignment last week. I told the kids that it wouldn't kill them to take an hour on the weekend & start looking up information. I assured them their brains wouldn't overload & fry. (Famous last words.)

There is overwhelming research that SBAs accomplish nothing and are not a true test of a student's learning. Yet, we keep doing it. We start teaching kids how to "bubble" in 1st grade.

Your education tax dollars at work.

On my educational front, I'll be basically done by April 20th. I'm finishing a 30 page lesson plan (yeah - you heard right) for my NMSU class, with only one more large project to do, and have 2 portfolios due for my student teaching and my reading fundamentals class. Oh yeah - and one more observation from my official state mentor teacher AND my supervised field experience teacher - and I'm done with people coming through my revolving classroom door. (I know it still sounds like a lot for the next 2 weeks but honestly, compared to what I've been doing, it's all a piece of cake.)

Then I have 3 weeks "off" from classes until they resume again on May 18th - a week before the end of my teaching school.

Maybe I'll finish a sweater during those 3 weeks.

One can dream, eh?

Hmmm...Bronchitis Anyone?

Yeah - this has settled in my lungs & I'm pretty sure that's what I have. Coughing a lung up is always my first clue. I can't get to the Dr. this week - I'm taking some Mexican amoxicillin (Yep - purchased for a pittance over the border...let's hope it's the real thing) in the meantime to see if it starts clearing up.

I'm doing 6 IEPs this week - 2 after school - and had class Monday & Tuesday nights too.

Sick & swamped - that's me!

I just found out today that during the 2 weeks of SBAs we have starting on Monday I'll be reading the test to my kids (SPED). Which kinda bites - I had plans for all that test-taking time! At least I don't have to read the "reading" portion. (Makes sense, eh?)

The good news in all this? Another 3 weeks and all my classes will be done. For about 3 weeks, at least. Classes start again on May 18th, but for awhile I can actually have a life again.

In the midst of all this fun & frivolity, I'm actually working on something....

A Kindle Kozy!

(You may start snickering.....now! ha! But my Kindle...she is beautiful....and deserves to be kozy!)