Work has been busy, but good overall. I am getting comfortable working with the students in this different capacity, and it seems they are getting comfortable with me. I’ve made some mistakes, but at least once each day I feel like I really help someone with something, which is cool. I definitely feel more self-assured and confident in the role of teacher than I ever did as a counselor. It’s also nice to have my own classroom, where I can shut the door and follow my own rules; the front office where I was before was so chaotic and there was little I could control about that job. Now there’s a lot I can do to keep myself in charge. I feel more at ease just getting through the day this way, and the days go by faster overall.
I’ve also managed to keep the 365 going; this was Day 20’s entry. The sad story is that this was a huge spiderweb underneath our big patio table umbrella, and while trying to get a better shot of it I actually broke it. Typically clumsy me. I didn’t break it entirely though, and when I went outside the following morning the spider had not only repaired it but was sitting in the middle of it proudly, probably to protect it from getting smashed down again by me.
Here’s Day 21 – I finally remembered to bring my camera to school, and on my conference period I searched around the room for something to photograph, landing on these cards I keep in a little bucket by the front door. I used them on occasion as a counselor too. They’re called Everything is Going to Be OK Notes; they’re actually cards, but I cut them to be more like postcards and place them upside down in the bucket so students can pull one out and see what their little message is for the day. Then they have to put the card back in the bucket, because I want to re-use them. They’re all a little vague and weird, like this one, with different pictures and illustrations, so it’s fun to see how the kids react to them. Moving on.
I’ve also gotten addicted to watching re-runs of Intervention, which is a show about addictions so go figure. I’ve been hooked on this show in the past, but hadn’t been into it in a few years, so all sorts of new episodes are out now for me to watch. Most people don’t understand why I get into this show, but I love it and cry at the end of almost every episode. It’s fascinating to me to see how the family dynamic influences the addict- even though I get that much on the show is manipulated and stitched together to create drama. Even knowing that, I mean, there is some stuff you just can’t fabricate, and holy cow do some of those poor people come from wacked-out families. Makes me feel better about mine.
I may have fallen out of watching the show when i started counseling, actually, because suddenly I didn’t want to watch so much of the same drama on TV that I dealt with in the office. Now that I’m out of that line of work, it’s safe to return to it I guess. The drama on TV resolves itself in about 48 minutes, which is the way I like it to be, thankyouverymuch.
Anyway, happy Thursday!
mareymercy. 
It is good to hear you be so positive. That job is wonderful and they must think a lot of you that they went out of their way to make this work for you. Congrats again on that.
Those cards are a great idea and so like you to think of something so nice. Your creativity and sensitivity will go along way toward helping those kids. I know that children my mother helped 40 years ago, still write to her about how much she helped them. The parents sometimes do too. A caring, supportive teacher can change a child for life.
(I love that spider anecdote too. So many people wouldn’t even think about ‘him’, lol, but you did).
I just couldn’t believe the irony of breaking the web by trying to get a better picture of the web…LOL. Typical of me.
The cards are very nice; they can provide some fun discussion at times. Some of them are quite odd – one just has the word NICE spelled out in cookies.
Things sound fabulous! and I love the cobweb photo!
Thanks! 🙂
I like everything tho my comment is more on that TV show Intervention. My brother and I used to watch it together and I always thought wow thank god it wont happen to my family little did I know I think it was a year ago or so my brother told me he got the idea to stick needles in his arms from watching that show. The show I think is good to get families help but its not a good show for drug addicts because they get ideas to further do drugs in my personal opinion. Thankfully my brother is 3 years sober now. But when the tv show was on the air I had even told my mother that we should get my dad on board and get my brother in to get help for his drug addiction.That never flew.
Its always easier to say oh that would never happen to my family but kids can come from great families and loving parents its the life of drugs. And even more so now than before prescription drugs are on the rise with not just teens but suburban housewives and kids. Its pretty scary to think. My brother started with weed as a kid then went to harder drugs then he hurt himself at work and then it was a mix of medicated pain pills and coke and crack. I’m just glad that my brother got caught robbing a pharmacy, Went to jail and then went to a great rehab facility by the courts. I got my brother back and ya.
You are right Lana, I can see where the show could be a huge trigger for someone with an addictive personality! I think I am partly fascinated by it having known so many addicts in my life; I always hope for them to recover and stay sober and I feel sad when they don’t. I am so glad your brother managed to survive and get his life back on track.
Thanks, I had watched the Canadian one when it aired, it is an interesting show nonetheless 🙂
So glad things are going well at work and you are enjoying it.
I’ve tried watching different reality shows, but since my son is in the business and I know how they are produced, in became more fantasy than reality.
I am sure they are completely fabricated, yes. But this is one that has always interested me for some reason.
Marey, I love your spider story (I have a phobia and it made me feel better to think she had feelings) Also I like the idea of students pulling their “fortune” for the day. See? Creativity extends beyond just the visual for us (I tell myself) Also I “get” the show-watching thing. I watch this stupid sitcom every night. My husband puts up with it. I do it to turn my mind off. There is no reason for me to do this (like yours, at least, has a therapeutic reason, relating to your job) Mine is just a dumb very dumb sitcom.
LOL now I want to know which one it is!
I better not say. After saying it’s dumb. 🙂