Sunday, March 20, 2011

Weekly Wrap-up for March 20, 2011.

I am still officially on a blogging break. I haven't read very many blogs in the last few weeks and I am still trying to keep my head above water on things going on elsewhere. More on the blog in a bit...

I was given the date that will be my last at the school I am long-term subbing at. I was really sad to know that I wouldn't be finishing out the school year with "my" kids. I seem to have really found my groove in the school and with my students, so I am sad to be leaving. But, it has been a great experience and I have learned a lot. Additionally, I've gotten great feedback from staff, students, and parents, so I am feeling very confident about going ONCE more into the job hunt this summer.

A very big part of me feels like this is my year and that if I am meant to be a teacher, it will happen this year.

My last day is April 21, which leaves me 4 more weeks with my students (1 week is Spring Break). In that time period I get to teach many wonderful things: I'm finishing a rhetorical analysis unit with my seniors and we're going to look at literary criticism next, my sophomores are starting The Crucible next week, and my U.S. History kids are going to finish studying the 50s before Spring Break, then begin discussion on the 60s after. So, I have a lot of great things still to teach.

The other big thing going on is that I started back at my summer-time job yesterday. I work at a local city park as a seasonal ranger, which I have done for the last 7 years. They asked me to start a little early since they are short-staffed, so I agreed. This means that I am currently on day 7 of at least 22 days of working in a row. It is not as bad as it sounds since I can grade and lesson plan at the park. The extra income should hopefully make my husband lift my book buying ban as well. ;)

As for the blog...

Like I said, I am still officially on a "break." Not having pressure to post and read has really been helping me get hold of everything else going on in my life right now. I AM still posting any obligatory posts (readalongs, wrap-up posts, etc). All of my reading has been centered on these things anyway. But I am finally getting my groove back. I WANT to be reading now, which is a big difference to how I felt in the months prior. I feel good about where I am.

I imagine I'll be back to full blogging duties in another week or two. Spring Break is in two weeks, and since I won't be subbing or working full-time at the park, I plan on spending some time enjoying myself-reading, writing, and getting some things done around the apartment that have been neglected a bit. Hopefully before that hits I will be back in the swing of things. Not that I have really been "gone," have I?

In any case, I look forward to having the freedom over the summer to go crazy hacking away at books on my list. For the first time in months, I am feeling motivated and driven to make a lot of progress. Let's hope this feeling continues!

Happy Reading!

13 comments:

  1. Glad to hear things feel better for you! I admit, I haven't actually been taking the break I said I'd be taking, and I'm feeling even worse these days. Sigh.

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  2. Glad you're feeling better about the reading - I think it's the nicer weather coming, it seems to put everyone in a more positive mood!

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  3. Sorry to hear that you won't get to finish the year with your students-- I know how attached you can get to your classes. You're right, though, about the value of the experience. I actually started my teaching career as a long term substitute too (I was an English teacher before I became a librarian) and it really made all the difference in the world. By the time I started my first year teaching, I was ready. I think that the benefit to my students was immeasurable and that it will be the same for yours. I can also promise you that the work load and the stress WILL lighten. Good luck with the job hunt!

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  4. Sometimes you just need a break! I would love to work as a park ranger, that just sounds awesome.

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  5. The ranger job sounds so cool!! Reminds me of Yogi Bear and Jellystone Park ;)
    Do whatever you need to do to rest your soul...I think women especially have hard time giving ourselves the rest we need.

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  6. Allie I'm saddened that you won't be able to finish out the school year but hey at least you'll have more time to read. :)

    (And yes, tell hubs to lift the ban :P )

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  7. Wow. No wonder you haven't wanted to blog. That's such a lot of work, especially at this time of year. For whatever reason, the spring semester seems much more of a slog around this time. Maybe because we and the students don't want to be stuck inside. If it's pretty, I usually try to take a class outside. They always think I'm nuts.

    Enjoy your students, and more than that, do something for yourself. Whether it's buying a few books or something like a flowering plant. Sometimes it's the little things that breath life back into us.

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  8. I adore your summer job. Awesome. Good luck on the job hunt for a teaching position!

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  9. Hopefully, we will have a nice summer!

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  10. So glad you can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

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  11. take as long a blogging break as you need, sounds like life is quite exciting these days.

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  12. Good luck with job hunting in the future, Allie. I'm sure you're an awesome teacher. :)

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