Soon To Be Single...

If you are thinking DIVORCE then I am pleased to tell you...













You are WRONG!
My wife and kiddos are heading out in to the wilderness (also known as Salt Lake City area) for the next three days. I will be all alone. But I will be okay. I have my ever-exciting college class to keep me busy, not to mention a mountain of work at school that I could do do keep me busy. So no worries there. They should be back Sunday afternoon, I hope. With the weather as crazy as it is, I hope they are safe. That is all I care about.

Other than that, everything is going fairly well. School continues to be fairly successful. Ok, it is going well. I have super high expectations of my students and push them really hard. They can give it most of the time, but will regress once in a while, and, unfortunately this week is a regression week. I know they will step-up because I totally believe in them. I care about each one of them, and hope they will do their very best.

I think that is the hardest part of being a teacher. Knowing that you want the very best for each student and not being able to help each one see what they COULD be if they only tried, just a little. I have the most amazing students and I have really enjoyed this year. I have experienced less frustration, less stress, and less "pouting" time. I have been able to enjoy teaching for the first time in a long time. And guess what!?! It hasn't been the kids in year's past that made it impossible to experice what I am this year, but simply because I decided before school started that I was going to have a good year regardless of what class I got, how they behaved, etc. I knew that if I worked hard enough and was patient enough, that I could mould and shape the my class into a community of learners. Learners that are respectful to each other and each other's ideas. A community that truly wanted an education and was willing to work hard for it. As I reflect on the last 1.5 quarters of school (I am freaking out that it has gone by that fast), I can see huge improvement in the class. They are working better as a community, and they are being more respectful to each other than in years past (maturity is my ally on that one). They aren't the "perfect" community of learners yet, but we will keep working on it.

I just finished one voice lesson, had one cancel, and have one more to go. Then the evening is ours (sort of- my wife has to get everything ready to go for tomorrow- and I will be helping her.)

Oh, and yea for me. I did get to wrap a few presents last night. That was all sorts of fun. I enjoy wrapping presents if it is a few at a time. But that marathon wrapping session that we have every year on Christmas Eve stinks! I know, I know- It's my own fault. I hope to avoid that this year though. But, with Christmas only 2 weeks away from today, it may be that way again.

The math night at the school went okay last night. We had about 10 parents show up from the 4-6 grade classes. Good discussion, and as teachers, we are planning on do one math night a month until testing time. So yea to that.

Well, better head off to get my voice lesson ready.

Later...