November 10, 2015, Chino Valley- It rained hard, and hailed, in early afternoon.  The last time that happened, my students freaked out and I had to be very firm with them.  Today, also a day before a mid-week holiday, all I had to do was calmly remind them that there was no need to flip out, because of weather. We were all safe and warm, and they decided there was no need for excitement.  I’m very proud of the kids, and see steady progress in a number of areas, both emotional and academic.  They made birthday cards for their last teacher, who retired a month ago, and as it happened, she came by today, so she got the cards.  Nothing could have pleased her more.

I am also making headway with the close-knit adults, and was invited to their Christmas party, in mid-December.  The only impediments to my staying on, it seems, are Pearson Testing Services and the State.  The former is notoriously slow to verify  passing of its exams, and Arizona won’t act until Pearson does.  Eventually, I will get my certification, though, and being calm in the midst of chaos will again pay off.