Heat Wave finally comes- My poor students

So far this summer has been very mild. As of the middle of August Utah never had hit 100 degrees yet. For some this might be good news but for me this was not. I knew Utah would have to have a major heat wave before summer could end and I personally would rather that heat wave be in July. Why does it matter you might ask? Because my school does not have Air Conditioning and have you ever tried to teach 40 middle schoolers (yes about two of my classes have 40 students in them) in 105 degree temperature all crowded in a room? You have probably not had that experience but trust me when I say I would not wish it on my enemies. But that is what I have been doing for the past two weeks.

In fact, we were having so many heat related issues, such as kids getting light headed or have a heat related emergency that they had to announce that you could keep your kid at home no questions asked if you didn't want them in the heat. Unfortunately, that rule did not apply to teachers, in fact we were told we couldn't stay home because there are not enough subs as it is. So I was stuck in a very hot room all day with kids who could not keep their eyes open because they were so hot and they were MISERABLE!!!! My poor students...POOR ME!!!!

As bad as the heat is I do have to say there is a benefit: I don't turn on my A/C as much at home. Yep after four years of no air conditioning at school my body has adjusted and so know any temperature below about 78 is really cold to me. I am the girl who wears sweatshirts in May because I am cold. I also take blankets into restaurant (do you notice how cold they make those places I think the thermostat is like at 72 and that is REALLY COLD). Most days I go home and turn on a fan and that keeps me plenty cool. So I my electric bill is smaller than most people's in the summer. Though there is one place I keep the temperature down at like 62- my car. After being in my hot school and room all day I love to get my car frigid on the way home.

The last thing I want to share when it comes to heat is an exchange I had with a student (well I was talking to the whole class.

Me: Notice I have a lot of fans going in my room to try and keep things cool be respectfully. We are all in this heat together since the school doesn't have air conditioning.
Student shouts out: The school doesn't have air conditioning!!!! No wonder it is so blasted hot!
Me: You didn't know that?
Student: No, I thought you guys were just not turning it on to torture us.
Me: Trust me, if we had it we would be using it
Student: Not if you were trying to save money.
Me: (silence....) Well we don't have air conditioning to worry about so be nice to the fans because they help it to be a cool as possible. ( I really didn't know what else to say to the kid)

I have to say though that exchange makes me laugh and of course I shared it with all my fellow teachers who laughed as well. Gotta Love the innocent and slightly naive seventh graders. At least this kid is sufficiently scared of teachers if he believed we would make sit in 105 degree weather just to torture him.

School is in Session!!!

So I was actually watching Julie and Julia. It made me think of my own blog and how I haven't been able to blog in forever. School has started again and my life is becoming a runaway train yet again. This year I have to worry about all 400 students at once. That is right folks I have double the papers to grade and the quizzes to plan. As I get used to this new schedule I have often been overwhelmed. Normally by the end of the first week I know all of my students' names and this year I am not even close to knowing them. It is a lot of students and it is a lot to worry about all at once and sometimes I feel like the task is daunting and that my best is never going to be close to good enough. Thank heavens for good friends who pick me up and remind that all things are possible and they have my back.

I will shortly be yet again be sharing with the world, or whoever reads my blog, the stories of a School Marm and you to will laugh at what I have to share. But I would like to note a few things, firstly signs of my old self came back today. I thought it was possible that girl was lost forever but alas I have found her and it was fun to find small pieces of myself. Lastly, I was also thinking about how my favorite entries on my blog are when I share my poetry with the world. But I haven't written anything in awhile. That is one thing I can change for sure. Heaven knows my mind is constantly cluttered with thoughts and feelings, in fact sometimes I feel like I cannot contain everything I am feeling and so I know more than ever I need to get back to poetry.

Well, I am signing off for now with all these scattered thoughts in my head hopefully this entry made sense. Now, that I am back to my regularly scheduled life though and no longer on summer break I will be better about blogging.