I am going to answer questions today. Just because. I also may ask a few questions of my own.
For example, did you know The Bachelorette starts tomorrow night? That’s going to make for a good Monday. Don’t you think? (Look, that was two questions.)
1. Am I going to do Talk About It Tuesdays?
Sure. Why not? Although I do feel a little pressure about it and it makes me nervous. Will I be able to live up to The Bachelor? I don’t know.
2. Have I considered Lasik?
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
However, I have TERRIBLE eyesight. TERRIBLE. All you people who already got Lasik that say you had terrible eyesight are just kidding yourselves. I can’t see. I don’t know if you speak this language, but the vision in my right eye is a NEGATIVE FOURTEEN and the vision in my left eye is a NEGATIVE TWELVE. As in, I can’t function without glasses or contacts. But you’re never going to see me in my glasses unless you are my husband or someone in my immediate family. And never outside on a sunny day because the lenses are so thick, I could start a fire without even trying.
I went to a consultation about Lasik. At some institute in fancy Newport Beach where they claim to have “done” Tiger Woods’ eyes. Ooh La La.
It’s possible. It was a very nice place.
Anywho . . . I am not a candidate. My eyesight is so bad they would only be able to correct my vision to a certain point which means I would still have to wear glasses or contacts.
They shook their heads a lot during the examination.
Pursed their lips.
Cried for me a little.
My eye doctor (that I drive almost 45 minutes to go see because he knows my situation and I’d rather not have another eye doctor tell me that I am his most near sighted patient EVER IN HIS PRACTICE) said I could get IMPLANTABLE CONTACTS. Is that gross or what? Basically, they would implant contacts into my eyes.
People, if I am getting implants (and I’m not), that’s not the type I’d be going for. Obviously.
But implanting contacts is actually rather dangerous so he didn’t recommend it. He just had me take out my contacts to begin my eye exam and then when he had to step out, he said he would offer me a magazine, but what was the point? We’re good friends. We can joke like that. It doesn’t hurt a bit.
He does suggest that I get Lasik so that my vision will be improved enough that I could function without glasses or contacts. I would still need them, but I would be able to function without them. It’s like he thinks I’m bumping into walls in the middle of the night or something. That only happened once.
So no Lasik. Not now anyway.
I’m just thankful contacts and glasses can correct my vision. Almost to 20/20.
Hadar, are you afraid that I drove you around in my car?
3. How in the world do I not have Specials?
Isn’t it clear that I am just lucky? Ha.
We don’t have Specials. I’m not sure California, in general, has Specials. But we do have the beach.
4. How do I get my planning done if I don’t have Specials?
Well . . . let’s see here.
In the olden days, our contract was from 8:00-3:30. School did not start until 9:00 (I am at a late start school. We used to have three start times and it was all due to busing. Bussing. Bus-ing.) and we had to be there at 8:00 for our planning time. That was our one hour of planning time. Dismissal was at 3:25 and we could leave at 3:30.
Two years ago, we took 9 Furlough Days which resulted in a 5% paycut. We voted for it so that we could save our teachers. It won by a landslide. Aren’t we sweet?
Well . . . in that contract negotiation situtation, it was decided that teachers would not have to report to school until 10 minutes before start time. And they could leave 10 minutes after dismissal.
(Starting last year, our start time was moved from 9:00am to 8:45am. That is SO EARLY. I would love to get my 15 minutes back.)
So my new contract looks like this.
8:35 – 8:45 Prep Time
8:45 – 2:57 School
2:57 – 3:07 Prep Time
I get so much done in those 20 minutes. You wouldn’t believe it. It is never interrupted by parents coming to see me in the morning, or recess duty, or parents forgetting to pick up their kids. Nope. It’s quite valuable.
Call me crazy, but I tend to need a little bit more time. So I am usually at school by 8:00 and I tend to leave around . . . 5:00, 5:30, 6:00, when my husband calls me and reminds me that I am married, or when Prime Time Television comes on.
5. If I don’t have Specials, who teaches Art, Music, P.E., Computers, and Library?
Me.
Art – um, we’re not really allowed to do it.
Just kidding. Sort of.
And we do that have wonderful Art Lesson Thing from PTA that I spoke about yesterday.
Music – me. All day. I am singing all day. On key, off key, loudly, softly, whatever. I make up songs, play songs on the iPod, sing songs I already know, whatever. I use songs for transitions, classroom management, a good mood, a pick me up, to bother my kids, to bother other people, whatever.
P.E. – not sure what that stands for. Persistent Excellence? Partly Educational? Party Earnestly?
Computers – me. Although I generally let my kids play online games while I check my email look at blogs pull kids for catching up on work and stuff.
Library – well, the Librarian is in charge. But we are not allowed to drop our kids off. We have to stay. And since I am really afraid of our librarian, I send my kids over a table group at a time to exchange their books. Is it bad to say that I was happy Friday was the last day for the Library?
That should do it for the questions.
For now.
I have lots of laundry and work to catch up on today. And blogs to read. So that’s what I’ll be doing.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you! 🙂
Had Lasik.. twice… my eyes went back to being bad. Wasted money.
We had that same vote, same furlough to keep people, pay decrease, same horrible no prep time hours AND our lunch was cut to 35 minutes… so no time there either. Our contract day starts at 8:30 (kids @ 8:45) and ends at 3:30 (kids @ 3:05). So, like you I'm heading home around 5:30/6:00.
Wish there was money in Cali for Specials… but some of those teachers in other states have lunch duty… that would … well, suck! So I think it might be best to focus on that! 😀
haha… P.E.! I've discovered lately that is what the big kids have AFTER testing in the morning. I've seen more PE in the last 2 weeks than I have EVER seen. 😀 Not sure if my kids know what it means. So sad. Tho Thad.
Have a great week!
Omg I can't even imagine! We have 2 specials a day which gives us an hour of plan time during the day. I am always still there early but I try to leave on time around 4. I totally feel bad for you!
I want lasik! My vision is bad, but not as bad as yours. Mine is like -3.5 or -4 or something. I can't wear contacts anymore because I have such bad allergies that I keep rubbing them out. I do have specials (not that you asked).
Most importantly, my hubs is going out of town next M-W which I hate, but it means wine and Bachelorette! Yippeee.
Kimberley
First in Maine
Can I just tell you that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read your stuff. You are SO. very. REAL. And authentic. And just plain funny.
And I'm glad now that I'm only a negative six and seven, if that makes sense.
And I can NOT believe you don't have specials . . . do you know about Pinwheels4Peace? That looks like a fun art project you could do . . . with or without an art teacher.
Do you have a counselor? And character education?
Sending smiles to you from Texas!
Barbara
The Corner On Character
Wow!! I knew I was lucky, but I didn't realize how lucky!! Our contract is 8:00-4:00. I have 25 minutes of lunch all by myself. We also have an hour of plan time per day. (Specials) The day looks like this 8:00-8:15 no kids, 8:15-9:45 math, 9:45-10:00 recess (no duty- bathroom break), 10:00-11:45 guided reading, 11:45-12:10 lunch (no kids) 12:10-12:25 recess (on duty), 12:30-1:30 Specials!!, 1:30-3:40 science, social studies, writing, shared reading. (No it doesn't all fit!) 3:40-4:00 Dismissal duty
I am blessed to have a very strong negoitated agreement. I wish everyone had the same.
I feel so redundant, but you crack me up Kristin!! I'm excited you'll be doing Talk About it Tuesdays again, 'cause I actually have a chance to watch The Bachelorette–I don't think I've watched it before, just The Bachelor. We'll have to see how it goes…my sister filled me in on all sorts of interesting info. about this girl already, so I told her I would watch.
As for Lasik, I can't get it either. My cornea is too thin or something like that. Actually, I guess it's really borderline and it's up to me, but my doctor had that scary dubious-sounding voice so I just said nah. I'm used to the contacts. And, like you, hardly ANYONE sees me with my awful glasses!
Hope your mom is doing well!
Ooo I hope you do Talk About It Tuesdays. I can't wait to watch this season!
Second Grade Sugar and Spice
I can picture you singing all day long! One reason I love teaching the young ones, is when I do sing off key (more than not), no one notices!!!
Michelle
I'm actually looking forward to the Bachelorette mainly for your interpretation of the show 🙂
I do have specials, but like Traci said, I have to actually eat with my students. I guess give and take???
I wish you'd record your singing for us 🙂
Elizabeth
Fun in Room 4B
Wow….you need a newspaper column…..like "Talk with Teeny" or something like that…..your hilarious…even in the tougher times. Love your bright side:) My eye sight is going down the clinker too…like today when I was balancing my checkbook….I couldn't see what the numbers were…yikes..it's probably not balanced!!! I love you and love your blog…as a matter of fact, I was telling 2 teachers I met at a farmers market about your blog…I asked them if they followed teacher blogs and they said a few (WHAT?!) and they were talking about one teacher from New York that makes them pee every time they read her blog and then I told them about you!!! Anywho, off to grab some din din and recheck the check book……:///
4th Grade Frolics
Yep, I think CA teachers are the one man band type.
I'm from CA too and have never had specials even before all the budget issues. It's ALL me!
Yearn to Learn Blog
Being a California girl, I never even knew what a special was until I starting reading blogs. So like you I teach it all. Not well. Not all the time. But to the best of my ability. However, the beach is an hour away so I am jealous.
Camille
An Open Door
P.S. We have to be here fifteen minutes before the kiddos start school and can leave when they do. (No one does, but we could.) So does that mean we have 15 minutes prep???
Umm…..No specials in Utah either! You're not the only one 🙂 We trade within our team to do "specials" So for 45 min a day one teacher teachers PE, Art, Music, Computers etc. The kiddos trade around and go to one a day. Works out good. You only have to "specialize" in one thing 🙂
I am blind too….like stand in front of the mirror and I cannot tell who it is….or even IF it is a person.
Come to Texas where you can have Specials…and if you teach with Reagan, an awesome librarian! =)
Heather
Heather's Heart
lol…I'm assuming I'm not the only one asking about your planning time/lack of specials – ha!
and my WHOLE family is blind as a bat – HOW did I end up with JUST astigmatism??? lol
Your prep time sounds a lot like mine – I have 15 minutes before school and technically 30 minutes after school, but that usually ends up being 5 minutes after school instead…And I go with my students to all their specials, too. I can't imagine teaching with more prep time…it'd be crazy! (in a very, very good way, of course)
Kara
Spedventures
We don't have specials either!!!!! We TEACH IT ALL!!!! 🙂
That's crazy about your prep time!!!!! They are sure making it pretty miserable to be a teacher in California, aren't they?
Mon.-Thurs. we get out of school at 3:25pm. We get out at 1:25pm every Friday! That's our prep! It's fabulous….especially because it's on Friday and if you are going on vacation, you very quietly sneak out and speed away so no one sees you leaving during your contract time. You must remember to leave your light ON in your classroom and your papers all over your desk with a grading pen open. It must look like you are still at the school. HAHAHAHAH
Love ya girl!
WOW, no specials. I have said I could teach it all Monday-Thursday without specials and then give me Friday to plan in my room. Uhhhhh don't think that would ever happen, but so ideal to me. My husband had lasik and loves it!!
Robynn
BusyBees
I'm SOO excited about The Bachelorette to start tomorrow!! And that implant contacts surgery sounds so scary. (glad you aren't doing that) Teaching specials on top of everything else sounds so exhausting!!
Andrea
Cheers To School
Oh GIRL! 1) my old college roommate had such bad eyesight that she didn't qualify for lasik. Her glasses were so thick we said she could see into the future. "Hey, A- put on your glasses and see what grade I'll get on my final." Ha! Is that you? Can you see into the future?!
2) You start so LATE! And you can LEAVE AT 3:35? Lucky dog! Kids can come to our room at 7:35 and we can't leave until 4:00. Maybe that is the price to pay for having Specials?
Rowdy in First Grade
When I first started blogging, I didn't even know what Specials were!?!?! Imagine having an hour every.day for planning and prepping! I fit my planning and prepping in during recess and lunch and I take a ton of stuff home!!! :-/ Can't wait for the Bachelorette tomorrow!!! Have a great week Kristin!!!
But what about Survivor? Did you watch it this season?! I'm totally happy with anyone that wins. The girls rock!
I do have specials. Arkansas requires 60 minutes of PE each week in order to keep our children from being obese. Because we all know if children are active 60 minutes out of the seven days they will stay healthy and fit. 🙂
JennyB
Funtastic Fun in First Grade
It must be a California thing to not have specials. When I student taught in AZ, they had music, PE and art every week, plus library. When I came back to CA to work, we got nothing! Our kids get 45 minutes of PE (and I use that loosely!) a week for collaboration time, not even planning time! We are supposed to be at work 30 minutes before school starts (and we start at 9) and we can leave at 3:12 when the bell rings if we want. I normally get there by 8:15 after I take my daughter to school and then leave sometime around 4ish. I plan at home, which is what I should be doing now! Gotta love So Cal! But I wouldn't trade sunny warm days for specials, so I can live with it! 🙂
Kristen
socalteacherstuff.blogspot.com
Wow, no specials!! We have a special everyday… except I don't have one on Monday, so instead I have two on Wednesday. I use the prep time to do my planbook, grade tests, visit teacher friends, or just enjoy some quiet time. Couldn't imagine if it went away…?!
❤Teri
A Cupcake for the Teacher
HAHA!! Clearly, you've never driven with my dad! Nothing scares me anymore. Also, I do think it's a Ca thing. I don't have "specials" either, EXCEPT every other Thursday we do have music, with a MUSIC TEACHER that our public school foundation pays for. So I get 45 minutes to grade homework and do whatever else is needed around the classroom. I feel your pain 😉
I'm in mid MO and feel very lucky that I have a great schedule. Our contract time is 7:45-3:45. Kids come to the Room at 7:50 and class actually begins at 8:05. From 8:05-10:45 I have my Lang Arts time. I have specials (art, music, P.E., Library-4 day rotation) everyday from 10:45-11:30. Math is 11:30-12:45. Then I have lunch (no duty) from 12:45-1:10. Back to class from 1:10-1:40. Then I have a recess (again, no duty…) from 1:40-2:05. Back to the room again for class time from 2:05-2:45. At 2:45 we pack up and go to dismissal rooms for Early Bus Release, Late Bus Release, and Pick-Up Duty. Early release is best b/c you're done at 3:05. Pick-up duty ends at 3:08 (still not bad) and late release is at 3:25. But even late release isn't that bad b/c we keep a group of kids in our rooms. I usually let them watch a video or play on the SmartBoard so I can work on things. We're contracted until 3:45 and I'm usually there until about 4:00. So…I have at least 2 hours of time throughout the contract day when I'm not with my class. Did I mention that I started with 20 kids, was down to just 16 for about a month, and just got a new one last week (with just this week left)? I knew we were lucky to have a recess supervisor and even to get to eat without our classes, but I had no clue how lucky we are to have specials! We also have 30 minutes every other week when the counselor comes in to teach and she prefers we leave! You should cone teach in MO! We don't have the beach, but we do have the Lake of the Ozarks! 🙂
You should *come* teach in MO…It's 3:52 a.m. here and my baby doesn't realize he should be sleeping!
Hey! I am your newest follower! Love your blog and OMG I can relate to you so much about the eyesight thing! It's actually really ironic that I came across your blog today.
I also have a negative FOURTEEN prescrip! You are not alone! I am actually going in for surgery this Wednesday to have cataracts removed from my eyes & basically will be getting new lenses put into my eyes. I think you should do Lasik, anything will be better than what you are seeing now…
Anyways, cant wait to see what else you post! If you get a free minute, I'd appreciate if you passed by my page…
Teachers Give a Hoot
This is a total squirrel moment…did you know they have Cadbury ice cream bars? Thot you might wanna check it out! 🙂
Really? No Specials? I don't know how you do it. I can't get everything done and I have a special every day! Next time I think about complaining, I'll try to be grateful!
I'm sorry you can't have Lasik. I had horrible vision since I was in 2nd grade. Then middle school hit and I thought really big, blue glasses were cool. So then I wanted really small glasses…it just wasn't good. Luckily I was eligible after awhile,(at first I wasn't), and it was the best decision for me. They said that I could still have to wear reading glasses at some point, but for now my vision is great!
Andrea
Stepping Into First Grade
That's an amazingly short amount of prep time! And I don't get any specials either, unless I do them myself. Computers? I teach 'em! Library? I take them there and stay with them while the librarian checks out the books. Music? I sing all day. Art? So far, no one has forbidden it yet in Kindergarten, but I'm sure that once they figure out that the kids enjoy it, they'll think of a way to get rid of it, LOL!
Heidi
I still am at a loss about this "no specials" thing. ludicrous. ludicrous, i tell ya! :/ Also, I would have laughed out loud (loled/lol-ed/lolled) at your paragraph about your "20 minutes" of prep time if I didn't feel so much pity for you over it. :/ You poor thing!! You get my vote for teacher of the year! 🙂
Love reading your stuff! So sorry about you not having specials! I have to know…..When do you go to the bathroom???!!
Oh I'm laughing and crying (for your pain) at the same time!!