Another Day in Paradise

Yesterday my host teacher was grabbed hard on the arm and then shoved into a door frame by a student in my class. I had to fill out an incident report as a witness.

Today I learned that one of the students from the school stabbed someone on the bus (they ride public buses to and from school).

Currently I have three students suspended from one class.

I also had only three students pass the test I gave yesterday.

Two more weeks to go!

My Life line

This student teaching experience combined with an overwhelming workload from class and a monstrous supervisor/TA would normally cause me to dive into the depths of despair. Fortunately whenever I am feeling close to that, the phone rings. Every night a man from my past calls to chat. We reconnected via the internet more than a year ago and started talking on the phone over the summer. Not only do we have lots to talk about, but he encourages me to get out of the house and do things. I go for walks and send him pictures. I go apple-picking and to local festivals and send him pictures. It makes us both happy and it keeps me from sitting home alone thinking about things that would make me miserable.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark

In case you've been wondering if I'm still around, why yes, I am. I am having a bit of a rough patch though. Up until yesterday I'd thought my biggest challenge was surviving this student teaching experience. I was just thinking I could see a hint of light at the end of the tunnel (three weeks to go and counting). And then my hateful supervisor once again did her best to imply I'm thoroughly incompetent. Not once has she offered a single helpful suggestion. She has, however, misinterpreted every single thing I say, twisting my words and using them against me (and putting it in my permanent file, no less). I'm beginning to fear that she may actually prevent me from passing the student teaching portion of my program. If I get to the end and find I've done this all for nothing, I can't even begin to imagine how I'll deal with the situation.

I'm not saying I'm the best student teacher. I am saying that every day, I do my best. I deserve to pass. I don't deserve a teacher-of-the-year award, but I deserve to pass.

On a somewhat related note, a second classmate of mine dropped out of student teaching. Now we're down to four people. Why am I the only person that finds this troublesome?

Frost!

Time to close the storm windows. The outdoor thermometer read 30 degrees when I got up this morning. The indoor one showed 60, which is well below my comfort zone. I will not turn the heat on yet though. I'll drink hot tea and skip my shower (can't face being naked and wet when it's cold). I put a sweater on the little dog, not necessarily because she needs it but mostly because it cracks me up to watch her run around in a bright pink cable-knit sweater. Before you question my sanity, the sweater was a hand-me-down from another chihuahua owner. I would never buy such silliness (well, not in that color anyway).

A Different World

When I was in high school we had a series of bomb threats. They were taken very, very seriously. Yesterday there were two such threats at the school. I saw no additional police (beyond the ones that are stationed at the school permanently) and no fire trucks. If they searched the school at all, they must have superpowers to have done it in the 10 minutes we stood on the football field while the students ripped cigarettes. I feel safe. Not.

This week happens to be spirit week, which apparently is in short supply among the student body. I saw only a handful of students participating in today's theme (college t-shirt day), while most, if not all, of the teachers proudly sported a variety of athletic wear.

When looking at a crowd of the students there is no way I could mistake them for my former classmates. The clothing, the electronics, the foul language, it's all so different. Today, however, I encountered a boy that could've been straight out of my high school in the early 90s. Hair buzzed fairly short except for one swinging swath of bleach-blond hair flopping across his face. Ah, those were the days...

Win a gorgeous quilt

No, I'm not giving it away. But Elizabeth Cranmer at Pigtails and Snails is. Go enter!

Hair Care

On Saturday morning I stopped at the local organic store and picked up a bar of Dr. Bronner's Lavender Organic Bar Soap. I'd read about the all-one bar soap that can be used for body and hair on various green blogs. My cheap and full-of-Bad Things shampoo and conditioner had been driving me batty lately, so I was ready to pursue other options. I decided to look into a vinegar hair rinse too in hopes that it would strip my hair of all the nastiness from the cheap-o crap I'd been using. I can report that both the soap and the vinegar rinse were a complete success. It was neat to use one bar of soap to wash, shave, and shampoo with. And I couldn't believe how great my hair felt after the vinegar rinse. I'll definitely be doing it again!

Tomorrow will be fun

Tomorrow my host teacher will not be at school. She is attending an out-of-town conference. There will be a sub, of course, but the classes will be mine (including the one I never teach). She has told me that I can and should write up anyone that gives me crap. This kinda surprised me considering the one time I tried to write someone* up she said she'd take care of it. He was neither written up nor was he forced to comply with my request. Talk about thoroughly eliminating any possibility the students might take me seriously. I just wish it wasn't a double-block day tomorrow (I wish that same thing every other day when it rolls around again). I just keep telling myself, make it through tomorrow and you've got a three day weekend. Wheee.

*Someone is currently suspended and therefore should not be in class tomorrow to torment me. Although there are plenty of other likely someones.

An Apple A Day

I came down with a cold Sunday night. It never got BAD, but it hasn't gone away either. I am sniffly (in the nose) and scratchy (in the throat). It's been almost a week and I'm over it. GO AWAY, you stupid cold. Mowing the lawn last night did not help, since that always makes me more congested. I think I am not doing a good enough job of eating well, especially since I've cut out the meats again. Apparently my diet of carbs and cheese does not cure all ails. Unfortunately laziness tends to trump creativity when it comes to incorporating new things into my diet.

I'm hoping to go apple picking tomorrow, so maybe that will help keep the doctor away.

Lucky Day

My advance copy of Knit Two arrived today. Now if only I can find the time to read because I am so looking forward to this one. I quite enjoyed the first, The Friday Night Knitting Club.