Wow it's been awhile!

Holy Cow I can't believe I haven't updated in over a month! So much has happened in such a short amount of time. I will do my best to sum it up.

1. I went to VEGAS with my Mom! It was awesome! I love love love love it there! I want to go back again and again! It was a great 4 days of fun and not thinking about anything back in Texas!

2. I got back from Texas and was hit by a truck! My living situation in Little Elm with the Groom family was pretty fine and dandy (and cheap) and Rachael informed me of some sad news. Her marriage is kaputz and she was moving out of the house. Therefore, I had to move out of the house and fast.

3. Found an apartment that had a 6 month lease and that was close to Riddle Elementary. We signed and I packed my apartment. Then I got a call to interview in Houston in Klien ISD.

This is where things started getting crazy for me. I had already applied for this apartment in North Texas, and was on my way down to Houston for a Spontaneous interview for a 4th grade position. 3 days before starting my long term sub in Frisco. I applied over the weekend in a panic after I talked to Rachael.

I got down there and immediately loved the neighborhood and the school, and it would be MY classroom. The catch was that I would have had to sign a resignation letter on the same day as signing a contract. They offered me the job, but in order to uproot my life, it needs to be for more than 3 months of teaching. I turned down ANOTHER job. I was very angry with myself and still think about it. It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make.

So last week was crazy. This week I started at my new long term position in 5th grade.

Teaching 4 classes a day is interesting... I am really good at everything by the time the 4th block comes in :) The poor 1st block is my guinea pig group... The age is intense. These kids have attitudes, roll their eyes, and are taller than me. I think I have done a good job at establishing authority so far.

One of the main differences between Ashley and Riddle that I have noticed is that the kids are mean to each other. I feel like at Ashley Kids stood up for one other and there was a strong bond, but at Riddle, they are just mean. If there is one thing I can not stand it is when kids are mean to each other! I feel like I have gotten upset with several children already for being disrespectful to others, and MYSELF. I had a chat with one student who thinks it's cool to walk away when I am trying to talk to him, and doesn't look at me when I am talking to him either (he does this with all the teachers.) I was reading my "Love and Logic" book on the plane from Vegas, and pulled a scenario from that book and am hoping it works. I pulled him aside in class and said, "Have I done something to upset you or make you angry?" He mumbles "no.." (avoids eye contacts at all costs). Me, "Well I don't understand why you walk away when I am trying to talk to you. To me it is extremely disrespectful. Do you want to be disrespectful?" "No." "Okay good, you know how I feel about it now and will try your best not to do it, right?" "okay" haha we shall see how that one goes..

Gotta go plan next week!