Instead of facing reality I chose to bury myself in cyberspace this evening and search for wp themes. [protect]There is no appropriate title for this post so I put the question at the front of my mind. I’m not ready to explain…deal…vent…reflect…feel. I received news today that would devastate many. For me it is shock and then unknown. My Dad died. Dad…Here I rarely use that term to refer to him. Soon I must reflect on that aspect because there are so many others that will be buried with him.[/protect]
November 25th brings nothing new. I still don’t have words.
[protect]This year started off so great. The students worked hard and there were no discipline issues. I was extremely impressed. True colors are shining through. The students are still, for the most part, pretty good kids. I just don’t think I got the 100 watt bulbs. Many of mine are more like 60 with a few 40s thrown in. One or two are the flashing kind that you see at Christmas. Honest to goodness they are good kids but they are as lost as can be! It’s history, not like it’s a tough subject where you have to learn formulas and diagram sentences. All you have to do is read and listen. Oh…there ya go. Add to the low ability the sound of wood shop next door and AC repairman in the back of the room and you have a party. I was ready to blow by the end of the day. Just with one class, the one next to last. The rest actually access the recesses of their brain that require vocabulary development and, brace yourself- - - thought. I have to figure a way to reach these kids. HAVE to. Maybe peer pairing. Let a 60 watt work with a 40 watt. The flashing one can be my helper.
Goals for the term…
Get them organized. Work will not leave the room until we have moved to the next unit.
Teach them vocabulary. It may not have anything to do with the subject but it will be words that are included in reading and they need to know for understanding.
Just hit the basics. We’ll worry about bigger concepts when they have the basics out of the way.
Tomorrow. It’s a parade and everything. I am so not into the drama. The freshman are done with theirs but still participate in the 10-12 version. This is just not my thing. [private]10 little miss priss girls and one queen miss priss. Puh-lease. I do have to say…Queen Priss is pretty down to earth and cool. In fact, the little miss priss girls are not that bad either…well, there’s one. She thought she was supposed to be queen priss. So, I admit it, I like the little miss priss girls and they have been pretty good to work with. Their pictures were adorable and they have met every time I have asked them to. Can’t say the same about others, but hey…that’s teens for you. I will be glad when the chaos is over. 1/2 day tomorrow and it might as well be no day. What will actually be accomplished tomorrow? Really? I think we will have a writing exercise. (Yes, there was a plan but it blown due to required meetings yesterday and I had a sub.) Yes, writing. What are the last two sections about. List all you can remember. Now pair up, share your list. Pair with another. There you go. Next. Ugh. Not very good is it? I’m burning out. Time for a break. LOL
I have recently joined two professional organizations. I’m hoping for good teaching strategies. Students are lazy. Many would prefer to fail. It is easier than doing the work. Their words, not my assumption. They do a good job of “doing at” their work. Something has happened. I don’t know what, but education is getting a giant swirly right now. I see teachers working their buns off to teach, and I see students sitting like lumps. The kids I have now are not too disrespectful, but they are lazy. Students are also grammar weak. I saw this at my old school too. What happened? I know they don’t read much, but still. We’re beating our heads against the wall and students don’t care. Again,their words. Constitution Day citizenship activity was the assignment and a student response…”what do I care? I’m already a citizen.” Yes, and you have no clue who the first president was…No joke.
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What is our goal? We can’t make them care. How do you convey the importance of learning? I haven’t figured it out, but I’m working on it.
How’s that for a ramble? Time for bed. My goal this weekend…enter grades for college and high school freshman, and take a nap.
Yes, at the beginning of the year I wasn’t, but now I am.
I like teaching- no, really…I do. [private]What I don’t like is documenting my butt off b/c some little twit is too lazy to complete assignments or take advantage of grade recovery opportunities. So, you wonder- or you don’t, whatever-what point am I to? I am ready to no longer teach at the high school level. Yes, I know it will eventually reach the college level, but it isn’t there yet. RIDICULOUS! Personal accountability is swirling down the toilet right along with education. Hours on the phone with parents, taking time away from family and things I want and need to do! Did I reach all the parents- oh no, not even close. I’m blogging now in order to relieve the immense frustration that has been building over the last 5 hours.
I’ve looked at PhD programs. I will have to complete 33 hours and read fluently in another language. I’m willing. Able? That’s another story. Our current location prevents me from embarking on that journey…well, that and the giant check I would have to write. I don’t know how much I could do correspondence. No, I’m not talking on-line university…I would love a program that let you attend classes every few weeks and operated much like an independent study. Similar to my MA program. That would work well. I haven’t given up hope. There is something out there and I intend to find it. [/private]
I would love to post more but lately it just isn’t happening. Here’s what I’m up to…
Health kick…I’m tired of feeling yuck so I’m going to do something about it. [private]I’m using www.sparkpeople.com to help and I’m meeting with a group from work to share ideas, recipes, and such. I’m not certain the group from work is going to work out. They’re all about the points and mathematical aspect of weight loss. I don’t care as much about the way as I do getting my body in to shape and feeling better. Weight will be part of it and that is still a good thing. One of the key factors to eating right and exercising is supposed to be journaling and the water deal. That’s where sparkpeople comes in. I had no idea what I was taking in or burning. Entering the info into the sp site helps me keep track with minimal work on my part. I’ve been pretty shocked by the negative value of some things we eat. SP is a lot like myspace in its set up. I haven’t explored that aspect yet. No, I don’t need another website to maintain, but I am finding this one beneficial.
Today I worked out for the first time in months. It felt so good!!! My wrist doesn’t let me do as much as I would like with the free weights, but it was good to be working at it again. I didn’t realize I had missed it! Now if I just had the trainer to go with it. I was so motivated when T and B were challenging me! B was the encourager and T was the instigator. He knew how to challenge me to prove him wrong. Yep, all about the competition! There is one exercise that I wanted to do and can’t. The hanging crunches! They’re awesome! I haven’t figure out how to do them here…no equipment for hanging around, LOL! After working with weights and some of the other equipment I swam laps. I know it is good for me, but it is a struggle. I need to build my breath again. So much to do-so much to do. It will come.
Love teaching college. You teach, they listen and write. What a concept. I can’t complain, my high schoolers are almost doing the same. They still can’t take notes, but it is a long term goal.
Off to bed. It was my intention to be there an hour ago. [/private]
August 3rd, 2007 -- Posted in Private | Comments Off
I am absolutely at the end of my rope and it feels like I am tethered by my neck. Summer is over and there hasn’t really been a break. The entire summer has been spent dealing with selling the house and finding a decent and affordable rental. The stress of moving is bad enough, but throw in realtors, inspectors, and two young children and you just have a party. [private] For me, school starts Sunday. Monday-Wednesday will be spent in workshops and meetings with orientations for the girls during the evening hours. I have the first three days of school planned. My intro handout is typed, but my classwork handouts are not. To actually start teaching text material, HA…not planned. I haven’t started for my Civ class either. Fortunately classes do not start for a few weeks. Let’s just say I am completely overwhelmed and can’t get to my happy place. Fortunately Djembe moved all boxes to the garage so they are not staring me in the face, taunting with their unopened contents. I’m working all day everyday, but nothing is getting accomplished. The laundry has to be done. Dishes have to be done. The lawn has to be mowed. Kids need clothes and school supplies. Groceries have to be bought. Kids bedrooms have to be cleaned so that you can actually walk through them. Yes, I know that is their job and they should do it. Those with kids understand that it just isn’t that simple. One of mine needs constant motivation. The other “wants to help” but a seven year old helping is not all that it may seem. Not a big deal, that’s just life. The problem is life keeps going while you have all the asides that need attention.
What needs to be done for me to obtain a happy sane place?
bookshelf for music room so that I can have materials accessible
shelving in music room closet so that materials are accessible
armoire for bedroom so that there is some other place to store stuff and to get the tv off the dresser
end tables- living room and bedroom
microwave stand for kitchen because cabinet space is minimal
remove clutter from music room and den- this is my immediate project
fence gate estimate
poison ivy/oak/sumac removed so that I do not have endure another 10 days of serious irritation
lesson plans for August and accompanying powerpoints
That’s just the tip of the iceberg for my Titanic. You know, the Titanic sank…[/private]
Update: With August plans complete and a good start on Civ notes I’m feeling much better. Nothing like a rant to clear your head and get on track. Right? Tomorrow’s goal- powerpoint completion for August. It could happen!
Honestly, do we NEED termites to make the world keep spinning? Yep, you guessed it…tush loads of money later the bleepin’ bugs are taken care of…and if they’re not, someone else has to pay for it. The beauty of a treatment contract fully transferable to the new owner.
It’s been a rough day. [private] I went to the old house to pick up inspection reports and meet the bug guy doing the termite inspection. He looked over and under, around through and through. I had no worries. There were NO signs of any termite visitations. He looked in the last bedroom, shining his light in the corners and scanning the walls. Then his light rests in the top corner. There he sees four teensy weensy, itty bitty, VERY tiny holes. My world collapsed. I let him get so far as to tell me how much treatment will cost when I walked away to call Djembe. No choice here, you have to treat and you have to pay up. The bug guy kept wanting to explain what he HAD to put down and why he couldn’t just say it was nothing. Um, bug-guy, cut to the end, how do you kill it? I don’t care what you have to do, and I didn’t ask you to put anything down, STOP talking to me like an idiot and tell me how to get rid of these #%^ bugs so that I don’t have to make ANOTHER payment on this house! I listened as patiently as I could and managed to control the tears of frustration that threatened. I called the Cajun neighbor and said I needed him to look and offer an opinion. I don’t want to write a check without at least having someone else see and hear what I did. TINY freakin’ holes. TINY! No dust. No bugs. Just pin prick holes. Cajun neighbor came right over and looked around, even in the attic. There was no other evidence. He said it was strange, but agreed that treatment was the only option and shared the story of another neighbor that had a termite in his flowerbed and had to treat.
Bug-guy got treatment man out that afternoon so I didn’t have to stay the night. I took all reports to my realtor office. Someone was being polite and asked how are you…I told them. Another tried to make me feel better by telling their termite story and how it took $3000 to treat. So I’m not as bad off as she is, but STILL! This was not what I wanted to deal with today. It was not in my carefully made plans.
Last week someone told me something very wise. Don’t pray so much for patience. God throws things in your path to help you build it. Patience and calm, working on those. I don’t want to move again for a while, and when we do I hope the movers are careful with my stuff…and I want to build…and have a termite contract on the front end. :([/private]
Finally an interview that went great and resulted in an offer! I’m very excited! This school was modeled after my previous…how strange is that?!?! The format will be familiar, but they have taken things to the next level in regards to technology and such. Above all, I am not teaching a subject I dislike! Again may I say, WAHOO!
We’re still moving…joyjoy. My new furniture comes tomorrow, late afternoon. LONG day getting our stuff to the new house, but worth it!
Let’s talk about “God things” and life. I have spent the last 48 hours searching for houses for us to lease. (We just aren’t ready to buy again.) I have been in some very interesting places. There was one that advertised as a 5 BR 2 BA w/ full downstairs and second kitchen. Unfortunately rose colored glasses were not given out at the beginning of the house tour. Scary. The lizard downstairs was cute, but we have enough pets. Another advertised as a 3/2 with a mother-in-law apartment downstairs. Beautiful hardwood floors and I loved the built in cabinets in the dining room. Small master bedroom, and tiny bedroom downstairs. We went upstairs and it had the most adorable banister and sitting area…with a claw foot tub and toilet. Exactly what they were thinking on that old house update I don’t know. There was another “bedroom” upstairs, but we couldn’t get past the hall bathroom. There’s just something to be said for walls. We looked at SO many houses and narrowed it to two. One was in the school zone we wanted and in a great neighborhood. It had the size and yard we wanted, but it also had a list of applicants. The owner wasn’t ready to make a decision. The other was a small house about 15 minutes out near water. Great backyard with privacy fence. Not in a familiar school district and a little further out than we want to be right now, we declined. The house hunt seemed hopeless, but we had to have faith that there was something out there for us. I had written down the number of a realtor but no other note so I called and it turned out that there was a house available for rent, but they had someone interested if all factors fell into place. He also wasn’t too excited we had pets, but was willing to meet me first. (If I had remembered his ad that said no indoor pets I wouldn’t have called.) I went to the realtor to go look at it, but when I got to the company he had just received the call that the other couple wanted it. However, he knew of someone who had a house. It wasn’t advertised, but he checked and she wanted to show it to me. When we drove up I knew it was it. It is better than the others we looked at and it is in a great school district. Fenced yard, bedrooms, baths, bonus room…considerably cheaper. I am SO happy!
Today I haven’t really worried about the fact that I haven’t found a high school position. It has been frustrating me. I checked my email tonight and received something asking if I was still interested in a position. YES! We’re praying this is the one…join us
You know, the doors are opening and we are walking through them. Our opinion…definite God thing.
Yes, this is how I feel about tomorrow. 
I was so motivated when T and B were challenging me! B was the encourager and T was the instigator. He knew how to challenge me to prove him wrong. Yep, all about the competition! There is one exercise that I wanted to do and can’t. The hanging crunches! They’re awesome! I haven’t figure out how to do them here…no equipment for hanging around, LOL! After working with weights and some of the other equipment I swam laps. I know it is good for me, but it is a struggle. I need to build my breath again. So much to do-so much to do. It will come.
Another advertised as a 3/2 with a mother-in-law apartment downstairs. Beautiful hardwood floors and I loved the built in cabinets in the dining room. Small master bedroom, and tiny bedroom downstairs. We went upstairs and it had the most adorable banister and sitting area…with a claw foot tub and toilet. Exactly what they were thinking on that old house update I don’t know. There was another “bedroom” upstairs, but we couldn’t get past the hall bathroom. There’s just something to be said for walls. We looked at SO many houses and narrowed it to two. One was in the school zone we wanted and in a great neighborhood. It had the size and yard we wanted, but it also had a list of applicants. The owner wasn’t ready to make a decision. The other was a small house about 15 minutes out near water. Great backyard with privacy fence. Not in a familiar school district and a little further out than we want to be right now, we declined. The house hunt seemed hopeless, but we had to have faith that there was something out there for us. I had written down the number of a realtor but no other note so I called and it turned out that there was a house available for rent, but they had someone interested if all factors fell into place. He also wasn’t too excited we had pets, but was willing to meet me first. (If I had remembered his ad that said no indoor pets I wouldn’t have called.) I went to the realtor to go look at it, but when I got to the company he had just received the call that the other couple wanted it. However, he knew of someone who had a house. It wasn’t advertised, but he checked and she wanted to show it to me. When we drove up I knew it was it. It is better than the others we looked at and it is in a great school district. Fenced yard, bedrooms, baths, bonus room…considerably cheaper. I am SO happy! 