Teaching: the GOOD vs. the BAD

The GOOD:

• My class is really great. And I mean really great. I'm not teaching the IB, gifted, or even academic level kids, but the ones that I'm teaching are interesting, they keep me awake, and they have me laughing with their stories everyday.
  
• The supply-teaching is really fun. I haven't had any problems like I thought I would and on Friday I actually had a student come up to me in the hall and ask me if I could come supply their class again because I was 'nice' (of course I really didn't remember who she was but it made me feel good). On the same note, a student offered me a free cookie (remember those yummy big cookies the Business class sells?) because she said I was 'fun' when I supplied her class. I did have to decline the cookie because I was fasting but again, another comment that made me think okay 'liya you're doing the right thing. I feel like I know almost the whole school now because of all the supply work I've done.
  
• When I was teaching my class a student from the yearbook class came and asked if she could take my picture for the fashion page because she liked my shirt! Aww! Again another make 'liya smile comment :D
  
• My first paycheque put a happy smile on my face that hasn't left yet. Although it's going to get higher soon, I'm still excited over the fact that now I'm being paid real money.
  
• I love being able to drive again. My dad's car now belongs to me once again and it's like old friends being reunited. I don't know how I managed the last three years without my car. I hope I never have to give up the car again. EVER.
• I like the respect I get as a teacher. As a student teacher I didn't have students hanging on to my every word. The change is cool :D
  
• I come home and I'm not burnt out. I'm actually energized and ready to go. Only where? I do all my planning during my prep period and I have most of my units already planned in much detail with the fabulous Curriculum Planner program. I seriously want to marry that planner. I love how it organizes everything into neat little boxes for you. I suppose I could always marry like a human being or something. But he's busy.

The BAD:

• Waking up at 6:45a.m everyday after years 4 years of waking up for late university courses is a hard adjustment. And I'm not even including the waking up at 5:30a.m. for fasting. The problem is, I'm always a little "late." Not as in late for class, but late as in I feel very rushed in the mornings because I give myself no time to set up anything in class. I basically do all the setting up during D.E.A.R which I've estblished as a routine for them - which does work out kinda nicely..
  
• I burned my hand on an iron (not at home, at school!) I now have a nasty looking burn mark. This totally ruins the appearence of my hand and everytime I look at it I feel intensely sick. I absolutely hate scars. I wish I wasn't so clumsy. Who walks into a burning hot iron (on an ironing board) except me?
  
• I got pen on one of my favourite sweaters. I have a stupid habit of walking everywhere with a pen in my hand which I sometimes forget to close. Now I have to get it dry-cleaned. You'd think I would have learned from the permanent marker incident in the summer (those capris will never be the same) but with older kids you use pen and apparently at some point I used it on myself. Not myself, my very expensive Bebe sweater that V bought me for my last birthday.
  
• I've only had to send two students down to the office so far. One from my class, and one from a class I was supplying for. I did feel very guilty for doing so, but they had it coming. I can't be nice all the time!

Conclusion: The GOOD seems to outweigh the BAD so I suppose I'll stick with teaching... I knew I made the right decision :D Any advice from my readers for a teacher who has now officially been teaching for only a little more than a month? I guess I better not get ahead of myself. My head is feeling kinda big :S