Frustrating day of paper shuffling

[msmaggie]

Argh!!!  I am losing my mind!  My daughter is getting married in 6 weeks (cleaning, decorating, shopping, planning),I am trying to shepherd my 4/5th graders through a poetry writing competition, I am collecting and vetting paperwork to take said 4/5th graders to Austin for 3 days at the end if the month (right before the wedding), and my teaching team is falling apart because I am retiring and my partner teachers are fighting about who is going to teach what.  All I have done today is shuffle papers and check lists.  No joy in teaching today.  I usually LOVE my job, but today has been so frustrating.  Sigh.....  The good news is that it is Friday and the sweet husband and I are meeting friends at a local seafood place for fried oysters and cold beer.  Can't wait to unwind.

Priscilla

I should add that my kids put their writing portfolios together today and it was so much fun to see them look so amazed at the body of work they have accumulated.  There have been some worthwhile moments!

[Jim Scott]

Priscilla ~

I've never taught (no patience) but I know from a teacher friend (high school English) that it has great rewards and some real frustrations, as your post proves. 

I hope the oyster dinner is excellent and your daughter's wedding goes off exactly as planned with no real problems. 

Jim

[msmaggie]

Thanks, Jim.  Once I had vented I calmed down.  My kids were very good today, considering that their teacher was frazzled and disorganized.  I'm usually pretty together, but the paperwork today was endless and always just beyond my reach for finishing.  There were trip forms, at least 100 poems ( seriously!), and a spreadsheet for recording trip payments sprawled across my desk most of the day.  I was having a hard time remembering what was in my now buried lesson plan book.  As the old saying goes, "When you are up to your neck in alligators, it's hard remember that your original plan was to drain the swamp."

I'm fine now, and looking forward to doing "stuff" at home...that does not involve paperwork.   I'm going to do some manual labor and get my backyard and patio whipped into shape. There's a paintbrush and a can of paint waiting for me!

Priscilla

[CHD63]

Yeah, Priscilla .....

Glad you survived the week intact!  I taught junior high school for many years ..... loved teaching, hated the paperwork.  I took kids on many trips in the course of those years and how well I remember all of the paperwork to satisfy all of the legal aspects.  In the end, it was worth it, but I did retire as soon as I was eligible ..... 

You sound like a wonderful teacher and I know your students will remember the wonderful experiences in your classroom and the opportunities you gave them for the rest of their lives.

Best wishes on the upcoming wedding.  What fun it will be!

Clarice

[yardtick]

Priscilla,

WOW!!!  You have so much going on and it is all good.  I know you enjoyed the fired oysters and cold beer tonight with your wonderful husband. 

Your daughter is getting married, how lovely and you are retiring, enjoy every moment. 

My sister is a retired teacher/principal for the last 6 years.  She retired at 55.  (Here in Ontario our teachers pension is unbelievable and very well run.)  She still misses the children for a few minutes every Sept.

Anne Marie 

[Brendalu]

Priscilla,
It sounds like you are going to be having way too much fun!  Enjoy every minute of it...you so deserve it!!  Best wishes for your daughter's wedding!
Brenda

[Keri]

i hate paperwork! add to that the stress of wedding planning - yikes! i'm glad that once you could vent, you felt better!

why don't you post some of your favorite poems that you receive!?

keri