high expectations
being the 21st i have high expectations. the 21st is always the most anticipated day of my month. i just love it. the best things always happen then. i have high expectations for the 21st of each month and i am rarely disappointed. this month is no exception. this morning i woke up and it was easy to get out of bed. for those of you who have ever been remotely near me as i am waking up you know what a miracle this in and of itself was. however, it didn't end there. there were many small pleasantries about the day...small victories, small jokes, small amusements that added up to a wonderful day.for example, i did all of my students' grades for the mid-quarter progress reports and my students are doing remarkably well. but (thanks to Durland's fine education on assessment) i was sure to check for that bell shaped curve that guarantees that i am not making it all too easy or to difficult for them. i am convinced that i have simply been blessed with the most talented fifth graders in the district. i just hope that their parents feel the same way.
also, the aforementioned reports are not due until next wednesday and i have already completed mine! I am ahead of schedule which is always a good feeling. Especially when other teachers freak out about it! today several teachers popped their head into my room (to interrupt my only 40 minutes of privacy during the day). they found me busy computing grades and when they realized what i was doing they all flipped out because i was so "organized" "on top of things" "ahead of the game" or "you're such an over achiever" lucky for them it is the 21st...otherwise they might have heard responses about how it is not that i am so ahead...they are simply behind, lazy, or incompetent....:-) I don't have a large amount of respect for people who are all talk and no action.
also, for no known reason, i thought that i had recess duty today, but that today was my day off (yippee!) so i had an extra twenty minutes that i had not counted on... i took off my shoes and waltzed between the rows and columns of desks. i hummed while cleaning the white boards. Most days i rush to the water fountain to fill up my water bottle. the water tastes remarkably like sucking on a metal blow pop. but today i had time to fill my water bottle with the gloriously clean bottled water from the teacher's lounge, i savored that all afternoon.
i got mail. i love mail.
i placed a book order. very happy.
i am finalizing my plans for next week (and its only tuesday!)
my students were good during Latin (always a plus...i hate it when they misbehave for other teachers...but i wonder why other teachers treat them so weird...they almost deserve the misbehavior for being so inconsistent with their rules)
i fell asleep as soon as i got home from work...but i woke up in time to watch the sunset and make a real dinner. don't tell anyone that i can cook...i am trying to hide that fact.
its been a pleasant day...i spent it smiling. all in all a good time.
posted by Trisha @ 9:21 PM
