I inadvertently picked up a short day of work a couple weeks ago. I saw orchestra and jumped on it before realizing it was a short day. Orchestra kids are generally awesome and I love to be around them. I am not without music skills, so I can roll in middle school band or orchestra. I saw the director in the hall a few days later and he said I’d be doing lessons, working on minor scales. I refreshed my minor scale knowledge immediately (by asking Keith) and again right before I left for work today. I was totally ready and looking forward to it.
I got to sleep in an extra 30 minutes, because Keith’s alarm (which is loud) went off at 6:30. He wakes up when I roll over or breathe, so I never quite know why the alarm is so loud. Or why there are three alarms, set 15 minutes apart. Anyway, his alarm went off, so I was awake and he wasn’t. My great idea was to do grocery shopping before I left at 9:50 for work. I generally don’t get anything done when I have a short day of work. If I am starting at 10:15, like today, I laze around and read and maybe plan dinner and wallow in not having to be at school. If I get to leave early, I usually take a nap, because I love a nap! BUT company is coming tomorrow and we have almost literally no food. So, I planned some of the weekend menu, made a list, checked the grocery ad, and off I went. The store was pretty empty of people – win – but also of food – weird. Not empty of course, but there were empty sections on the shelves. I was home with supplies by 9:30, with time to eat lunch. Yes, lunch. I didn’t know what my schedule would be, and first lunch is at 10:04, so it was possible I would not have a break at all before 2:30. That’s only 4.25 hours, so no problem.
When I got to school, the office manager told me that the orchestra director didn’t really have a schedule (what does that even mean?) and that they had changed up what I was doing. This is not my favorite thing. (One time, quite a few years ago, I came in to work the job I chose – media teacher – and they said they were just going to close the media center and I could teach language arts for a teacher I do not choose to work for. I said no thanks and went home. I got a call a bit after I got home and ass’t principal apologized up and down and said I could come back and do media. I did. I’m really not sure why admin thinks that they can switch up what you are supposed to be doing without asking.) Anyway, today I didn’t feel like being difficult, so I went to work in classes I would never choose to do. I had four strategies classes – which are study halls for kids with IEPs (individual educational plans). I used to really like helping in strategies, because I have been in middle school for a very long time and I know the answers to most of the assignments (8th grade social studies? No. Nothing). Now, it is mostly just a battle to get the kids not to just watch YouTube.
It was mostly a battle not to get them to just watch YouTube. I gave up with some. I coerced some. I bribed some. In the fourth class, I got them to make origami – by watching YouTube videos.
Again, blessings upon you. That school district is way, way better because you work for them.