The Witch All Up in This

The roads this blog will take me down. Check it out. I'm sitting on my porch the other day. I see little old Mrs. Richmond walking up the street. She's on her way to buy cans of tuna for her cats as usual. I wave, she waves, but then she makes a turn up the front walkway.

"How are you today, Bradley?"

She has one of those creaky old lady voices that takes a while to get to the end of a sentence.

"It's a little cold today, but the kitties are hungry so I need to get them some tuna. They love their tuna."

I figure she might need a ride being that it's a bit of a walk to the Mine Hill Market for an old lady, but she says she doesn't need one.

"When a woman turns 39 she needs to start thinking about keeping in better shape. So I'll walk."

I can tell she wants something, and all it takes to get her to tell her a story is to ask her what's new. She always has a story.

"Well, like I told you before, my granddaughter's not happy."

Like she told me before, her granddaughter is a teacher who isn't too happy with her job. She kind of hates it. So much so that she wants to write a book about it. But she figures she'll start small with a blog and go from there.

So until her blog is up and running, The Witch is going to spit some fire on that education game. But enough out of me. I'll let her tell her story:

I Have So Much to Say and Don't Know Where to Start
by The Witch…Brad’s favorite cousin (ok, so she's my cousin - I don't know any Mrs. Richmond)

Unlike my favorite cousin Brad….I HATE MY JOB! I sit here on my couch, my Bischonpoo acting as a heating pad up against my leg, shaking my head and laughing to myself because I, The Witch, can totally relate to Brad’s feeling of discomfort of being stuck in the same job position for the next 10, 20, or even 30 years down the road.

As a matter of fact, I just recently got a pension statement that showed I needed to work another 42 years before I could retire!!! I almost pooped my pants! How am I even going to make it until June? YUP! I am a teacher…an elementary school teacher.

Let me just get this off of my chest…IT IS TERRIBLE and that is putting it nicely! Unlike most holiday-sweater-wearing teachers that brag about how they taught a nose-picking child how to tie their shoelaces, I have found NOTHING rewarding about this profession. It has been nothing but a nightmare! I really do try and be positive about my job, but I seem to like my job for all the wrong reasons.

Here are some of the reasons I do like my job:

1. My 1/2 mile commute to work.
2. I can dress down whenever I want.
3. Being able to come home and share ridiculous stories from my school day with my family and laughing about it.
4. Today was “Inside Out Day” at my school. Of course, being the fun teacher that I am…I wore my track suit inside out. We were counting how many students in our class did. One girl, so innocently, told me she didn’t wear her clothes inside out because she didn’t have any inside out clothes….ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Yeah, it’s cute and funny, but COME ON! Even after an explanation to her about how you just have to turn the clothes that you already own inside out she responded by saying that she didn’t think her mom bought her any of those clothes. And yes, English is spoken at home.
5. We get unexpected days off (snow days, watermain breaks).
6. My favorite coffee joint is right on the way to work.
7. School lunches (yes….I admit….I love cafeteria food on pale yellow and green plastic trays….chicken nuggets are my fave!).
8. Free local newspaper near the sign-in book every morning.
9. Great stories from my students about “what really goes on at home."
10. And my grade level team members (without them, I probably would have quit last month).
    

I don’t believe that any of these reasons relate to educating children.

Now, don’t think I am this big slacker. I am a VERY hard worker. Since I began teaching over 4 years ago I have put 150% into the job everyday and probably have spent between $3,000-$4,000 on my classroom and supplies for extra fun crafts and activities.

I spend most nights and weekends planning interesting and engaging lessons that I know my students will enjoy…such as using real eggshells, vinegar, soda, and water (all items were purchased at my expense) to show how teeth rot if you don’t brush them. (It is AMAZING how many children admit to not brushing their teeth at least once a day).

And what have I gotten in return for all of my hard work, dedication, and money I have spent? NOTHING BUT GRIEF!!!!

Once I get my blogspot up and running (hopefully we have a snow day tomorrow…I will be wearing my pj’s inside out) I will let Brad know so he can put a link up. You can read all of my teaching HORROR stories, why the teaching profession is NOT WORTH joining, and my first blog will be sure to explain my blogging name The Witch.

Good Night J
--the witch