Sunday, June 20, 2004
My Week Without T...
T has been in Barbados helping his mother since Monday morning. I got in late Sunday night from Seattle's graduation festivities (yeah Em) and we barely had a chance to talk before he flew out. It seems though my week has been pretty busy without him though...
Monday- half day with the kids at school and then lots of paperwork for my third graders who Bloomberg says should repeat third grade again next year (what a Nazi).
Tuesday- full day with the kids and they are becoming quite atrocious in class. Their behavior is draining and it doesn't end until June 25. Took the kittens to their first vet appointment for a round of shots and to have their eyes looked at. The vet tech. Thinks they might both be boys (sorry Lenny for the confusion if this is the case) and that Carl's eyes are permanently damaged (cloudy eyes forever I guess). Love Last Comic Standing.
Wednesday- Full day of grief with the kids. Two boys got in trouble for hitting each other at lunch which then led to tears and yet another class talk about self control. Walked by the trash can and saw one of my tubs of books thrown in there with disregard. Sad to say not a lot of kids are taught respect anymore. Again, love Last Comic Standing.
Thursday- Full day with the kids. Another fight at lunch between the same boy as Wed. And another kid. Two day in a row kid was picked up by an angry aunt who thinks her nephew is a sweet innocent one. That was a fun phone conversation. Tried to start organizing my classroom library only to find pages ripped out and covers missing. Again, the disrespect is amazing. Talked to a friend in CA who I miss terribly.
Friday- Walk out to get my students in the morning and see two day in a row boy's aunt starting an argument with Thursday's lunch fight's mom. I see the head waving side to side and the arms flailing and walk up to my class hearing "get the fuck out of my face" and "I don't want to hear your shit". I tell the aunt to leave and get away from my class and send her to discuss this matter with the Assistant Principal. Yet another talk with the class about how important physical self-control is when families start getting involved. A sweet little girl of mine's grandma died Thursday and she was very upset all day long. Lots of crying and hugs (even with the 87 degree humid weather- fourth floor and no air conditioning=1 HOT classroom). Tired. Out with Jen and Liz for dinner and drinks (much needed) and one bouncer guessed my birth year as 1980. I guess I DO look young! Great night out and got home around 3am to two attention crazy kittens.
Saturday- Carl is still trying to nurse on me and must have sucked away like crazy because I woke up with a little hickey mark on my neck. Gross. Finally used my gift certificate for a great pair of Fluevog shoes. Ended up with not one pair (in lime green), but two pairs also in burgundy (I couldn't resist their "sale"). Beauty treatment at Shobha and back home. Laundry and a little cleaning up around the apartment. Ended up throwing away trash bag outside the door at around 11pm and was trying to hurry to avoid the kittens trying to escape and ended up locking myself out. Downstairs neighbor let me crawl through her window to the fire escape and up to our apartment with all the local thugs on the street yelling up at me (thank god I took off my skirt and put on some pants).
Now it's Sunday and I am heading to a friend's to help her with some hair issues before her wedding next week. Then it's off to pick up T in Jersey. Thank god this week is my last at school. I am ready for the year to be over. Next Sunday marks my one year anniversary in NYC. Lots of time for reflection (good and bad) this week. Lots of ideas for the future building in my head and can't wait to talk to T about this all when he returns. Wish me luck!
T has been in Barbados helping his mother since Monday morning. I got in late Sunday night from Seattle's graduation festivities (yeah Em) and we barely had a chance to talk before he flew out. It seems though my week has been pretty busy without him though...
Monday- half day with the kids at school and then lots of paperwork for my third graders who Bloomberg says should repeat third grade again next year (what a Nazi).
Tuesday- full day with the kids and they are becoming quite atrocious in class. Their behavior is draining and it doesn't end until June 25. Took the kittens to their first vet appointment for a round of shots and to have their eyes looked at. The vet tech. Thinks they might both be boys (sorry Lenny for the confusion if this is the case) and that Carl's eyes are permanently damaged (cloudy eyes forever I guess). Love Last Comic Standing.
Wednesday- Full day of grief with the kids. Two boys got in trouble for hitting each other at lunch which then led to tears and yet another class talk about self control. Walked by the trash can and saw one of my tubs of books thrown in there with disregard. Sad to say not a lot of kids are taught respect anymore. Again, love Last Comic Standing.
Thursday- Full day with the kids. Another fight at lunch between the same boy as Wed. And another kid. Two day in a row kid was picked up by an angry aunt who thinks her nephew is a sweet innocent one. That was a fun phone conversation. Tried to start organizing my classroom library only to find pages ripped out and covers missing. Again, the disrespect is amazing. Talked to a friend in CA who I miss terribly.
Friday- Walk out to get my students in the morning and see two day in a row boy's aunt starting an argument with Thursday's lunch fight's mom. I see the head waving side to side and the arms flailing and walk up to my class hearing "get the fuck out of my face" and "I don't want to hear your shit". I tell the aunt to leave and get away from my class and send her to discuss this matter with the Assistant Principal. Yet another talk with the class about how important physical self-control is when families start getting involved. A sweet little girl of mine's grandma died Thursday and she was very upset all day long. Lots of crying and hugs (even with the 87 degree humid weather- fourth floor and no air conditioning=1 HOT classroom). Tired. Out with Jen and Liz for dinner and drinks (much needed) and one bouncer guessed my birth year as 1980. I guess I DO look young! Great night out and got home around 3am to two attention crazy kittens.
Saturday- Carl is still trying to nurse on me and must have sucked away like crazy because I woke up with a little hickey mark on my neck. Gross. Finally used my gift certificate for a great pair of Fluevog shoes. Ended up with not one pair (in lime green), but two pairs also in burgundy (I couldn't resist their "sale"). Beauty treatment at Shobha and back home. Laundry and a little cleaning up around the apartment. Ended up throwing away trash bag outside the door at around 11pm and was trying to hurry to avoid the kittens trying to escape and ended up locking myself out. Downstairs neighbor let me crawl through her window to the fire escape and up to our apartment with all the local thugs on the street yelling up at me (thank god I took off my skirt and put on some pants).
Now it's Sunday and I am heading to a friend's to help her with some hair issues before her wedding next week. Then it's off to pick up T in Jersey. Thank god this week is my last at school. I am ready for the year to be over. Next Sunday marks my one year anniversary in NYC. Lots of time for reflection (good and bad) this week. Lots of ideas for the future building in my head and can't wait to talk to T about this all when he returns. Wish me luck!
Thursday, June 17, 2004
I Miss Teaching in TO...
I miss my former students in TO. Yes, kids are kids and it is my job as an educator to teach them all, but my class this year is hardening me and making me become the teacher I never thought I could be- The Mean One.
A former student of mine from last year sent me this picture. Her mom said they were at a costume shop and she saw the wig with some sunglasses and said, "Look, I can look just like Ms. M****." That love is what I miss.
I miss my former students in TO. Yes, kids are kids and it is my job as an educator to teach them all, but my class this year is hardening me and making me become the teacher I never thought I could be- The Mean One.
A former student of mine from last year sent me this picture. Her mom said they were at a costume shop and she saw the wig with some sunglasses and said, "Look, I can look just like Ms. M****." That love is what I miss.
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Only in NYC...
Picture this...Driving home after school (yes, still in school until June 25 god help me)with coworker J and we are stopped at a red light. We are talking about our day when we see a school bus driver on the opposite lanes facing us get out of his bus and leave it in the middle of the street.
Not kidding here.
There's the short yellow school bus in the middle of fourth avenue in Brooklyn with its driver side door wide open and the driver of the vehicle walking away. J and I looked at each other like "you have got to be kidding me" and thought the man would get out to check something and then return to take those children home. Or, maybe he was having bus problems and was going across the street to phone for help since his bus was empty. From what we observed though, neither seems to be the story. We watched the bus driver get out and raise his hands to the sky as if asking "why me" while yelling back at the bus and dawdling in the street. He seemed to be thinking over his possibilities 1)return to the crazy city kids in the bus and continue to get driven crazy by them or 2) just seriously walk away and leave them there in the middle of the road. J and I laughed at first and said "oh, he's having a day like ours today where you can't take anymore and just wants to give up." Except our "giving up" doesn't involve us leaving a bus full of school children (possible special needs kids in the small bus) in the middle of one of the busiest streets in Brooklyn. The light turned green and we drove away slowly to see if the man would return to the bus. He crossed over the street and seemed disengaged about his reckless behavior. We couldn't believe it. Other drivers too couldn't believe it, especially the big moving van that almost rear-ended the yellow school bus on the street. No hazards or anything, just the driver's side door wide open with no driver inside. Oh, and driving by we saw that the bus WAS fully loaded with children.
Now I ask myself, "do I really want to send my own children to a public school in New York City by bus?"
Picture this...Driving home after school (yes, still in school until June 25 god help me)with coworker J and we are stopped at a red light. We are talking about our day when we see a school bus driver on the opposite lanes facing us get out of his bus and leave it in the middle of the street.
Not kidding here.
There's the short yellow school bus in the middle of fourth avenue in Brooklyn with its driver side door wide open and the driver of the vehicle walking away. J and I looked at each other like "you have got to be kidding me" and thought the man would get out to check something and then return to take those children home. Or, maybe he was having bus problems and was going across the street to phone for help since his bus was empty. From what we observed though, neither seems to be the story. We watched the bus driver get out and raise his hands to the sky as if asking "why me" while yelling back at the bus and dawdling in the street. He seemed to be thinking over his possibilities 1)return to the crazy city kids in the bus and continue to get driven crazy by them or 2) just seriously walk away and leave them there in the middle of the road. J and I laughed at first and said "oh, he's having a day like ours today where you can't take anymore and just wants to give up." Except our "giving up" doesn't involve us leaving a bus full of school children (possible special needs kids in the small bus) in the middle of one of the busiest streets in Brooklyn. The light turned green and we drove away slowly to see if the man would return to the bus. He crossed over the street and seemed disengaged about his reckless behavior. We couldn't believe it. Other drivers too couldn't believe it, especially the big moving van that almost rear-ended the yellow school bus on the street. No hazards or anything, just the driver's side door wide open with no driver inside. Oh, and driving by we saw that the bus WAS fully loaded with children.
Now I ask myself, "do I really want to send my own children to a public school in New York City by bus?"
Saturday, June 05, 2004
Playful kittens...
Simple Pleasures During Playtime...
Carl Loves Mama's Bag...
Lenny Found Mama's Backpack...
Simple Pleasures During Playtime...
Carl Loves Mama's Bag...
Lenny Found Mama's Backpack...
