Tomorrow: Definite frustration and possible elation

Tomorrow, Wednesday, is the appointment with the new neurologist. That's what I am hoping will be the elation part of my day. I've picked up all my MRI films from the local hospital and found my old disk to pack up in my health binder. The paperwork is filled out and my questions, symptoms and meds sheet is all typed up and ready to go.

Prior to that appointment is another day at work. I am feeling more and more frustrated each day I walk in the door. We have less time to teach in the day, thanks to a new and "improved" schedule, and more things to teach in that time.

I have a 72 minute block for English Language Arts. Now take some time off the end of that because we need to switch for math classes. Within this 72 minutes, which is really more like 68 minutes, I am supposed to be teaching this subject for 90 minutes uninterrupted.

Okay, I am no fifth-grader on that Jeff Foxworthy show but the minutes just don't add up. You can't do 90 within 68. It doesn't work.

Now let me add in 5 inclusion students who get pulled out for part of that time and every other day I have 1 or 2 students also leaving to go somewhere else for other E.L.A. instruction. The pull-outs are supposed to be in addition to my 68 minutes but obviously, they're not. If the kid isn't in the room they can't be there for my part of the instruction.

The children who leave are supposed to receive instruction at "their" level, which can be anywhere from a 1st to a 2nd grade level. That's great but the rest of the time the textbooks and worksheets and everything else we use and read is geared to our fifth grade level.

We don't want to frustrate the children but they must be frustrated because they can't read what we're doing. That's so damn handy, I can't stand it. (Yes, that was sarcasm!)

I am frustrated because we do this every day. Someone or many someones leave the room and do something that I am not doing. They get tested on what I am doing. Does anyone else see the insanity of all this?

I'm supposed to keep on going throughout the day when, let's say, 7 or 8 students in my class cannot read the materials in front of them. I'm frustrated, they're frustrated. There must be a better and smarter way.

Apparently this is supposed to be "the better and smarter" way but I've got to tell you that someone is trying to make lemonade from acorns here and I'm not drinking this Kool-Aid!