To Do

Yep, there are some days where I just feel overwhelmed. Thought I would share. :)

1. I need to finish student teaching and finish it well. I actually only have two days left, and I have a rough plan for them, though some minor scrambling... for English 10, we just finished watching Life is Beautiful and I had them begin writing the paper. They write about how characters over the trimester have made their lives beautiful--hopeful in the face of tragedy--and reflect on how they have made their own lives beautiful/will make their lives beautiful. I also have a little heritage day planned--we'll read "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker. They will talk a little about recording heritage, and I will have them make their own quilt block reflecting their heritage, write a few paragraphs about it, and put it up on the bulletin board. (It's something I should have done earlier, but timing and reservations of computer labs, etc. made that difficult.) For Journalism, tomorrow they will perform their own broadcast news and we will follow that by studying The Onion and The Daily Show.

2. Get my darn license. I just have to find those stinking fingerprints... and get a check... and get a money order...

3. Research essays... I have maybe twenty left to grade? Yuck.

4. Meetings. I have a bunch of 'em... Tomorrow, I meet with Kathy over at the middle school to talk about English 9. Wednesday, I meet with South's drama club to talk about next year's play and musical. I sign my contract on the 13th, and before that, I will meet with a woman at North to talk about Communications 11. I have a Kansas Strategies Workshop on the 17th. (I am still scheduled to work that day; hopefully I'll get out of it.) That's just June. (And have I mentioned that I'm signing my contract halfway through all of this? I wish I had my contract now, though I know my getting ready asap helps me more then hurts me.)

5. My apartment is a mess. They're showing it tomorrow. I'm not sure when I have time to clean it.

6. WHERE AM I GOING TO LIVE NEXT YEAR?!?! Red Wing. Possibly. Apartment? House? Rent? Buy?

7. Something new... I have to get ready to direct in the fall, so Michael Sheeks, the director at RAHS, is doing a community theatre production of Bye, Bye Birdie, and I am "shadowing" and getting as involved as he will let me. Tonight was the first night of auditions; I will try to be there through everything, though I am seriously juggling here.

There's more, I think. But that feels like enough for one night. :) It's a lot to worry about in the next few days, but I think I can do it. If I can just survive this week... Hmm, how often do teachers say that?

I can't wait to meet with the two teachers regarding my two classes I teach next year. I really will feel a lot better once I have everything mapped out... that will help when everything becomes overwhelming next year, which it will. Maybe I should take a workshop on dealing with stress. Ha ha.