VSG Maintenance Group
Happy Halloween 2019
Liz, I am so sorry you are having yet another cold thing! I am not surprised, though. You probably do have post caretaker PTSD. Like you, my dad used to get sick during semester breaks when he was teaching at the college. It got better when he was a dean of instruction.
I made it through school with very limited sugar intake today. I just kind of made up my mind that I would feel ill if I ate sugar too early in the day, so I simply didn't. Hey, guess what? It worked. I felt fine all day. After the day's festivities of Halloween parade, class party with mummy wrapping contest and mud slurping contest (chocolate pudding on a plate done like a pie eating contest!), then treats all by 10:20 am was INTENSE, but soooooo much fun. After blowing off some steam at recess, they came in to "Unlock the Haunted House". One of the most fun ways to do math! It's basically a math packet of pencil and paper work, but they get to plot their progress using magnets on the white board and each page is a separate challenge. There are two "detours" they earn along the way. One sends them off to do something absolutely insane in the classroom, e.g. go around the room flapping your arms like a bat saying, "I want to suck your blood." or standing on a chair yelling trick or treat three times... the other detour sends them to me for a sugar laden treat. Needless to say, they were gleeful for the entire hour of math. You all may find this surprising, but after 26 Halloweens at an elementary school, it is still my FAVORITE DAY OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR!
We have had very few trick or treaters. We have a bucket of candy left. CRAP! I will find a way to get rid of it that does not include eating it all or just throwing it away. I hate that, too, though I think that is the addict in me rationalizing.
Happy to hear from Ann! Nice to read your words today. Welcome home! I wish you ease in your transition Central Time and really hope the Sunday fall back to standard time doesn't throw too much of a monkey wrench into your time recovery process.
Funny, how we all have a voice that accompanies our writing. I do indeed miss all of your "voices" when you are absent for a time.
I have a non student day tomorrow. We will be in training for a program called The Responsive Classroom ALL.DAY.LONG! Poke me in the eye with a knitting needle! I was trained in two similar programs during my teaching career. I have had class meetings every single day for the past 26 years. I'd rather spend my time working on figuring out how to help 3 of my most challenging and needy students. Oh well,... I will keep the admin happy and smile and nod my head (just like the school board and the admin in the DO does when we talk with them about what troubles us) and pretend I'm eating it all up like it's the best recipe for social change and success since Piaget's research taught us about cognitive stages of development (which, btw, American education has thrown out with the bathwater...).
The bright side of tomorrow is that I get to go out to lunch like a normal person AND it's November and I start a new month of fitness tracking. YAY!
Happy All Saints Day to you all!
