back to the grind

so, i'm back at work. and i have to say that i can't complain. i don't have any pain, i'm not any more tired than i normally am, people say i look healthy... but boy do i wish i was independently wealthy so i wouldn't have to be there every day! there's no other job i'd want to do, but i work 10 hour days every day, and only get paid for 8. plus, i'm never "done". there's always more work to do, more lessons to prepare, more papers to grade, more assessments to do.

i will be getting a new student very soon, and i was fortunate enough to meet him today. we typically don't meet a child until they show up at our door on their first day. so this was nice. he is a very special child, and i really am looking forward to working with him this semester. he and his family (which includes 4 siblings and his parents) came to our country from a refugee camp in thailand in december. they speak no english at all. he came to school today in shoes that were about 3 sizes too big for him, and no socks. he also didn't have a hat or mittens. he came to school to meet us with his father and his sponsor who did all of the interpreting for us. when the family went to enroll in mps, they immediately started an iep referral for cha tu. he has some physical deformities, as well as a heart condition, and communication delays. needless to say, this is going to be very difficult for him. but when he was at school today, surrounded by what i can only imagine has become a bunch of white noise, he smiled. a lot. he didn't look afraid, he shook my hand, and he seemed happy. he wanted to see his classroom, and when i took him up, and all of the children said "hi", he smiled and said "hi" back. melted my heart. it's going to be an interesting semester :)