It's been a while

It's been a while since I've blogged. Yes, I know. It's not that I don't have material, I do. It was just that I'm busy.

The funny thing is that I'm busier now than I have been but I decided to blog for the procrastination aspect. I find blogging almost therapeutic. Over the last few weeks, I've composed incredible witty entries with insight about teaching and being in this small town. It's just that I haven't typed them out yet.

So you may be asking, why am I so busy, and more specifically, why are you so busy now. Well, let me answer that.

Starting next week, there is a college trip for senior students (grade 10 to 12) who want to visit some of the colleges that are "around" here. These student had to apply for the trip and usually only students who want to go to college go. Usually, these are students who are doing well in their classes. Anyway, what does this mean for me?

I have four students who are going ... from 3 different classes. The kids are going for 10 days (7 instructional days). And all of them have asked for work they will miss when they are gone. Fair enough. Haha! Here is my problem.

As a first year teacher, I have never taught these classes before. I have no resources that I have made before (and the resources left for me are not that great, to be honest). So I have to plan for each class for everyday. Now as the "lazy" person I am, I usually don't plan a class until either the day before I teach the material or, if I'm really on top of things, two days before I teach it. I use to get into a little trouble for this during my student teaching days. But come on! Ask any university student and you'll probably get results that say something like 90% of them are working on a paper/project/assignment the night before it is due.

Before you start yelling at me, I do have year plans, and chapter plans and I always know where I'm going. It's the specifics I have to plan for.

So now my students have requested that I plan for seven lessons in three classes (that's 21 classes ... yes, I am a math teacher) before they go on a trip in a week. Uhh, that will be fun to try to do. Especially if they want them designed so that they can understand them without me there answering questions.

Oh, it gets worse.

All of the students have requested that I get the work to them before the weekend so they have 5 days to do it before they leave so they won't have to bring work with them.

HAHAHAHA! As if! The topper, is that I found this all out on Monday.

I told the kids I would try my best ... but for them not to hold their breath. They'll be very lucky that they have it before they leave in a week.

So my student are coming the way o some of my readers. So if you, reader, see a group of Native kids with two tired looking white adults, those are my kids!!!!!!