- I've had a sinus infection since August that won't clear up. I'm on my third round of antibiotics. My immune system is shot.
- I teach 8th graders. They are little walking carriers of infestation.
- #1 and #2 are a bad combination.
- We joke about this in education... teachers routinely say 'this is the worst group I've had in a long time' or somesuch about students. Rose-colored glasses and the past and all that. However, I can say without equivocation that this is the most CHALLENGING group of students I have ever had. The drama, the fighting, the behaviors, the educational gaps... it's just incredibly rough. I'm asking elementary reading teachers for strategies, because I have students with deficiencies I never thought I'd see in eighth grade. It's all a lot.
All that said, it's already been a long year, and it's only going to get longer. I have no motivation or energy to spend on anything but treading water right now. When I think about teaching, I don't see any humor in it or anything to joke about. It's all kind of bleh for me at the moment. I'm having trouble getting fired up for much... I stopped watching the LOTR TV show after two episodes; I gave up on She Hulk after three... I can't be bothered to turn on Andor, because I just don't feel like watching, even though I've heard it's awesome. I can't bring myself to care. I think about rolling some dice and think I'd rather take a nap.
It sounds like I'm in a real funk or depression, but I'm not. I'm in pretty good spirits overall, but I just don't have any energy for anything other than basic life maintenance right now. So creative stuff is not even on the back burner. It's sitting in the sink in a pile of dirty dishes. I don't know how soon I'll be trying to dig it out of there.
Be well. Hope we talk again sooner than later.
Mike
