At a Loss

As an elementary school teacher, I am the single adult responsible for 24 children for the majority of their day. In that, I have the responsibility for reporting alarming behavior that may warrant further intervention.

When a child displays alarming behavior that causes a teacher to seek further intervention, you expect that the child will then get the services they need and deserve. In higher income school districts, that would happen. But, in a lower-income school, what happens when the child's insurance doesn't cover the services that the current situation requires? If all the red flags and warning signs are there, it is all clearly documented, but the child cannot receive the necessary interventions, what happens? Are there no emergency intervention resources available to these students?

It seems like nobody knows the answer, or there simply isn't an answer. All we're left with, then,is a really large, frightening flaw in the services available to these students.

This is exactly how scary situations happen in schools, and only after they happen, people ask: Why didn't anyone stop this? All the warning signs were there!

Strong

That's how I'm feeling.
It's pretty groovy.

To de-stress...

I like to cook meals that look pretty. This is:

1. Lentils with zucchini, squash, yellow and red peppers
2. Tilapia with curry spice, tomatoes, spinach, and portabella mushrooms.
3. Asparagus.

Almost makes up for nearly getting run over by a car today. Oh, and the shingles.

Today's Realization:

I need to slow the F*** down.

Thank Yous

So 3 doctors, 3 different antibiotic prescription, 1 anti-inflammatory prescription, and 2 very large percocets later...my ear is still a large red balloon and I can't really turn my neck because my glands are so swollen.

But, I am very grateful to friends accompanying me to the ER at very inconvenient hours, co-workers covering my class so that I could catch a last-minute doctors appointment, and the constant flow of phone calls from my wonderful colleagues and friends at PS/MS 161.

Now, here's hoping my ear deflates!

My favorite thing of all time

Is when spring creeps upon us.

Cooking Skillz

So I'm really proud of myself right now. Usually...okay all the time, I cook pasta. I'm pretty good at varying up pasta sauces, but that's pretty much it.

But, lately my roommate and I have been pushing our cooking boundaries. Lentils, fava beans, eggplant, etc.

Well, this is my newest creation, and probably the best meal I've ever cooked (which may not be saying much, but honestly it was pretty awesome).

Eggplant, ground beef, fresh mozzarella, spinach, tomato sauce, onions, garlic, olives, spices...soooo good.

And doesn't it look pretty?

Comin' Home

New York to Madison

Thursday April 9th
Depart 9:05 am
Arrive 10:58 am


Madison to New York

Friday April 17th
Depart 11:40 am
Arrive 3:00 pm

It's my birthday...week!

I'm mentally preparing for this weekend.

Birthday love from my kids

My kids are orchestrating and extravagant birthday celebration for me tomorrow. They've made decorations, assigned the class food to bring, and talked to my principal about calling me in for a "meeting" so that they can set up. Clearly, they're not so subtle about their little plans, but I humor them.

So, I just got a call from one of my kiddies saying:

F: Miss Sadek...?
Me: Hi F.
F: Ms. Sadek I just wanted to tell you I'm going to be a littttttle late tomorrow.
Me: Why are you going to be late?
F: Well the place we ordered the cake from doesn't open until 7:30.
Me: (crack a smile) You didn't have to get me a cake F_, but thank you. I'll see you tomorrow.
click
Click.

I kind of love them.
When did that happen?

Una Pregunta

My girls come upstairs to have lunch with me today, just because they felt like hanging out. I was amused so I let them hang out. We sat around the round table as they fought for their turn to talk and tell me stories of boys, clothes, and hobos. But, the most surprising part of the conversation went something like this:

N: Ms. Sadek I have a question

Me: Ya?

N: (hesitates) Do you go to the gym so that you can watch boys with their shirts off?

Me: WHAT?

Other girls: (Fits of laughter)

N: No, I mean one time, my mom made me go to the gym and there was this guy that was sweaty and gross but then he took his shirt off and he looked good.

Me: No, N. I do not go to the gym to watch boys take their shirts off.

Today, I got hit on by a puppet

The 40 year old, large, balding gym teacher was walking around with a firefighter puppet on his hand today. Don't ask me why. I have no answers.

As I was walking my children up the stairs, the gym teacher and his puppet proceed to wave at my children. I awkwardly walk past him and the puppet, ready to go up the next flight of stairs, when the little firefighter puppet on the balding man's hand looked me up and down and said, "Mr. ____, who is that?"

The balding large man responded to his firefighter puppet, "That's Ms. Sadék, she's a new teacher at our school." The kids giggled. I was mortified, and of course, extremely awkward.

The puppet responded, "Oooh! Do you like firemen Ms. Sadék?" The bald fat man flashed creepy smile. Giggle giggle giggle, went the fifth graders as they watched their teacher melt into the ground. "Eeeer no?" I finally spat out. I quickly mumbled a goodbye and my giggling kids and I proceeded back to our classroom.

I never thought I'd say this, but today, I'm pretty sure I got hit on by a puppet.

Math Test Day 1

The end is near for standardized tests. Tomorrow is my last day of testing for this school year. My kids rocked it today. Hopefully they'll do just as well tomorrow.

Oh, and...I was the translator for the math test for my two Arabic speaking boys today. I saw the test for the first time at 8:45, administered the test for my 11 English Language Learning students, then tested the two boys separately and translated every question for them verbally from English to Arabic. That was a crazy experience.

Pinch Me

There's nothing quite like the feeling of being a first year teacher and waking up on Monday morning at 6:00 AM to a text that says: STAY HOME! NO SCHOOL!

I don't know if it's more exciting to have a snow day as a teacher or as a student. I'm going to go ahead and say it's more exciting as a teacher.

I love my life.