Lindsay L. O'Connor

After tomorrow, we have 4 more weeks of school. Considering how “end-of-the-yeary” school is feeling right now, it sure doesn’t seem like we should still have that many weeks left, but I know it’ll go fast, so who’s complaining? After nearly finishing up the last round of testing (one test left next week, but at least it’s one that I can administer whole-group yay!) and feeling a bit burned out, I am trying to step back and breathe a little. I have to keep telling myself that I need to still give it my best rather than just coasting through the last few weeks, which is oh-so-tempting!

I think I’m doing a good job though. I felt like I’d been kind of irritable, tired, and burned out the last few days, so today I tried to adjust my attitude and remind myself that I do enjoy this job and that I am lucky to be able to spend each day with kids. Making a conscious effort to enjoy my kids before they go on to third grade enabled me to see once again the amusing things that always seem to be there if I just take the time to notice them. Taking time to laugh at things makes the day (and me!) so much more pleasant, even if it’s just little things.

The kids are working on making books to give their moms for Mother’s Day. In my attempt to keep a high standard for my soon-to-be third graders, I’m having them write a rough draft of each page and do a quick (time crunch!) revising and editing conversation with me before they can write the final copy in the book. I am also, at this late date, still trying to break them of the habit of coming up to me and talking all at once without raising their hands and staying in their seats. This is almost unbearable for some of them. One such friend was trying in vain to get my attention while I was with another student. The responsible student beside her said matter-of-factly, “She won’t come to you unless you’re raising your hand.” Then, just for good measure, she added, “And then if you only wrote one sentence, she’ll tell you to add more before she checks it.” Yessssssss! I have made my expectations clear to at least one child in my classroom today! Victory. It almost makes up for the thousands of other times per day when this is not the case.