Something is Wrong

Have you ever had the experience where no one knows what is going on, yet you're expected to perform the task anyway?

Has that experience ever been complicated by the fact that in less than 24 hours, thirty-five administrators and cabinet members will be walking in and out of your room in fifteen minute segments for three full hours?

If you have, you probably work at a school, and most likely, my school.

Today was the first day of the semester. I have a "new" class. No, not just new students, but an entirely new class. A new prep, a new ( yet non-existent) curriculum, a new set of expectations and requirements, and a whole new group of very needy students.

How long have I know about this class, you ask?

Precisely seven days--seven days of finals, stress, and not enough time. Seven days of frantic emails to all the people that should know what it going on (but don't). Follow-up frantic emails to the next person that they've referred me to and to the next person they sent me to... and to the next... you get the point. Basically, seven days and five work days of NO ANSWERS.

Today, in this new class, we colored. I made them laugh with my pictures of my pets and my family. They giggled at the matching shirts, the Chargers quick-exit from the playoffs, and my desire to be fun. Then I gave them colored pencils and a sketch to tell me about their personality and their dreams/successes/failures. This worked... for today.

Tomorrow, 35 people will be walking into my room during this new class, my SELA class, and my Language Arts class. SELA and LA, fine, we're dandy, we'll show off our stellarness to you and your clipboard. But, the new class, that isn't fair...coloring and my jokes will not cut it with the clipboard.