Similarities

At school we have been using Project Wisdom in Advisory. The first week was called New Beginnings and this last week was called Clean Slate. I don't think the students quite all get why a clean slate is a good thing. Many of them haven't been through anything really tough yet.

It is different to be in a community where the children are protected and cared for rather than treated as equal to an adult. Having experienced teaching in a poverty stricken area and now an area where people are a little more careful with their money I am shocked by the differences in the children.

I see how children can be treated as they should be. Protected from bits of society that are rough and exposed through conversation and knowledge rather than experience. The children I worked with before had seen too much and experienced too much for their young fragile minds. It hardens them and creates a pattern they wish to remain in the rest of their lives.

I am so very thankful to be able to see the differences and be a part of the plan in life to help guide young minds in the directions that they should go. To encourage and strengthen them is a blessing. When before I was just helping children remember that they are only children and that life is not about growing up so fast.

Refresing

There is hope in parents... I guess for the last 10 years I have been dealing with parents of students who didn't really give a hoot as to how their children acted. They always had some excuse as to why their students can't do this and can't do that.

Back to School night was tonight and I was shocked at how many parents told me to call them or to email them when their child acts out! There is hope in humanity. There is hope in parents actually parenting their children to be respectful of others.

Working in a impoverished area really takes its toll. Some people have no clue what it is like to work in those trenches where the parents are just as awful as the students with disrespect. Even the special ed parents don't fully get how hard a teacher works just to maintain classroom conduct for 10 minutes! It is a never ending battle and I pray for those teachers that they can continue in their chosen line of work. Bless them! 

Survival

Lately, it feels like I have been just getting by. In reality, I have been. It is hard living out of boxes and with only a little fridge. The joys of moving into a house from an apartment. Slowly but surely things will come together. I'm just glad my classroom was ready for students this last week and that I will be ready for Back to School night next week.

First Day at School

Today was my first day teaching general education. It is such a lovely thing. The students are in need of a good teacher. Already I see I have my work cut out to challenge those who need it and help those who are struggling.

The biggest challenge I am going to find for myself is speaking and writing English. I tend to throw in made up words and speak in not so perfect sentences. A lot of it comes from living in Hawaii for a year. I picked up quite a lot of pigeon while there. I came back with an accent that my mother did not like. She had a really tough time with it. I on the other hand did not.

Anyways, back to how my first day of school went. I had students do a free write today about a picture of a kid snorkeling. It was interesting how many of the eighth grade students couldn't write as well as the seventh grade students. The creativeness of the seventh graders is beyond what the eighth graders could produce.

Which leads me to know that I have much more to do to get many of the students up to where they need to be. The school lost 70 API points this last year and I see where the deficit is in the eighth grade. I already feel the pressure of this and I know that I can do the best that I can for these students this year.

First Day Jitters

That anxious feeling is arising... the night before school begins is coming soon. The night many teachers fear. I don't know my students and they don't know me. First day jitters are definitely my biggest issue with this year.

Being blessed with being able to teach general education is huge. Excitement and fear both well up in my heart as I think about this new teaching position. Am I good enough to teach students the necessary facts for them to pass the STAR test? I have no clue. This is new territory and it really frightens me that I might not be able to do it... yet in jumps a little voice that says Yes you can! 

Bacon

With a new start to a healthy life you must include bacon. Not just any type of bacon either. Nitrate free, natural, apple wood smoked bacon. It helps that the nitrate free bacon doesn't give me migraines either which helps.

Lots of people get migraines. Mine all are food based. I could drink grape juice and ten minutes later I get a killer migraine. Bacon and sausage are both culprits that contribute to the same problem. Some sugar free gums and mints do it too. They hate me.... I know it... :0( I haven't had gum in a very long time due to this. I can buy Altoids original and Tic Tacs. :) Both are made with sugar.

I see it all too often in society that we don't read the back labels of food. We read the front which doesn't include all the preservatives and chemicals.  In the last two years I have been more careful about what I am buying and eating. I just hope it helps in the long run. It's too bad that so much of it tastes so good.... I suppose I just need to cook from scratch more. :)

Wallpaper

I do not recommend to anyone to put wallpaper up in their home. I am spending day 4 taking down wallpaper. It is horrendous stuff. The glue sticks to your fingers and coats them with little strips of paper. Then if you are lucky it sticks to your shoes as it falls down and you step on it.

The real joy came today when I started on a wall and it seriously takes two minutes to do a tiny 3 inch area with a steamer. The steam barely melts the glue enough to get a piece worked off the wall and then boom... it's stuck almost worse then when you started.

Oh well... this is my punishment. Opps... I mean joy of renting a house from my parents as they fix it up and make it 'rental ready'. That phrase is deeply engrained into everything we are going to do to the house over the next few months. At least they said they aren't expecting us to pay rent until it is 'rental ready'. :0)

An so life continues....

It has been a busy few days. I believe my classroom is ready for students. Although, my lesson plans are not anywhere close to being ready... I have 2 full work days before I need to have them completed.

And now as some boxes have been unpacked we sit on our couch watching a movie. Starship Troopers 2. Totally cheesy and worse than the first one... But worth the one time viewing. Now to relax and enjoy the movie.

New Days Beginning

I already fell like a new person living in a new city with a fresh start. People don't know me and they don't know the drama I was put through last year in the classroom I was in. I am so very thankful for everything this year. God has truly blessed me with this opportunity to teach general education.

I am thankful for the many years I have taught special education and all the wonderful people I met through the years. Right now this is where God is going to use me this year and hopefully many years to come. I can't believe how lucky I am to get to teach regular education. Such a blessing from God. He opened every door and has continued to flow blessing upon blessing into my life.

Thank you God!

Oopps!

I missed yesterday... so I will post this morning and hopefully tonight also... We'll see. I have a busy day ahead of me as I did yesterday. My hubby and I moved 250 miles north of the San Francisco area. I was finally able to finish what needed to get done with cleaning out our apartment and such yesterday. The drive was extremely boring, but worth it. I am up north now ready to start settling in.

Today, I begin in my classroom getting it ready for the new school year. The excitement I feel is tremendous. (Big word I know!) I have to start using big words and speaking correctly. An English teacher I am now. :)

More later. :)

Three

And so it continues... a story about a journey across time and space... Uh yeah... not really space... but time definitely. :0)

Dinner tonight was amazing as always. The company delightful and full of wisdom... the food excellent... and the accomplishment of the day perfect.

I am moving. As of tomorrow I will be a permanent resident up in a northern town outside of the hub bub of the Bay Area. California is still my home but Redding instead of Livermore is my city. The bright lights and busy nights are going to be no more. Relaxation and meditation are just two things that Redding offers... and a new job.

The exciting part of the new job is that I am teaching something I have never taught before. A population of students with no significant disabilities. For the past 10 years I have been a teacher to students with severe mental or physical disabilities. It has been fun but I was ready for a change.

This summer I was offered a position that I was very used to in Livermore. It payed great money, had an easy commute, and was in a smaller school. The only thing the job in Redding had that was better was regular education students. The pay is much less and the commute is about the same, but the students. Oh man! I couldn't believe my ears when the superintendent offered me something totally unexpected. I count this as a blessing from God. Something I dreamed of and discussed with God. Yet, something I thought would take years to achieve through tenure and longevity in a district.

I have been told by many friends and administrators that I am a great special education teacher. I don't always believe it but I can see where their opinions come from. Students were always treated as humans. Nothing more and nothing less... just human. I tried to treat any student that walked through my door as normal as possible.

Each student in my eyes has the ability to achieve great things if they choose to. It ultimately is their decision regardless of mental or physical capability. As students got to know me and how I taught them they learned to respect themselves and those around them. I tried to throw in as much life experience and wisdom as possible.

In the end I love to teach. To see the light bulb go off. The glimmer of hope in their eyes as they being to feel confident about learning and what doors it opens in their lives. To help parents with their children and to feel validated and hopeful. Giving hope to all types of people is a gift from God that I hope to spread.

Day 2

As with all day 2's or 1's it is sometimes the hardest... to finish that is. I spent the day cleaning an apartment that my husband and I are moving out of.  I tried to be as meticulous as I could due to the fact our manager is a picky lady and I want my deposit back. I continue tomorrow. My quest is simple yet complex and completely satisfying. Such as I will be exercising tomorrow. A hidden helper to my new healthier outlook on life.

But, unfortunately it may all go to waste tomorrow night. 'Why?' you might ask... because I am having dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. A good thing is that all the food they serve is organic. It is tasty. Chicken and sausage fusilli pasta, pork chops with steamed kale, or maybe a personal sized fresh baked pizza topped with fresh arugula. I think it is the dessert I like the most ginger cake with pumpkin ice cream. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

I suppose it is the company that I like best at that restaurant. My friend and I have been going there 11 years for lunch or dinner. We catch up on each others lives, relationships with men, relationships with our mothers, and to talk shop. Which I am looking forward to tomorrow. Before I head off to the new adventure up north I am reminded by my dear friend to take a moment to relax and chill.

All and all I think today did go well with the cleaning and my goal. Well almost... I only had 4 oreos ;0) They are delicious and almost gone! Oopps! I suppose I won't be buying them for a while.

Last but not least, I have changed my opening page for my internet access. It is my blog. That way I am reminded that I need to write rather than play a game on Facebook first. :0)

The Beginning

And so like many other stories a beginning is necessary. As this fine blog has a beginning and will eventually have an end. Currently, I am starting from square 192... ha ha... Instead of square 1 where I have begun again and again. This time has to be different. I have to make a change. It takes 28 days to start a new habit. So raise your glass as I begin this journey.

Day 1.
Does day 1 begin tomorrow or today? I think today would be good.

I embark on my journey to a place I have not been. Thin. That is the place I want to be. Yes. I know it is possibly a fictional place but I think I can do it. Like the little train that could I will make it to the end of this journey of health.

Seriously, eating oreos probably doesn't help the journey. But they are oh so tasty. So here is my first problem. Self control. So God grant me the serenity to make it through cravings for more. I can do this. Yes, I can with God's help.

Oh, by the way I am religious. God is an will be a part of my life forever. He and I BFF's. :)

Well... I hope that I can continue my blog and make some progress.

So those of you who find me feel free to share and follow the words that I write. I will try not to be boring and I will try to be honest. Integrity is key at finishing this journey strong and in better shape.