Work Overload

I'm on the verge of having a nervous breakdown.  I take over Algebra I tomorrow, meaning I will officially be teaching all of my CT's classes.  Plus, I just found out that lesson plans will now be due on Thursdays for the following week.  So, essentially this means I have two sets of lesson plans to plan for two weeks as I have zero time after school to work on plans.  I was in Myrtle Beach yesterday to present at a conference on "encouragement in education" (supposed to look good on my resume)...well, I'm not feeling very encouraged.  It took me four plus hours to get home because of bad weather.  I have been working on plans nonstop this morning since 10 AM and I'm not even finished with half of the plans for Pre-Algebra.  Making those stupid SMARTBoard lessons takes FOREVER.  Not to mention all the worksheets, handouts, etc.  I don't know how I'm ever possibly going to get all of this done.

Getting into the Groove

So, last week was a million times better than the week before.  I think the kids are really starting to respect me as an authority figure.  I am teaching every class except for Algebra.  We have done lots of different hands on and group activities and I have been really pleased with their performance.  I have also taken over all of the grading for the classes I am teaching and have created all their tests, worksheets, homework, etc.  I'm starting to feel a little more like a real teacher.  The work load is intense, but seeing those light bulbs go off makes it all worth it.

The VERY Ugly

Last week, I started teaching one Pre-Algebra class.  It was going pretty well, so I figured why not go ahead and teach the other one too.  On Tuesday and Wednesday I taught both classes and felt really good about it.  My cooperating teacher's only suggestion was to "demand their attention", meaning that sometimes I was talking over them instead of waiting for them to be silent.  Unfortunately, my CT had a death in the family and informed me that she had to be out on Thursday and Friday.  She told me there would be a substitute, but I could do most of the teaching.  This also meant she would have to miss the open house on Thursday night and that I would take that over too.  Silly me, I thought it would be no problem.  I was worried about meeting the parents at the open house and not at all worried about the teaching.  Surely, I could "demand their attention".  Well, I demanded...and demanded...and demanded...to no avail.  Thursday was awful.  I thought about giving the "behavior makeover" forms out that my CT uses, but I would have had to give one to almost everyone in the class.  They were testing me...REALLY testing me.  And I can understand, I mean they wanted to see how much they could get away with.  Yet, I was really blown away by the complete and total lack of respect they showed me and the substitute.  Interestingly enough, the open house went great and I actually really enjoyed talking to some of the parents (of course, none of the parents I wanted/needed to see showed up).  After the open house, I went home and thought about what on earth I was going to do with these kids on Friday.  I felt bad because I knew there were a select few who were actually on task and doing what they were supposed to be doing.  I decided to give them a pop quiz on Friday.  The quiz was IDENTICAL to the warm up that I gave them and went over in detail on Thursday.  So, I thought the ones who had been paying attention would easily make a 100.  In the Pre-Algebra classes after I collected the quiz and explained to them why I had given it to them, most of the students really turned it around and their behavior improved. In the Algebra class, on the other hand, it didn't phase them at all.  I know I shouldn't lose my cool, but I lost it.  I didn't go ballistic or anything...I just gave up.  I assigned them their homework, told them to start working on it and said I wasn't going to help them or answer anymore of their questions because I was sick of trying to talk over them.  I've always said I love a good challenge, but I wasn't expecting one this good!  Monday should be interesting...