A day in the life. . .

So I did a phone interview with KIPP in Lynn, Massachusetts today. The first question I asked him was, "What was a typical day in the life of a KIPP teacher?" And I realized I've never written my typical day. . . although today was anything but typical, it's definitely worth writing.

6:00am Nick calls
6:15 am I hit snooze, again
6:30 am I decide I really have to get up and shower.
6:45 am Work on the magnet project that is due today at 3pm
7:25 am Walk Perla through the park
7:40am Rush outside to catch the M100 or Bx7 bus
8:25am Jam out to the iPod while walking to the school
8:30am Meet the kids, get them settled for the practice math test
8:55am Realize Tiffany is crying for some reason. Drama at home. Talk to her
9:05am Start the practice test
9:15am Work on the magnet grant while the kids test quietly (and they are really dead silent!)
10:05am Stop the test, and go meet Piloco
10:30am teach 704 key vocabulary for the unit
11:09am Send them to Literacy, grade papers. Tiffany and Felix stay with me
11:45am Go get a sandwich from the bodega, call my sweetheart, eat and chat with Fews
12:34pm Pick up 704 from lunch–Teach them about the Monroe Doctrine
Discussed whether the US should involve themselves in others affairs
1:20pm Send them to another class, while I work on the magnet project again
Corey, Julio, Felix, Tiffany and Vianelly beg to stay. Felix got kicked out of class. Julio walked out. Corey & Vianelly cut class, but I was too busy to deal with that nonsense today. This presentation is due and of course, mine will be used as the model since Piloco favors social studies.
2:09pm "Teach" 703. The classwork group had a quiz to accomplish. The project people have 3 more days to complete their projects. Kiki kept order while I worked on the magnet project (again!) Amazingly 703 was beautiful. I didn't even need to talk to Lawrence or Trent once. I couldn't believe it. Miracles can happen 🙂
3:00pm 704 is dismissed and we walk downstairs
3:05pm Magnet meeting–finally we get the project set up and all parties to suspend curriculum to hopefully get something meaningful out of this project. Who knows, maybe this could really help the kids find themselves and create a plan for their future.
5:00pm Finally leave the magnet meeting
6:00pm Get home, walk Perla, talk to my sweetie, Jess & Bella on the phone
7:00pm Huge phone interview with KIPP. Do I really want to work 7:30am to 5pm everyday??? Today was a long day. I'm drained. Do I really want to push myself that much? I'm not so sure right now. Four years ago, I would have been the first in line. But that was when I only worked, and did little else. Now I want to laugh. I want to see my sweetheart. I want to have a family. I want to pursue hobbies. I want to have time to go to the temple. As Donald Trump said on the Apprentice just now, "You have to love what you do. You can never, ever quit. You must have the physical and mental stamina to do what you do." Do I really have the physical and mental stamina for KIPP?
8:10pm Call my sweetie, destress and turn the brain off. It hurts!
9:00pm The Apprentice. . . what else is there on a Thursday night!?
I'd bet I'll be in bed by 10:30pm. I'm so tired tonight, and tomorrow will be a killer. . . Friday's always are. The kids get crazy and we all just want a break.