- 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
Take care of yourself. That's the important thing.
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
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