hallelujah

All I can say is that I'm glad this week is over:HALLELUJAH. It might not be over for everyone who reads this, but for me it is and I'm so relieved. To express my excitement for this week being over, I'm writing it a letter.

Dear This Week:

I am so glad you are over. I am so glad that I don't have to go to work tomorrow--that is the silver lining in the chaos that was this week. Here are a few reasons why I'm glad you are over.

1. I'm glad you are over because that means, for one more year, stupid spring picture day is over. Who decided to have spring picture day on a Monday, anyway? Just because I'm in charge of all things pictures at the school, doesn't mean I was happy with that decision because a) (like always) the students complain that they have to get their picture taken and b)it's a big fat freakin' pain to coordinate a schedule (that several teachers don't follow anyway) and usher 30+ crazy teenagers back and forth between the auditorium 6 times a day (which I don't recommend doing nearly 8 months pregnant!) I'm glad that Monday is over because it was pretty much a wasted instructional day because of stupid spring pictures.
2. I'm glad you are over because on Tuesday, the crazy counselor took up all of class time to help my 8th graders register for 9th grade. Tuesday I had just enough time to read a lengthy poem with my students at the end of class because crazy counselor took too long telling my students all about how she'll bend rules for them if, when they come to the counseling center, they tell the secretaries that they need to see her because of a "personal problem." Tuesday was also the first night of parent teacher conference, which went well despite having one parent come see me (I suspect) high as a freakin' kite! Didn't get home until almost 8pm!!!
3. I'm glad you are over because Wednesday was probably the craziest days all year. First, all 7th and 8th grade students were released at the beginning of 1st period to "run around" (direct words from crazy counselor) to get their registration card signed. Next, crazy counselor was back in my room to collect the registration cards, which pretty much equaled yet another wasted instructional day. Oh, and don't forget the awesome fire drill during 4th period where we had to walk outside in the crazy wind (and where this pregnant teacher had to waddle from one end of the building to the other carrying a big bucket and wand and attendance binder) and wait for about 10 minutes to get the go-ahead to go back to class. And wouldn't you know, 4th period students were absolutely CRAZY after the drill? Oh, and also, don't forget that during lunch, while I was working on yearbook pages that my once-praised yearbook staff failed to complete for deadline, the power went off, resulting in loosing any work on yearbook pages I had done on the computer. The power came back on right before 6th period, but my students were all abuzz because of the food fight in the cafeteria when the power went off (some covered in pizza sauce). Oh, and also on Wednesday was the second day of parent teacher conference. And then I had to come home and stay up 'till midnight working on the previously mentioned unfinished yearbook pages.
4. I'm glad you are over because today I had to chew out my yearbook staff for not doing their jobs--which felt really good after a near sleepless night. Also, because of their failures, I had to submit several pages with question marks in the place of students names because I couldn't figure out the student by looking over the portrait pages a billion times. During lunch I was asked to help monitor the lunchroom for 2nd lunch to help prevent further food fights and oversee the assigned seating. I had every intention of going down, really, but I put my head down for what I thought was 2 seconds and then woke up to the bell ringing for students to come to class.

One good (no, GREAT) thing about this week was that I had a little break from my own school work. My next master's class doesn't start until Monday and the break could not have come at a better time! When I got home today, I slept on the couch in a near-coma state for several hours. I still feel like I could sleep for days, and I just might.