in all seriousness, i'm a little stressed out.

earlier this summer i bragged about how good i am about getting things accomplished during my time off. if i were giving myself a score on a scale of 1-10 on productivity THIS summer, i think a 2.5 would be acceptable. technically, all i really need to do i can cram into four days next week and be ready to face reality on august 15th. or. i thought i could.

then i had the following conversation with my principal via telephone this afternoon.

principal: hey sarah. we need to cut an english class this year during 7th period.

me: okay.

principal: so i'm thinking of giving you an exploratory elective with the rotating 7th grade class.

me: okay.

principal: and i know you would love to teach creative writing, but ************* did it last year, so we are going to keep her teaching that.

me: okay.

principal: so. you can create your own class. whatever you want. i know you had wanted to do some community service stuff last year, so maybe a class involving that? but you don't have to.

me: okay.

principal: so let's meet sometime before school starts to see what ideas you've got.

me: okay.  (don't you think she is glad she has me teaching language arts?  my vocabulary alone is extraordinary!)

-click-

yall. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. seriously. i've been thinking since 1:30 (with the exception of my viewing of SYTYCD) and have now worked myself into a panic. here's the deal. the class is only 6 weeks long. that is NOT a lot of time to accomplish much. PLUS, there is quite a bit of pressure in the idea that i can do whatever i want because what if whatever i want doesn't work? that's public failure and i'm not so good at that. (remind me to tell you about the time i melted down at all-state tryouts my junior year.)

here are a few ideas so far . . . my sister came up with a few. which of these do you like or think would work?  any other suggestions? leave 'em in the comment section.  (sorry this is kind of like my brainstorming!)

• community service: this is DAUNTING because i don't really know how it would work with a) students who didn't necessarily volunteer for the class and b) 6 weeks does not sound like a lot of time to get much organized and accomplished.  could be cool because i would let the kids create the curriculum, which is something i have ALWAYS wanted to do.
  
• leadership: i don't really know what this would involve, other than all of the cool team-building games we played at church camp and stu-co things.
  
• humanities (music appreciation, art appreciation, performing art appreciation, etc.): resources would be a challenge here as would limited access to field trips.  but, this is something really lacking at my school and something important to me AND i could so do something on american music . . . 
  
• media awareness: this might be stepping on the toes of another class, so i'd have to see.
  
• careers: ditto the above.
• current events: this would be fun for ME because it would be different every single six weeks and God knows i can't do repetition.
• another creative writing class: because i am selfish.

AUGH.  so see.  the consequences of a 2.5 productivity rating are manifesting now . . . how am i going to get all of my other stuff done as well as plan a curriculum next week???

p.s.  SYTYCD???  ANYONE?  funky town is represented tonight!  :)