Year Two In the Books!

Friday was the last day of school. Year 2 is in the books and over. Technically, I have been working in schools for 4 years (2 years at my first school and 2 years where I am now). However, I was simply a "TA" at my other school. At my current school, I'm split as a teacher and a TA because of the situation with our enrollment size but HOPEFULLY I will be full time soon...somewhere. Over the rainbow. Just kidding. (I love where I am so I want to be full time there!)

Now that the second year is over, I have been thinking this weekend about things about this year compared to last year. And what better way to represent my thoughts than some teacher memes!

One thing I have to say is I felt more organized this year. Sure, I redid all my power points from last year but I *actually* typed up my lesson plans this year as opposed to last year....when I only did it when I was observed. HA! So bad. I actually created a binder and sectioned it off by quarters with dividers. Then I wrote what topics I covered each quarter, how they were assessed, etc. Not everything I have in my binder is what I used but I am constantly trying to find new ways to keep my students engaged.

These memes/pictures also represent my thoughts:

 How is it possible that the kids CONSTANTLY LOOSE PENCILS? I swear, I have to tell kids in sixth grade to put the pencil away before they walk out of the room, simply so they don't lose it. I always buy the ones from the $ spot at Target or 97 cent ones from walmart. They're in a cup on my desk and if they need one, they get it. For 2 weeks, I had a kid take a pencil every single day ebcause he simply lost it. Emailing his mother to tell her he needed pencils worked.

Because I *love* repeating myself...said no teacher ever. My favorite is especially when I have said it, repeated it, it's on the paper in front of them, on the Smart Board and they STILL ASK WHAT TO DO. Not rocket science!

I get that in 6th grade, they are getting used to having multiple teachers after having 1 teacher all day for their subjects. However, if you can't write your name on the paper, why should I not take points off? I did that a few times and it actually works! 

I am one that believes homework is good reinforcement, especially when learning a language. Do I give homework almost every class? Yes! They have it every other day so sometimes they have up to four days to complete an assignment. It's on the front of the Power Point, listed on my website, and they see it on the slideshow when I share it with them. So it annoys me when they are like "we had homework." However, I am fair. I let them make it up for half credit. I have even done it towards the end of the credit because my philosophy was "Half credit is better than no credit." Ugh, maybe next year's group will learn.

If I wanted you to do it in English instead of French or Spanish, it would say! Try it in German next time. ;)

Ahh, one of my biggest pet peeves. Sometimes the kids wait for a signal from me to sharpen it but then there are those few that just don't. I wish they made pencil sharpeners that were silent. #agirlcandream

My class this year, for some reason, ALWAYS had to go somewhere before the bell rang. Many of them have lunch beforehand (beauty of knowing their schedules) and either had to go to their locker, get a drink, put their lunch away, etc. After awhile, I made it a rule "if you're not in your seat by the time the bell rings, you are late." They learned real fast, haha!

 

I love when they do this....especially when you get observed. 

This is ALWAYS my biggest pet peeve. Mainly because the boys bathroom is at the other end of the hall. 

Considering in 6th grade the language classes are every other day, they have at least 2 nights to do homework. Sometimes 4. So my biggest pet peeve is when they don't have it done, considering its not super difficult homework. The past 2 years I was pretty lenient with homework, even letting them make it up until the end of the quarter for half credit. Next year, that has to change. 

I honestly could go on and on about this. In the two years that I have had my own class(es) while still functioning as a part time TA (while keeping my fingers crossed that I will *eventually* have a full fledged teaching schedule), I have learned so much about myself. I have become more organized. I know I am making my class enjoyable after the end of the year survey I got back from my kids. I have learned what works and what does not...yet understand each class can be different. Despite some days wanting to rip my hair out of my head, I truly enjoy what I do. And as I have the summer to enjoy and recharge, I have these as reminders that I know teaching was the right job for me:

New Mexico 2016

I have officially dubbed 2016 "the year of weddings" for me. I have 5 weddings this year alone, and I am in 3 of them! One of them was my best friend April's wedding in March and then I am in 2 weddings 6 days apart in October....in two different states! The only weddings this year I am not in was the one last weekend and one in December. My wallet thanks those friends.

My friend Heather from college was getting married in New Mexico. We made a mini vacation out of it since the bachelorette party was on Thursday in Albuquerque and the wedding was Saturday in Santa Fe.

We flew out Wednesday night and landed in New Mexico at about 11pm (so 1am EST). It was my first time going out to the west coast! I flew down with Shannon, Amanda, and Olivia. Olivia's fiance was flying down the next night and was going to meet us on Friday at breakfast before we drove to Santa Fe.

Thursday morning we grabbed a quick breakfast at the Starbucks right next door to the hotel before driving to the first stop of the day, the Tram!

The view while we were in the parking lot...putting on our sunblock lol

This is what we rode up in.

How high up we went!

After the tram, we went back to the hotel to have lunch. We got NY style party pizzas and the rest of the girls apologized to those of us from NY incase the pizzas weren't as good as we were used to. They were SO HUGE! After we ate, we went to get ready for the rest of the evening! We went to a winery to do a wine tasting and it was gorgeous! 

Me, Amanda, Shannon

Me and the beautiful bride, Heather! 

We went to dinner at a mexican place and then went out to a rooftop bar to drink. Interesting fact that last call was at 10:30. We are so used to 4am in NY! 

On Friday, we drove to Santa Fe. Our hotel was beautiful...except our rooms were not ready. Check in was 4 but the bride requested an early check in. After 3.5 hours of waiting by the pool, it STILL wasn't ready. Heather's wedding coordinator gave the hotel a piece of his mind and they ended up comping one of the rooms for two nights, which was nice. The room we ended up with (Shannon, Amanda and I) was insane! 

Saturday was the wedding and it was just such a fun time. The ceremony was short and sweet but the night was so much fun. Heather and her husband, Eric, danced the entire night and I loved seeing that! They are SO in love (this is the first time we have all met Eric because Heather has lived in Indiana for the past few years and they just moved to Texas) and it was just such a beautiful day!

 

Vows!

 First kiss as newlyweds!

Beautiful couple! 

Olivia's wedding is 10.21!

Steph's wedding is next! 10.15 in Miami!

 

 Me and Shannon! Olivia's co maids of honor

 Love this girl! She was a beautiful bride!

 New Paltz forever

First dance!

"This is such a stone-cold pack of weirdos and I'm so proud" <3

The Color Run

It has always been on my bucketlist to do a 5k. Let me just put this out there though...there is no way on Earth I am a runner! I feel like I look like Phoebe on FRIENDS when I run:

I always envy people that look like they are almost professional runners. I know it does not happen over night but man, I wish that could be me.

One of my work friends, Valentina, asked a bunch of us if we wanted to do the Color Run at Citi Field in Queens where the Mets place. It was on her birthday! What a perfect way to celebrate. A bunch of us did it and signed up a few months ago. And we said, "Yeah, we will totally train!" (This Pitch Perfect/Fat Amy meme reminds me of this)

So on Saturday, we all met up at Citi Field and did the Color Run...aka the Happiest 5k on Earth! We did run inside the stadium and a bit on the field. We ran through the color stations. Towards the end I wanted to give up because my "race bib" was coming unpinned and they all took off as I was trying to pin it back on..haha. But it was a lot of fun! I am so sore today but if you have never done one, I suggest you do it!

Best group of coworkers! <3

One more day....

until SPRING BREAK!

This is my fourth year working in a school and this has to be the LATEST my spring break has ever been. Generally its in the middle of April but with were state testing fell this year, we ended up with spring break in the last week of April. We go back on May 2nd and then there are only 34 more instructional days til the last day of classes! HOLY COW!

This is how I feel right about now:

The kids are off the wall. It's like feeding time at the Bronx Zoo. #gohome

I also got observed this week. Some people might think "Really? The week before vacation?" In my first student teaching placement, I was observed the FRIDAY before a break. Now, THAT is torture. I got observed by my chairperson back in December and he loved that lesson. It was on time. Oddly, one of my favorite topics to teach in French and Spanish. Last week I happened to walk into my assistant principal's office to ask him a question and saw my name was on the board to be observed. I knew Monday's lesson was going to be boring so I emailed him to come in Wednesday. He came in yesterday and loved it. One of his comments today in the post-op conference was how he loved that the kids were jumping out of their seats to answer questions. It went over really well and now I am glad that its over. Because I can swallow the fact that my class size will be 29-31 kids next year. #thekidsloveme #iwishicouldhavetwosections #maybeiwillteachspanishagainnextyear . I hope I get at least a Spanish class. My chair wants me teaching Spanish again.

I also get to start my spring break off by taking the French cst again. I swear NYS wants to simply torture me. I told my principal its my goal to get it, no matter how many times I have to take it, so I can replace my friend Ronny when she retires. I think though depending upon how I do and if/that I probably will have to take it again in July, I may see about taking a class online or something for grammar. It's been FOREVER since I took a college French class so at least my speaking and writing are good...the grammar questions they ask are nuts!

April finally got her wedding pictures and they came out amazing!These are just a few of my favorites!

17 years of friendship and counting! 

Minus my curl in my face! I sort of wish they did more photos of us rather than 1 shot.

Other than that and me being dumb/slicing my toe open at work on Saturday, nothing else is going on. I am working a few times over my spring break but on Tuesday night I am going to the Mets game with a bunch of teachers from work. I don't really like baseball (I am a Yankees fan) but I am going for the food...and drinks! haha!

Bucket List

Everyone has some sort of bucket list, don't they? I know I do. I even have a board dedicated to it on Pinterest. I have some serious things and some silly things included on my bucket list. Some of these include:
-own every Disney DVD
-have a walk in closet (hello! Every girl's dream!)
-visit Ireland (done...April 2008!)
-go to the Full House house in San Francisco
-have a dog for it's entire life (in the process...got Lily when she was a puppy)
-visit every continent
-do a 5k (color run on May 7!)
-get lasik eye surgery (I would love love love to not have to wear contacts or glasses anymore)
-visit the Great Wall of China
-swim with the dolphins

You get the picture. But I also have always had the *oddest* desire. I have always wanted to be the patient in the back of an ambulance. I know that must sound really stupid (believe me, my GM at the restaurant told me yesterday when I told him that). I attribute it to watching years of ER and Grey's Anatomy. I always said it would be if I had a kid and my water broke at school. Or something obvious like being in a car accident.

Yesterday, I "achieved" it. I was at work at the restaurant and suppose to work a double. Suppose to being the key words. It was towards the end of the lunch shift and our busser was being super slow with doing rollups of silverware. And even unloading the bus buckets. He was just leaving them right by the dish station. I had 3 tables at this point (2 were waiting for their food and 1 was eating/waiting to pay) so I was trying to be helpful by unloading the bus bucket. I was putting glasses in the racks (like I have done in the past) so they could go through dish to be washed.

One of the glasses slipped and fell, breaking on my foot. I screamed because one, I have no pain tolerance and two, I wasn't really sure what happened. We have to wear non slip shoes and I have always worn non slip crocs. Never gave me a problem. My manager Kyle came running and was like "Holy $h*t" when he saw my foot because it was just dripping blood. Luckily one of my co-workers Bryan is an EMT so he came over to try to get the blood to stop. They wheeled me into the office so Bryan could try to get it to stop (it still wasn't at this point). Kyle had to do my checkout and one of my other co-workers Henry took my 3 tables that were still there. Since they couldn't get it to stop bleeding (it was my big toe) they had to call 911 because I had to go to the hospital. So everyone starts laughing since I had said like 3 hours before how I wanted to go in an ambulance. It was a weird/odd "bucket list" goal and something you probably should not wish to happen.

4-5 EMTs came, 2 cops and mall security. I was shocked! One of the EMT's was finally able to get it to stop bleeding and then they took me on the stretcher out. I went to the nearest hospital and the ride was interesting. People should move over when they see an ambulance. The EMTs in the back said that normally doesn't happen and even though I wasn't critical, they still had sirens on. They were driving in the grass at one point. So this is my PSA: MOVE OVER WHEN YOU SEE AN AMBULANCE/FIRE TRUCK/COP CAR WITH SIRENS ON!

Once I got to the hospital, I had to wait about 30-45 minutes before I got a room. I didn't want to call my mom because it was her birthday and I didn't want to bother her! My friend Marisa eventually came. Once I was in the room, they had to irrigate it and I ended up with 4 stitches. I do have to go back in 7-10 days to get the stitches removed. I had to call Med Corps for work and the restaurant had to fill out the worker's comp injury from the hospital. I was sitting in the hospital thinking "Oh crap my insurance card is at home!" but luckily the company has to pay for everything.

Trying to get it to stop bleeding as I waited for the ambulance.

I spent the majority of my time on Snapchat and only have a few on instagram. I sat in a wheelchair for 30-45 minutes before I got a room.

When they took it off at the hospital. I had to wait for them to irrigate it and clean out any shards of glass that were possibly in there. At one point the doctor was joking with me and goes "Can you stop bleeding all over the bed?!" I laughed the entire time (minus when he was pricking me with the needle to numb the wound)

I was sad my manager Kyle said I could no longer where my non slip crocs but glad I am okay. :)