Goodness, the Week Has Flown By

It is hard to believe that after tomorrow we will be 20% done with institute, as our CMA enthusiastically relayed to us in an evening email just now.

Institute is like a constant finals week with 2 basketball games, but without the flexible free time. Your mind at the end of school is simply shot. Today I was trying to read and explain something very simple on the bus back. Although I did not feel physically exhausted, I just couldn't seem to say what I was thinking. We literally go non-stop with about 2 hours for ourselves everyday. And when those begin to cut into sleep time, as getting up at 5:45am is mighty early, you have even less personal time. Everyone is ridiculously driven and people thrive off of it, rarely outwardly showing a negative attitude.

Last night was intense. We walked into a small discussion room with huge white sheets and markers on the table and something about depicting a challenge you have been forced to combat in your life written on the wall. Oh no, I thought, not one of these. I fear that I will not get much out of this, perhaps lesson planning would be a better use of our time?...

Two and a half hours (ending 40 minutes later than originally scheduled) and many tears later, we walked out with a strong appreciation of the safe space and honest sharing that had just occurred. I would not have predicted that I would have shared the things I did with the group. Everyone was incredibly respectful and open, thanking everyone else for making themselves vulnerable in sharing intimate details of their life. These individuals have overcome some really crazy stuff; it is truly a miracle that some people summon the strength to rise from their beds everyday.

On a less heavy note, the weekend is almost here! The plan is to try to get to a hot club and dance the night away (partially...maybe until 12:30am) and get some sweet sleep this weekend...or maybe just sleep and lesson plan, yes, this sounds better.

We cannot wait to meet our students on Monday! Many of the concepts I will be teaching seem not overly complicated. I really want to get into the classroom and find out exactly where these students find confusion and remedy the situation so they can rock the CRCT in a few weeks! (the test they have to pass in order to get to high school).

To sleeeeep....