Welcome to Utah...

I finally had a few minutes to spare, so I thought I would make a long over due update to the blog. For the few of you that are still reading this thing, and who haven't yet heard...I got a teaching job! YEAH!! I am teaching the fourth grade in West Jordan, UT! The only downside of this whole thing is that I had to leave my hometown of Corona, CA. I came up here knowing no one, and my lovely lack of any sense of direction. I have been teaching for just over a week now. We had two days of class, during which that students were introduced to the classroom rules and routines, and then there was a weekend break. After that, we had a full week of school. I tried to stick to the schedule that they would be following for the rest of the year. But, of course, things always come up. I think it went alright thought.

I LOVE my co-workers and the principal. I think that I really lucked out! They are all so nice and supportive. It makes a huge difference! Especially since I am on my own up here. These next few months are going to be very stressful and crazy; so don't count on completely regular updates. I will try to feed my blog some FiberOne and get it back on track once things settle down a little. Right now I am just trying to focus on staying calm, and attempting to go with the flow, in an effort to avoid a complete stress overload. Something that would have helped is me not getting sick during the first week. Yes, true, I am sick with a cold. I have been coughing, sneezing, blowing my nose raw, and all the other lovely things that come with a really bad cold. All while trying to get through my first week of teaching. Great.

I will try to find time to post...even if it only a one sentence update here and there. Hmmmm...maybe you should check Facebook for those. ;P

Confusing Times!

I am currently waiting for a load of laundry to finish drying; so I thought I would update the blog. I am frustrated! I have sooooo many teaching applications out there right now. I have heard NOTHING. That's not entirely true...I got a rejection letter yesterday. It basically said that I passed the application screening process. Then it said that I was not being included in the candidate pool because I did not pass the "reference check." I have been thinking about this non-stop since I got the letter. I have no idea how my references could not be great! I gave them a list of all the schools I attended and all of the jobs that I have worked at (both educational and non-educational). They did not ask for any contact information (phone numbers or anything).

The only phone numbers I gave were for those individuals (people who had seen me teach) that I had personal recommendation letters from. The references I included all gave me amazing letters of recommendation, which I included with my application. So, where is this "reference check" problem coming from? I really hope it is a mistake. The letter said I could call with any questions. I left a message on the answering machine and emailed the human resources department. They have to tell what the problem is, right? I would hate to think that I have some random problem with my application that I don't know about. What if this is why I haven't heard anything. I hope they get back to me soon (like now)! I really can't figure it out. I have never been fired, had a bad review, given less than two weeks notice before quitting, and all of my master teachers seemed to enjoy my lessons. WHAT IS THE DEAL!?!?!!

So, here I am...updating the blog and wondering what tomorrow will bring. I think I may need the collective prayers of all of my friends. Please pray that I get a job offer soon! I know that I do every night...it just doesn't seem to be working. :( It has been a year since I received my credential. I still don't have a teaching job (thank you very much to the California economy for that one). I am working as a part-time long-term sub; but that ends on June 24, and then I have nothing. I am ready to move forward in my life. I want to start preparing. I can't do that until I have something to prepare for.

This was a fairly depressing post for me...so I will end with a funny work story. One of my second grade girls came up to me the other day and asked if she could call home. I asked her why. She told me that she had a hole in her pants in the "privates" and was "uncomfortable." I let her call home to see if she could get a new pair (in the meantime, I had her tie her jacket around her waist. She called home and told her Dad what had happened. She asked if he could bring her a new pair of pants. He told her that he was working and couldn't bring her anything. She asked him what she should do. This was his response: "Just put some tape on it." Can you believe that? What would be more noticeable, the hole or this big wad of tape? See, it is not just the students who say the darnedest things...parents can do it too!

Running

In my effort to get into shape, I have started running. I thought it would be awful! I hate that feeling of claustrophobia when you have trouble breathing. However, it wasn't that bad. It is a hassle to get into the workout clothes after a long day of work, but I have been doing it! It has been about two weeks now. It turns out that I am fairly competitive...with myself. I like to beat my own records. I push myself to run a little further each day. Unfortunately, I really haven't been taking the time to build up my muscle and endurance like I should.

First, I twisted my ankle. Now, both of my knees (one more than the other) are killing me! I can barely walk! And stairs!?! Forget it! They are getting a little better, but it has thrown off the habit of running every day that I was getting into. Add this week of unexpected rain and you get very little outside exercise! I hope that I can get back into it once the knees get better and the weather clears up!

Busy!

Okay, this will be a fairly short post. I received an email last week from a charter school in Utah. They looked at my application and now want me to answer some interview questions, via email. You would think that this wouldn't take very long, however...in order to answer the questions I have to read these two books about education. I need to get this done by tomorrow (that is when they are having a state budget meeting that tells them how many teachers they can hire). So, for the last few days I have been trying to make it through these books. I have finished one, and am about half way through the other one. I will post again as soon as I have finished the book and sent off my answers. Wish me luck!

There Is No Title That Can Describe This Day!

I don't know if I can put into words just how crazy work was today. I was told, yesterday, that our second grade class would need to be in a new room for the next two days (so that the other teachers could have open house in our regular room). Fine. Whatever they need to do is okay with me, as long as we have a place to work quietly. When I get to work today, I take two students and go to move our box and books into the new room. When we get there, two people are in there working on something. They said that they hadn't heard that we would be there. I left the box there and went to ask the facilitator what she wanted us to do. She told me that the room was being used for an audit and that they would be done in about a half an hour. That was okay with me. I took my class out for recess and expected that we would go into the room afterwards. Not what happened.

I sent two students to check the room. The people were still in there. The facilitator told us to work in another room until they were done. Problem. The room she sent us to was already being used by the fourth and sixth grade classes that day. So, there were THREE classes in there! It was so loud! There weren't enough desks, so my class had to do their homework on the floor. Everyone was talking. We didn't have any of our supplies. It was hot. Plus, I was having to help a sixth grader with his math while I also tried to help my second graders. Finally, I gave up. I took my class to do their homework outside in the shade. It was still pretty loud, but it was better than it had been. The only problem was that it was VERY distracting for my students. We were finally able to get back into our classroom after our second recess. That means that we were having to work in a crowded class and outside from 3:30pm-5pm.

The second major event of the day was caused by two of my students. It began at the start of the work day. After snack and during first recess. I went over to one of my students because she had a really sad look upon her face. I asked her what was wrong. She didn't want to tell me, but gave another student permission to tell me what had happened. I couldn't believe what I was told. To protect my students, I will just use letters in place of their names. The little girl is E and the boy who told me what happened is C. I guess that one of my other students, M, and given E a pink eraser. He expected something in return. When he did not receive anything, he decided to get mad. M told E that if she didn't give him a blue pencil by tomorrow he and his friend B would go over to the junior high, which is right next to our school, and hurt her brother. B said that they would tie him up. Then, M added that they would hang him from a tree and beat him up.

E was very upset about this comment. Even if the boys were joking, she still thought that the threat was real. When C told me this story, he only mentioned M and I had no idea that B was even involved. I had five other students also tell me this exact same story; that they had heard M make this threat. I went to talk to M about what had happened. He denied the whole thing. When I talk to my students, I try to phrase things in a way that gets them to open up to me. This doesn't always work, but it works a lot. I asked M to tell me what he said to E about the pencil. At first he said "I didn't say anything." Then "I gave her an eraser and she was supposed to give me a blue pencil." Finally, "Maybe she thought that because I said give me the pencil, kind of mean." He never admitted to saying anything about her brother. I asked him if anyone had heard what he said that could back up his story. He said that B was right next to him at the time. I went to talk to B. Unfortunately for M, B told me the story that the other kids had told me.

At this point, I decided that this whole situation was too complicated and called the facilitator. They want us to call them for help when things like this happen. They don't want us to have to worry about things like this, so that we can just focus on the students and their homework. I told her what had happened, and what I had found out thus far. She took M and went to talk to him in private. She also had everyone who had seen what had happened wait nearby. I took the rest of my students to our room (which is where the first story took place) and then back outside (again see the first story). The facilitator was the one who found out B's involvement in this whole. She couldn't talk to E, because her mom showed up and picked her up during all of this. She told her mom what had happened and I assured her that I was taking care of it and that the student was in serious trouble. The facilitator came back with the students and told me the real story; which was exactly what E had said, but now included B's role as well. She told me that she had called parents and had written citations. In our our program, when you get three citations you get kicked out of the program.

She had me hold onto the citations and to let her know when the parents arrived. By this time, we were sitting outside along a wall working on homework. Earlier at recess, another student (J) had thrown up on the playground. He said that he didn't feel sick. I figured that it was just too warm outside. I told him to let me know if he started feeling sick. Later, J went to the bathroom and threw up again. I told the facilitator and she called him mom. His mom came and picked him up. After this, I sent the bus-riders to the bus and took the rest of the class out to second recess. The parents M and B had not shown up yet (the facilitator called them to the school, but no one had answered the phones and she had to leave messages). As we were walking back to our now empty classroom (finally), B's mother showed up. I told her what had happened. She was very nice to me and listened while I explained. B also told his story, which had changed since the time he had admitted everything to the facilitator. I called the facilitator, because B's mother wanted to speak with her. She told us that B had been having a problem with M bullying him during the school day. She didn't understand what her son had been thinking, and maybe thought that M was somehow responsible.

We soothed that situation over, suggesting that she set up a meeting with B's regular teacher during the school day (because she would be the one who should have heard about these situations that were happening before the program). It took about twenty minutes for us to get back to class. When we got there, all of the desks and chairs were stacked on one side of the room (we could not unstack them without a lot of work). I had the students work on the floor. I told them that it has been a crazy day and just to try to get as much of their work done as they could. While they were working, M's father finally arrived. This was M's third citation, so I called the facilitator so she could explain what that meant for M.

While we were waiting, I gave M's father an overview of what had happened. He couldn't believe it. He apologized to me and said that he didn't even know what to say. He had told M to be good when he dropped him off that morning "but I guess he just doesn't care," he added. The facilitator arrived and gave him a few more details about the event and told him the M now had three citations and would have to be removed from the program. He father was very understanding, thanked us, and told us that he and his wife would talk to M. I have met M's mother. I would not want to be on her bad side! I told M goodbye and went back to my class. By this time, it was pretty much time to leave. I had the students clean up and we went to the multi-purpose room for dismissal. I always hate this part because we have all the students (1-6) in one room while they wait for their parents. It is ALWAYS crazy loud.

All-in-all, one of the most stressful, craziest, indescribable days that I have had since I started this job! Hope your day went better!

A New Look And A New Story!

Some of you may have noticed that my blog has a new look and a new address. Well, I guess I wanted to make some changes and this blog was step one. Now onto the stories that I promised you yesterday!

Poopy Story #1:

Let me start by reminding you that I teach second graders in an after-school program. Sometimes I cannot believe some of the ideas that these kids come up with. One day two of my boys asked to go to the restroom (they always have to go in pairs, for safety). They were gone for a while (I usually tell them that they have two minutes to do their business--this keeps them from playing around in the bathroom too much). After about ten minutes, the boys come running into the room. One of the boys comes up to me and cups my ear with his hands to tell me a secret. All I could think at this point was, "Ewww! I know for a fact that you did not wash your hands when you went to the bathroom and now you are touching my ear!" Of course, I did not say this out loud.

This boy whispered into my ear, the following, "Miss. Stephanie! When we went to the bathroom, there was POOP all over one of the toilets!" At this point, he pauses for dramatic effect. He then continues, "But don't worry! We peed it off!!"

Some of you will now commence to go to a scary visual place! I just found myself wondering two things: 1) How big of a pee mess is the janitor now going to have to clean up, and 2) When will this kid stop touching my ear with his unwashed hands! Every time I have told this story, it had my listeners doubled over with laughter! So, I hope that it made your day as well!

Mark The Date People!

Holy Crow! It has finally happened! I am finally updating my blog. I thought that since it has now been a year and half since my last post, and I no longer have any followers, it is finally time! Confession...I had also forgotten my password, and it seemed like too much of a hassle to figure out what it was. But now that I have access again...on to the updates!

Since my last post, the following events have occurred: my sister graduated college (December 2009), my brother graduated high school (a year early--2009), our car broke down on vacation (December 2009), I received my California teaching credential (April 2009), I received an award of excellence for my score on the Praxis 2 teaching exam (November 2009), I received my Utah teaching credential (February 2010), and I got a part time job as a long-term substitute teacher (A.S.E.S. Second Grade After-School Program--September, 2009-June, 2010).

I think that is everything! I have gathered a lot of pretty funny school stories since I started my job as an A.S.E.S. teacher. My family has been encouraging to write down these experiences and maybe put them into a book one day. So, I figured I would start by putting them down here first! Stay tuned for the first one tomorrow!