I’m not going to do this as a poll, because… well… I don’t feel like it.

What songs do you associate with “America?” With places or ideas or just something that feels overwhelmingly “American” to you?

My first ideas:
American Pie
Motownphilly
Sweet Home Alabama
Summer of ’69

Day two was really awful until about 2:00. See, I thought I crashed and burned in a horrible way during class today because the kids were quiet and apathetic and one boy was kind of snotty. Well, I managed to talk to the boy who was snotty and one other boy from class at around 2 and it turns out that the other boy thought the class was really great and the snotty boy clarified was his issue had been and he stressed multiple times that *it was not about me*. He said I did fine, he was just not into that type of writing and he is sorry he hurt my feelings.

Yay! Ok, I love this class and especially that boy.

I have a huge stack of folders to go through this weekend as I try to formulate my unit plans for the whole year. Info from other teachers you see, because my department RAWKS!!! My student teaching supervisor is being bitchy, but I am finding ways around that. I have shitloads of paperwork to do in the next few days for the district and for my department at SJSU. I also need to find time to do reading homework for my classes. Oy. OH! And the scary part is, I have to take the language exam for my MA on October 19th. You heard that right. Oh My God. I’m scared. And I have to file for graduation by the 9th of October. And I have to take the MA exams in early November. Can we say “overload”?

Yesterday I was out of the house for 11 hours. Today I was out of the house for 10 hours. I want to continue the downward trend… There is still the possibility that I am going to need to pick up another period of teaching, which will mean that I don’t do the student teaching I currently have lined up. That would suck because the teacher I am currently observing is AMAZING. She actually taught a unit for my methods of teaching English class last year and I loved her enthusiasm then.

I am busy and very stressed, but my reaction to being very stressed is to become hyper-organized. I laid all of the groundwork today and I am really excited about the challenges that this year is presenting. So far I have done fairly well in the classroom and my kids are responding well to me and are very willing to work for me. I look forward to getting to know them better in the coming weeks. It is kind of sick, but I am also kind of happy to be back on a morning schedule. I never feel as good when I am forcing my body to stay up late at night. I woke up 20 minutes before the alarm this morning. (Falling asleep at 9:20 will do that for you.) And I felt pretty good! I had a pretty high amount of energy today, which is incredible considering that I am running at a cummulative sleep dep for the week.

Now, I have used up my alloted time for decompressing (I sorta caught up on lj–love to those of you who are stressing, and there are a lot of you). Now I get to put comments on the kids in-class writing today. *beem*

Uhum. *clear throat*

I… am the newest teacher employed at Santa Teresa High School. I was the first interview. My enthusiasm and commitment impressed them so much that they decided they could not risk not getting me.

See, I walked in and told them that unfortunately I need to know today because I am potentially starting at another school on Tuesday and I feel it is unethical to go to a school and meet the teacher, principal, and students and then drop the assignment. Even though I would vastly prefer to a)work at a high school and b) be paid for my labors, I need to be respectful of everyone involved and that mean honoring a commitment if I make it.

So they saw the person who was waiting in the lobby as I left. Then they called me and said that they simply have to have me. If I am willing, welcome to the team. YES!!!

So now I have to send emails to everyone in the credential program letting them know what is up.

SCREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM

I will now proceed to shriek and jump up and down in excitement like a little girl.

I was just sent an email saying that Milpitas Middle School is happy to take me as a teacher. YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYy

This means: driving only 50 miles/day instead of 85. That is a Big Difference. I am ecstatic. Ok, so it is middle school, but that’s ok. I can handle kidlets instead of almost fully grown people. It will mean a few modifications in my mindset, but I’m capable. (Middle schoolers need a whole lot more reminding and hand-holding than high school kids do. They also need a great deal more generic support as their bodies are going through hell. They also often are much less mature than you might think based on the fact that they are adult sized. In middle school No Racy comments. I will also have to signficantly bring down my expectations about their ability to analyze because most middle schoolers simply do not understand symbolism yet; their brains just aren’t there yet.)

But I am really really happy. This means driving 175 miles less per week. That is a jump of such magnitude that I sent my advisor an email with a P.S. saying that my car thanks her as well.

*happy dance*