it's been a long time...

Every week seems to pass just a bit faster than the one prior.  I don't quite understand how that happens or why it feels that way.  I teach my students there are 24 hours in everyday, and 7 days in every week....but most of the time I do not feel as though I have had all those hours!

Going into fifth grade I thought I had a fair amount of experiences.  Not a lot, no; but enough to get me going? I thought so.  Each faster passing week is showing me the gaps I have yet to seal in my learning.  I guess maybe they will never be fully sealed, for what would I have left to learn then?  Goodness though, these gaps feel huge.  When I think I've finally handled the two bickering boys, they start up again.  When I think I've encouraged the sweet girl with very little self esteem, we have a break down.  When I think I've finally planned a successful week, something comes up, our schedule changes and I end the week still not finished with all I had hoped.

Our state testing begins in two weeks.  I think I just want those to be done with.  I don't fully know what to expect as I have not gone through them on this side before.  I took them as a student, but even then the tests were not "THE TESTS" that they have become today.  Or at least it wasn't verbally emphasized as much!

I really like the school I'm at right now.  I have a great team teacher.  We seem to mesh well in planning and teaching our students.  I'm spoiled :)  The thought of not knowing what next year will bring is adding a rather large damper to my subbing gig.  I try to push it out of my mind.  "Do not worry about tomorrow, for today has enough worries of it's own." "I know the plans I have for you" declares the LORD "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future." I, in my little bit of faith and the desire to control this area so badly, want to throw myself on the floor and throw a tantrum until someone promises me that I'll have a classroom somewhere next year.  Even then, I want to stay at this school.  I'm selfish.  It's a problem.  One that is eating me to pieces right now.

The posts following after this will have photos of what's been happening in our fifth grade room.  Most will be anchor charts; I've really started to enjoy having these!  The students take better notes when I'm making the charts and I like having them on the wall.  The partner teacher did request that I stop climbing up on desks to hang them until he arrived in the room next door.  "We don't need Mrs.B juice on the floor".  Personally I think I'm a pro at climbing on desks to hang items on walls/the ceiling.  Have you seen my solar system?!  Alas, I shall abide by his request.  I wouldn't want my students to find a "Flat Stanley" on the floor when they arrived, now would I?

Happy Teaching :)