...and by chaos, i mean the mass craziness that is known as "the school year."
parents are usually ready to send their kids back, teachers want just a few more weeks (please!) to get ready, and kids are feeling mixed about seeing friends & dreading homework (those that actually do it, of course). i'm kinda jazzed to see some of our old students, anxious about the new ones, and hesitant about the ones we're absorbing from the emotional/behavioral SPED class (since the teacher's position was cut when he retired last year). we're getting another para to help cover the higher numbers, as well as 2 part-time regular ed teachers who will be coming in for 1-2 periods each day to help w/ resource. it'll be interesting to see how things shake out, that's for sure!
in addition to working full-time, i'm still taking grad classes. 2.5 left to go before student teaching!! emotional/behavioral, other health impaired, and currently in the middle of learning disabilities. i just completed & submitted my student teaching application for GCU, the AK one is in the mail to be signed by my advisor before completing & submitting to the state dept of edu, and i'm getting entirely too many questions from coworkers about where i'll be/how much i have left. let's just say i'm freaking out a little on the inside...and it hasn't even begun yet.
to add to the insanity, i'm coaching the swim team again this year. can't seem to escape it, even though part of me still wants to after this summer's debacle on the personal side. i had broached the idea of moving up groups w/ some of my swimmers, and coach decided that was a good idea (even for selfish reasons like knowing he won't have to worry about that group). so now i'm coaching 5 days/wk instead of 3, plus covering weekends when he's out of town. i'm excited for the kids, since i think i'll have an easier time discipline-wise (they're older & have been swimming longer, so know the expectations of being on a swim team), plus it means a more likely opportunity to travel on meets - woot! i already put in dibs for the february meet in WA, even if it's purely for selfish reasons like seeing family. i'm still not sure how things will work out as i try to straddle the professional/personal line, but things have been more light-hearted & joking since i got back from my AMAZING vacation down south (p.s. i already miss all of you ladies terribly!!). but, he's working a lot right now handling the high school team, club team, & trying to recover from a nasty cold that doesn't seem to be going away due to lack of sleep. part of me feels bad, but part of me has absolutely no sympathy b/c that's how i've been running my life for the past 2 yrs - suck it up. yes, sleep is needed, but there aren't always opportunities to spend time hiking in the sunshine on this island (especially with an awesome person like me - ha ha ha) to always turn down invitations. that part's getting old, so i already can't wait for high school season to be done in 2 months. Until then, or later, things are just going to back to the boring lack-of-life that i was stuck in before i left. which is fine so i can focus on classes, but is frustrating.
also still housesitting, was asked about again proctoring ACT/SAT tests, plus swimming 4 days/wk. there really is no "down" time per se, so i'm just hoping i can stick it through the year, come out somewhat unscathed, and may reward myself with a big trip next summer to ride the trains around europe. gotta have a light at the end of the tunnel to make the darkness worthwhile... until i decide on a goal, i'm just going to remember the fun times from WA/OR this month with the nunnery girls + others! <3 p="p">
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