school marm

Hello.

School is officially my life. Here, I'll include some schedule details just to prove it, and to validate my feelings of overwhelmtion.

I wake up before 4:30

I am riding public transportation by 5:10

I pray for strength during the morning's "moment of silence"

I avoid the special ed teacher, because I haven't had a chance to read through the kids' IEPs yet

I attack bullying

I answer the same question over and over again, enabling my students to continue tuning me out the first time

I secretly love the bad kids

I call the number on my classroom printer to get it fixed, then I try to fix the school copier, then I go to Target to buy myself a printer which ends up not working either

I'm proud of my bulletin board - "Sailing into Sixth Grade with Ms. Seversen" - and I wonder if I'll teach alliterations

I reward my kids with stories about when I used hand soap instead of hand sanitizer

I stress about getting them to their specials on time then apologize over and over again to the art teacher for being 8 minutes late

I send boys to the bathroom to wash out their fohawks

I call parents to inquire after absences

I regret wearing high heals

I fall asleep grading papers after school

I read 20 emails a day and try to remember due dates until I can find a desk calendar

I go into banks and ask for registry book covers - 32, please

In the afternoons, I resolve to be more strict, then can't follow through the next morning when the kids are still quiet and sweet

I go straight to work after I get home from work

I resent my roommate for implying surprise at my lack of interest in socializing

I share a box of tissues with my student whose father beats her and whose siblings bully her.

Then I force myself to leave my students' burdens at school so I can be the stable, enthusiastic encouragement they will need me to be the next morning.