I'm busy and I'm tired! But...I'm not allowed to complain because I chose to do what is making me tired and feel overwhelmed!!! I said yes, could I have said no...of course.
Here are 3 of the current things that are making me tired:).....
I said yes 10 years ago to being in charge of the school-wide Talent Show at Mountain View. It has turned into a bi-annual event and it is a lot of fun. The curtain will raise on this year's Talent Show on Feb. 8th. Yes, I have to coordinate over 100 students involved in 49 acts and keep all of their parents happy. I have to help the 4 high school girls that are co-hosting the show. I have to spend my school planning periods going around and checking that the kids involved are ready for the dress rehearsal that is coming up. I have to check that the PTO purchased spotlight is still working. I need to collect all of their music and make the master CD for the show. But....on Feb. 8th when the 100 students get to share their talents on the stage of Mountain View and I get to help them calm their nerves or contain their excitement, it is all worth it!! I love meeting new kids and helping them find a talent and overcome their fears to perform on the stage. I truly enjoy this time working on the Talent Show and all of the interactions and "stress" that is involved with it. Call me Crazy! :)
I said yes to being the "videographer" and chief photographer for the middle school production of CATS. I very rarely get to be a parent volunteer. As a working mom, my opportunities to volunteer with the girls activities are few and far between. I said yes to documenting the behind the scenes action and taking over 400 pictures in just the last month because I get the chance to be a mom, and not Mrs. Rahn, the teacher. Yes, I will be putting together a 30 minute behind the scenes movie and will be burning 45 DVD's for the cast. Yes, I leave my teaching job and head straight to the middle school at least 3 days a week until 6:00 p.m. Yes, I have missed some fun social events because I needed to be at the rehearsal, but it is worth it! I get to be part of my almost 13 year old daughter's middle school life! I get to interact with her friends, and see what is happening. Am I stressed that my computer will crash and I'll lose the pictures that I took, or won't get the 45 DVD's burned that I have promised the cast? Yep, but being a mom and being able to be part of Carleigh's activities makes it all worth it!!
I said yes to attending a week long technology conference in 8 days! With the Microsoft and Dell partnership that is going on in my classroom, I was asked if I wanted to attend F.E.T.C. - Florida Education Technology Conference. Though based in Florida, this is a national Tech Conference for educators that is a week long event in Orlando. Don and I are both attending at our principal's request. He is actually attending also and is sending us, along with our Technology teacher for the whole week. Yes, once we get there it will be fun and nice. But I have to write 5 days of lesson plans - about 15 typed pages - for my substitute. I have to finish getting my report cards ready to go home while I am in Florida. I need to make all of the arrangements for Don's sisters to take care of the girls and the dogs for a week. Is it worth it? Yes! I am a teacher geek and having spent the last 5 months creating and innovating with the 1:1 computing in my classroom, I am looking forward to hearing new ideas and meeting other like-minded people using technology in the classroom. I'm looking forward to the guest speakers and the breakout sessions. But...I am most looking forward to sharing this adventure with Don! 4 days in Florida with just him - no dogs, no kids, no schoolwork.....I am so grateful that he and I are so different, yet have so many similar interests. This mini-work vacation will be so much fun!!
So...am I tired? Yes! Am I stressed? Yes! Do I feel like I have no time to myself? Yes! Is it worth it? Yes!! I recently read in one of my teacher-geek books that in order to be an effective in your job, you can't forget about your other interests. You need to take care of your whole person and I am LOVING all of the things that are making me tired!
I love working on the Talent Show!
I love working with the Middle School Musical!
I love finding new ways to use Technology in my classroom!
So, I shall continue to be tired and look forward to 8 days from now being in Florida with Don for a week of techer-geek fun!
Stay tuned for more about CATS, Katie's performance at the Talent Show and our week in Florida!!
