Hello from school.

Hi Everyone!
Daddy, won't you please write a book? Maybe a memoir of this summer! I would buy it. Although I'm sure that people would think that you were writing fiction, because some of this stuff just seems too made up. Your editor would probably say something like, "Pete, I'm just not sure that it's believable that 40,000 would gather to listen to bad music in heat like that. No one will buy such fantasy!"

I'm 4 days into my Professional Development (PD) at Cornerstone Prep. It has not been as scary as I thought it would be, it's actually been pretty great. It's a nice feeling to wake up in the morning and look forward to going to work. Of course, I'd love to be sleeping in a few extra hours and having a leisurely time exploring Memphis (like my roommate Shannon is doing), but if I have to be going to work I'm glad that it's here. Shannon has actually been really, really helpful as far as getting the apartment all set up, our electric and water turned on, our accent wall painted, etc because I haven't been around to help with any of it.

I'm very proud because I can now get to and from work without using a GPS. I also have 3 radio stations programmed into my car, and I've grocery shopped at Kroger and I now have a bank account with First Tennessee and I've shared a hee-hee and a ha-ha with my boss (who is significantly less intimidating while wearing cargo-shorts). So all in all I'm nearly a Memphian.

PD consists of a LOT of meetings, practice teaching, and community outreach, as well as setting up classrooms.
The most frustrating part is that the pre-K team is 4 teachers (2 classrooms) and they want our classrooms to be exactly the same, so the 4 of us have to decide everything together. Of course, what I think is the perfect behavior chart, Josh disagrees with, and what Dana thinks is the right way to line up, Sarah disagrees with, and it turns into hours of passive-aggressive, people trying not to hurt each other's feelings, discussions that sound like, "I'm just going to push-back against what you said because I really feel that while your idea is great, it doesn't take into consideration the fact that some students will be at science center while the others are at writing center, and it sounds to me like you're saying that all students should enter from the left side of the classroom, but I was getting the sense that the writing center and the science center are on opposite sides of the room, so I just want to pause and reflect about how we're going to make a positive change. In my opinion." And I'm just sitting there thinking "let it go, Cailin, let it go," because I'm ready to burst. There is so much talking going on alllll the time and we're just not efficient with our words. Do not explain to me again the purpose of small group work. I understand small group work. I have been doing small group work for the past 5 weeks with actual students and all I wanted to know is if small group work will happen before or after lunch. I do not care at this moment what the academic benefits of working in small groups is. GAHHHHHHHHAHHAHAHHFDAKDLJALKDFJALKDJFALKDJFALKSDJFA ODOFAO!!!

But I really like my co-teacher, he just sits there quietly and then sends out an email with his thoughts on all of it because he can't deal with people talking over each other. We will work pretty well together. Except it always takes him about an hour to work up the courage to disagree with me. I'll say something like "I kind of like the idea of having 4 kids working in the math center at a time." and an hour later he'll be like, "Cailin, I kind of think there should only be 3 kids there at a time." And I have to assure him that that's fine, it doesn't break my heart to take one kid out of the math center.

So it's just a lot, a lot of planning because, especially at this age, every single step has to be planned out. How are they going to line up to go to the bathroom? How will you get their attention when they are working in groups? What will the students that finish their work early do? What will the signal be to ask for a tissue?

My brain always feels pretty fried by the time I get home. Usually when I'm home I go work-out at the gym across the street then make dinner (Daddy, I'm cooking!!) and then iron my clothes and go to bed. What a thrill! Most of my friends are gone for the week because they don't start until next Monday or later, so I've had a lot of time alone. Maybe when they all get back I'll start doing more exciting things, although I'm so tired that by 9 I am ready to turn in for the night.

I'm still hoping you all will show up on my doorstep sometime soon!

love you so much!