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...

My Latest Desire....

Ruben and his teacher, Ms. Herrera. (With the McDonald's in the background.)

Ruben's class

Ruben and his buds. Can you believe he's in second grade already???

I just got back from Ruben's second grade classroom. I read the Jalepeno Man as promised and they ALL loved it. Yes, they were amazed at how loud I get while reading that story. They want me to come back and read "Bubba, the Cowboy Prince". Ahh, yes, it was fun, and right after the after read aloud discussion, is when I fell in LOVE!!! All the classrooms in the Sgt. Roberto Iduarte elementary school has a Promethean board. Do you know what I'm talking about? It's an interactive whiteboard that is connected to the teachers laptop (YES!! Each teacher also has a laptop to take home!!!!!!) God help me, it takes so little to make me drool... but back to the Promethean board. It is also connected to the schoolwide video announcements. And when she is not using an activity premade in the archives (She showed me the Gallon man activity-- and for my vice-principal's inevitable question, it's TEKS 2.7b, Alan) she can access her computer's desktop from the board and go onto the web. The thing is, the kids get to use it by using a pen to pull away "covers" over the answers or use the tools to find the answer. Man, I really want one!! I REALLY, REALLY want one. I want one so bad, I might write another grant to get it installed in my classroom! She said that it takes a while to write your own activities but there is a very big archive that teachers can access with a large variety of activities in all the curricular areas. It's fairly easy, she said to modify existing ones which is what she most often does. Well, I didn't get any pictures of my new love but I did get pictures of Ruben, his teacher and his class.

I brought him McDonald's and ate lunch with him. Why, I ask you, why do they always want McDonald's? Why not a Quizno or Subway?? Heck, why not even a personal pan from Pizza Hut? No, it's always McDonalds... I'm going in to do a repeat performance for Mikey's class on Friday and I suppose I'll have to get McDonald's again. sigh The things we do for love! Oh, I had a whole posting planned to show you the morning routine here.... Let me wrap this one up and I'll get going on that one!

Another day in Paradise

Mikey and Jack













Ruben



Okay, I'm just being a bit facetious. I woke up with an incredible sinus headache and no aspirin. By the time I actually found the Walgreen's, it was a fullblown doozey of a headache. So instead of going out to White Sands to slide down the glistening sand dunes and basking in the sunshine, the girls got to watch me nap on the couch. Ahh yes, the best laid plans of mice and men... But, I am with my boys so all's not too miserable with me ;)

By the time I awoke for the second time today, it was almost time to pick up the boys and so Jack and I headed off to the school to get the boys. Of course, I didn't have my I.D., no identification at all, I'm not even sure that I am on the Locator card as an acceptable person to pick up the boys. Like I don't know all of this? At any rate, my daughter ended up appearing at my side and it was a moot worry.












I went to watch the boys at gymnastics tonight. They are the youngest members of the team at Elite Gymnastics. Mikey was so small that he had to monkey his way up onto everything. They worked on the floor, the horse and the parallel bars. I wanted to take some photos of them running through their paces but Missy was adamant that I not disturb the class. (I was docile enough today, but tune in, in a day or two I'll have some shots then.)

Tomorrow I get to go to Ruben's second grade class and read the "Jalepeno Man" by Debbie Leland. Rubencito loves the story and as I was giving him a goodnight kiss tonight he says,
"You know, Mimi, that you might mess up tomorrow in my class if you don't practice the book."
"Oh, you're right Ruben, can I practice on you and Mikey right now?"
"Yes, but Mimi, you have to use your indoor voice!"

Mikey hasn't had the pleasure of hearing me read the Jalapeno Man to his class, and he wasn't at Windermere when I was the librarian, so he's never had the "Jalepeno Man experience". He's a convert after my practice session, though. I did remember to use my indoor voice, but it'll be the live, loud and raucous version tomorrow. I can't wait!

My Crew

Marcos, Mimi and Mikey.















Marcos, Mimi, and Jack.

As promised, here are some shots of me and the boys. Mikey took them-- well, except for the one he is in, OBVIOUSLY.










This is Ryan, Mimi, and Marcos.

Here is Jack and Mimi.

What?!? Are they cute or what!

How lucky can one Mimi be, I ask you?

The Eagle has Skidded In

I headed out to El Paso this morning with a full car and Wicket in the back seat. I had rain all the way until west of Junction. Lots of traffic all the way through Austin until Drpping Springs, since I left at 7:00 a.m.! Yeah, I know I should've waited, but I wanted to get on the road to beat the kids home from school. Driving in the dark through the periodic downpours was challenging but hey, I'm up to it! I was having a serious case of white line fever and I needed a roadtrip!

The weather from Junction on to El Paso was beautiful. I remembered all over again why I fell in love with west Texas, originally. Long empty vistas to get lost in. An endless ribbon to drive down. I was, oh so ready, for a road trip, and even the whining dog in the backseat didn't detract from my peace I found myself remembering things from way back in the day. Thought about my aunt, thought about all the folks I taught with in El Paso, just random thoughts falling out of my head and leaving me empty.

The coolest thing though was right about the time the iPod ran out of juice, no radio stations were in range, the CD player quit working, the cell phone hit a dead spot-- right there, the road turned from black tar to something red. Red like "a path of heart". It was a very good few miles.

The most I paid for gas we $3.44 a gallon at a little town called Bakersfield (still in Texas, not Cali!) but otherwise I found a Love's station with gas $3.15 a gallon. Trust me, it was a good price for all that I saw on the way in. I was even happy with $3.44 a gallon most of the time. I caught a lucky break in Van Horn! Keep it in mind though if you head out this way. It's on the first exit for Van Horn but it's right behind another gas station who's gas is not as cheap, so you have to look for it. It's almost time for Oprah and Eckart, "A New World" so I'll get some photos up tomorrow. I had my photographer (Mikey) take some shots of me and my crew!

Anyway, the title is an homage to my brother-in-law, Bill, who always emailed us the line "The Eagle had landed" whenever Mom and Dad arrived safely in Minnesota. Of course, I'm more like a buffalo so I had to skid in... Well, all's well out here in the west Texas town of El Paso.... Let's see what Eckert has for us tonight...