Gulp

I am now down to mere hours. 12 to be exact before the halls are filled with the sound of students changing classes. But, I feel really good about it for the first time in my teaching career.

Today we had Fresh Start where all the freshmen come and get their schedules and do a tour of the school and have a shortened version of a regular school day. So I got to meet most of my two freshmen classes. They look like elementary students! So cute! I hope they act as sweet as they look.

So far so good on the schedule. It is staying the same. I doubt very seriously they'd do anything to me now with day one being tomorrow. But, I am still feeling extremely guilty! Check out this most recent conversation I had with a close friend at school who is also someone who I am going to be teaching closely with this year.....

The following took place in Other Teacher's room while we were meeting about the program we are going to be joint teaching in.

OT: I am so glad that we are getting this out of the way today. I haven't even started working on my other classes yet, including AP History!

Me: I agree. I am glad to get this out of the way too. I've still got to work on my English I.

OT: I mean, I don't get it. I work so hard. I am teaching four different classes, one of them is an AP class, and I work my ass off. It really makes me mad. There isn't any incentive to work as hard as I work. I mean, look at all those other teachers out there who hardly work or who only have to teach one or two classes! They get paid the same as me! That just really isn't fair.

Me: (gulp) Uh, yeah. So not fair.

She might as well have been talking about me! It isn't like I coast as a teacher, and I've put in a ton of time for these two classes I am teaching, but the fact is, I am not going to have as much planning as her. I feel so guilty. I of course haven't told her that I have an extra planning and am only teaching two classes. The reality is that with the extra time, there won't be any excuse for my teaching not to be outstanding. So that helps me to feel a little better. Still, OT is right. It probably isn't fair. But I am certainly not complaining about my schedule!

In other news, though still school related -
I worked tonight until 6:30. But like I said, I think I am finally ready for tomorrow. I've got my outfit picked out. Cute shirt from Ann Taylor Loft.

CLEMSON GIRLS! Get to Ann Taylor Loft. I bought two orange sun dresses and one orange tank top! I am set for warm football games. It was all on sale.

During the day, I went to the copy room to run off my syllabus and class rules, blah blah blah. I walk in and notice that the first copier has some tools laying on it and the door is open. I walk out to speak to someone and when I come back in, the door to the copier is closed and the technician has moved to another copier where he is helping someone, though his measly little screwdriver and a rag are still on the copier. I ask "Does this copier work?" Someone says yes, and by that time I'd already done a test copy which worked fine. So I proceeded to print my 120 copies. Half way through, the tech walks up, snorts, looks at the girl using the next copier and says "I mean really. Who would walk up and use the copier with all these tools laying on it? Isn't that like a hint that I am working on it?"

Oh. No. He. Didn't.

Me: Ah, excuse me?

Tech: laughing incredulously Ma'am, didn't you see my tools? Isn't this an indication that I am working on this copier?

Me: (thinking "Excuse me, you asshole? What did you just say to me? How dare you talk down to me. You don't even know me!") Ah, no. It didn't. Actually, you standing down at the other copier working on it indicated to me that you were working elsewhere!
(AHHHH! If you want to INDICATE that you are still working on a copier, jack leg, then leave the copier door OPEN! Closing it, jerk, indicates that you are DONE!)

Tech: Ha. Teachers. You think you can do whatever you want.

I was floored. I think I almost bit my tongue off trying to not say anything else to him. How rude.

Good luck to the rest of you teachers out there! I'll let you know how the first day goes! Fortunately, it is already Thursday! I've only got two days with the kids!