I'm not sure if it is a result of living here or teaching kindergarten, but my english is going to shit. The title, TOTALLY said by yours truly. When I want to ask someone what time it might be, I often have to stop and think about how to ask it. "what time is it?" or "what time it is?" I used the later one in a joking manner all too often and now I forget which way I'm supposed to say it.
Well, Easter with the parentals was sufficient. After spending 5 hours driving around Memphis on a Thursday night (looking for Target that my GPS swore existed but didn't) and finally heading down to Beale Street by myself...the folks landed at 11:39 p.m. Minor problems with weather in Dallas, resulting in a missed flight, flight times changing, sitting on the runway...all leading up to their grand arrival in the DELTA, womp, womp, womp. On Friday, after touring Ruleville (it took 5 minutes), I put them to work...we hung curtain rods (curt & rod if you like puns like Bruce does), cleaned my fans, set up the fire ring, Jeannie slept, dad found all of the things wrong with my 
house and made a list for the landlord, baked some treats. SOS...I need someone to teach me how to make rice crispy treats...I'm a failure. 0/2. We went for crawdads and shrimp that night at a place called Crustaceans....they had a big ole crawdad painted on the side of the building, it was a ritzy establishment. Saturday and Sunday were spent in Jackson with Mike and Gretchen enjoying the gorgeous weather, egg bake, and mildly-intoxicated neighbors having an easter egg hunt for their kids the night before easter. Don't worry, I found 10 eggs that the kiddos missed (I MIGHT or might not have taken part in hiding them extra hard so they would be more of a "challenge"). It was a fun weekend and actually felt like a vacation.
We have LESS than one month of school left...omg. We are officially done on May 22, but that last week is going to be consumed with testing. A little bit nervous....I met with my program director the other day and in order for my kids to have advanced 1.5 years in reading, I need to push them these last couple of weeks and hopefully have each student moved up one reading level. TFA is all about data, sometimes it's good, sometimes it blows. Of course I want my kids reading well into a first grade level, but not at the expense of the lowest learners who need as much of my attention as I can make time for. We'll get close, I'll tell you that much.
Last week I got sent home from school. It was 7 a.m....I was wearing a dress with leggings under it. Apparently, you can't wear leggings to school. My principal said it was in the handbook, but someone else disagreed. Either way, an hour later I was walking back into my classroom in a new outfit. It was pretty hilarious but highly annoying at the same time. I wish I had my handbook here so I could verify if that were true or not. This week we had a meeting with our superintendent...it was the entire district crammed into a cafeteria in Sunflower. The moral of the meeting, "do not hit children." Well, like that was ever a prevalent message before. Let's say this, people have paddles, it's not uncommon. Some people go as far as to NAME their paddles. Some people have multiple paddles. Many people have paddles that have been broken. My kindergartners get into fights. They swear at each other. They use the finger sign (give the middle finger). People are yelling ALL.OF.THE.TIME. Welcome to my life in the delta.
Last weekend some of my friends and I ran a 5K in Cleveland, MS. All I have to say about our performance is that we weren't last. This weekend we grilled out last night and helped my friend get ready for the Ruleville prom tonight. We frosted 150 cookies, blew up 200 balloons, made the backdrop for pictures, you know, typical Friday night stuff. Tonight we're supposed to be having a bonfire but I realize that finding firewood around here is darn-near impossible. Although I think we have enough sticks and whatnot in our yard and abandoned shed to suffice for a couple of fires.
GUESS WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTT?!?!?! I'll be in Winona in 11 days!!! EEEEEKKKK! First I have to write a letter to the superintendent asking for Thursday and Friday off. If he doesn't give me those days off I will be calling in sick. Ridiculous. As of May 1st our two measly personal days are converted to sick days and no one can take personal days in May. Well...you better believe I'm taking two days and they can call them whatever they'd like. It's not like my kids are missing out in educational material. Friday is the annual May Day and from what I hear is a major cluster ****. They play games, eat snacks, there is another pageant, an assembly in which all classes do something for. Speaking of, the theme this year is China. What on EARTH can my kids do that is at all related to China. Usually they sing songs or something, I'm dumbfounded on what my class is going to do, I obvs. can't teach them anything in Chinese. Last year it was Africa and they sang "in the jungle." The May Day committee MIGHT be on crack this year. If you know of any songs or things they can do, PLEASE call me ASAP!!!
Okay...better get busy on grad school work....it's crunch time. Enjoy the weekend....even if it isn't 85 there ;)
Well, Easter with the parentals was sufficient. After spending 5 hours driving around Memphis on a Thursday night (looking for Target that my GPS swore existed but didn't) and finally heading down to Beale Street by myself...the folks landed at 11:39 p.m. Minor problems with weather in Dallas, resulting in a missed flight, flight times changing, sitting on the runway...all leading up to their grand arrival in the DELTA, womp, womp, womp. On Friday, after touring Ruleville (it took 5 minutes), I put them to work...we hung curtain rods (curt & rod if you like puns like Bruce does), cleaned my fans, set up the fire ring, Jeannie slept, dad found all of the things wrong with my 
house and made a list for the landlord, baked some treats. SOS...I need someone to teach me how to make rice crispy treats...I'm a failure. 0/2. We went for crawdads and shrimp that night at a place called Crustaceans....they had a big ole crawdad painted on the side of the building, it was a ritzy establishment. Saturday and Sunday were spent in Jackson with Mike and Gretchen enjoying the gorgeous weather, egg bake, and mildly-intoxicated neighbors having an easter egg hunt for their kids the night before easter. Don't worry, I found 10 eggs that the kiddos missed (I MIGHT or might not have taken part in hiding them extra hard so they would be more of a "challenge"). It was a fun weekend and actually felt like a vacation.We have LESS than one month of school left...omg. We are officially done on May 22, but that last week is going to be consumed with testing. A little bit nervous....I met with my program director the other day and in order for my kids to have advanced 1.5 years in reading, I need to push them these last couple of weeks and hopefully have each student moved up one reading level. TFA is all about data, sometimes it's good, sometimes it blows. Of course I want my kids reading well into a first grade level, but not at the expense of the lowest learners who need as much of my attention as I can make time for. We'll get close, I'll tell you that much.
Last week I got sent home from school. It was 7 a.m....I was wearing a dress with leggings under it. Apparently, you can't wear leggings to school. My principal said it was in the handbook, but someone else disagreed. Either way, an hour later I was walking back into my classroom in a new outfit. It was pretty hilarious but highly annoying at the same time. I wish I had my handbook here so I could verify if that were true or not. This week we had a meeting with our superintendent...it was the entire district crammed into a cafeteria in Sunflower. The moral of the meeting, "do not hit children." Well, like that was ever a prevalent message before. Let's say this, people have paddles, it's not uncommon. Some people go as far as to NAME their paddles. Some people have multiple paddles. Many people have paddles that have been broken. My kindergartners get into fights. They swear at each other. They use the finger sign (give the middle finger). People are yelling ALL.OF.THE.TIME. Welcome to my life in the delta.
Last weekend some of my friends and I ran a 5K in Cleveland, MS. All I have to say about our performance is that we weren't last. This weekend we grilled out last night and helped my friend get ready for the Ruleville prom tonight. We frosted 150 cookies, blew up 200 balloons, made the backdrop for pictures, you know, typical Friday night stuff. Tonight we're supposed to be having a bonfire but I realize that finding firewood around here is darn-near impossible. Although I think we have enough sticks and whatnot in our yard and abandoned shed to suffice for a couple of fires.
GUESS WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTT?!?!?! I'll be in Winona in 11 days!!! EEEEEKKKK! First I have to write a letter to the superintendent asking for Thursday and Friday off. If he doesn't give me those days off I will be calling in sick. Ridiculous. As of May 1st our two measly personal days are converted to sick days and no one can take personal days in May. Well...you better believe I'm taking two days and they can call them whatever they'd like. It's not like my kids are missing out in educational material. Friday is the annual May Day and from what I hear is a major cluster ****. They play games, eat snacks, there is another pageant, an assembly in which all classes do something for. Speaking of, the theme this year is China. What on EARTH can my kids do that is at all related to China. Usually they sing songs or something, I'm dumbfounded on what my class is going to do, I obvs. can't teach them anything in Chinese. Last year it was Africa and they sang "in the jungle." The May Day committee MIGHT be on crack this year. If you know of any songs or things they can do, PLEASE call me ASAP!!!
Okay...better get busy on grad school work....it's crunch time. Enjoy the weekend....even if it isn't 85 there ;)
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