Crafty Lil Devil

Things are going well at work. The class is gradually adjusting to me being their new teacher and they seem to be settling down. I'm really enjoying my work there and spend a lot of hours online researching lesson plans and planning activities. Good news! This week, one of my supervisors pulled me aside and said that she received a compliment about me that she wanted to pass on. She said that the mother of one of my students told her that since I've been there, her son has been hitting his friends less and has less trouble in the mornings when she drops him off for school and that mom thinks it has something to do with me being there. And my other supervisor commented that the other teacher and I seem to have a calming effect on the kids and that she's noticed that there is much less chaos coming from that room now we are working together in there. WOW! I was so flattered! I wanted to them that I feel like all I do is fuss at the kids all day and get onto them about stuff and were they crazy or something?! :) I also wanted to tell them how grateful I was to be receiving such praise about my work with the kids. Especially since I'm still so new and trying to figure everything out and adjust to suddenly being in charge of 12 kids. Coming from my last job where I hardly ever heard positive comments, this was SO appreciated! But how do you say something like that and not sound like a dork? So, I just smiled and said thank you and told them how much I enjoy working there. Hopefully they felt the magnitude of my gratitude for those encouraging words without me having to say anything. I really finally LOVE my job! What a world of difference it makes when you are finally doing something you are passionate about instead of just something to pay the bills.

Eventually, I'd like to work with older kids. Maybe 4s or kindergarten age. Possibly 1st or 2nd grade. I enjoy the age I'm working with now, but I'd be happier if I didn't have to worry about "accidents". Not to sound mean or anything, but that totally grosses me out. Lord help me when I have kids of my own. Although I must say, I'm doing much better even with that. Someone is always grabbing me or hugging me with some unknown slimy, wet substance on their hands and I just try not to guess what it is. But I do end up washing my hands about a million times a day and I usually have to take a shower right when I walk in the door.

One of the boys decided to see how many paper towels would fit in the toilet. I caught him just as he was about to drop in another huge handful. And those of you who know me and know just how easily grossed out I am will be amazed to hear what I did next. I put on a rubber glove (THANK YOU whoever decided we needed those in our bathroom!) and fished out the wad of soggy paper towels. Then I mopped up the floor where the kid also decided to pee on the floor. Who knew I was now employed as a janitor? But ladies, you'll be happy to know that when I'm teaching what to do in the bathroom, I am teaching them that they have to put the toilet seat down. Who knows if that little lesson will stick with them, but at least I tried, right girls? :) (By the way, if you think that's funny, have you heard Brad Paisley's "The Toilet Seat Song"? It's hilarious!)

Gotta go for now. The coals are hot and ready for us to cook some chicken for dinner. Hope everyone is having a good weekend! Maybe I'll try to blog some night soon about my "Fabulous Find" recently. But for now, I've got to get cookin'!