"Bead" Busy This Week

WoW!!!

It's been a busy week this week and judging from the last time I've posted, it's been a very busy week and a half! First off this week, we had UT Math testing. Our school is doing a pilot program with some professors from the University of Texas Math Department. They are developing a remedial math program (that I'm assuming they intend to market) for students who are really clueless about math. They come in and test at the beginning of the year when they test to apply for the program. The lowest students, who are not ESL, are enrolled in the program with parental permission and everyday for about 20 minutes, they go to a different room for additional math instruction. In the middle of the year, they test for progress and now near the end of the year, they test all kids again to compare progress in math between students who are in the program and those who are not.  It's five days of testing for 45 minutes. That's a lot of instructional time. It's a lot of instructional time when we are admonished by our principal to not forget that we still have a significant amount of time in which to further get our kids along the learning curve. And yet, we spend 45 minutes for five days testing. Sometimes, education drives me crazy. The people who work with the kids in the program seem to see a difference. I don't, but I measure on the district's semester test (CBA) and that measures  different math skills. I LIKE the people from UT and I agree with them that kids who need math basics need to get them before they can move onto more complex math procedures like double digit addition or subtraction with regrouping.... what I object to is the amount of time kids are out of the classroom. The kids that are in the UT Math program are the same kids in my room who came in reading at a Kindergarten level. They have got issues across the board so they are shuffled in and out of my room for math , then reading, then discipline. But hey, they have to pass that TAKS test next year in third grade . . . retention isn't an option . .  and don't even think about having them tested for some kind of learning disability . . . It's a difficult situation. Thank you NCLB and Mr. Bush.  The hope is though, that since NCLB is up for a new vote that it can be changed to REALLY help kids succeed instead of leaving them behind which  is what really happens. The "No Child Left Behind" Act does not allow for individual development. All kids are supposed to learn at the federal government's timeline and woe be to the teachers and their students who don't learn at that pace.... (sigh) It's challenging to be a teacher right now. I can only work to further hone my teaching skills for maximum impact. My friend Kelly sent me a funny email using the NCLB criteria with a football analogy. I'm going to paste it here:

NCLB-- The Football Version

1. All teams must make the state playoffs and all MUST win the championship. If a team does not win the championship, they will be on probation until they are champions and coaches will be held accountable. If after two years they have not won the championship, their footballs and equipment will be taken away UNTIL they do win the championship.

2. All kids will be expected to have the same football skills at the same time, even if they do not have the same conditions or opportunities to practice on their own. NO exceptions will be made for a lack of interest in football, a desire to perform athletically or genetic abilities or disabilities of themselves or their parents. ALL KIDS WILL PLAY FOOTBALL AT A PROFICIENT LEVEL!

3. Talented players will be asked to work out on their own, without instruction. This is because the coaches will be using all their instructional time with the athletes who aren't interested in football, have limited athletic ability or whose parents don't like football.

4. Games will be played year round, but statistics will only be kept in the 4th, 8th and 11th games. This will create a New Age of Sports where every team is expected to have the same level of talent and all teams will have the same minimum goals. If no child gets ahead, then no child gets left behind. If parents do not like this new law, they are encouraged to vote for vouchers and support private schools that can screen out the non-athletes and prevent their children from having to go to school with bad football players.

O.k. maybe it's not so funny after all.

Good news is that I was able to host a BeadForLife party at school on Wednesday. We've already made $800.00 for the women and children in Uganda where it is desperately needed. Bead for Life is an incredible organization and I hope you will take a few minutes and look at their website: www.beadforlife.org  and if at all possible, host your own party and help those who need it. Next week and the week after, my students will be selling the beads during the last 25 minutes of school to students who would like to buy a necklace or bracelet for their mother for Mother's Day. My students are so very excited about helping out the children in Uganda. We will also be learning about Uganda and the African continent, learn some Swahili and further expand our intellectual horizons while helping others in a service project. It's a good thing and I'm proud that we are making it happen. Stay tuned for the final total on May 11th!

Space Center

Okay, so will someone tell the students that they still have 36 days left!! I tried but they're not hearing my words. There's a lot to learn yet and my students are acting like it's the day before summer vacation! Yesterday was Friday and after putting up with constant chatter, back talk and disrespectful behavior all week, I had had it! I came down like a hammer for the first hour of the day and ended up having a very good day. It's just hard to be so tough on kids, though. I've spent all year teaching them to be kind and respectful TO EVERYONE, not just me, and now they're sniping at each other, rolling eyes, passing around notes labeling kids as "good" or "bad", etc. PULEEZE! This is totally unacceptable. Our classroom is a place where kids can feel safe, they can feel loved, they are free to make mistakes because making mistakes is LEARNING and that's why we are there. Anyway, that's my explanation of why I haven't got back to the blog. Next week will be better and I'll continue to push them to learn more and more and I will continue to light candles and pray that they remember everything over the summer break.   (sigh)   Sometimes the end of the year is worse than the beginning. And the beginning can be BAD!

I've been emailing some people in the district about finding a way to distance teach my class

here in the United States while I am teaching in Ireland. I would like to, twice a month at least, teach both classes a science lesson via the internet. If colleges can do distance learning, why can't elementary schools? They can, so I'm sending out emails as fast as I can think of people who can help me make this happen. Of course, it would be a lot easier if the State Department would send me the name of the other exchange teacher and we could start a dialogue about it! When everything is a done deal it's easier to get excited about it. I KNOW I'm going but there's no paper saying this is the other exchange teacher and this is her school and it's located in this town, etc.  It's like winning the District Teacher of the Year. I won't know until May 7th if I win and get that laptop but if I want to get video equipment that will allow me to video-cast from Ireland, then I have to begin writing now so I make the grant deadline. I can't keep waiting for proof . . . but sometimes I get unsure. I wonder if I'm dreaming too "pie-in-the-sky". It's like dreaming about teaching from the International Space Station, if I don't apply now it's not going to happen any way, any how because I won't have done the footwork necessary. Faith is a tricky thing-- trust is even more so.

I'm also thinking about creating a website. I've had some incredible experiences that I could

 share with others. I'd love to post some photos and lesson plans that I developed when I went to Japan. I could post some lessons for teaching about Texas, since that's what I'll be doing in Ireland and, of course, I could post photos and videos about Ireland so people could experience the trip along with me. It would be fun to do it on a website. Maybe it could end up being a cool teacher resource site like Mrs. Meacham's website. Okay, talk about pie-in-the-sky dreaming! There's always so much to do but it's all so FUN! 

At any rate, I'm here to write about taking my boys to the Space Center in Houston. It's right next to NASA so they even have a trolley you can ride to tour NASA. We didn't get to do it since the boys would never have sat for another hour and a half after being in the car for 2 1/2 hours while we drove down there. When I go next time, I will be sure to leave quite early in the morning so we can actually DO and SEE everything there and I will also stay overnight and not spend 5 hours getting back home through that terrible Houston traffic and road construction!! Yes, that was NOT a typo, it took us 5 HOURS to get back home. Another lesson learned. It was a great trip though. There were a few school field trips there and lots of other visitors. Apparently, quite a few people had Spring Break at the same time as the boys.Mikey would make a great astronaut, don't you think? He already looks the part! Of course, what's the most interesting thing about space for boys???!

TOILETS, of course. The straps to hold you in were the most interesting. This is Ruben in the Discovery mock-up pretending to float in space. Pretty creative!Here he is the flight game. You are put in a chair that floats on air and your task is to hit the buttons as they light up and twist the dials. The more you do, the better your score. If you do enough, you have "accomplished your mission". Ruben had absolutely no problems accomplishing his mission. He had great scores. Can I even tell you how much I want to go into space? There are no words for the longing I have. I'd better get going on the application... right now I have no chance at all unless I get that thing in!

But for today, I have to paint the entry way.

Easter Parade

Yep, I did it! I got the taxes done-- thank you, Turbo Tax! I got new makeup- actually a bit more than I had originally planned. . . but no separates. Kohl's was not in the picture for me tonight.

 Well, I did promise a blog about Easter so here it is...Yes, I

 actually know someone who's favorite holiday is Easter! I like Easter and everything, but I had never considered it as a contender for the BEST HOLIDAY. BUT, I did have a great time at

 Easter, as you can probably tell.

 Amanda, Jack and Ryan moved back to Central Texas. They are sharing time between me and the in-laws in Copperas Cove before they move permanently out to North Carolina to be with Chris. I do think that this was the first year for Jack to color eggs 

and although he's been on Easter Egg Hunts before, I think he "got it" this year. Melissa and the boys, followed a day later.

  

 and we had a wonderful week and a great Easter. 

My sister, Laura and her family came to the dinner at my mom's so there was quite a few people but more children than adults. That's good, I think. It just seems to me that holidays are richer with children. Sad to say though, the Easter Bunny did not bring Melissa and Amanda Easter baskets this year and although they didn't wail too loudly, I do believe they were muttering under their breath... Happy Easter!  

I actually went online today to see what the application for the NASA astronauts looked like. Good thing I did! It looks like I will just make the height requirement and I have to learn to swim. But since the application isn't due until June or July 15th, I should be okay. The thing is, I have to submit a resume-- no longer than 6 pages-- oh DARN!--but a computer will "score" the resume based on predetermined words. Real people don't actually read it. Yikes! Now I have to convince a COMPUTER to like my resume! I'm glad I'm starting now-- this could be tricky!

It's definitely bath time now and I need to sleep on this whole resume business. Tomorrow I'll post on the Space Center! 

Can Somebody Stop This Train?

I am well aware that I have been a bit lax in the blogging area of my life. Spring Break was really relaxing, I guess. I had energy to sit down and type each night and lately, oh well, lately there has been a baby in my library (where the computer is) and those babies go to bed quite early. Well, all babies have returned to their homes and things have finally settled down BUT it was lovely when I had my little ones with me. Briefly, to catch you up on life, everyone came from El Paso for Easter. We had a wonderful time. I took off a few days and took the big boys to the Space Center in Houston then we had family pictures taken, I have an interview for the District Teacher of the Year coming up next week (yes, I'm one of THREE finalists!!! How did THAT happen?), I am writing for a grant to get equipment to podcast from Ireland (because I am hoping to win the laptop as the district TOY), I've picked up another tutoring job and I've taken Promethean training because the first 4 Promethean boards have been installed at our school. There how's that? Oh, tomorrow Molly and I are going to ULTA to get some new make up, I've ordered new entryway furniture from Target because I can't stand my closet as it is presently, and I've committed to 3 days of training the teachers at my school in the science units I've been learning for the past 2 years, I'm applying to get a summer school job, and somehow, I'm supposed to quilt with Delta Kappa Gamma this weekend. Frankly, I don't think that's going to happen. I'm watching my daughter's dog again because she's off visiting the in-laws, my parents want to get rid of their cockatiel (that I gave them so I'm trying to find a new home for the bird) and my class is going to host a Bead For Life party the last week of April for Mother's Day gifts and I'm trying to develop lessons that will show them the needs of the world and how 2nd graders can help, AND let's not forget, I have GOT to get started on my NASA application! (I dreamt I was on the International Space Station for 6 weeks, by myself) and if I don't get my taxes done this week, I can forget about anything because I'll be in jail for income tax evasion. . . At least then I would have time to catch up with Eckhart Tolle and Oprah....

I will close this miserable litany until tomorrow when I blog about Easter,,, (and announce that I have finished my taxes...and have new makeup ... and maybe a dress-- no, I'm going with separates for versatility).

My Desire

So I walked into my classroom today, flipped on the lightswitch and was shocked to realize that I didn't have my Promethean board installed in my room. I have lived with the image of the board and the things that I will do with it all week and then... it wasn't there! I really wanted that board! I will plot a way to get a board or at least become so familiar with it and use it as often as is practical with the board in another teacher's room that when I actually do have it, I will use it with intention.

Really, it's not a big deal. Molly and I have hashed this out endlessly over Spring Break. I will get a Promethean board next year when I return from Ireland. My principal has already assured me that I will be the first person to get one next year and I know that she will do everything she can to get me one. The reality is, I would hate to move my students from my classroom every time another teacher wanted to use the Promethean board this year. I would also never ask my exchange partner to have to move the class when someone wants to use the board. It is better this way. Unless, of course, I could

get my own. Every teacher I spoke to in El Paso said that they are not sure that they could teach without it anymore. It's become that important to them. My principal was telling me that the superintendent of our district went to the technology supervisor to ask if the purchase of 4 of those Promethean boards really were a wise use of funds. WHAT!!!?! I could take them all to El Paso and we could walk through room

 after room and let them watch the teachers AND STUDENTS using the boards. My principal has a vision that our school could become a model school for early literacy. I am so on board with that thought! She really has the faculty that will bend backwards to make that vision a reality. We are DYNAMITE-- seriously folks, you want to meet some top notch teachers, you need to come to our school. We're on FIRE! This is going to happen and I am so glad I am here for the ride!

You know, I can teach with just a pencil and paper, but give me the tools I need and I can teach much better and my students will learn more. It drives me nuts when politicians say "We don't want to just throw money at this." Well, try me! Try my hardworking friends who use a significant portion of their paycheck to purchase supplies for their students and classrooms... Throw some money at education for once and THEN let's have this discussion that money doesn't solve problems. I'm pretty sure that politicians have a budget for colored paper and snacks, pet food and all sorts of other things. When was the last time a politician did not have the technology they needed for their speech? I don't have a laptop

 to take around with me to do my lesson plans on, but maybe I would actually do lesson plans if I had a laptop-- okay, well, that really stretches the possible but I could podcast from Ireland if I had a laptop and a video camera... I would do that!

Today before I left -- after tutoring and after After the Bell (gotta make some extra cash)-- I put up my glow-in-the-dark moon phases (that I purchased with my own money) up on the  wall over the word wall. (I'll pop a picture in here tomorrow.) I hope the kids enjoy it. I also put the tadpoles in the hall. They are big enough after Spring Break to really see so I thought I would invite the entire school to come by and watch the metamorphosis of the frog life cycle. But I know my colleagues; if they think they will interrupt my class they won't come by to see the tadpoles, whereas if they are out in the hallway for all to enjoy, more students will have an opportunity to see a live tadpole.... I hope. I've never watched the development of the frog so this is as exciting for me as it is for the kids. But I've a lot to think about, Eckert Tolle and Oprah have really thrown some things at me tonight that I need to mull over so until tomorow friends...

Peace,

The IKEA Experience

We did it! Mom and I finally went to IKEA. It's only been in Round Rock for over a year and we haven't gone! Since Spring Break is over tomorrow, I asked Mom to go with me so we could finally have the IKEA experience before I'm chained to my teacher's desk again. 

WOW!!! IKEA! I really liked being able to sit in a chair and have my feet touch the ground! Even the couches!! I'm not short but I can never touch the floor except maybe with my toes. It was cool being able to look at the rooms all set up and decorated and knowing that I could buy each and everything that I saw. How cool was everything! The prices were fantastic! I loved the kitchen cabinets,

the pull out drawers, and the accessories that you could get to put in them. 

I ended up buying some spice jars for my dirt collection. Finally I can label and display my sand/dirt collection in attractive jars. I purchased a shadow box frame for the clay hand I bought at White Sands. I also got a 3 pack of the energy efficient twisted lightbulbs at a very good price! Oh, and I bought a jar Ligonberry jam because obviously Swedish people are quite fond of their ligonberry products. Since I've never tasted a ligonberry, I wanted to try it out. I'll let you know what it tasted like when I open the jar. There's quite a bit to purchase at IKEA, thank goodness it's reasonable... ;) IKEA is a great teacher store, I found some wonderful bookshelves at affordable prices... I'll save the receipts for tax purposes....

Project Linus

Even though I got in last night at 9:30, it was difficult to fall asleep. It's almost like I was still buzzing from the road and I spent another restless night. All the same, one of the reasons I wanted to return home was to make it to the Project Linus chapter meeting in Round Rock. Last month the national organization (Project Linus) held a quilt drive. Here in Round Rock and Austin, several sewing shoppes raffled off a brand new sewing machine. Everyone who brought in a quilt to donate to Project Linus was given a chance in the raffle. It's our big quilt drive for the year and we had lots of quilts that needed to be labeled and washed, so it was important to me that I get there and help out. It doesn't take much effort to sew labels on the quilts but it does need to be done before the quilts are handed out, and I can do that. Before I went though, I had to purchase new thread and if I was going to get thread I may as well pick up some fabric for the Warm Wishes quilt I would like to finish by the next month's meeting. It is my goal this year that I donate one quilt a month. I know, one quilt is not much in the face of all the children who need one but it's the best I can ask of myself. 

I was able to finally give Diane the quilt my nieces and I made over the holidays. I am going to post it here so that Rheanna and Jessie know that I gave the quilt to Project Linus and soon it will be wrapped around a baby. Of course, I would be much happier to think that the blanket we made will never be needed to help comfort a child, but it seems the need grows more with each year. If you read this, please consider donating a quilt, afghan or money to a Project Linus chapter near you. Children need to know that people care about them, and having a blanket to snuggle under is oh, so comforting.  At any rate, after sewing labels for hours (and yes, the good news is that I will still have plenty of labels to sew on next month as well), I was still able to enjoy a long day visiting my parents and catching up my the DVR shows.

All in all, a very good day. Now, if I could only rearrange my closet to make a craft room so I don't need to clean up the quilt each time I begin working on it.... Ahh, that's the great thing about life-- there's always more to do.

Home again, Home again

Jiggety jig!

Yes, I've picked up the mail, cleaned out the car, fed the animals and showered and already I am blogging. It was a good drive back from El Paso. But it was HOT! I have AC in the car though, but still, it's only March. Today found me at Mikey's first grade classroom reading "The Jalepeno Man" to his class, picking his teachers brain about my new desire-- the Promethean board, getting Melissa's present at the pot place and eating lunch with Mikey at 10:40. Then we planned Melissa's front yard landscape and then after many hugs and kisses, it was time to say farewell. I took off at 12:00 mst and arrived at 9:30 cst. (That's good time for those of you who don't drive across half of Texas on a regular basis.) I am dry though, I have to layer myself in Aveeno moisturizer until my skin readjusts to humidity. Well, let's see if I can find some good photos of Mikey's class and I'll leave the rest until tomorrow.

Being Here

Today the intrepid travelers finally made their way to White Sands National Monument. It's about an hour and a half drive north from El Paso to White Sands. It was a beautiful drive. For the most part, the babies enjoyed the ride... Marco was a little fussy towards the end as we passed Holloman A.F.B. but otherwise. It was a startlingly beautiful day. The sky was almost cloudless. The road was smooth beneath the tires and the company was good. The mountains rose from the floor in variegated stripes and I tried a few times to imagine it all as it was billions of years ago covered by ocean. That exercise was much too difficult for I found myself coming back to the moment over and over-- almost involuntarily. It's easy to be present when the drive is good and the beauty is breathtaking.
At White Sands, I found myself not interested so much in the geography or science of a gypsum lake bed as I was captured by the blue sky and the yucca pods... the wind quietly weaving through the dune grasses... and the wonder of watching the boys playing in the biggest sandbox they've played in so far. Walking on sand is difficult, I learned as I watched Marco re-learn to walk on a shifting surface. I'm sure I learned that years ago but I had completely forgotten until I watched him grow in confidence as he wandered farther and farther afield from his mommy. Jack endlessly filled the bucket and then dumped it out and filled it again until he discovered the joy of discovering what lay beyond this sand dune... and the next... and the one after. And Ryan, well Ryan, was just happy to be with us and he crawled from one to another sharing his happiness.

I laid on the cool sand and looked up into an impossibly blue sky and felt peace steal over me and joy fill my heart. I guess that's why there are deserts.

Morning has Broken

Marcos LOVES my cell phone. He'll stop at nothing to get it!

Well, morning breaks pretty early around here. Ryan is 10 months old and Marcos is 15 months and Jack, well, Jack is a little tornado and he's on the move from early light to dusk. Usually life gets started here around 5:30 am. That suits me just fine as I am an early riser but I think it is a bit harder for my daughters who prefer to stay up later and sleep in. They'll feel better when their kids are teenagers (or WILL they? heh, heh, heh). The thing about the babies though, is that even though they are awake and definitely don't want to stay in bed, they're pretty lowkey. They like to lounge on the couches, drink some milk and watch a little Noggin. As they waken a bit more then they're all about the breakfast! Ryan ate an entire serving of Quaker Oats with Strawberries today, 2 pieces of toast and 1 bottle of milk! And he still begged food from anyone who had any! Yikes, it must mean a growth spurt! After the big breakfast, it's usually time for Jack's Big Music Show. Now, for those of you who are not up on your children's television, Noggin and Nick Jr. really try to develop what they call their preschool programming. They even display their objectives before each show telling parents what their children will learn during passive watching. (OK! I am entitled to be a little ironic since my business is teaching, awright?!?) At any rate, they display their TEKS just like we do at real school (that's Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for those of you not in the education field-- or in Texas for that matter). And then children just soak up all that good education by mindlessly watching with no interpretation from anyone. But getting back to Jack's Big Music Show, it's funny to watch the babies during this particular show. They'll be busy with their parallel play and as soon as they hear the music, they'll all turn toward the television and start "dancing". The music will stop and they'll turn away from the tv and resume crawling or banging or whatever they find to do until... the music starts again. It's funny. Anyway, here's some shots of my past 2 mornings. I love it. I'm glad it's Spring Break-- even though my mind is spinning with ways to get a Promethean board in my classroom...