STRESS IN FULL SWING

Well my last semester is almost half over and my stress level is HIGH! What with the budget cuts and everyone talking about how there will be NO jobs to get once I have my diploma and the anxiety of trying to make sure I'm not letting down the cooperative teacher or the kids I'm teaching, I'm feeling exhausted and emotional. Add to that the fear that when I do get a teaching job it is going to be non-stop work every waking minute like it is now and I am living on the verge of tears! In fact, I get to school before 8:30 every morning, leave between 4:30 and 5:00, come home and have dinner with Don, and sit at my desk trying to create the perfect lessons for 3 hours or more. Keep in mind that I am not even responsible for all the lessons yet. I am only teaching Reading, Reading Tier II, Social studies/Science, and Writing.

Some people try to be encouraging and tell me that I can always sub next year. This is true, and it pays pretty good money, but I could have subbed before I started spending all this time and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ on an education. Frustrating! Plus the thought of substituting scares me to death. Walking into a classroom of students you don't know, where you don't know the routines, and have not seen the lessons you are supposed to teach - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAA!

On the plus side - I have been blessed to work with a really awesome cooperative teacher who has taught me a lot and the 4th graders I work with are incredible children that I really enjoy teaching.

So, I will keep trudging on and doing my best while hoping that next year I will have my own classroom of wonderful students.