Great day!

Saturday School was great!! I went with the Diet Coke and Mentos routine and the kids love it. I even managed to shoot the stuff over 10 feet high. This is the unofficial record for me. It really was great. I didn't get any good pictures but here's what I have. Notice the rain coat to keep my clothing dry.




Erin reminded me that I didn't tell the story of my work evaluation. I scheduled my observation for Friday. I originally scheduled it for the afternoon because it's easier to do a math lesson. The temporary principal said that we had to reschedule the time so we said that we would do it the Dec. 7th at 8:45. I was OK with this but it meant that I would be watched during reading but the district is sooo much pickier about reading so that means that it would be a little more difficult but I was a reading specialist in my last district so I knew that I could pull it off just fine.

You may have already noticed the big flaw in my plan. The fact that my eval was on Dec. 7th and I said Friday, which is in fact Dec. 8th. I did not figure that out until the woman was on her way to sit at my desk that I had made a mistake. Luckily I was in the middle of teaching a lesson and the kids were not running around or screaming. (They do actually run and scream often.)

I was very nervous for part of the lesson because the kids were acting very bored. I even stopped the lesson to make them get out of their seats and jump up and down a few times and then get back to the story. I thought that the lesson was OK but I would have had a lot of things that I would have changed and would have ripped a new one for many experienced teachers.

Luckily I'm not my own administrator. I visited her office later that day and she was talking about what a great lesson it was. The kids were really on task. I was very clear about what they were supposed to be learning. I gave very specific praise instead of just saying good job. Her only recommendations were that I needed to add some basic sight words to my word wall and put more student work around the room.

I didn't even argue with her about either of these things. I didn't point out that I'm using the words that the district provided or that fact that I do have more student work up than at least two of the other third grades or the fact that none of those things are listed on the eval. I said that I would add the words and put work up and that was it. She said that I had done really well.

I've been practicing keeping my mouth shut at certain times and this was a perfect example of a great time to not talk. I've not always been good about this but I'm getting better.

I was so relieved that it was over that I was almost giddy the rest of the day and all day Friday. It totally relieved all stress that I had for the rest of the week. It probably went much better the way that it turned out because I wasn't expecting it but either way, it's over and I did well.

One more thing. I've noticed that I'm not trying to make friends here. Not really. I think that I've secretly felt that if I don't make friends that I can just move away from here. I would definitely move to most other places without a second thought but that's not really going to happen. So I should just try to adjust a little.

A woman at work that is really cool gave me her number and said that I should call if we weren't doing anything. I actually called and we are going to meet tomorrow at my favorite museum in this town.

I've felt kinda bad. If I would have met this person in Old City, we would have been hanging out at least a month ago. I don't really hang out with people after work so much but I would be at least spending more time with her at work. I've been kinda hesitant for the reason that I listed above. It has absolutely nothing to do with her. It's this city and my reaction to it.

I feel that I have started to stifle some of my personality because I'm here. It's just so so so much more conservative than I've become accustomed too. I don't feel that I can be myself here without being harshly judged. In old city I could have worn a Superwoman costume on a city bus and most people would look but they really wouldn't be shocked or stare. Here people would assume that you are either in a show, insane or have the mental age of a 4 year old. I don't want to be stared at, or ridiculed or have Mr. Husband or the children treated differently because of my actions.

I'm not adapting well and for part of that reason I've stopped reaching out to connect with people. I've gotta forge a new way of things. A way that I'm comfortable with but that will not hurt my family. I don't know what it will be and I'm scared to try. I don't deal well with change. My closest friends knew this about me. I can adapt well but I don't like it.

Once in college, Mr. Husband told me that he could never get me to go anywhere because I would always make myself so comfortable no matter where I was and then I wouldn't want to leave. I haven't made myself comfortable her. At least not in a really healthy way.

I go to work where I've made my classroom comfy. I go back home which I've made comfy and I got to Target which is always comfy for me because it's my favorite store in the United States. I go to the museum which I love but I've actually seen almost everything there and I've been to the zoo twice but I find it lacking after Old Cities amazing zoo. The movie theater is down the road, the Target is down the road, the restaurant is down the road and my in-laws are down the road. Work is further and I only go down there for work and I go the same exact way every time. The only part about the drive that changes is how fast I can drive and that's effected by traffic.

I've created a bubble that I'm living in. I'm very comfortable in it but feel like I'm cutting myself off to things that would definitely be Danielle but that I'm not finding. I'm sure that there just has to be stuff here that would allow me to express myself and still not be lynched.

At least I really hope that there is.