'Tis the Season

Hey, 
When the Christmas Trees  and all manner of decorations appear in stores I tend to morph into a bit of a Scrooge.  This may be due to the fact that decorations are appearing in October, long before Halloween (which sadly is a tradition beginning to migrate to Australia) OR The Melbourne Cup.  Let me enjoy the  fascinators!  

Anyway, the other reason is that the impending doom of student assessment and report cards begins to loom.  You see, for the US teachers, the Christmas season means coats and lost mittens and the possibility of a Snow Day (for some of you), mid-term assessments, a few public holidays in the mix and you are finally getting into a routine with your kids.  In Australia, Christmas means 42 degree (celsius) weather, broken air conditioners, lost sun hats, flip-flop shoes, end of year assessments, kids leaving early and missing said assessments, late night marking, all consuming curriculum planning,the routine is down the dunny  and you're just hoping to wrap up the year with a majority pass rate in your class while re-applying for your job for the next year and trying to frantically pack up your classroom.  

I am not supposed to wear flip-flop shoes due to my fabulous feet that are not so fabulous when it comes to balance and (you know) holding me up.  So, I'm hot.  The kids are driving me nuts. The heat wave that has hit Brissy has caused all the parents (who, don't buy a school jumper for their kids when it is cold) are pulling their kids out of school because "it's too hot".  Don't get me started.  

Anyway, that is just the beginning of why I haven't been visiting the blogosphere of late.  Unfortunately, it means that when I popped in this afternoon (for a "quick" break between class marking) I found about six book review blog posts that I'm dying to read, app reviews from teachers and a story or two from the classroom that I think my soul needs to read today.  What a distraction?  

How on earth did we procrastinate before the internet?  I suppose it was that lovely thing called television.  What about before that?  Maybe procrastinate is one of those words that was invented as a result of technology.  

This visit is rather a whirlwind.  I will be back after my reports are done... we will add that to the list of things that I will do when my reports are done! 

I hope everyone else is coping with the Christmas Season better than I am.