a copy of Catching Fire,
five superb headbands,
these Lucky Loop Flats,
size 9, how nice :)
students who want to learn,
these awesome skirts,
Saturday, March 6, 2010
On the 6th day...
...of birthdays, someone awesome should give to me
a copy of Catching Fire,
five superb headbands,
these Lucky Loop Flats,
and a trip to Washington, D.C.
a copy of Catching Fire,
five superb headbands,
these Lucky Loop Flats,
Baking Heavenly Goodness
I'm having a Girl's Night at my house tonight so I thought I'd make something delicious. I had seen Jessica's post about Monkey Bread awhile ago and thought, "That sounds fantastic. I should make that one day." Today, I thought, "Today is the day."
Instead of making dough like she did, I thawed some Rhode's dough. It made my life so much easier and I could continue doing laundry instead of kneading dough...win win in my mind. Needless to say, I didn't actually do much, I just rolled pre-made dough in butter, cinnamon and sugar and threw them in the oven. Let's just keep that between you and me, though. I'm telling everyone else that I spent hours making dough. I also didn't make the glaze because I didn't have powdered sugar and I didn't want to go to the store but let's say I skipped that step to make it healthier.
Early on, my house began to smell like what I'm sure heaven smells like...really. It's amazing in here. You're welcome to come over right now so you can partake of the heavenly goodness.
Then, after what seemed like forever but was really only 15 minutes, I took the lovelies out of the oven. Aren't they fabulous? And yes, those are the pot holders I won here. (Thanks, Angela! Love them!)
Instead of making dough like she did, I thawed some Rhode's dough. It made my life so much easier and I could continue doing laundry instead of kneading dough...win win in my mind. Needless to say, I didn't actually do much, I just rolled pre-made dough in butter, cinnamon and sugar and threw them in the oven. Let's just keep that between you and me, though. I'm telling everyone else that I spent hours making dough. I also didn't make the glaze because I didn't have powdered sugar and I didn't want to go to the store but let's say I skipped that step to make it healthier.
Early on, my house began to smell like what I'm sure heaven smells like...really. It's amazing in here. You're welcome to come over right now so you can partake of the heavenly goodness.
Then, after what seemed like forever but was really only 15 minutes, I took the lovelies out of the oven. Aren't they fabulous? And yes, those are the pot holders I won here. (Thanks, Angela! Love them!)
I couldn't wait until my friends came to taste them, so I ate one. I had to make sure they were okay, what if they tasted like junk? I can't serve junk tasting bread to friends. Luckily, they didn't taste like junk. They were magical. Probably what heaven tastes like.
Good thing I have a little self control because if I didn't the whole pan would be gone. This recipe is so easy, especially if you don't make the dough. Go make some now and tell me how amazing your house smells.
Friday, March 5, 2010
On the 5th Day...
...of birthdays, someone awesome should give to me
five superb headbands,
these Lucky Loop Flats,
and a trip to Washington, D.C.
five superb headbands,
these Lucky Loop Flats,
size 9, how nice :)
students who want to learn,
these awesome skirts,
Dinner Party
We had our "dinner party" today and in case you were wondering who I chose to be, drum roll please...
That's right...Conan O'Brien. I even did the string dance for my students.
We had so much fun! Yesterday I made the kids dress up as their character and talk to each other in character. It was so fun to see some of their costumes. Some of them went all out. I had a fantastic Albert Einstein and Alice Roosevelt Longworth. I'd post the pictures but I want to keep my students safe from all the internet pervs out there.
That's right...Conan O'Brien. I even did the string dance for my students.
We had so much fun! Yesterday I made the kids dress up as their character and talk to each other in character. It was so fun to see some of their costumes. Some of them went all out. I had a fantastic Albert Einstein and Alice Roosevelt Longworth. I'd post the pictures but I want to keep my students safe from all the internet pervs out there.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
One More Day!
6 more hours of teaching then I won't see my little turds for a month...except for when I go grocery shopping. I always see my students at the grocery store.
Maybe I should have thought about the proximity of my condo to my school (and my students) when I bought.
Maybe I should have thought about the proximity of my condo to my school (and my students) when I bought.
On the 4th Day...
...of birthdays, someone awesome should give to me
size 9, how nice :)
students who want to learn,
these awesome skirts,
and a trip to Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
On the 3rd Day...
...of birthdays, someone awesome should give to me
students who want to learn,
these awesome skirts,
and a trip to Washington, D.C.
students who want to learn,
these awesome skirts,
and a trip to Washington, D.C.
There's a Lump in My Throat
Have you ever had one of those days were you realize that everything you're doing is wrong?
I had one today. I try my hardest to do everything to help everyone and I put every ounce of my being into what I do but was informed today that it's not good enough. I need to do more.
I'm at a loss. I don't know how I can put more into what I'm already doing. There is nothing left to give.
I just need a break. I need to rethink everything. I really just need to cry for about a day...and a half.
I had one today. I try my hardest to do everything to help everyone and I put every ounce of my being into what I do but was informed today that it's not good enough. I need to do more.
I'm at a loss. I don't know how I can put more into what I'm already doing. There is nothing left to give.
I just need a break. I need to rethink everything. I really just need to cry for about a day...and a half.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Up in the Air Future = Rambling Blog Post
I'm trying to go to sleep but I can't because I'm trying to mull over all the crap of the week. It's been a rough one at school. Yep, my students are being naughty but that's not what has made it so tough. What's made it tough is knowing that there are inevitably going to be many cuts at the end of this school year. If I'm lucky enough to still have a job next year, I know that I will loose many good friends and students will loose many great teachers.
No one feels safe. Our future as educators is up in the air. Maybe we (by we, I mean teachers with little seniority like me) will have jobs next year, maybe we won't. And let's say we are laid off by our district, it's not like other school districts have loads of jobs available. We're all scared, we're all angry and none of us know what to do.
You hear it in the hushed conversations in classrooms after school, you hear it in the lack of enthusiasm, you hear it in the lack of patience with students. What is it? Apathy. We are discouraged.
We love our jobs, we love our students, and all we want is what is best for the students. With class sizes creeping into the high 30s, how are we going to give each student the care and individualized instruction that he or she needs? We want our opinions to be heard. We want to be treated as the professional people we are. We want our expertise to be used to make decisions, not some politician who's last experience in a classroom was 30 years ago when he attended high school.
Teachers teach because they love it. But when year after year we are told that we aren't doing a good job, that we need to do more with less, that we need to make all the ills of society go away, and then we aren't given the professional respect we deserve by the public; we become angry. We become the teacher you complain about. The teacher who comes at 8am and leaves at 4pm...on the dot. The teacher who complains about any extra thing he or she has to do outside of contract hours. The teacher who pulls a lesson out of the file each week and teaches it in exactly the same way he or she has for the past 10 years, no matter how outdated it is or how much the students have changed or how much the curriculum has changed. The teacher who doesn't get to know your child on a personal level. The teacher who can't wait to retire. The teacher who does the bare minimum. And who would blame them with how teachers are treated?
How can one expect teachers to feel good about teaching your children if they are crapped on day after day by various groups of people?
No one feels safe. Our future as educators is up in the air. Maybe we (by we, I mean teachers with little seniority like me) will have jobs next year, maybe we won't. And let's say we are laid off by our district, it's not like other school districts have loads of jobs available. We're all scared, we're all angry and none of us know what to do.
You hear it in the hushed conversations in classrooms after school, you hear it in the lack of enthusiasm, you hear it in the lack of patience with students. What is it? Apathy. We are discouraged.
We love our jobs, we love our students, and all we want is what is best for the students. With class sizes creeping into the high 30s, how are we going to give each student the care and individualized instruction that he or she needs? We want our opinions to be heard. We want to be treated as the professional people we are. We want our expertise to be used to make decisions, not some politician who's last experience in a classroom was 30 years ago when he attended high school.
Teachers teach because they love it. But when year after year we are told that we aren't doing a good job, that we need to do more with less, that we need to make all the ills of society go away, and then we aren't given the professional respect we deserve by the public; we become angry. We become the teacher you complain about. The teacher who comes at 8am and leaves at 4pm...on the dot. The teacher who complains about any extra thing he or she has to do outside of contract hours. The teacher who pulls a lesson out of the file each week and teaches it in exactly the same way he or she has for the past 10 years, no matter how outdated it is or how much the students have changed or how much the curriculum has changed. The teacher who doesn't get to know your child on a personal level. The teacher who can't wait to retire. The teacher who does the bare minimum. And who would blame them with how teachers are treated?
How can one expect teachers to feel good about teaching your children if they are crapped on day after day by various groups of people?
"If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job."
~Donald D. Quinn
On the 2nd Day...
**Think 12 Days of Christmas as you read this**
...of birthdays, someone awesome should give to me
these awesome skirts,
and a trip to Washington, D.C.
...of birthdays, someone awesome should give to me
these awesome skirts,
and a trip to Washington, D.C.
Odd Family Dynamics
My student L. (I just realized that I have a bunch of kids with the same initial...this is not the same L. as here and here.) and all her friends began playing this family game. It's really quite dumb they just call each other brother, sister, cousin, mom, dad, etc. A few days ago, they told me of the game.
"Miss J.! You should be in our family! You can be grandma!"
Cue my exaggerated frowny face. "Ouch, L. That hurts. How about I'm your super awesome aunt?"
"Yep, that will work."
Today, during recess, L. comes up to me and says, "Miss J. We need to get you a husband so we can have a super awesome uncle. How about Mr. L?" (the only single male teacher at our school.)
All other girls, "No! He's mean to us. He yells a lot." (BTW, he is not mean but he does "yell," that is just the kind of person he is, I personally want to begin teaching like him because when he talks, his students listen, which mine have forgotten how to do lately.)
L. chimes in with, "Miss J. I have a better idea. You can date my cousin."
My only thought was "Please don't be talking about a 'cousin' at school. That's just creepy." Trying to figure out if it truly is a cousin, I ask, "Ummm...how old is your cousin?"
"Like 20."
"No, L. That won't work."
"Awwww. But Miss J. It would be so cool if we were related."
Ummmm...Probably not.
"Miss J.! You should be in our family! You can be grandma!"
Cue my exaggerated frowny face. "Ouch, L. That hurts. How about I'm your super awesome aunt?"
"Yep, that will work."
Today, during recess, L. comes up to me and says, "Miss J. We need to get you a husband so we can have a super awesome uncle. How about Mr. L?" (the only single male teacher at our school.)
All other girls, "No! He's mean to us. He yells a lot." (BTW, he is not mean but he does "yell," that is just the kind of person he is, I personally want to begin teaching like him because when he talks, his students listen, which mine have forgotten how to do lately.)
L. chimes in with, "Miss J. I have a better idea. You can date my cousin."
My only thought was "Please don't be talking about a 'cousin' at school. That's just creepy." Trying to figure out if it truly is a cousin, I ask, "Ummm...how old is your cousin?"
"Like 20."
"No, L. That won't work."
"Awwww. But Miss J. It would be so cool if we were related."
Ummmm...Probably not.
Monday, March 1, 2010
A Long Time Coming
When I first was given the job of sixth grade teacher, I was nervous. I thought, "I geez. I'm going to go into a classroom where even the smallest runt of a 12-year-old towers over me. How will I ever get their attention?" Then I thought of the scene in Catch Me If You Can where Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) walks into his new high school and the kids make fun of him so he decides to act like the substitute. The kids all respect him and he teaches them French. The only changes to that scene in my world would be me standing in for Frank, a bunch of 6th graders filling in for high school kids, all subjects filling in for French, and instead of the respect part, I'd be tied up and laughed at while huge 6th graders stole my lunch. That was my nightmare. Luckily, I quickly realized that 6th graders don't start all that big.
The day I met a bunch of them, I was relieved. I was empowered. I thought, "I can take these kids. They're not nearly as scary as I thought they were."
Fast forward to today...My students are slowly beginning to tower over me. I've been eye-to-eye with many of them for the past few weeks. Today I realized that my tallest little darling is now taller than me. As I told him how to revise his paragraph, I looked up into his eyes. Then I laughed and said, "Today is the day you become taller than me." He said, "I know. Pretty cool, huh?" No. Not really. Good thing we only have 11 more weeks together and 17 total weeks to grow.
I guess now is the time to invest in comfortable heels.
The day I met a bunch of them, I was relieved. I was empowered. I thought, "I can take these kids. They're not nearly as scary as I thought they were."
Fast forward to today...My students are slowly beginning to tower over me. I've been eye-to-eye with many of them for the past few weeks. Today I realized that my tallest little darling is now taller than me. As I told him how to revise his paragraph, I looked up into his eyes. Then I laughed and said, "Today is the day you become taller than me." He said, "I know. Pretty cool, huh?" No. Not really. Good thing we only have 11 more weeks together and 17 total weeks to grow.
I guess now is the time to invest in comfortable heels.
Birthday Month
I haven't liked celebrating my birthday since I turned 22. I'm just not usually into it.
But, this is a different year, a different me, blah blah blah. I'm going to enjoy every minute of this birthday month. Yep, month. Not a day, not a week, I'm celebrating the month. It should coincide nicely with the fact that I'm off track for the entire month of March. Yippee, year-round school! Way to give me the greatest breaks ever!
Because I know you're all dying to buy me things so I give you some ideas.
I'd love to head to Washington, D.C. If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, you could buy me tickets here. Man, I want to go so bad...if you're so inclined, I'd love you forever...and maybe even send you a postcard.
But, this is a different year, a different me, blah blah blah. I'm going to enjoy every minute of this birthday month. Yep, month. Not a day, not a week, I'm celebrating the month. It should coincide nicely with the fact that I'm off track for the entire month of March. Yippee, year-round school! Way to give me the greatest breaks ever!
Because I know you're all dying to buy me things so I give you some ideas.
I'd love to head to Washington, D.C. If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, you could buy me tickets here. Man, I want to go so bad...if you're so inclined, I'd love you forever...and maybe even send you a postcard.
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