The times that try a teacher's soul.

Oh did I have a Friday that nearly broke my will to teach. I tell you what, it is days like that that make me seriously question my stamina as a teacher. Now that all my students are getting more comfortable with me, they have come to a collective agreement to test my will and my patience. I have been told that I am way too patient with them, perhaps this is so. However, Friday it did not feel like that at all. I think I spent the whole day screaming in my head. I sent 2 kids to detention, referred one to the principal and had to make 4 phone calls home. I couldn't believe it. It makes me feel ever so slightly better to know a friend of mine had a day when she sent 8 kids to detention, but not a whole lot. Now, I am just plain burned out. I still have over 9 weeks of this and I am ready to collapse. Now I am being told that I need to step up my involvement in the school community. Which translates to participate in extracurricular activities. I am not sure where I am going to squeeze that in. I can barely keep up with the schedule now. Plus, I have no idea who to even talk to to get involved and my mentor teacher doesn't know either. Lovely, yes?