Changing the world, One Teacher at a time.

Hello and welcome to my blog page! What made me decide to jump into the blogger world you might ask? My best friend, Esther! She got me started with her fabulous sight "Crowned with Laurel" about her families journey to find their children.

I am a very passionate individual that believes every child deserves the best I have to offer as a teacher and human being. It is my hope that I can be a model to all I meet by living a life of abundance with grace and integrity. My role model was my grandmother-Grandma B. She had love in her heart for everyone and taught me everything I know about sewing, quilting, life and love.

Friday, September 28, 2007

So Much for Getting Some Rest...

Well, I am so very excited that my dear friend Esther has enlarged her family by two. Check out her awesome blog page http://nevermoveagain.blogspot.com. I am anxiously awaiting their family to bond so I can meet Sissy and Lovey. It is hard to believe it took three years, many tears, many many frustrations, but in the end it was all worth it-what a blessing for this fantastic family.

I was looking forward to taking a few days off after my first full time teaching gig, but it was just not to be...believe it or not I got calls for the day after and the Thursday following my last day. Wednesday I took off, just to re-adjust to subbing/full time mom etc. and Thursday was Stretch's first football game. More on that later. I did fill in for my good friend the Kindie teacher Friday and Monday, then again yesterday for half the day-I love those little buggers! Got tons of hugs from her kids from last year as I had filled in for her many times once I had my certificate. REALLY LOVE THAT! Nothing like a gunormous hug from a 1st grader to make your day! I am loaded up all ready for Tuesday with my boys' 2nd grade teacher than it's back to Princi-Pal's school for Thursday and Friday. I think I like filling in at the same schools the best because you really get to know the kids.

Stretch's first football game was fantastic-wow he is such a good player-unfortunately the other team was HUGE! I think they must hold back their seventh graders or being in a farming community really does produce bigger kids-something though-I have never seen such big 7th graders. Sad to say they lost 21-0, but it was very exciting none the less. Oh well, there is always another game.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Quilting, Flowers and Adopted Grandmothers

I almost forgot that our "adopted" grandmother had asked if I would tie three quilts for her. Of course I said yes. I will post her beautiful work once I finish tying the last one. Of course she dropped a little bomb right after this...she told us she was tired of living alone-minus her cat, Snuggles of course-and was moving into the same elderly apartment building her friend (my beloved deceased Grandma B) had lived in. This is a huge relief as she just turned 93 in April and we have very worried about her living where she was. Halllalllllllloooooouuuuuuyyyyyyaaaa! One less thing to worry about.
I told her I would finish the quilts and bring them back to her once she moves into her new pad. She has already been to one of their socials and figured out she knows 3 people from our church who live there-have you ever seen a 93 year old woman excited! Quite a site. Anyway, as she will no longer have a patio at the new place-guess who gets her flower boxes! Yippeee now if I can only keep them alive. StraightGuy was not too pleased when we picked them up on Saturday-the back of the truck was pretty much filled. He even tried to pass some off on my mom, my brother, my ex-sister-in-law, strangers on the street, but alas, I caboshed that-these are my flowers darn it-adopted grandma gave them to me and I am so excited to have them-how dare he give them away. My poor mom said she didn't dare take any as she would end up with a crazy mad daughter on her hands. Oh well, hopefully I can grow a green thumb and keep them alive-I just wasn't ready to give any away until I have a chance to decide which ones I really want. Gee Whiz give me a day or two or a week to decide would you.

Where in the world is One Teacher...

I know, I know I have been gone for a bit and you have been wondering if I fell off the face of the earth. Glad to know that I am still loved and missed. lol Actually, a funny thing happened on the way to "Smiley's" school. I got a call from the HR director of the district I interviewed for the librarian job. She left a message saying that the principal of said school was requesting me to come in starting the next day (mind you this would be the first day of school for that district) to teach in the library. First thought, hum, now why would they want me to teach in the library when they just hired someone to do just that, hum. Don't mind me I was just a little baffled by this. I know the principal is not missing something in her brain so I figured the HR director had some screws loose-this would not be the first time I questioned the capacity of said director-Anywho, I called her back and said "sure, I would be glad to come in and to tell the wonderful requesting principal (gee it's nice to be wanted) that I would be at her school EARLY the next morning to get the WHOLE story.
Good thing, as I thought, Princi-Pal did have a totally different plan that somehow the HR director didn't quite understand-mind you-Prinici-Pal had been negociating this deal since May-an item I did not know about until further snooping had acurred later. The deal was they wanted a fourth specialist (ie PE, Music, Library, ME) that would teach STEPS TO RESPECT, this is a great safety/communications/civics curriculum that I had seen, purused, knew of buy had not specifically taught as of yet-no biggy for me. The assistant Princi-Pal (bless her wonderful heart) was frantically typing up my lesson plan while head honcho and I spoke that I would impliment with all grades focusing on the rules and consequences for the school-what I like to affectionately call "Guidelines for Success". Starting a curriculum from scratch is right up
my alley (I am just kooky, creative, and crazy enough to do it)
So off I trot to my little portable with a box full of student handbooks and a rubberband encased set of pencils-what every new teacher needs with less than 30 minutes to prepare for their first class of the year. Luckily, many of the students remembered my as "library lady" from the end of last year.
Needless to say, I don't know if I should be honored or worried that the first person the Prici-Pal team came up with when they were looking for someone who could "hit the ground at the last minute running" and make this work. I laugh now, but man what a whirlwind this created.
After speaking with the head HR on Tuesday night I immediately called my mom to ask her to move back in with us to help with "Smiley" and his school transport etc. Thank goodness she was home and not on a business trip! With her rolling into the driveway at 7:30am on Wednesday morning I was out the door and moving. I guess today was the first day I had to stop and reflect on where I have been and what I did.
After two weeks, which was the initial commitment, at least until the district would look at the enrollment numbers and tell Princi-Pal or not that she would have a 4th specialist for the entire year-I am sad to say the district said "NO".
Many, many people (kids, parents, EA's, teachers, admin) are very sad-especially the teachers who were not so gung ho to be teaching the actual STEPS TO RESPECT curriculum-were not happy about this decision, but alas-can't do what the district doesn't want to pay for, no matter how much a benefit it was to the kids. Once again, Princi-Pal challenged me to rise above my comfort level and take a new adventure that truly taught me more about who I am as a teacher and why I am so passionate about what I do. Yesterday was tough, but in the long run this is just not my year to have a full time gig and still meet the needs of StraightGuy, Stretch, and Smiley. I am however already scheduled to sub in one of the 2nd grade classes at said school so the kids won't miss me for too long!! hehehehehe