so it's been a little while ...

In fact, I don't believe I have written in this thing since I've started teaching in earnest ... in September? (edit: OK. I am wrong. Since July 28. Holy cow.) Well, lots of things have happened since then, and it's too much to go into detail, but I will try to recap. Here we go.

Rest of summer ...

Ended the internship at the Globe on Aug. 29, which also ended the week of overlap where I worked two full-time jobs -- the high school and the newspaper. Leave for work in the morning at 6:30 and haul my ass to Dorchester in hopes of not hitting traffic. Sneak a nap in the Globe parking lot (hoping not to get caught). Copy edit until midnight or so, get home around 12:30, sleep, wake up, repeat. Thankfully, Monday was a teacher workday (no kids), and Friday was Labor Day break. So only three days of real overlap. But still. Whew.

In the fall ...

* School started in September and moved in to the new place on Sept. 1 to the news that school the next day (Tuesday) had been canceled. This is new-teacher hazing? No, no, it is not. The boiler room flooded in the school and we would not have school for the next three days. School resumed that Friday. Talk about screwing with momentum.

* Constant overwhelmed feeling in the beginning. For the first two weeks or so, I've had to literally pinch myself to remind myself that I am really a teacher and am responsible for some kids' knowledge of world history. It was a scary feeling. Still is.

* Homecoming trip to L.A. and hung out with the gang. So great to be all together once again! Thanksgiving at Jen and Ravi's place. Really good turkey.

* Started tutoring in earnest in AP U.S. and world history I. Attended a Christmas party the mom threw. A little awkward, but pretty good fun. :)

* Went home for Christmas. School didn't let off until the 23rd, and I will never fly Delta again. Broke up with the boyfriend. It is true.

In the spring ...

* Took up cello again. But the practicing, as with piano before, does not come easily. Especially because I have way less time now.

* Started fantasizing about potential vacations during February break, but nothing came to fruition. Basically because I need to save money and because I spent February break holed up in various coffee shops around Boston and the western suburbs for hours at a time. But still only finished the Rome/Byzantine tests, not the Rome essays. Those didn't get done until last weekend, when I forced myself to face the music. I estimate that 70 percent of my teaching time is actually spent grading. The other stuff is planning and e-mails and students coming in for help.

* Was the bearer of bad and good news at the end of February/early March when I started having individual conversations with students about course selection for the sophomore year. One almost-tear, a few argumentative, a few disappointments, a lot of appeal forms.

* Have been tutoring a lot more, which is good because it is basically paying my student loans.

* Co-hosted my first dinner party with Whitney at my apartment. It was less awkward than I expected, which is good! I'd say it was a success. Pictures to come.

I am now planning my summer. I want to take some classes offered through Primary Source, an institute that offers professional development opportunities to history teachers that also potentially fund trips to worldwide destinations. In the immediate future, though, I am thinking about April plans (imaginary vacations), Amy's graduation, maybe a trip to Chicago (my first time!) and taking classes at Harvard Extension in the fall.

My next unit is Islam and the Muslim empires, so I am reading, learning and researching. If anyone has any suggestions, send them my way!

I am also fulfilling one of my life dreams tomorrow ... proctoring the SATs! I am super excited. My consolation is that Roanne, one of the English teachers at the school, is just as nerdly excited as me. :)