Cooling Off....but

Will I Ever Ride?

Thunderstorms today, with some downright heavy rain. Fortunately, I heard the forecast as I was driving off to school, so I turned around, drove back home and closed off the hilly pasture so the Boys would not be standing out on the high ground if there was lightning.

Figured I'd be home early enough.

Wrong. Went to physical therapy. That was fine, but then they told me I needed to see the regular doctor for a new pre-certification for physical therapy. (something new with my new medical insurance). And I had a "tune up adjustment" for my neck after yesterday, as the muscles were still tight. And THEN, the physical therapist needed to give me an evaluation exam for the pre-certification and we both kind of decided it would be more efficient to do it tonight rather than wait until Saturday. So THAT took some time.

By the time I got home it was nearly dark and the Boys were pretty anxious to see me. I fed them, fed my hungry kitties, and just finished eating my Chinese food for dinner.

The footing's pretty soggy out there.

However, it should finally be cooler tomorrow. I may get up early enough to give Tucker a morning longe to make up for tonight.

Then, maybe I'll ride tomorrow after school???

Frankly, as Caroline noted, I am working harder than at least the other English teachers. If I read the schedule right, I have one more class each day. I'm not sure how that happens. But it may have something to do with the fact that I am listed first alphabetically?? Otherwise, I just don't know how it keeps happening. The only saving grace is that I did get the upper level academic students--the "college prep" (students who intend to go to university) kids, so they are a bit more motivated. My room is a computer lab, which can make my life easier at times as I let my students work independently on projects I've designed, but I have had to design the projects and create dozens of unique lessons for students at this level.

To top it off, somehow the guidance office keeps adding kids to my classes. I have only 25 desks in the classroom and 20 computer workstations. My freshmen classes have 28-29 kids each.

Right now, I am just trying to get my head in gear so I can keep track of what each class is doing and make sure I have all the materials I need to teach each different group. The "bouncing" from one class to another (9th grade, 12th grade, 9th grade, 11th grade, 11th grade, 10th grade) wears me out as I have to remember where we left off each day so we can carry on logically the next. And somehow I have to learn the names and faces of probably 90 or so of my 111+ students. All I need to find is the will, desire, and the energy to cope with it all.

That's the hard part. Fortunately, the act of teaching once the kids are in the room is the easy part.

Somehow I'll manage, but this year is definitely going to wear me out.