Shaddup Already!
2005-03-02
I survived
I made it through today, but barely. I feel ten times worse than I did this morning, even though I didn't think it was possible.I will not be going in to work tomorrow, but I will be there on Friday. We have to practice going to our testing locations again. I will have a seating chart in hand and will have to direct my hellions, um, I mean my angels, to seats which will mean minimal distraction and cheating opportunities--not that my kids would do that (hah!).
I will not have to read the insidious, state mandated scripting. I will also not have to be responsible for my testing materials between days. However, the cafeteria is crowded. It will be interesting to see how it goes. They've been doing this for the three years that I've been there, but this is my first time in a group testing setting.
I saw the guidance counselor who sent me home sick during my first year of FCAT. She is in charge of coordinating the whole thing. Let me tell you, I don't envy her that job. I mean we have 2000+ students. Not to mention that the 8th grade testing schedule is different from the 6th and 7th. Then there are all the special testing situations that need to be provided. Oy.
Anyway, she came up to chat with me. She heard me croak out a sentence and she said, "You're sick again! What is this, FCAT flu?"
I laughed (in a croaky, froggy kind of way) and reminded her that I wasn't sick last year.
Fortunately for me she approved of my plan to take Monday and Tuesday off, be there for Wednesday's practice run and meeting, take Thursday off and be back on Friday. She seemed to understand where I was coming from, which is good. At least I have her on my side.
On another note, when I decided to call in sick on Tuesday, I emailed all my team members and the teacher who neighbors my portable with plans to print out for the sub. Then I called the team leader and the neighbor (the two people who have their own classrooms, thus they have their own phones). I asked them to get my plans to my sub.
I got there today and it appeared as though I had no sub yesterday :o( There were no notes and half of my classes had no attendance taken. And I could not find my handouts (that were supposed to be done) anywhere. Well, actually, they were where I had left them, untouched.
So I asked the two people I phoned if they got my plans to the sub. The neighbor said she took the plans to the sub coordinator (the person who gives schedules to subs as they come in), who promised my sub would get the plans.
My first period class said the sub didn't have any plans, so they read all period. However, everyone who saw my sub in action, was really impressed with his control of the kids. Whatever. Hopefully my sub tomorrow will actually get the plans I left out on the student desk that is front and center.
It matters not, though, for I shall be asleep and drugged up on Benadryl. Which, by the way, is the only cold-type medicine I can take with my other medications.
Oh yeah, there was a moment of empathy from Thing 1. We were talking about being sick because we have all had this crud. I forgot that she had been sick, but Friend reminded me of it. Then I remembered that Thing 1 didn't miss any days from being sick. I braced myself for criticism, but I got this instead:
"Yeah, I had that, it was awful. I can take medication though, and believe me I took a lot."
She knows I can't take a lot of medications, although she doesn't know why. So it was a nice moment of acknowledgement of how badly I must be feeling.
