Monday, November 23

Frustrating morning…it was just a Monday for me and my kids; the afternoon was better because I had some free time and we got to practice for our Christmas program, which went pretty well. The girls are catching on really quickly, so I think we’ll be able to learn it in time. They seem really excited and they’ll be so cute when it’s done! It’s been hard to help Ana with the 7th grade because their practice time isn’t the same as my time with the 5th grade, so I hope I can still help her a little bit somehow. One of my kids, Byron, came up to me today and was like, ‘’Miss you know what I like most about Christmas?’ I was like “What?” He answered, “The presents (and I was thinking, ‘Kid you better not say snow, because I know you were in the States for a few years, but you won’t get snow here’)…and the food!” And then he turned and walked back to his desk. Those comments like that just lighten my day a little bit and make me laugh because it’s so random, but he felt like it was important to tell me or just wanted to tell someone I guess. Another random thing from today, one of my girls, Nohemi, came up to me in class and just gave me a big hug. It was during a time in class where I was frustrated because I felt like no one was listening, and it just made my heart soften. That she either noticed I was frustrated and gave me a hug for that or just wanted to…either way it was really sweet.

Science was just crazy today; I had one page left of a lesson to get through and I didn’t finish it. Two reasons: the kids were asking questions (good because it means they’re curious) and making comments (sometimes good and related, other times not); and I had get their attention every time I turned back from writing something on the board or their classmate started with their question/comment. It was ridiculous how much time that took away from class. Then there’s the ‘pencil sharpening, can I go to the bathroom, playing with things they shouldn’t be playing with during class, getting out of their seat to say something to someone when they shouldn’t and borrowing pencils, erasers and markers’ normal stuff that happens during every class. I don’t know how to have the class run smoother or to keep their attention better…these are times I wonder if being an Ed. Major would have helped! It was Mr. Bran’s birthday today so all the staff had birthday cake afterwards and then we had a pretty normal evening at home afterwards.