This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  What are some of your disastrous running costumes or race outfits?  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

I’m deviating from this week’s topic to write about a day in the life of a teacher during remote learning.  I will make it as exciting as possible!  😀

As you know, school is very different right now.  In the beginning of the school year I worked from home.  Then in January I taught in an empty classroom.  Since March I’ve had 3 kids on various days in my classroom while still teaching online to the rest.  It is a BIG mess and I do not like it.  I know it needs to get done so I make the best of it.

Here is a typical day for me (I chose Tuesday):

5:30-7:30 AM
I get up and make coffee.  Then I check my email.  I also read blog posts and comments.  Since it is Tuesday I make sure my post is up.  Then I go out for my run.  For the past couple of weeks, Tuesday has been a speed workout day and I run between 3-5 miles.  Today it was 6 miles.  

After my run I shower and get ready for work.  I get my coffee and breakfast ready and head out the door.

7:30-8:30 AM
I arrive at school between 8-8:30am.  I live 6 miles from my school and there is minimal traffic in the morning which makes it for an easy commute.

During this time I eat breakfast, drink coffee, check work email, and go to the bathroom.  Then at 8:30am I go downstairs to get my students.  I have 2 that come in on Tuesday and Wednesday and 1 student on Thursday and Friday.  

8:30-8:50 AM
My students log in their computer and work on Imagine Math or Imagine Español.  I finish up any last minute things that I need to do.

8:50-9:15 AM
I log in and then my students log in.  I take attendance.  We talk about what they did the day before.  We go over the number of days we’ve been in school.  This is all done via Google Slides.  Last week I added two slides to include the last day of school and the number of days left of school.  If time permits we also do “Would You Rather”.  I check if anyone else has logged in and submit my attendance.  I remind them to finish their breakfast and to take a bathroom break. 

9:15-12:05 PM
The first subject is Reading.  Currently we are reading John Chapman in Spanish.  The book is originally in English but it is a difficult book for them to read and understand.  Last year my coworker translated it and it is still difficult for most of them in Spanish.  🤦🏻‍♀️

Then we have Writing.  We are working on revise and edit sentences/paragraphs.  My students struggle with writing.  Many do not write complete sentences.  Many don’t start sentences with capital letters nor add punctuation at the end.  It is very frustrating!  The worst part is that they’ve been using their Chromebook for the past year and have not done any writing with pencil and paper.

Then we move on to Social Studies/Science.  The last unit I taught was on “How can one people make a difference?”  We talked about Garrett Morgan, Jane Addams, Luis Valdez, and Susan La Flesche Picotte.  Even I learned about Susan!

The last subject I teach is Math.  It is my favorite!  We have an hour for it.  I teach the lesson and then they work on their assignment.  Last week we finished the unit on even/odd and arrays.  Next week I will start the unit on fractions.

School with me ends at 12:05 pm.  I tell my students to have a good lunch and afternoon and that I will see them the next day.

12:05-12:25 PM
We finish up.  My two students use the bathroom one last time before going home (I do too).  At 12:15 we go downstairs so they can go home.  I stick around for door/playground duty until 12:25 pm.  Then I go inside for lunch.

12:25-1:00 PM
Lunch time!

1:00-1:40 PM
Meeting time with my coworkers.  Each week we alternate between Reading and Math.  We talk about assessments, assignments, students, etc, etc.  Sometimes we just vent on all of the BS that we have to do.  

1:40-3:00 PM
I plan for the next day.  I also review assignments.  I talk to my coworkers.  Sometimes I just put my head down and take a break.

After work I may stop at the store or go straight home.  On a good day I am home by 3:30 pm but sometimes there is more traffic than usual and I am home at 4pm.  Then I take a quick nap or rest for a bit before taking a Peloton bike class.  

Afterwards I shower and eat dinner while reading blog posts.  Sometimes I skip the blog posts and watch TV.  That is why sometimes I am very late is reading and responding to comments.  😬  By 9pm I am tired.  I give my cats a snack and go to bed.

How did I do?  Is my day exciting?  I realize the schedule is not ideal for students because I don’t spend enough time teaching the various subjects.  There have been many complaints about it.  However, I have NO complaints about it.  

This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  What do you do the night before a race or a long run?  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

It was a busy weekend for me.  I am late in reading and commenting posts from Friday and Sunday, but I promise I will catch up this week.  😬

I’ve been over a year since my last race.  I am hoping either in the Summer or Fall I can do a race.  So far I’ve been having some great workouts and I hope that translates to another PR.

It’s been a while since I’ve had a night before a race.  Let’s see if I remember what I would do on those nights.  

➡️ Have a good dinner.  I could eat pretty much anything and be OK the next morning.  Yes, to spicy food, but not too much of it anyway.  Sometimes I have a beer too.  

➡️ Get my gear ready.  I don’t want to forget anything in the morning so I make sure to have everything that I will need for my race laid out on the sofa or next to me on the extra bed.  Items include sports bra, shorts/tights, top(s), socks, body glide, watch, gels, watch, credit card, room key, and ID.  

➡️ Set up the coffee maker.  I need to have coffee in the morning.  Sometimes the hotel doesn’t have coffee in the lobby or there is no coffee shop nearby so room coffee it is.  I know it isn’t the best but it is better than nothing.  The best has been where there was a Keurig in the room.  I remember during some of the RunDisney races, there was NO coffee maker in the room and the dining room wasn’t open.  I know, terrible.  I was able to get some later on before lining up for the race.

➡️ Set my alarm.  I remember having to use the room clock for my alarm.  Does anyone remember also having to call the front desk for a wake up call?  Now thanks to my iPhone I set the alarm there and go to sleep.

➡️ Use the bathroom again.  And then maybe again.  Being nervous always make me go to the bathroom multiple times.  

As for a long run, it is pretty much the same.  What I don’t do is set my alarm.  My cats wake me up.  

What about you?  What do you do the night before a race or a long run?

This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  Do you listen to podcasts while running?  List some of your favorite ones.  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

I have mentioned before that I am not a fan of podcasts.  I prefer to listen to music while running.  Give me some Spanish songs and 80s and 90s fun music and I am happy.  I tried listening to the audiobook “A Promised Land” and just could not get into it while running.  I even tried listening to it while driving but got distracted.  Yeah, not good while driving.  😬

One day Darlene told me about a podcast with Matty Maggiacomo.  He is one of my favorite Peloton instructors.  You bet I listened to it on my way to work.  I enjoyed it a lot and it was not distracting at all.  I found myself laughing and wishing that one day I could meet him.

I am still not listening to podcasts while running, but instead listen to them in the evening and sometimes in the car.  Here is what is on my list.

🎧 The Michelle Obama Podcast – What is not to like about her?  I have read her book and watched her documentary on Netflix.  She is the type of person I would love to sit down and talk while enjoying a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

🎧 Contrapoder, con Jorge Ramos – He is a well known and respected Mexican journalist.  My mom and I watch his show (Al Punto con Jorge Ramos) every Sunday morning.  Each episode covers the latest news and many controversial topics.  There is something about his voice.  I like it.  I also like that they’re in Spanish so my mother can listen to it.

Do you listen to podcasts?  What else should I add to my list?