Shortone's...

...Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Day...

There is a book that is read to the students in our Elementary School titled, "Alexander and His Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Day." Well, today I'm re-writing the story...

Shortone's Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Day...

It started at 7:45 this morning with my College Practicum Student on edge because her professor was coming today to observe her. She started the day by asking me, "Did you fill out my evaluation yet?" Honestly, I hadn't even thought about her evaluation form lately. While I knew it was coming up, I was dreadding the whole thing and was honestly in a state of denial about the evaluation. She is a very needy college student, and God has REALLY stretched me this semester by having her be a part of my classroom. She's a nice enough gal, but she would honestly be in my classroom if she was in the fourth grade.

She was a Nervous Nellie and I sent her down to swing Tearsboy while I gathered my thoughts and took a deep breath as the day started. I prayed silently too, as I had a feeling it was going to be a busy day. I filled out the evaluation form while she and Tearsboy were out of the room and turned it upside down on my desk. I knew I would have to go through the evaluation with her at the end of the day, but set it aside without giving it much thought after that.

Then, I was headed down to tell the 5th grade teachers that I had an 8:00 meeting, and I couldn't take their students first thing. On my way, I heard some noise in the boys bathroom. I stood at the door and waited. I couldn't see what was happening, but I could hear the ruckus on the other side of the restroom. (Our bathrooms are set up in which you can hear things, but not see into the actual stall part of the restroom.) Eventually two third graders came out. I took them down to third grade and explained it all to the teacher, which turned into a fifteen minute mini-lesson on how not to lie with the third graders. I was then late for the meeting AND had little people sitting outside my door. I sent the kids back to their classrooms, gathered my meeting information, and headed down to the conference room.

The meeting was on a good kid in my class, so I didn't expect much out of the meeting. The only problem is that the kid misses about one day per week because the parent doesn't get her to school on Mondays. I had to start out the meeting with addressing the absentee issue. The mother was offended, which made the whole meeting difficult. I ended the meeting with a thought (literally) of "This day has to get better." I didn't pray then...I wish I had though!

Fast forward to Collegekid teaching the kids about apples. She did a decent job, but made some obvious mistakes in her lesson. I sat with her professor and made chit-chat as the lesson came to a close. After that, we sat with the practicum student and talked about the lesson, where she wound up crying. My thought at this point in the day was, "The hits just keep on coming..."

Motormouth entered my room and had a Science Test to complete. He started out well, and wound up challenging me quickly. He spent 45 minutes working on the test by himself. (He's capable of doing the work, but is great at wasting time too!) After the first 45 minutes, I looked at the page, and he had about 2 questions out of 13 done. I gave him my usual look, took a sticky note that said, "Focus Here" with an arrow on it pointing to the questions, stuck it to his paper, and just looked at him. He frowned. After about ten minutes, he said "I'm done." I just looked at him. I wasn't in the mood. I said, "Okay, go turn it in."

I went ahead with the Math group, and he returned with the Science Teacher. Apparently he just wrote stuff down, and didn't answer the questions. Truthfully, I figured as much but figured that I wasn't in the mood for the battle today so had let it go. The teacher requested that he re-do it during recess and I was fine with that. He sat down and I gave him math to do. I figured she had said, "During Recess" so I gave him something he enjoys doing. I let it go...

After lunch I made a phone call to one of my credit card companies. In the move last month, one of the bills never got to me, so I figured out last night that my minimum payment due is now more than my car payment AND the interest rate was more than doubled. Now, I will state that I am RESPONSIBLE with my bills. In fact, I'm a bit OCD when it comes to bill because I want to buy a house one day. Yeah, well, apparently after a 25 minute call with my credit card company I found out they won't help me a bit. Let me say that again, WILL NOT HELP ME A BIT. I have never ever been late on a payment, and have paid more than my minimum every month. I was in tears, literally. I'm not one to cry much, but I was in tears literally saying, "I have been faithful, why won't you help me?" Of course, they are within their contract, I messed up, but it still made me mad. Who does that? So, needless to say, I have some research to do to switch companies. I was a mess after my phone call. I honestly thought I would call and get some help, and instead found myself incredibly frustrated. Ugh...

I went back and vented to a friend before taking on my students. They knew something was up, but didn't ask because they could tell I was upset. I was thankful for my friend, she is a great gal. Kim is always there for me these days...

At about 1:45 Motormouth appeared again. He needed to get Science done. I have learned with Motormouth that I need to ignore him in the afternoons so he can get his work done. Of course, Collegekid wanted to help, and more than once I had to say, "It's a test, and he's allowed to use his book. Don't help him." She thought I was being mean. I didn't care, I know MM well enough to know how this game works. And, true to form, he wasted time all the way up to 3:00. I didn't talk to him, just ignored him but had to repeatedly remind my college student to leave him alone. By 3:00, he had 8 questions finished and I was done.

Right before I walked MM down to his classrom, I saw the Collegekid's evaluation turned upside down on my desk. I looked at her and then at MM and said, "We'll do this Tuesday, ok?" Honestly, I knew if MM heard a word, the whole universe would know about it, so I wanted to wait. She was fine with it.

I walked MM down to the Science Teacher to see if she would accept it or if we could send it home for homework. She was fine with the homework, but he was headed to the afterschool program so I had to let them know not to help him. I was headed to the cafeteria to tell them when it hit me that I hadn't asked our reading teacher if he had any work due tomorrow. Sure enough, there was reading too. I walked MM to the after school program and looked at the clock. It was 3:10 and I had to be at the high school by 3:30.

I headed back to my classroom. I walked up to it, and noticed my light was out. That seemed odd, but then again, Collegekid was the last to leave my room so I figured she turned it out. I walked in, turned on the light, and standing in front of me was Collegekid reading my evaluation of her. I just looked at her. I couldn't believe it! She was standing in the dark room reading something I had just told her, "We'll go through this together on Tuesday." I looked at her... She said something like "I just wanted to see what you wrote." I looked at her and very codly said, "I wanted to go through that with you." I was disappointed beyond words. Still am, honestly. I told her to go and we would talk on Tuesday. She could tell I was pissed. I have never had anyone go through my stuff like that, much less have it be an evaluation that mattered. Ugh...

I had a meeting after school, and by the time that was over I was wiped. I decided to skip making dinner and order pizza. Of course, it got here and they sent me the wrong pizza... I called and just did a credit to my account. I was too hungry to wait for ANOTHER pizza.

I tell ya, this has been a day...A horrible, no good, very bad day...

I think I'll pretend people don't exist tonight and watch Bones and Grey's.

I'm glad tomorrow is a new day...I can't handle any more stuff today.

Later...