don't bother reading

So I will admit I logged into Blogger not knowing what I'd write about. I just looked and saw that I hadn't posted since Tuesday. Which you know, was the day before yesterday.

Thank God it is Friday tomorrow. The kids really haven't been that bad at all this week, it's just that I am feeling the pressure from M.P. Just when I start to feel like I'm getting into the groove of this teacher thing, something else is thrown in that changes everything. I'll spare you the details, but I am feeling very overwhelmed right now. In fact, I was thinking about how I really should have cried at Tuesday's meeting, but didn't. Where were my emotions then? Apparently stored in writing, like the rest of my feelings.

On the bright side, my mostly-favorite kid, X, continues to crack me up. You never know when he is going to say something funny or clever. A kid after my own heart. We are reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume, and we were discussing the chapter where Peter's mom flies to Boston to visit Aunt Linda, who just had a baby. The question of why the mom went came up. X replied "She just wanted to pinch those baby cheeks one time and then fly back." While saying this he pinches his own chubby cheeks and starts to laugh a little. He's seriously adorable. I'm sad I have to give him up for 2 hours for our new math/lunch combo that got thrown upon us.

I keep ripping my knee to shreds because I can't bear the thought of missing kick class, even though I fully dislocated my knee cap exactly a week ago. It starts to feel a little better, so then I go to the gym. Like, I went on Monday and then it hurt so I skipped Tuesday but went on Wednesday. I didn't go today because I really want to go tomorrow. In case you didn't know, my right knee cap has the ability to rotate 4.5 inches in various directions. It's sick, and if you ever care to be disgusted, I can demonstrate. Usually I am a very quick healer, but it's taking longer this time.

Oh my gosh. I just realized it's Thursday and when I got home I totally had time to watch Lost but forgot all about it. It's too late now, I have to get ready for bed. Poo.

Instead of watching Lost when I got home, you know what I did? Calculate out exactly how many minutes per week I spend in meetings, prep, and teaching. This was because I feel like I never have enough prep time. I thought my calculations would justify my feelings, but when I look at it on paper, it doesn't, which makes me even more mad.

This is what is required (weekly):
100 minutes, or 5% of my time spent in meetings
1290 minutes, or 68% of my time spent teaching
500 minutes, or 26% of my time for prep.

This is what actually happens (estimate)
220 minutes, or 12% of my time spent in meetings
1290 minutes, or 68% of my time spent teaching
380 minutes, or 20% of my time for prep.

Because I have had meetings everyday this week, sometimes twice a day, when I should have had prep time. Oh, did I also mention that each week I spend an average of 350 extra minutes at school for which I do not get paid, which is about 18% more time that I am required to be there? Maybe it doesn't sound like a lot to you, but I sure would like to get paid an extra 18%. In case you were wondering, if I got paid an additional 18%, it would be more than enough to pay my rent. Also, it feels like a lot more than 18% when I am the last car to leave the parking lot every day for three days. I know I complain a lot. My mom used to tell me so all the time when I was little. I just want to be treated fairly.