Blah

I'm feeling blah.  Yesterday and today were both difficult placements and now I have a lurking headache.  It isn't quite there, but I can feel something right behind my eyeballs.

Yesterday was a gem because I was in 1st grade with no aide.  Twenty three six and seven year-olds and me.  Here is the profile of the classroom: 25% tattletales, 25% crybabies, 35% ADHD/behavioral problems, 15% normal.  All day long I had kids running up to me complaining that "she hit me with her elbow" or "he took my pencil and won't give it back" or "she's talking about me".  What the heck am I supposed to do about this crap?  I also had the crybabies sniffling in the corner, or refusing to leave the library, or asking to go to the nurse every 5 minutes.  And then I had my problem kids who could not focus, would not sit, had to bother the kids sitting next to them all day long.  I cannot be in 14 places at once but that's what was asked of me.  The day was sooooooo loooooooong.  Where did my little kid skills disappear to?

Then today I got 8th grade, a classroom I've been in already and a hall that I've been in a lot lately.  Sadly this 8th grade hallway is not my favorite.  There are some that are good - the right side seventh grade hall at middle school A for example.  But this particular hall has some real winners, including H who smiles at you the whole class period while totally ignoring your requests, making farting noises, and sharing sexual jokes with his neighbor.  Ick.

This particular middle school is my least favorite because they tend to sign me up to cover for other classes throughout the day.  All teachers get prep periods that are free and I usually spend them snacking and reading a book.  Middle school teachers get two free periods out of seven total (not including lunch).  But today, since it was going so well for me, I was signed up to cover for a Spanish class for my two free periods.  No wonder I have a headache!  It sounds stupid that I should need time off from teaching a measly five periods of class, but when the kids are driving you up the wall you need some time to decompress before the next class.  I didn't get that today.

By the time the last period arrived I was ready to give up.  This was a double block so I had already had these kids before lunch.  Not my favorite class, it included H, and the girls would NOT STOP TALKING.  And they laughed at me when I told them to change seats!  Laughed right in my face!  I just wanted to smack them and tell them to grow up.  Alas, that is not an acceptable response.  I had to channel my inner calmness.

Thank goodness for the weekend.  I can't take much more of this!