All last week I was going, going, going. We're giving WKCE tests (Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam). I give to a group of 23 8th graders, about half of whom are my students. The tests go all morning, so I lose my one planning period of the day. I have been taking work home and doing it at home at night. One night I stayed up almost until midnight correcting papers. I have a sack full home this weekend, too. The weeks before were parent teacher conferences so I had 12 hour days and also having to prepare for the conferences. All under a very stressful deadline since we find out who is coming the same day as they are coming after school. I had some parents angry at me because their children didn't do all of their work and I didn't notify them immediately. Right, I have about 175 students every day and I have time to call every parent of every student who decides not to do an assignment. uh huh. When does it start to be the child's responsibility? I always tell the parents that it is part of my job to get these kids ready for high school, and in high school the teachers will not be calling home. In fact, when I worked in high school I remember standing next to a teacher in the hall while his class was coming in and a student asked to go back to his locker to get his assignment for the day and the teacher told him, "No. You will get a zero today, and maybe next time you will be more responsible."
That all sounds a bit negative, and I guess in a way it is, but I am tired of being the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong in the world. When do teachers get to be respected again?
New subject.
I had my yearly mammogram on Friday. I was supposed to go the week before when we had off from school, but they called to tell me the doctor was going to a conference and I had to reschedule. (When I actually went in, his medical assisstant told me they were on vacation so I guess that "a conference" is a euphemism for a vacation.) At any rate, I had to change it so I had to take a day off of school on Friday to get my physical, lab work and the dreaded mammogram.
I did the lab work first, then the physical. I'll get the results of the lab work early next week. We get the results of the mammogram before we leave the hospital though. So I went in for my mammogram, and came out with my poor smashed, but normal, boobs. I always worry I will pass out during the test, and have visions of myself hanging from the machine by my boob while I am unconcious!
Off that subject. In better times....
This weekend I have been knitting like crazy. In fact, my shoulders are really sore. I must hunch them, hold them up, while I knit because my shoulders were killing me last night when I went to bed. But... I have a pair of mittens and a hat finished, and a scarf started (See photos). These are done on size 15 knitting needles. I got the pattern and the double pointed size 15 needles from a friend after she made a pair of the mittens. She made a pair that were Packers colors. She thought there was enough yarn for me to make a pair, too. I made one mitten and ran out of two of the yarns (you use four strands together). I might go to the store she bought the yarn at and see if I can find the yarns, but I'll bet they are long gone since she gave me the yarn from last winter. So I sit here with one Packers mitten! Anyway, I loved the thick warm pretty mitten, so I went and bought yarn on Friday and I knitted Friday night and all yesterday, not even getting dressed. Then I went to sleep early. Today I am catching up on e-mail, and I think we will head down to see my parents. My mom went into the hospital yesterday afternoon with her heart in fibrillations again. She might have to get a pace maker. I don't know if she will still be in the hospital or home, but we will go down to see her. As soon as I get off of the computer and take a shower. Hey, I can maybe finish the scarf on the way down in the car. I'll have to push my shoulders down while I knit!
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