Thank you Jesus...

So we're not very good at this blogging thing yet, but we'll get there. I did feel the need to write today to share my excitement.


Tomorrow is my last day teaching dance with Heather Sox. As much as we love dance and teaching together, we were not prepared for what we signed up for. Every week I dread 4-5 on Mondays and Wednesdays. You would think two eager teachers teaching the art of dance (aka hip hop because that's all our kids want to do and these two un-cultured skinny white girls can't step) to kids who have had little to no dance experience would be fun. We did too. Quickly, we realized a random group of 5-9 graders (many our own students) did not necessarily sign on for a dance education. They chose dance because they did not want to learn Spanish, Drama, Art, or do Fitness Club. They just want social hour with their friends. Our own students are well aware of the fact that we are dead by 4:00 and I'm pretty sure they thought about that when signing up. So instead of dancing we spend the first ten minutes trying to get them to shut up which continues into the gym. After four months, twice a week, you would think they could come in and get in lines and start stretching but no. Thus, we continue to scream to be heard over the noise (silent treatment does not work with our kids so don't judge).  Pretty much dance consists of screaming, more screaming, yelling while stretching, kicking kids out to stand or sit around the gym, to practicing the dance 3 times through. Then it's time to go. Yes, pretty much NO dancing. Out of the now 35ish kids in dance about 10 actually behave and try.  That's right, 35 crazy middle schoolers vs. 2 teachers. INSANE. Earlier in the year we had less kids but now we have tons of kids that don't want to be there because their after school teacher quit. Great. 


I've been thinking about quitting for about 10 reasons but to me the schedule and not getting paid for dance was the main issue. Thankfully, DANCE will be no more. Starting next Monday we will have after school tutoring to help students with low MAP scores. Heather and I will both be tutoring for $20 every day M-Th. HOLLA!! Our days will go till 5 and we'll still have to work out 3 days a week for 30 minutes but at least I won't have to lose my voice by Monday night, scream for an hour straight, deal with girl fights, kids missing, drama, etc. every other day OH and how could I forget....CAR LINE aka duty. I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE car line. I almost cried doing it on Monday. Maybe it was because I knew I was so close to never doing it again but I about lost it. Due to basketball try outs I was working car line by myself with students (last name A -M). I had to chase after 5 kids who were being rude and ignoring me (nothing new with the 8th graders), take a belt from a 5th grader who was hitting people with it (it was "P" boy actually, haha), make 2 of my 6th graders sit separately after lecturing them, talk to 2 parents in their vehicles about how their child isn't doing crap in my class or any of his/her other classes, and it just went on from there. Oh and at 5:15 we take the "left-over kids" to the office where we sit with them until someone comes to get them. It's usually 5:35 around then and then we have to go workout for 30 minutes (part of our charter/contract).  Keep in mind please this is was the morning that I woke up 30 minutes late, got stuck behind the train, got a nose bleed on the way, and then passed a flipped SUV and had to call 911. MONDAY SUCKED. 


So here is to tomorrow being my VERY LAST day of dance and car line by myself. Hooray!! Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday and if it's 4-5:30 .... say a prayer for us.


Much love - Ms. B