SECOND SEMESTER

We have just entered into the second semester of the year here at school. And you guys, I don't want to jinx it or anything, but I am starting to feel like an actual teacher.

With the changing of the semester came a new group of students. Most of my classes are made up of the same students, but I have a fair amount of fresh meat to work with as well. Honestly, I was nervous about this change over. I didn't want to lose some of the students that I loved and I certainly wasn't looking forward to meeting new students. In my head were thousands of worst-case scenarios. Are these students going to be well behaved? Is it going to be a battle to get them to do what I say? What if they are mean and I have to send them out of the room?

Thankfully I can sit here and tell you that none of those things happened. Granted it's still just the first week, but so far, so good. What I didn't really realize before the end of the first semester was that this new semester was going to bring with it a chance to re-do some of my classroom policies that didn't work out so well during the first semester.

I started out mean, you guys. I have been very strict this week, especially with my fifth period class because it's my largest amount of students in my smaller room. I am trying to be scary and make some of them think this isn't going to be a fun class or an easy class. So far none of them have left - but they are all seemingly very well behaved. (Watch, after I publish this they are going to become crazy monkey and I will have to retract my statements. HA.)

It has been good for my soul, though. Reiterating cleaning policies and warm-up drawing policies has been good for everyone and it's helping my classes to run smoother as well. Actually, I have quite enjoyed this first week of newness so we'll see how long this nice feeling lasts. I'm not behind on lesson planning or grading yet, so my anxiety level is real low. It's good. It's real good. I've needed this.

And I am so very glad it's Thursday. Tomorrow I am heading to M-town because it's Nathan's birthday weekend! Yay!

Also related to Nathan but not quite is the amazing fact that this is the first January in three years that there hasn't been a breakup post on my blog. Also, you have no idea how nervous I am about saying that because there is one more day of January before it's officially official. But you know, it's not that I believe Nathan is going to break up with me tomorrow - it's just that when it's happened to me every January for three years in a row there is this part of my brain that hangs on to that nervousness even if I don't want it to. It's like I've been slightly on edge all month and I will be glad once it's finally February. Isn't that completely silly? But that's my life.

So, changing the subject, happy Thursday everyone!

 this sweater is older than i am. just so you know.

i found the perfect valentine for nathan :)