Wednesday, April 18, 2007
the ocean is always greener
so my boyfriend is currently on a cruise ship somewhere in the middle of the atlantic ocean. besides that, he is getting paid to go on this 2 and 1/2 week cruise.

here is how his day went-
breakfast in bed
finished watching die hard, the movie
laid out by the pool
worked out
laid out by the pool some more
went swimming
played shuffleboard
went to a wine and cheese party
is now headed to dinner

i am currently sitting at home eating chocolate pudding ice cream, feeling sorry for myself because i have a headache and because i still have to work 2 more days this week.

Labels: ,



Tuesday, April 17, 2007
climbing mad mountain
i had a parent hang up on me today and it hurt. it has been a stressful two weeks back at school since spring break, to say the least. let me back up and explain the situation. all second graders in our school system take two standardized tests in january. these tests are mainly in place to determine which students qualify for the academically gifted and highly academically gifted programs.

the test scores came back last week = my job has been miserable ever since.

i spent 80% of my time last week composing letters to every single second grade parent to inform them of their child's test scores. i'll try not to bore you too much with the details, but you should know that there are not just two letters (qualified and did not qualify). instead, there are multiple letters depending on the situation (qualified for AG, qualified for a retest for AG, did not qualify for a retest for AG, qualified for HAG, qualified for a retest for HAG, student was absent for one test, student was absent for both tests, and finally spanish verisions of all). all 160 odd letters were supposed to go home on friday.

my only saving grace was that when i got to school monday morning, the phone lines were dead due to high winds and heavy rains. ok, check that, maybe that was not a saving grace after all. parents decided to come to school to "discuss" the results instead. (side note: if you are a parent, please help me understand why you feel the right to come to school at any given point in a school day demanding to talk to your child's teacher or counselor or principal? would you do this in anyone else's line of work?) nevertheless, i made it through monday staying at school until 5:30 (we can leave at 3) listening to parents talk my ears off about this testing.

ok, let me check myself once more, after what happened today i've decided i would rather talk to parents face to face than on the phone. here's what happened today: this morning i had a parent call because she did not understand my letter (child did not qualify for retesting). as i always do, i let the parent know that the process is confusing, but i will do my best to explain it. i tell her about the difference between aptitude and achievement scores. i assure her that it is JUST A TEST and may not accurately measure the child's true ability. i tell her that there are many things that my effect the child's test scores and that she may be doing very well in the classroom. mom proceeds to yell and then hang up on me. WHAT!?!?!?!?!?! yes, she flat out hung up on me! i sat there dumbfounded. then i tried to call back. of course, the phone number i have has been disconnected.

now, in graduate school i was taught a very important lesson that i try to remember when working with parents (unfortunately i am reminded of this lesson on a daily basis). it is best to let the parent climb mad mountain while you follow along with them (listening and validating their feelings). then you help them ride slowly back down that mountain. today i felt like i rode the mountain to the top and was pushed off the cliff. this particular parent is probably still hanging out up there, hopefully breathing a few breaths of fresh air. i am at the bottom with a few broken bones and my head is still spinning. after writing mom a letter and sending it home with child today, i hope mom will find her way down to the valley so that we can have a civil conversation tomorrow. in the meantime i will be at school fending off other angry parents who feel like their child is somehow entitled to the label "academically gifted." i will write more about them later. right now, i'm going to lay in my bed and try to heal.

Labels: ,



Wednesday, April 11, 2007
i hope april showers bring may flowers
and i hope winter goes away to stay!

it doesn't look like my wish is going to come true anytime soon. i guess that is what we get for having such an unseasonably warm january, february and march. i am frustrated with this cold weather though. i am supposed to be having a housewarming cookout on friday and run a 10k on saturday and now it the weather people report it is going to be cold again. maybe i should move to florida or san diego where i can enjoy the beautiful sunshine for the majority of the year.

speaking of enjoying the sun... my boyfriend is laying out by the pool in arizona right now; not to mention on monday he will be leaving for a 2 1/2 week cruise to africa and spain. i am green with envy. i told him to email pictures everyday so that i can live vicariously through him while i am couped up in an office dealing with psychotic 5 year olds. maybe i'll post some of the pictures on my blog so you can be jealous with me.

Labels: ,



Wednesday, April 04, 2007
blogging hiatus
i apologize for the 7 month blogging hiatus. this has been one of the busiest and exciting years of my life!
since i've last written i have:
gotten a new car
quit physical therapy because i was spending loads of money and not getting better
spent a weekend in south beach
been in two weddings and attended another
driven to philadelphia and back twice
dodged my first invitation to jury duty
had a birthday and spent the entire day sick in bed
hosted a meals on wheels edible evenings christmas party
fixed meals at dream dinners 3 times
celebrated national school counselor week
ice skated on a frozen pond in princeton, nj
driven to the pottery barn outlet (2 hours away) 4 times
run two 5Ks
celebrated my niece's 1st birthday with lots and lots of elmo
bought a house
applied to work at pottery barn


Tuesday, April 03, 2007
I FINALLY WON!

i've searched daily since 12/23/06. i've invited friends. i've gotten frustrated. i've told my friends and family that i hate blingo. i had almost given up using it. today, i finally won blingo. i screamed and called my sister the second i won (because she won too). i love blingo again. i love seeing "whitney m. + friend just won a $10 amazon gift certificate" in the little red box. i love inviting more friends and telling them that i won. blingo rocks!

Labels: