Five things from my week.... not so much of it is school-related this week.

Here are my five random things.

1. Monday both of my darlings were sick and missed school. Come to find out that my youngest was fighting her asthma.  *sigh* Hard Mommy moments 101. This asthma is kicking my butt. First the fight with her school for her to be able to use her inhaler, the realization that I can't ignore it, it's not going away, and now to realize that she felt like she couldn't breathe because of her asthma and had a bad morning like that.... well, I feel inadequate. The other darling was sick for four days and since influenza is rampant here I am betting it was that. Saturday, Sunday and Monday she was DOWN for the count.

2. Looking for jobs. This is vicious cycle. Yes, vicious in that it goes round and round, but also vicious because of what it does to me. I have applied to at least six districts this week. I applied for seven positions in one district yesterday. I start to get very emotional when this happens. First I am up and then I am down and round and round it starts again. But in the end I feel battered. I start to believe that perhaps I am a sub-par teacher. I don't really believe this. I believe I am a good teacher. I believe that sometimes we base our opinions of ourselves on our inability to see things as they actually are. But I have a good reputation in my school, both currently and previously. And I think there is something to be said for that. I have no photos of anything job application related. I have been a licensed teacher for two years and just applied for my initial teaching license renewal. There is a part of me that believes the buzz that if I am really a good teacher, I would not be looking for a job every year. So many of you all are people of faith, please pray for me to hold on to my self-image as a competent teacher amidst all these ups and downs.

3. Flashback! I know I posted about this earlier.... but my first grade group read Pete's Big Lunch and then wrote their own sandwich story. One boy wrote his entire story about cheese. His Mom emailed me yesterday and told me that he doesn't even like cheese! I cracked up! The students finally got to design their cover for their books. Here is mine (boring, I know).

4. Reading Acceleration Program. We call it RAP. And I have three first graders in my group, which is a sort of large group because it is intensive reading intervention. But I see how my readers are moving along and improving. I am really excited about it. I see their scores coming up. The bad news, they are still not up with the rest of their class. The good news, you look at their progress and it is great. One of my firsties might be moving out of RAP and then we could move another student in. Exciting, right? She and I got to work one on one yesterday. Here she is building words and she is remembering phonics rules taught in class!

As I walked her back to class yesterday I said, "Do you remember what Ms. Horn wants you to practice this weekend?" She said, "Read, read, read...." YES!

5. All about me.... again (still?). Yesterday I could tell my blood pressure was too high. Higher than I wanted it. I did not feel good. I came home and put my feet up and hung out for awhile. Then we rented a movie, got a pizza and breadsticks, and some candy for movie-watching time. I took my bp when we were at Walmart. Their machine says... not good. I say, "Hooray" because it is coming down. It was not in the danger zone and it HAD to be lower than it would have been at 3 or 3:30. It was.... 133/93. That bottom number, still high, but considering how much higher it has been 100-110 (over 110 is stroke danger, yikes), it is coming down.

I know this was sort of all about me this week. I have new guided reading groups starting on Monday. So maybe I will have some fresh and exciting ideas to share next week! Let me throw this out there... I love the team of teachers I work with and the students I am privileged to teach reading to. I love the school I work and the district we are a part of. I have so much I am grateful for! Thanks for reading.  Sometimes I don't feel like a "real teacher" this year because I don't have my own classroom, but I know that I am a real teacher no matter whether I teach small groups or teach in a classroom. I am privileged this year to learn more about data driven education and really learn how to let the data drive my teaching and interventions.