First Day Back

The first thing my students noticed when I cam into class was my tan.
Or actually my burn.
I spent a good deal of time in Florida tanning, and I came home fried. I couldn't move, couldn't sleep, couldn't shower, and couldn't wrinkle my nose without yelping in pain.
As soon as I got into class, my students all began giggling. (Just wait until they see my co, she's even more tanned than I am.) I had to take my watch off in class because the burn on my arm was stinging, and the girls saw my beautiful watch/tan mark. That inspired another round of giggles.
I can't wait for my face to begin peeling. They'll split their sides laughing.
I tried to ignore the giggles, and I began the most boring day of my life.
I gave the girls a speech about the second half of the year. I made it sound like they were so special, almost eighth graders. I enforced some rules, (namely the no calling out in class rule,) and had a small review.
The history I taught today was dead boring and hard to understand, but I was too lazy to really explain it well. If I have any student who still believes that teachers don't enjoy vacation, someone has to tell her that she is sadly mistaken.
I definitely could use a couple of more days.
My literature lesson was even more frustrating. I was in no mood to teach, the girls were in no mood to learn, and the material itself was stupid.
What a day.
Over vacation the principal had given me a 15 page booklet to read. It was a syllabus of my next writing project; the book fair.
Every girl in the school has to write a book and display it at a fair we are going to hold in March.
My girls cried when they heard they were having a book fair. They just finished 5 projects, one after the other, and this really was unfair to them.
Another problem I have, is that I didn't understand a word of that booklet. She wants me to do so many things with these girls, that I would need to teach 24 hours a day in order to get it all done in 4 weeks. The other teachers feel the same way. And as a side point, none of the other teachers understand the booklet either.
Over vacation I put it aside, because I couldn't be bothered to think of school, but I took it out last night. I looked at the cover and my blood ran cold.
No kidding.
The first page of the 15 had a little header that read: Week One.
All of this has to get done in one week. When I pointed it out to the other teachers they had the same reaction.
If you ever wondered when you were a student if teachers cry, well they do.
I went over to the principal to tell her I didn't understand the syllabus, and she just smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll 'unconfuse' you."
I'm so thrilled.
I came home with so much pressure on my head, I didn't know what to do.
I spent most of the night making up a history test, and then I quickly made up a rating sheet for the biography projects. I just realized that P.T.A. is this Sunday, and I have to have the marks in by then.
We got rating sheets for report cards again. I can't believe second term is almost over, we just finished first.
This school seems to like doing things a little rushed.
The 6th grade teacher's wedding was tonight and I went over for a while. It was beautiful. I didn't dance much because I had to scream every time someone touched me. My burn was hurting more than ever.
I met a student's mother at the wedding, and she told me that my makeup was stunning.
I had to laugh. I wasn't wearing any makeup. My face is so red from my burn that I didn't want to put anything on it. All I was wearing was a little eye makeup and lipstick, and she couldn't get over me.
I just smiled and took the compliment.
What was I supposed to tell her? That I had just roasted in Florida? :)
I am so overwhelmed now, I've got a load to do.
3 days of vacation isn't nearly enough!