3/4 into My First Year of Teaching

This weekend was Spring Forward and Tuesday is my 25th birthday... not to mention conference night.  I think that with everything that is on my plate right now (work, school, wedding, LIFE...) I'm going to have an early mid-life crisis.  More like a quarter-life crisis.  I'm about to be a quarter-century old.  I'm taking every opportunity to complete those online surveys just so that I can check the "18-24 years old" age range option a couple more times.  I've devoted the last 4 days and nights to working on IEPs and other conference materials.  I feel like my brain is mush and I've been living the last few days in IEP format:

Goal: Christina will increase her stamina while completing IEPs. 

Objectives:
1) When working on IEPs, Christina will keep students' individual needs in mind without prompting from administration 90% of the time.
2) When working on IEPs, Christina will refrain from persevering on perfecting each and every word used to create goals, objectives, PLAAFPs and anything else that has to do with creating a compliant IEP without prompting from administration, 100% of the time.

I think that according to my personal observation and data obtained by completed IEPs, I've maintained the first objective, but could use continued practice on the second objective.  Perhaps no prompting from administration is too difficult to obtain as a first year teacher.  I have 1/4 of a year left to use the excuse that I'm a first year teacher and that I need help.  I better ask for as much help as I can get away with!

Anyway, I'll be happy when the stress of conference time is gone.  I have a massage scheduled for March 20 and an appointment scheduled with a personal trainer on March 22nd.  Let's just get through this week!  I better schedule that facial that I've been thinking about...perhaps during spring break.  There's another thing to add to my ever-growing to-do list!!!

Quotable Quotes of the Day

Most of my students have some snarky catchphrases that only they use...and if I ever hear the same phrase outside of school, it reminds me of each particular student. Here are a few:

"What? You neva heard a that???"

"SOMEBODY STOP ME!" (movie: The Mask)

"Give me the fish!" (McDonalds commercial)

"Trains are for people...and bears,too."

"Oh Christy, I have to go to the train station."

"I'm trapped in the 80's!"

"You know me..."

(someone else sitting in my chair) "Christina's the big cheese. Not you"

"You know me, I have colon problems."

"That's it!!! I'm calling MDOT!!! They need to replace these traffic lights and get LEDs!"

(singing) "I like BK. Tastes great!"

"Christina, when you going to retire?" "2050."

(during afternoon wrap-up question time: "how was your day today?" after swimming day) " Anyone who wants to use my shampoo, raise your hand."

"Hey, I've been in a severe thunderstorm back in the 80's."


"How was it like in the black and white days for you?"

"Sheena Easton. Wait a minute, you neva...WAIT A MINUTE! You neva heard a Sheena Easton?!"

Lunch Money

This past Friday, our class was planning on going to Papa Johns to tour the facilities for our weekly CBI (Community Based Instruction) outing.  The fee was $3.00 to make your own pizza for lunch.  This is what one of my students turned into me on Friday morning.

"Go wash your hands!"

(Source: heygirlteacher)