Inspiring?

An actual card I received:

Dear Miss. ....,

Salutations! I wish you the pre-eminent during this equisite holiday season! I anticipate that you will have a wonderful and memorable Christmas and New Year this year of 2008/2009 and I wish you holiday happiness and exultation during this time of year where happiness over Christ's birth flourishes greatly. Ms. B... you're an awesome teacher! It's amazing how you are patient and compassionate with a class that is ignorant, immature, unacquainted and hostile but that's what separates you from other cruel and harsh teachers who scare students into doing their work.....Anyways, thank you so much for educating me this year on various topics of English, it was an excellent learning experience. Now, I have a greater passion and liking towards Shakespearean plays. .... I acknowledge the sincere effort and time you placed into aiding your students this year. Thanks a lot. Most teachers would have given up a long time ago on us. But you didn't, so you're cool....

And it goes on a little more......


I hope this warms your heart. At least one kid is inspired. Ta Da!

Woo Hoo!

Well, I applied for a spot at a conference for new teachers back in September, but I assumed that I wasn't chosen. I got an email yesterday that I am one of eight new ( less than 5 years of teaching experience) secondary teachers in my board to be selected to go to this conference. They are paying for my mileage, hotel and release costs. It should be an amazing professional development opportunity for me. It is not until February, but I am super pumped to have been chosen. YAY!

Only 6 working days until Christmas break.

Woot!

Mental Health Day

I had always thought that people who took "mental health" days were just doing so for a day of shopping or sitting around in their Pjs. Well I take back my judgmental feelings, as Friday I took a day away from the kiddies. I piled them all up with worksheets and I am hoping just hoping that they didn't kill each other. This is the 3rd time I've left them in 16 weeks. Its more work being away then actually being there.

I am currently creating two new units, I just finished writing 3 exams that were due for photocopying on Friday, and the pile of essay marking I have is taking over my life. Of course I did nothing on Friday--well other than get my hair done. I also went to a big party that night, but thats besides the point. So mental health days are necessary and important. That is my point.

There are 10 more school days until Christmas. I am losing one child a day due to the Christmas dreamland syndrome. You can speculate what that means.

Until later.