2 weeks 'til go time!

Today was our first day of newbie in-services, and it went pretty well.

However, when I walked into the cafeteria where our free breakfast was held, I couldn't help but be astounded: the place was filled with young, white, perky females. I was suddenly a forgettable face among the masses.

The in-services themselves were relatively painless and easy. We took a district tour in schoolbuses, which was fun (if not ridiculously hot in the Arizona heat!). Upon our return to the school where the in-services were held, we had a free lunch. During lunch, I looked around and was slightly surprised... People were mostly sitting with people like them! There was a table of minorities, 2 full tables of white girls, and a few mixed or girls-only tables. Weird! (I was guilty, too; I sat with two other white gals.)

Though it's nothing new, I'm feeling a bit like the odd-one-out at the moment. A lot of these girls are my age, but they're not as educated as I am, they're perkier and cuter, and they're all bubbly. I'm trying to be a professional, and for me right now, that doesn't mean bubbly ditz. Sigh.

Anyway, I don't mean to put a negative spin on things; I think this will be a really good year. My school (staff AND admin) seems really excellent so far, and I'm grateful for the resources that are available to me.

Tomorrow should be easy; we only have (another) free breakfast, then time to meet with the State about certification (I'm set), then a one-hour technology briefing, free lunch, and the rest of the day in our classrooms... no complaints here!

For now, I'm gonna watch a teacher movie to get my head "in the game." Cheers!

Oh, and as an aside... during our district bus tour, we went through some REALLY nice, new housing developments that were a block or so away from some run-down, poor neighborhoods. A crazy little divide will probably exist between our students. Also, while taking my roommate's dog for a walk this evening, I noticed the same thing over in my neck of the woods... We live in a pretty new, nice development ourselves. Yet I explored uncharted territory with the dog, and discovered that, just a vacant field over from us, there is a run-down trailer park. The separating wall between us is just too symbolic. Sigh.

Ok... I'll tackle world issues another day. For now, time for some R & R.