My "job"

I will still be working at Vernon Elementary School this term but because of my new school schedule I also have a new schedule at work. I'm now working all day (8:45am-3pm) on Monday and Wednesday. I will also be working from 8:45am to 11 or 11:30 on Fridays. This is a few more hours than I was working before, so hopefully I can earn a little more money for rent that I did last month. There were so many days off in November and especially December that I really made very little. I do have some wiggle room and can take off earlier in Mon. and Wed. if I need to without messing up anyone else's schedule.

I will admit that I was getting a little bit frustrated with what I was doing last term. Working with 5th graders can be taxing. That's just about the time kids start thinking that they know everything and don't want to do stuff that's not "fun". I'm still working with the same class, but only for the first hour hour. Then I go help with a third grade class. This is fun. I really like kids this age. For the most part, they haven't turned into little snots yet and thoroughly enjoy me helping them. Once again I am generally working with the kids who need the most help, but that's fine with me.

The only thing I don't like about this schedule (for now anyways) is that I have to take a one hour lunch from 11:30 to 12:30. I haven't taken an hour lunch at work in a very very long time. It seems like a waste of my time, especially since I rarely eat anything at that time of the day. I'd much rather just work through and go home an hour earlier, but that's not a choice that I have at this time. I guess it could be worse.

After lunch I spend the rest of the school day helping my supervisor, Mr. Rogers (yes that's actually his name) in the computer lab. Each afternoon three different classes spend 45-60 minutes in the lab. We are currently helping the students learn how to type. Except the really little ones. They just get to mess around on various kids learning web sites. I was amazed that they are teaching kids this young to type, but I suppose it makes sense to start them early and most of the kids seem to enjoy it.

I was thinking about changing jobs to something more suited to my career aspirations and temperament, but I decided to stick this out until the end of the school year if I can. I feel really good about what I am doing and its definitely good for me to do something outside my comfort zone.