Today the inbox of my Gmail account delivered the latest stats for this blog. The Sitemeter, for those of you who do not know, is a tracking system so bloggers like myself, can see how many people are reading our blogs. Apparently, it's time for me to compose a new post since my daily viewers added up to a big goose egg.
My excuse for not posting lately is that since Oct. 29, I have been teaching second graders again in a local elementary school. "What were you thinking?" you may ask. I thought that it was better pay than the one a day sub jobs I had been doing. The reality is that I had temporary amnesia and forgot all the hard work that a teacher puts in. I also forgot how my feet, ankles and knees would feel after walking up and down a very long hallway on hard tile floors. Ouch!
The two classes I teach for a half day each, has some dear little 7 and 8 year old students who are somewhat high-maintenance. There has been much to do in regard to establishing routines, discipline plans and control since I started the job. Even though my work hours on the schedule are 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., my real work hours are 7:30 a.m.-5:30 or 6:00 p.m. Once I get home, I relax a bit then fix dinner. After a meal, I am back at it reading and working on lessons to teach the class or grading papers. Then, I attempt to be in bed by 10:00 p.m. "Attempt" is a key word here. If I need to make copies for the class the next day, I try to get to school earlier than 7:30 to be the first on the machine. I have not been first yet. Happily, I am thankful for a 2:30 conference time when the children are not in class and I am allowed a bit of quiet time to reflect on the day and what I need to do for the next day.
This assignment has been a challenge for sure and I am totally exhausted when I get home each evening. It's good to know that I can still get in a classroom and teach the children. Although, I may not have taught them the scheduled reading theme or the social studies lesson for the week; I have established a discipline plan, rules with consequences and some routines. For me being back in the classroom has been a little like riding a bike. I remember how it works, but forgot how hard peddling uphill can be. Doable, but a strain at times.
On weekends I catch up on laundry, clean up the house, and do my grocery shopping with half of Baytown. Then, I do more work on school related tasks. The old red book bag comes home with me every day, including the weekend and I continue grading papers or preparing my lessons to teach. But I am no exception. Everyone who is employed and has a family is busy. It is a fact of a laborer's life and one that likely can not change. Of this, I am certain.
When I was a child, my mother had this unwritten rule; if you go out tonight, you do not go out tomorrow night. That is a rule I wish I could make my husband understand. He goes somewhere almost every night. Not that he is playing or going out to have fun every night, he is attending meetings, or rehearsals of some sort. There is a lot of work for him as a theater teacher, volunteer at our community theater and a worship leader at church. He is also very exhausted at the end of the day. We are both ready for the Thanksgiving break. Who wouldn't be?
Since it is Thanksgiving week, we will be on vacation relishing in our freedom from work. We are going to play with grandchildren, pay attention to our families, watch TV, relax and laugh. My intention is to not bring anything school related with me to the lake cabin where we'll be together with our family. This is going to be a great week for family fun!
Okay, so now you know where I've been and where I am going. After this week, I may be absent for another four weeks. You'll know when I'm back because you might hear the faint sound of crashing cymbals, or perhaps glimpse fireworks lighting up the skies or simply feel my happy vibes spreading across the air. That's how happy I'll be to be free of this long term sub assignment.
It would be wrong for me to complain about this job because I feel absolutely sure it came from God. I know this for fact because I prayed to the Holy Father for work. We needed better pay and I prayed daily that God would send a job my way. I was not thinking it had to be a teaching job, but I should not be choosy. God's ways are not my ways. I am grateful for my job. God has never failed to care of our needs as He has provided me with jobs, temporary, seasonal, small pay or not so good pay, He has cared for me. For this I am extremely thankful for all 7 weeks of this temp job, and also for the much needed funds it is affording me. God is good. Make no mistake of that! I will be fine because "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with me."
