The Weekend of Rest

I mentioned the other day that I've been going to bed at 9, but I don't think I mentioned why. I mean, besides the obvious. This whole teaching thing has been so exhausting, and this last week was horrible. There were highlights, obviously, and the whole week wasn't entirely terrible, but there was a whole lot of drama and a whole lot of discipline issues to deal with and it wiped me out. I didn't feel well all week, and I couldn't get enough sleep, and I felt at the end of my emotional rope. The climax of the bad week - the "climax" is the "big conflict moment" that everything in the plot builds up to...I've been teaching plot structures - was my biggest problem student having a huge blowup in class, leading to the least productive class period I've ever had and a complete lack of control of my class. I've never had a more frustrating morning...but it ended with an incredible amount of compassion and help from my principal as well as encouragement and advice from a couple of the teachers in my grade who do a great job of looking out for me and offering support. Yesterday was a much better day; everything went smoothly and peacefully, and I am so thankful for the people in my administration who have my best interests and my sanity in mind. Even my students noticed and commented on how different the day was compared to Thursday.

The other thing my students (and peers) noticed, though, was how terrible I looked yesterday. I had a handful of students, at least two teachers, and a resource officer ask me if I was okay yesterday, and one student specifically asked me if I was feeling alright. I was definitely in need of sleep and relaxation and recouperation...I'm definitley fighting some kind of funk on top of being exhausted. So that's what I'm doing this weekend. I'm sleeping. And reading. And watching Parks and Rec on Netflix streaming. And in between all of that I'll grade some tests and get the parts of my personal life that I've been neglecting in order (pay the bills, wash dishes, etc.), but I already feel better. Relaxation and mini escapes from the real world are kind of glorious.