Tuesday, February 1
My student doesn't come to school because the roads are icy and the driver doesn't want to brave the 1-hour drive each way. Work day. Score! It was a two-hour delay day due to the roads anyway. (Snow plows aren't very effective at removing snow here...the roads are still snowpacked. And they still haven't discovered the beauty of sanding/salting the roads.)
Wednesday, February 2
Snow day. No school. Score! I immediately had the epiphany that I'm even more grateful for snow days as an adult teacher than when I was a kid, on the other end. So, so grateful. It's interesting how oblivious I was to how much my teachers appreciated days off. Also grateful for Lindsay Berman's homemade pizza.
Thursday, February 3
No school for the second day in a row. Score! It's technically a "Cold Day." This is a new concept for me. It only got to about -15 degrees over night. At home in North Dakota, it's -25 degrees and they would never consider cancelling school because of it. I guess the buses up there are heated...and none of the farm kids in ND have to walk a mile or more to get to the bus stop. And the kids have warm coats. And warm hats. And warm gloves...
In other news, I am starting to love my job. I've also been completely moved into my new teacherage house with my new roommate, Hannah Kozick, for about two weeks now. It's so cozy. And Lola loves the company of Hannah's rez dog, Callway.
I'm settling in. I enjoy getting up and walking to school in the morning. My student asks questions in class. He brings in lists of words and asks what they mean and asks for the corresponding signs. He's excited when I read (sign) to him. He doesn't act out at the mention of someone coming to see him or to observe me. He is starting to say (sign) please and thank-you. He's excited about academic challenge rather than shut-down by it. He's learning.
The staff that I work with at Thoreau High School are so much more supportive and fun to be with. They share passions, outdoor enthusiasm, and belief in our students. They see me as an asset to the team rather than as a nuisance or as the clueless new kid on the block.
I'm no longer drowning.
I'm no longer desperately trying to survive.
I'm beginning to thrive beyond the daily circumstances.
