That's A Day I'll Never Get Back

Bullying training, today. Or, better yet, training to prevent bullying. My ADD kicked in about 2 1/2 hours after workshop commenced. Actually, I was on a row with three others who had lost consciousness. Because, seriously, I CAN'T sit still that long and have a meaningful experience. Oh, and we had another 4 hours to go.

I've already figured out who the problem is going to be this year. The child is a little awkward - but if you knew her mother, you'd understand why. The mother checks her child out of school every Wednesday early to go to her psychiatrist/psychologist appointment. She has the child on Prozac and Concerta. And this mom can't help but complain and gripe about everything. Timed math tests for her ADD child. How her child was bullied, beaten and picked on at her last school. How I have handed out an outdated reading assignment on passports - when I did so to prove a point about trusting sources - she emails me the State Department regulations on travel. WTF? I know what I'm doing, so stop second guessing me. (I can't imagine what she would have done if she had read that Hong Kong was still independent like it said in a Social Studies textbook I had to teach from for years.)

She has also loudly and publically stated that her ex-husband abused this child several years ago, but the daughter still has five hours of unsupervised visitation with this man.

Excuse me, but this woman is the definition of crazy. If I believed for one second that someone had abused my daughter, you can believe that she wouldn't be visiting him five hours a week. Unsupervised.

Still, I'm not going to let this woman bother me. I know what I'm doing. She doesn't.

Tales Out of School (Thanks, Pat Welsh!)

• Divided up the darlings for "Springtime Summer School." I can tell you right now - this isn't going to work. The 16 kids who were picked think they are in prison - and they are. Two hours of math and two hours of reading remediation because the county couldn't figure out finances for summer school. And I was involved in picking the kids we thought might not pass the Super Big State Test. Somebody's going to get sued.
• Got an email from the head douche telling us which order he's going to fire us in because the county couldn't figure out finances and he's $137 million in the red next year. Right now, they are looking to get rid of about 580 teachers in the district. The half time people and limited contract people found out in a mass email that their services weren't going to be needed next year. Oh, yeah - the Board changed the RIF policy LAST WEEK. To make it easier to get rid of us.
• My second student teacher will be leaving me after tomorrow. Damn. I hate when they leave.
• Can summer be far away? Is that Cancun calling me? You bet.

Thanksgiving Can't Come Any Sooner

Could I be any busier? Seriously. And still no idea what my plans are for Thanksgiving. And things just keep getting added to the plate.



I assigned a paper to my English class a week ago, to be turned in on Friday - the 21st. I've got kids who are just now realizing that this Friday is the same Friday the 21st I've been talking about. Seriously, who teaches calendar and when did these kids stop listening? We sent home academic alerts today and I'd bet 80% of the 5th graders got one because they aren't turning in their assignments.





And today? My father got a new knee. Guess when I found out about this whole deal? Sunday night. My only question was why didn't he wait until January to schedule this elective surgery.



And then he told me.



The golf trip is in March. He needs to be good to go by then. His surgeon told him he'd be chipping in three weeks and playing in eight. He wants to be in top form by March, not just limping around.



You've got to admire a man with priorities.