Back-to-School Time

Wow....I can finally sit and take a breath. I have been crazy busy trying to get everything set up and I think I'm getting close. My room is pretty much done, most of my kids have been tested in reading, writing and math and I have plans for tomorrow and Monday made. Here is a list of things I still need to do:

*Learn new Math curriculum

*Learn new Reading curriculum

*Set up reading, writing, response, math and reflection folders

*Get ready for our Education Around the World Unit that starts next week

*Copy everything for the kids and their parents

*Organize the school supplies that some kids brought

*Start planning for next week

*Enter all my testing data into the district website

*Set up my new email account (our computers still aren't working)

*Hang up alphabet on wall and other posters

Oh yes....forgot to tell you that. I have no white board (us old-timers remember chalk boards) because the district forgot to order them. Also, I have 28 kids in my class this year. TWENTY-EIGHT. I've never had even close to that many. Study after study proves that the smaller the class size in the primary grades (K-2), the better off kids are. They say classes should ideally be no larger than 18 kids. I have 28.

I only have 26 desks. I only have 16 reading books. I have no guided reading system for the lower kids even though I have 8 kids who are 2 grades below. (they're reading at a kindergarten level right now). I have no computers that work, no phone, no math curriculum and no white board. Oh, and none of our printers are working. I have to email everything to Kevin at work and he prints it for me and brings it home.

It's obnoxious. How are you supposed to "teach" when kids don't even have a place to sit? Or a book to read out of? I know I teach in a "tough" school district, but it's never been this bad. How are we supposed to Leave No Child Behind when 1/2 my kids don't have books?

Anyway, I'm getting there. Funnily enough, Maelin is having a harder time adjusting to me being back at work than I am. She's fine at Sandra's once she's been there for a while...she plays and plays and runs around and digs in the dirt and laughs and has a great time. The problem is when I drop her off and when we get home. I have to sneak out when I drop her off in the morning and I feel awful when I do that. Sandra says she doesn't cry: she just looks around with a "huh?" look on her face with her hands up, like she's saying, "Where did she go??" Then she resumes chasing the other kids or whatever she does.

When we get home, she's stuck to me like super glue. It's like she's afraid to let me out of her sight in case I sneak out again. I can't even go to the restroom because she chases me and gets really upset. Poor baby.

I hope this is just the adjustment period and she'll come through this okay. I hope to spend as much time with her on the weekends so she'll eventually get used to the idea that she plays with kids all day and then Mommy comes and we all go home and everything will be fine.

I'm feeling better about this year so far than I did last year. Maybe I'm more hopeful because I don't have to pump two times every day in an old closet. Or because Maelin is older and has so much fun playing with the kids. Or it's because of my drugs. Whatever it is, I'm glad.

Teaching (especially in the "tough" districts where you don't even have white boards!) is the hardest thing I've ever done but it sure can be rewarding. I hope this year turns out that way!