Overwhelmed

That is a great word to describe how I have felt this past week with everything going on.  Now that school is back in full swing along with my graduate classes, it seems like my To Do list keeps on growing without me really crossing much off of it!  This weekend I have dedicated myself to getting a lot of things done so that I can destress my life for a while.  Hopefully if I can accomplish everything I need to today, then this week will be much better.  Last weekend I was gone all weekend for my friend’s baby shower (which went really well), so that put me behind, also.

School has been going fairly well.  I did have a student sort of just skip out on school Wednesday, though.  He is scheduled to go to speech.  On his way to the speech room, he decided he didn’t want to go, hopped on his bike, and went home.  I was shocked when I heard this because it’s not the typical behavior that you see coming from a third grader.  We dealt with the issue, though, and I just hope and pray that I can reach out to this young boy in some way and change his outlook on life and himself this school year.  I have taken that on as a personal challenge.  As a group, they are doing fairly well.  I am struggling to get them into a learning routine, but I’m sure we’ll get there.  This group really struggles to follow along with what I am teaching or pay attention through a lesson.  That typically gets better as the year goes on and they mature, so all I can do for now is teach them to the best of my ability and pray that things fall into place.  I feel pretty good about where this year is headed, and I hope to be able to keep a positive attitude and treat each day as a new beginning.  I have really learned that the mood that I take into the classroom with me greatly impacts the whole day and the mood of the children. 

I have had a lot of homework associated with my grad classes.  I thought this year would be better because we’re supposed to be spending some time working on the portfolio or thresis, which ever we chose.  Maybe once we get projects started, the homework will slow down so that we can concentrate more on the big things and finishing out our Master’s degree.  I am very ready to be done, so I am trying to find motivation to keep me going through this year because then it’ll all be behind me. 

Yesterday I worked on homework pretty much all day long.  I got some things done for my grad class as well as started on a presentation for a conference that I’m presenting at during the first part of October.  I was so ready to get out of the house by the end of the day yesterday that I made Trent go with me and drive around.  We made a stop at Sonic, and it was so nice to be able to get out of the house for a bit.  I’m the type that getting out of the house and driving around really relaxes. 

Today Trent has traveling league bowling.  He’s getting ready to leave now and probably won’t be home until around supper time.  That gives me about 7 hours to have some time to myself to get things done around here.  I have a lot of school work and house work to get done.  I may get motivated here real soon to get it done quickly so that I’ll have some time to myself to play on the computer or do whatever I want for a while before he gets home.  My mother-in-law invited me to come over and spend the day with her since Trent bowls with his dad, but I really feel like I need to get things done here.  Normally I would give in and just go to get out of doing what I need to, but then I know I would come home to the same overwhelmed feeling tonight.  So I am going to take the day to myself.  It’ll be kind of nice… 

This is what I would like to accomplish today:
-Make Math Menus to go with units 1-5 in our math series so that it’s done for the year
-Finish getting a PowerPoint layout done for my presentation next month
-Create a handout to go with my presentation
-Finish planning writing lessons for the year (what I’m teaching and when)
-Get papework organized and filed
-Dust & vacuum the house
-Do the laundry
-Fill out grad scholarships for the spring

I think that’s it!  I have already spent about 6 hours on homework this weekend, so that I think I have all of my assignments caught up and done.  I am feeling pretty good right now, and I’ll feel fantastic when I can get the list above done!  Once I sit down and get to work, it shouldn’t take me too terribly long.  Speaking of which, maybe I best go get started now. 

I hope you all have had a great weekend and that things are going well for you!  The weather has definitely felt like fall this past week, and it’s making me want to get out all of my fall decorations!  I think I best save that for another day.  I’m off to get things done — have a wonderful Sunday!