Minus 12

I have decided that I'm 17-at-heart. This is why I get along so well with my high school students, why they confide in me, tell me they want to hang out with me this summer, and want to be my friend on facebook the minute after they graduate. Here are some reasons why I've come to the conclusion that I should take 12 years off my age:

• Young adult fiction is my favorite thing to read. I'm so happy that some of my students get just as excited about it as I do!
  
• I love to watch the same TV shows as my students. Examples include Gossip Girl, The Hills, MADE, Taking the Stage, and more than I am too embarrassed to admit. That was bad enough.
• I can remember so clearly what high school was like, and therefore understand many of the challenges, pressures, and exciting moments that my students face. And I often get as excited or upset about them. This could relate to the bullet above...or to talking endlessly about boys and prom dresses.
  
• I hate to admit this, and it's not nearly as true as it was a few years ago, but sometimes I share the fashion sensibilities of a 17-year-old. Let's just say a very hip and sophisticated 17-year-old. I hope.
• I have the same tendency to rebel against authority that many of my students do!
• I want to be accepted.
• Sometimes I just want to 'fit in' and be included.
• I too often worry about what others think! Including when getting dressed each morning. ;)
  
• I drive a 'beater.' [Although sadly many of my students drive nicer cars than me!]

And finally, the best and most unexpected one: I'm stressing about what to wear to Prom this year!

i heart technology?

So, as my last post stated, I love my new job, so much in fact that I have been neglecting my blog to work on school-related things at night, such as this and this. Not sure if that second link will work, but if not I will tell you that it is the ning that my [awesome] principal created for our faculty. I've also been spending time on this ning and on goodreads. I love that I get to spend so much more time working with technology at this job! Also this week I taught 10 classes about evaluating websites, for which I modified and presented a powerpoint, I made a [sweet] brochure explaining how to access all of our online databases, and last night I went to a used book sale where I bought about 60 books - all but 3 are hardcover and brand-new - for only $52!

Upcoming things that I am excited about at my school:
* spending more time on my webpage, which for now is only about research
* using ning with students
* teaching students how to create wikis / webpages
* the purchase of a new, web-based library program which is going to finally bring my school into the 21st century in this area
* the formation of a club of students who are going to meet with me to discuss how we can improve the library, and hold events in the library possibly as fundraisers, etc.
* the formation of a photography club, which i will moderate!
* the purchase of some bean bag chairs to make the library more comfy

You know something big is happening when I wake up at 7 am on Saturday and can't go back to sleep because I am too excited!

Finally
Finally
FINALLY
I got a new job!
It's hard to even really express how excited I am.
And how thankful.
I've been hoping and praying and trying for this for so long.
I'm going to be the librarian at a catholic high school near here.
The library is a mess!
But I am so excited to do library work again
and not so much teaching.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

say that three times fast.

So I've compiled a list of the top 40 'most interesting' student names from the kids I am currently teaching each week.
[Honestly, I don't know how to pronounce quite a few of them!]

1. Penina
2. Bhoomika
3. Akash
4. Osayamen
5. Ebreez
6. Amna
7. Amir
8. Nyvia
9. Jahair
10. Soumya
11. Brietta
12. Tyshira
13. Sreelikhi
14. Yana
15. Jaidyn [also have Jaden and Jadon]
16. Nivedita
17. Chiere
18. Kenika
19. Radhika
20. Asuka
21. Brodyn
22. Aleksandir
23. Asiyah
24. Maxim
25. Abena
26. Kanishk
27. Aislinn
28. Aritro
29. Torsten
30. Naia
31. Nyah
32. Dai-Jahn
33. Mehul
34. Nybree
35. Eleni
36. Akyr
37. Denisse
38. Ciasaire
39. Maizy
40. Purva

Also, I have about 98363 girls with a variation of this name:
Kirsten
Keirstyn
Kierstin
Kiersten
Kristen
Kristin

trying to find a silver lining, no matter how small

School has started and I can't lie and say it's great...but I really hate that I *hate* it...and I don't like the way I feel when I am there and the way I act and things I say. It's just really not me.

So in order to combat this, I am going to try and think of at least one GOOD thing that happens each day at school.

So here goes:

Tuesday - a 1st grade girl named Maggie came into the library during open house, and her mom told me that Maggie said they had to go visit 'the nicest teacher in the school'...and it was me.

Wednesday - I was completely stressed out about having 4 autistic students and 5 special needs kids in my room for 40 minutes not even an hour after school started...but then we had an assembly during that time, and the kids were wonderfully behaved. Phew.

Today - Umm today was a challenge. I will keep thinking and get back on here soon. ;)

Are you there God? It's me, Tiffany.

Well, I've had a frustrating day.

It started out ok - I got up and wanted to hit the gym - but alas, my gym is closed for the week. Man, I wish I had my own treadmill.

But I decided to take advantage of the extra time and get ready for my interview which is Tuesday at 11 am.
That's right, yet another job in a long line of jobs that I have pursued this summer.
I just got an email about this one [a Catholic high school nearby] on Friday, called them, sent them my resume, and by 6 pm was set up for an interview tomorrow.

I had to gather all of my materials, including a letter from a pastor stating that I am in 'good moral character.'

I spent the morning getting paperwork together: digging out old lesson plans from 6 years ago when I student taught at a high school; going through documents from college courses to see if I could use any of it for a new, improved, teen-oriented portfolio; gathering copies of reference letters and clearances; downloading my current grad school transcript because I never received an official, paper copy; you get the point.

I emailed links and documents to myself so that I could print them at the library since my home printer hasn't been hooked up in years.

I also searched the internet for "high school librarian interview questions" and general advice for getting a job, and was totally overwhelmed by some tough questions and by the general feeling that I was not prepared and just 'not good enough.'

Going from my K-2 job of the last four years to a 9-12 job will be hard...am I ready for that?

My pastor had told me he's be in the office this afternoon so I could come pick up my letter. So I went there and am so grateful for a. a wonderful recommendation and b. the use of their printer [as opposed to going to the public library, waiting, paying, etc].

My lack of printer prompted me to go to Staples next and spend $70 on new ink for my old, dusty printer. [crossing my fingers all the while that I can actually get the thing to work, and my $70 spent was not in vain]

So far, not such a bad day, right?

Well, here is where it got frustrating. My cell phone refuses to charge, and since we are getting a new carrier/plans/and phones on Wednesday, there is really nothing I can do. So Andrew, very sweetly, let me borrow his today. So all day I've used his, and called and checked my voicemail every hour or two.

I got home from staples and got on my computer, and received the following email from the school I am supposed to interview at in less than 24 hours!

I left a message on your cell phone. We 'contractually" can't interview until the job has been posted. I believe the next posting is Sept 2. Once it is posted we will give you a call or you may call us.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

I think I had to read it about 3 times before it really sunk in. The main thoughts in my head are/were:
- wait, so all of my crazy running around/freaking out/etc today were in vain?
- so now i have more time to prepare?
- do you even still want to interview me? since you were so casual in saying 'you may call us'
- oh no. this is horrible. this means i have to actually start the school year - and teaching - at my old job. whereas if i interviewed tomorrow, there was a chance i wouldn't have to start teaching.
- this means i have to start teaching at my job i hate
- is God trying to make me sweat? teach me patience?
- am i really that impatient of a person that i need this lesson? especially after waiting all summer for a new job?
- i really, really, really, don't want to start the school year at my old job that i hate.
- oh dear.

So...I guess it could be worse. They didn't say they don't want to interview me. Having an extra, oh TWO WEEKS, will be helpful to prepare and feel more qualified to be a high school librarian.

And, I got my printer to work after using it as a dust collector for years.

I'm just a little frustrated. I wish I could hide in a hole for two weeks until I get to interview. But instead...I have to go back to the job/people I really don't like, and pretend to enjoy it for a couple weeks.

I can only pray that is as long as it lasts.

The baby name game

NO, we are NOT planning having kids NOW. Just wanted to clear that up.

However, this is always a fun topic. Especially when you're a teacher.

Names I really really like:
Audrey [my grandma's name]
Aubrey
Ava

The name Andrew is dead set on:
Drew Iverson [yes, I am cringing]

I think this is cute:
Emma Emerick

I have a cute kid at school with this cool name:
Vaughan
Quinn

Names I can't stand as a result of teaching kids with these names:
Arianna
Seyvon [don't like this name anyways!]

I have WAY too many students with these names:
Tyler [today I had a class with three boys named Tyler. nuff said]
Kirsten, Kiersten, Kirstin, Kristen, however you spell it or say it, I am sick of it

First names I have encountered that are RIDICULOUS:
[to be fair, some of these are maybe not ridiculous, just hard to say, and come from other places in the world that I am not familar with. But some are just plain stupid]

KBN [not kidding]
Ibn
Zahmir
Meadow
Emerin
Serenity [she is so NOT serene]
Mehul
Anuya
Rehan
Torsten [STUPID!]
Tristen [makes me think of triscuits]
Keirstyn - what a ridiculous spelling
Declan
Ciasaire [pronounced KA-sear - and it only took me a year and a few weeks to get that memorized]
Rashmika
Enyce [pronounced a-NEE-say??????????]
Ysenia
Hasan
Yanira
Ciaran
Journei [groan]