One long week.

Rather than trying to think about this week and what it meant and what I can do to change it, I will merely present facts. My goodness, I've described many weeks as long but this one might take the cake of my post-college years. Long weeks were a given in my college years as many days lasted forty hours. I digress.

Monday night, ASU classes. Didn't go to dinner I was mistakenly invited to as I'm not black. Grad school is just like freshman year of college for many people, it seems. And I intend on not returning to that year. Home by 9:30.

Tuesday, I can't remember anything worth reporting other than I think it was the only night I was back to my apartment by eight.

Wednesday begins the fun.

*Phone call from the office. "Find someone to cover your class as soon as possible and come to the office."
*Newly arrived Arabic speaking student, shocked that anyone at the school spoke Arabic introduced herself to me weeks earlier (another teacher had told her), had been attacked by another student and couldn't bring herself to speak English or calm down. I spent half an hour in the office with a teacher watching my class and her class calming this girl down and explaining exactly why it's not a bad thing that she came to America. I done the government proud.
*Run into another Arabic speaking family who needs help with translation for a program that, ironically, teaches them English. Promise to help the following day.
*Model teacher night. Two hour meeting where I talk about how my life in the classroom is going.
*Dinner with a friend. Awesome.

Thursday, I've been outed. Administration is shocked by the fact that I'm not some dumb American who moved to Arizona but can't speak Spanish. They see my value. Damn it.

*TeachTeachTeach. I'm working hard on pulling my kids back in. I don't know what I did wrong but they're going crazy.
*Catch a teacher who fainted from a finger prick.
*Go to a training about refugees. Actually helpful.
*Back to school to help translate for parents who want to know how to buy the book in their English class among other things. Turns out, they're Chaldean.

Friday, my crowning jewel, is a half day for students.

*Feeling sick. The sore throat kind.
*Sent all but one of my students to centers because she needed someone to talk to. For an hour.
*My kids wanted to eat outside so we ate at picnic tables. The plan was that we go to recess after but there was a playground right nearby that they were instructed not to play on. Three students go for it anyway. Including Little Miss Chatterbox.
*Recess. There's a dog on the playground. Half my kids freak out, other half excited. I catch the dog but it's freaking out because so many kids are running at him. Definitely a him. Ask another teacher to call the office. Office tells us to bring him up. There's a gross patch on his neck so I don't want to carry him so I ask for string. In the mean time, kids are freaking out even more. Dog starts nipping at me and other teacher is able to help me and walk the dog up.
*Back inside. There's only a half hour of school left so, free choice time. I spend that half hour talking to the girl I already talked to for an hour about how she thinks I don't care about her and I shouldn't be so bossy. My heart broke as I tried to explain that creating rules isn't being bossy and by holding her to the same standards I hold everyone else and being fair, I actually care for her quite a bit. Given, there's family background but still. She's only six. How do I get this girl to see that I care for her?
*Professional Development. SUCKED.
*Prepare for the Fall Festival.
*Fall Festival.
*Home by 8:30.

And today? I've only left my bed to make breakfast and use the bathroom. I'm full on sick. I'm totally taking advantage of this and watching TV on hulu and reading all day. And I ate a bag of chips. Guilt free. I can lesson plan tomorrow.

Oh, and I'm turning twenty-five in a few days.

-Theresa