I am in my second year and maybe I was just to optimistic
about how things would go after a year under my belt. I
feel stressed and over extended, just like I did in year
one, yet I am even more annoyed at how some things are
going. How do I go about resetting boundaries? For
example, some of the little ones try to hang on me at
recess (which I didn't allow last year so I am not sure
where this is coming from). How do I say, in a firm but
not rude way, "I don't want you hanging on my arms and
legs - go away!" Other students think that it is my job to
do their projects for them. Honestly, one of my 6th
graders today asked for me to cut something for him (which
was part of the project) and I responded, "You are the
artist! I know you can do it!" He then replied, "This is
your job, what are you getting paid for?" !!!!

And reteaching clean-up? Ugh. Middle schoolers only have
30 minute periods with me and I haven't figured out how in
the heck to get materials out and put back away without a
struggle in such a short time. They knew how to do it in
5th grade last year, and even 2 months ago in September,
but now they are SLOBS! Right now I try to have everything
out on the tables for them so they can dive right in when
we are in the middle of a project but then everything falls
apart when I try to get them to clean up!!!!!! Seriously,
there is stuff on the floor and the tables and I feel like
I spend at least 30 minutes after school cleaning their
messes so that the maintenance people don't have to deal
with the chaos! Should I just cut worktime down to 20 min
and have them clean for 10 minutes until they do it in the
time it should actually take?

And how about kids not liking to put the work into their
projects? If things are challenging, they moan and groan.
I KNOW that I am not asking them to do anything out of
their abilities. Arg! And SOOOOO many days this year,
kids see projects from another grade and ask "Why don't we
get to do that, that looks more fun than what you are
making us do." Seriously, I think I have heard that from
my third and fourth graders a million times. Of course,
after I pull teeth to get them to put in some real effort
and work, they love the result, but getting there is sure
miserable!

Right now I am just counting the days until Thanksgiving
and Christmas...which is NOT how I wanted to feel about my
job! Or my students! Help!

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