third grade

I have fallen in love with the third graders, which makes me more resentful that I didn't get this position in March, they are just such a great group of kids, that have had no stability since October.
The sub that has been in there, took it as she was just a sub, not the teacher so she didn't put any effort into the job (and then wondered why she wasn't offered the position when it was interviewed for, and was asked just to stay on as a sub.)

There are things that have happened in this class that either should never have happened, (like moving on to 2 and 3 digit multiplication when half of them still don't know the basics), and no parent communication, and here I am with 4 weeks of school left (last week) trying to pick up pieces.

I am just doing the best I can at this point, but have already had parents thanking me, because I have written notes home almost every day, and called a few, plus had a parent conference.

I just wish that I thought that the principal was seeing all of the effort, and appreciated it. But since there was no effort on the administrations behalf to thank any of the long term subs for our hard work during teacher appreciation week, I don't think that she sees it. The other long term sub in third grade has most of the work done for her, the teacher she is in for did all of the lessons, copies, and what not for the rest of the year, all she has extra to do is grading papers, but still its not easy taking over for someone for 5 weeks.

The principal does pop in observations several times a week, but twice this week when she came in, we had just finished "formal" instruction, and the kids were starting to try something on their own. The one time I had just sat down to try and grade something when she walked in, and she caught that a couple of them hadn't listened when we went over the instructions so they weren't estimating, which made me feel dumb, but honestly we had just read the directions and what not.

Jerry keeps telling me not to let her get to me, but its hard. I know that she has 3 or 4 positions open for the fall, 1 third, 1 fourth, 2 sped, and possibly 1 first and 1 second, and since its the neighborhood school I would still like to be there. I know that unless something goes wrong I have a job in the next county over, and I know that DJ can go with me, so I am trying not to get stressed over the principal, but its still hard.

I am exhausted right now, and that is probably adding to how I feel about all of this right this minute.

I taught all day yesterday, then closed at Lowes, getting home about 11 pm. Then I had to be back at Lowes for opening at 6 this morning. I could have probably changed my schedule where I didn't open, but I wanted to get off at 3, because I wanted to pick strawberries this afternoon.

Of course by the time 3 pm the storms were starting to roll in. We still don't have any rain but it looks nasty out there.

A Slim Down Summer update, I think I am going to have to retire the shorts that I wore to work today! They are starting to fall off!!! :) This makes me very happy!

Happy Mothers day to all of the moms out there! I will be at work all day tomorrow!