surival of the fittest.

I made it through my first week. My last blog was written on Tuesday during the week- when all was happy and glorious. Turns out, that was the honeymoon stage. By Friday, I was barely standing. Don't get me wrong, I still love teaching, and my class. But good Lord, my classroom has become a test of my strength- it is survival of the fittest. May the strongest win...that's the students. They are relentless in their quest to defeat me. They have chosen one path- the loud, running, jumping, climbing, fidgeting, breaking things, defying path.

Now it is still clear that they want to learn. And when I come up with brilliant ideas to keep them from spinning cicrles around the room and get them engaged it is wonderful. But it can wear a girl out to keep that up from 9-3:30 5 days a week.

You see, in the summer here kids do whatever they want, whenever they want. The sun is always shining so the parents let them play during all hours of the night. They eat when they want, sleep when they want, play when they want. They pretty much are their own bosses. It works great for the summer. But then school begins...and the kids do NOT want to go to sleep, or listen to directions, or be told where to go. And why would they? They just had 3 months of complete freedom from rules. If I was a kid here, I would have a hard time adjusting back into school as well. After all I spend all day telling them where to be, how to be there, and when to be there. Recess is their escape from classroom expectations, but it is short lived.

They really do try. And they really do want to do well in school and listen to the teachers around them. But they are six- and sometimes that is tough for them. So for now I am keeping my expectations high, and attempting to stay strong and consistent. For if I don't, by December my classroom will not be run by me, but rather my students. So these first few weeks will be an adjustment for all of us. But I think we might make it there in time.

On another note. I had a good weekend. Not work free. But mostly relaxing. I went for a long training run-16 miles yesterday! My knees hurt. I also met some new friends who work at the hospital and we ate at a restaurant! That was thrilling- it was called Bayside. It is one of two in town that you can sit down at. It was pricey, but really fun to go out and do something out of the house.

AND the past two nights I have gone to bed after midnight or around midnight. Both nights- I saw the moon! And it was dark! That is the first time I have seen the dark since I left Colorado. From here on out it will be short lived- the light. They said it won't be long before I will watch the sunset right after school- and then I won't ever watch the sun set. From the time they start losing daylight they lose about 8 minutes a day..so even when I got here the sun was up for a much longer time. As it gets closer to winter, and to December and January they will start losing 10 minutes of light a day. But then, after January, we will begin gaining daylight quickly again at 10 minutes more a day and then 8 minutes more a day until again in June it is always light. I am learning quickly to not watch the sun for a clock like I can in Colorado. I need to actually watch the clock because the late night hours can really creep up on you before you know it when the sun is still bright as day at 11pm.

I am beginning to miss home. Especially with the start of football season. Ha. Weird, right? Watching football reminds me of home and Sunday afternoons with Kevin. It reminds me of going to Broncos games and autumn. Autumn won't really exist here. There are no trees to lose their leaves. That very specific smell in the air in Colorado during autumn won't be here. BUT there will be lots of costumes and "The Dance" (a party thrown at the Lions club here every now and again...I hear it can be quite outrageous). I can probably carve a pumpkin (for a price!) and I will even get trick-or-treaters. AND it will be snowy, which is JUST like home at Halloween. So, I suppose it won't be all that different, after all. :)