Halfway done.

I'm officially into the sixth week of my student teaching - which means I am halfway finished. Whoo hoo!!!!

I received a letter the other day from the HR department from the district I'm student teaching in. They invited me to do a screening interview with them. Turns out my mentor teacher, Heather, knows the lady who sent it. She said she'd send her an e-mail. Keep your fingers cross. I've begun sprucing up my intereview. Pulling out the things that don't really matter in the education world but did in the corporate world. I have both Heather and another girl who used to be a recruiter looking it over to offer some advice. I feel pretty confident in what I have so far - but better to ask for advice and have it perfect.

The kids are kicking my butt. Coming home tired every day, my advisor at the University said it's because I'm using my mind more. Always trying to think how to answer a student's question, how to teach the lesson so they all understand it and how to manage their behavior. The behavior part is what's getting me. I am so tired of some of these "little" people. JUST TIRED.

Would you believe I had one student talking back to me the other day? Shocking I know. He had jabbed another student and when I called him back to have him apologize and to let him know he'd be sitting at the wall outside for his misbehavior he starts to go crazy. Starts crying (he's a regular faucet) and saying "blah blah blah" literally. He starts to walk away from me and I call him back and insist that he apologize. So he finally does and than starts to tell me I'm not the boss of him and I'm not giving him choices.

What the heck are you talking about? I gave you a choice to walk out of that darn classroom and keep your hands to yourself and your choice was not too. So he keeps saying he isn't going to go outside and screaming about choices. I finally say "Your not giving me any choices either, let's go get Ms. Price." Of course he didn't like that either. But I was done.

What the heck is up with that? You know these are the same kids that we need to modify the lessons to because they don't understand it. These kids are being pushed through every grade while barely doing half the work the other students are doing. And than they have the nerve to want CHOICES. I would love to go to my job and tell my boss "Hey, I want you to modify my work load - you know lessen it up a bit and while your at it give me the choice of coming in only 3 days a week. All right? Thanks. Oh and while I'm at it "YOUR NOT MY BOSS EITHER, I'M THE BOSS OF ME!"

Right. These kids nowadays have some nerve. They really do. I would never have thought to talk to my teacher the way some of them do. It's crazy.

I have a new found respect for my kids (my pets) because they don't talk. I love them.