Self-care in Public

Well, since I’m back to not sleeping I was awake at 4:30 am. I did lay in bed a bit but then I got up, made my bed (I’m sleeping in the guest room still) and then took all of the laundry out of this room. Basically this was two comforters, one which I need to sew and the other which I need to donate or sell. I also had one pair of sheets that needed to go to the laundry room. I also cleaned up some of the mess that comes from drinking a lot of liquids and also sticker drawing. I try to give myself at least 30 minutes of no screen time before I turn out the light. I keep hoping this will help me sleep but it doesn’t always do the trick.

After tidying my depression den I ironed my pants for work, showered, and then took Mac outside for his 6 am potty time. After that I got dressed and did my hair and then I headed out of this house to head to work. I do not need to be at work until 8:40 am and I only live 15 minutes from school. However, I always stop for a refill fountain soda with the good ice (normally only costs about .50) and to grab a diet/zero sugar drink or two for my fridge. I do keep cans in my room but it takes two in order to fill my Simply Modern cup and that means I go through them quickly. Price-wise cans aren’t always cheaper than stopping at 7-11.

I normally arrive at work between 7 and 7:20 am. This gives me time to straighten up the room, make sure my board is ready for the day, post any new vocab around the room, and sometimes chat with the other teachers who stop by my room. (I won Teacher of the Month for January and the number one comment from the other teachers is how nice a room I have created.) By about 8:30 am I am checking my email/calendar and prepping for any meetings or the day’s lesson.

Today was Unit Test day for Ancient China. Technically it was supposed to be on slightly less Ancient China but between PD Days, days off and the length of time I had left after testing days, I didn’t really cover most of this content. I always offer open notebooks/notes for my testing because… I’m not here to trick them, I’m here to prepare them for US Civics in 7th grade. Even with open notebooks some of my kiddos still didn’t pass the test. Truthfully, they need more 1-1 time than I can provide with 150 students. There isn’t enough time or enough ESE support staff here in the south.

Most of my classes were okay today; until the 7th period. This is my largest class and it also has the most ESE kiddos. Plus, I have this one kid who really needs to not be in an inclusive setting as he’s harming others and himself. There isn’t anything I can really do to help him and often he just leaves class. This is the better option to him self-harming or harming others or being a huge distraction. I have learned to stop arguing with him. I will tell him the assignment or teach around him, but I don’t think he’s getting much. Education is 100% what you put into it, as long as your teacher is teaching (and teaching to your needs) then there should be no reason to fail a class like mine. (Which, admittedly, is not a hard class to teach.)

I came home, decompressed with games on my phone, snuggling Mac, and talking with Liam. I eventually graded the tests (more 100% papers than I expected). I did not get them put into the computer but I can do that in the morning. Then I got into bed. It’s 8:50 and I am about to take my DDAVP (stop drinking and peeing medication) and hopefully sleep until 5:15 am. I plan on going to the gym in the morning but we’ll see what comes.