Boy, What a Week!!!

It has been an exhausting, challenging, yet exciting week. I spoke a little too soon in my last post about the school situation. I have a wonderful Science and Social Studies group and I have had a blast teaching, but the math group that did not start until Monday, turned out to be one of the most challenging groups I have ever taught. I have a very low ability math group that has almost half Special Ed. students. I been working with students with learning disabilities for two years and I love them to death, but when you put 17 students that have trouble paying attention, behavior problems, medical issues, and horrible home lives together, it becomes pretty much unbearable. Right now I am doing my best to create an environment that is structured and filled with learning, but I am having a hard time. I take inspiration from the Erin Gruwells (the teacher of the Freedom Writers, if you haven't seen the movie, it is wonderful) and Ron Clarks (the author of The Essential 55) in the world. I am going to try to make a difference no matter what the challenge. I feel like my life is all about school right now, but that's what I love and enjoy, so I am happy to put in the long hours. By the way I have left the house at 6:00 every morning so far and have arrived at school by at least 6:45 or 6:50 each day. Considering I was late almost every day last year, I am very proud of myself. Because of all these long days with little sleep, exhaustion has taken its toll on me. I am planning on sleeping in until very, very late tomorrow and then it's back to work. I will be editing a 3rd grade movie that I am creating for our Open House Tuesday. I am really getting into this technology. I also have started a blog for my classroom. I had to use WordPress because it was the only blog site that wasn't blocked, but you can check out some of my students' comments and things we are doing in our classroom soon. I will add a link on the right and you can check it out if you are interested.