Zenaida Arroyo

This week was my first week of Summer School and it left me exhausted.  I have 13 students on my roster but 11 have shown up.  I like having them in the room.  I like being able to talk to them in person.  I like that I can give them assignments online and on paper.  I can see their actual work.  I was doing OK in the beginning and then I was very tired.  The heat could have been a factor too.  I was so tired that I didn’t do my usual workouts on Thursday or Friday but went out for a run/walk for one mile.  I am so close to 300 days and will not stop now.

I was up and ready to go Monday morning despite being up late the night before prepping for this week.  It was cooler in the morning which made the run more bearable.  I did enjoy it!  I came home and both cats were sleeping after being up all night.  ¡Caramba!

Tuesday and Wednesday’s weather was decent too in the morning.  It did warm up later in the day.  But by Thursday and Friday I just wanted to stay in bed.  Ha, I didn’t.  It rained hard on Friday morning and there was a lot of wind and lightning.  

Saturday morning I woke up early and didn’t feel as tired.  I had 7 miles on my plan.  I thought 5 would be good enough.  I made it to 6 before heading home.  I saw two black bunnies which surprised me because I hadn’t seen any that color.

This is the school I am teaching this Summer.  It is new and I want to work here from now on.  Everything is new and clean.  Even the bathrooms are very clean!

One of the things I struggle with being an educator is speaking out.  I can voice my thoughts and opinions to my coworkers.  However, I “have” to be careful when I do that with an administrator.  Last year I received a call from my Principal after I responded to an email sent by the the top tech guy.  I guess I was not nice enough and either he called or emailed the Principal.  She told me that she knew I was going through some rough times and to pretty much stay off email.  I was very upset!  I think I cried too.  I wasn’t upset at her but more that it got to that point.  So I am not supposed to email the the top guys?

I do worry about repercussions.  Teachers have been demoted and moved simply because they do not agree with administrators.  A few of my coworkers have told me not to be afraid to speak out.  I guess that happens in every workplace?  🤷🏻‍♀️ As I mentioned before, the days prior to Summer School were very confusing.  There was very little communication from the administrator.  Things are definitely better.  However, on Friday I found out that I will not get paid for the hours I spent last week prior to the first day of school.  We didn’t get any time to get ready nor to plan.  We couldn’t even go into the classroom to set up.  Teachers from other schools did get that option.  We were basically expected to show up Monday morning and be ready.  I don’t work like that.

Before school ended my coworker helped me draft a letter to the person in charge of Summer School.  In it she wrote about how disorganized the process has been and the lack of communication.  I did not send it.  I was irritated on Friday and told myself that once I calmed down I was going to update the letter and send it to her and other people.  I haven’t yet but I will.  It isn’t so much about the money but the principle.  The District always expects us to do extra work outside our work hours (many of us already do that anyway) with no compensation.  They do not realize that they give us more work than necessary but no time to get it done.

The same thing happens prior to the start of the school year.  Many teachers spend hours and days setting up the classroom prior to the first day of school.  This year our first day of school is August 23rd.  I am tempted to show up that Monday morning with nothing set up nor planned.  But I know if I do that then I will regret it because then I will spend hours and days later on to prepare.  I like to be ready.  I do not well when I am not.

What a week!  Lots of emotions but moving along.  Let’s see how it goes next week.

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.

Another great week of running!  The weather sure made it tough but I got it done.  The best thing that happened this week was the end of the school year.  I was so done with the school year that I didn’t even attend the end of school year parade.  I just wanted to go home.

It’s been sunny and warm in the morning and I have to get out earlier.  I get up around 4 to use the bathroom and feed my cats.  I go back to sleep and wake up at 6am.  By the time I get dressed, drink my coffee, and use the bathroom, it is almost 7am.  That is the the time I need to be done with my run.

Saturday’s run went much better than the week before.  This time I wore a hat and carried two small water bottles.  My Oiselle pocket jogger shorts are perfect to store/hold the bottles!

Today’s workout felt hard.  I ran 4 miles and then 4-45 second surges with one minute recovery, and then a cool down till I reached 5 miles.  The 4 miles were slower than usual.  I did manage negative splits on my intervals which surprised me.  I did the same workout on Monday and even though I ran 5.02 miles, I finished 6 minutes faster.

I start Summer School tomorrow and I am already frustrated with it.  As of now I have 13 students.  Communication has not been very good between Administration and staff.  I had a meeting with the Principal on Wednesday and another one with the English Learners Department on Thursday.  I left those two meetings frustrated and not wanting to work anymore this Summer.  We did not get time to plan/set up classroom but yet we’re expected to be ready tomorrow morning.  I am planning to spend a few hours this evening planning for this week.  And yes I have asked about being compensated.

In non-running nor school related news, a mama pigeon has been living in the balcony.  She has been there for two weeks.  We know there are 2 eggs.  One more week and the eggs will hatch.

Today marks 6 years that I brought Lola home.  She was so little!  She follows me everywhere.  I know she misses me when I leave the house.

Linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down.