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.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
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!
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!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
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.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, August 19, 2013
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!
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!
Sunday, August 18, 2013
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. :)
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. :)
Saturday, August 17, 2013
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)
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)
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