I'm pretty sure this note should have been on my desk this morning. Perhaps it was, and a fifth grader stole it...
Dear Miss,
Today we do not have to wear our uniforms. It is shorts day, and we feel like that means we're here to party. We will also be able to buy ice cream during lunch. Do we really have to do work? Yesterday, you left us with Miss Lefever because you weren't feeling well. Miss, she is more strict than you, so we saved our energy for today. Do not bother trying to tell us to be quiet. You can take away our recess, but we will still do what we want. Miss, today is the last day of April. Doesn't that mean school work is over? Ay Miss... Let's just go to recess!
Sincerely,
5B
Miraculously, I have not yet allowed their craziness to impact my mood or my outlook. I spent the majority of yesterday in bed and taking medicine, so I am in a great mood today. They look cute in their regular clothes, and they're just being loud and rowdy in a funny and happy way... I love them anyway.
I'm celebrating with a Dr. Pepper.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
What a wonderful night!!!
I have talked to so many of the loves of my life tonight that my head is spinning... I may never get to sleep after thinking about my friends and family and all the babies in my life. Tonight, I got to video-chat with James and talk on the phone with Malie Kate... I also got to meet Luke via Skype video, and I think he is beautiful and perfect and I want to hold him! Then, to top it all off, I found out the gender of Baby Woodham - and I'm so thrilled!
I'm on a bit of an emotional overload. It makes this headache, sore throat, and congestion bearable...
I also started The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks tonight. Somewhat unfortunately, but not really, I only got to read the prologue. I was then attached to my webcam/microphone for about four straight hours... This is probably good due to my tendency to read books in one sitting. I mentioned that to a friend tonight, and she said, "Do you have an obsessive personality?"
YES.
Yes, indeed, I do.
The end.
I'm on a bit of an emotional overload. It makes this headache, sore throat, and congestion bearable...
I also started The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks tonight. Somewhat unfortunately, but not really, I only got to read the prologue. I was then attached to my webcam/microphone for about four straight hours... This is probably good due to my tendency to read books in one sitting. I mentioned that to a friend tonight, and she said, "Do you have an obsessive personality?"
YES.
Yes, indeed, I do.
The end.
EXPELLED
Yep. That's the word flying through the fifth grade this afternoon.
Apparently the line has been crossed one too many times.
It's sad that an eleven or twelve year old has reached this point already.
Eduardo says that it's not fair and that without this friend, there will not be a sixth grade. I reminded him that he's failing in three subjects and may not make it to sixth grade anyway...
Wow. What a year!
Apparently the line has been crossed one too many times.
It's sad that an eleven or twelve year old has reached this point already.
Eduardo says that it's not fair and that without this friend, there will not be a sixth grade. I reminded him that he's failing in three subjects and may not make it to sixth grade anyway...
Wow. What a year!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Recent Goings-On:
In my classroom:
- We finished reading aloud the biography of Corrie Ten Boom. These kids are pretty obsessed with WWII and the Holocaust, so this was a good way to read and learn about it while hearing about a testimony of faith and perseverence.
- I rearranged the room before school this morning. I have a huge table that is probably 4'x8', and I put it in the center of the room with seven kids around it. Their desks are against the wall. The other desks are in groups of two all around the table, with the exception of the three stooges who find themselves on islands facing various walls.
- Today we made a quick door decoration that said, "I love my mom because..." and it was sweet to see them grab a marker, lay down on the paper on the floor, think, and then write about their moms. I wrote about mine too. :)
- We're studying fractions. So far, so good.
- We're reading Revolutionary War on Wednesday and for every chapter, they have to look up definitions in a dictionary and then answer comprehension questions. This has been so good for them in a couple of ways. First of all, as it turns out, they don't know how to use a dictionary. Talk about frustrating - but after ten chapters of vocabulary words, I feel like they will have mastered that skill! Also, they are often so bad at listening! Of course, I think that is obvious in the day-to-day frustrations of our class, but it is also their absolute lowest score on the SAT tests. This is a good unit because they have to listen as I read aloud to comprehend and answer the questions... And I don't feel bad about that because the book is WAY TOO EASY for fifth graders!
- I've been keeping up with my grading...
- Marco broke his arm this weekend and is now having to write with his left hand. It's entirely possible that I have never seen handwriting any worse than his... And yet I have that magic teacher-ability to read and interpret it...
- Yesterday, Juan Carlos told me I looked pregnant. In fact, his exact words were like this:
JC - "Miss, you look embarassed in that dress."
Me - "I look what in this dress?"
JC - "Embarassed."
Me - "Really? Why do I look embarassed in this dress?"
JC - "Miss - like you're going to have a baby..."
Yep. They boost my self-esteem on a daily basis... And I'm holding out hope that he used the word "embarassed" by mistake in his whole English-is-not-my-first-or-best-language kind of way.
- We've almost made it through April!!!!!!!
In my life outside of work:
- A whole lotta' nothing has been going on.
- Because I've been keeping up with my grading, I find myself with free time and no idea what to do other than to kill brain cells on Facebook.
- I'm currently reading a book called The Cage. It was a recommendation from a student, and it's about Jews living inside the gates of the ghetto during the Nazi occupation. (See? I told you... Obsessed.) However, I'm struggling to read it. After reading the biography last week and revisiting my feelings from my tour of Auschwitz concentration camp last year, I'm kind of feeling like I've had enough. And that leads me to Facebook as well so that I don't have to keep reading it...
- I've been enjoying the fruits and veggies that I got at the market last weekend. I got something like two watermelons, seven bananas, four tomatoes, three onions, twelve limes, four potatos, and two bags of green beans for $10. Twana says that when I will leave I will miss her the most and after that, I will miss the market. I think she's right.
- I've warned Twana that we're going to spend so much time together in the next two months that she will be ready for me to leave... And her parents are coming this Friday!
- I just found out today that instead of summer pay (which I didn't even know we received), our April and May paychecks will be double the regular amount, and I will receive a check from the school sometime around October! Woohoo for unexpected money!!!
- Lots of people that I know are having babies. Wow.
- Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred has been fun-ish for the last 20 days, but after Juan Carlos's comment yesterday (see above), I'm feeling discouraged.
My spiritual life:
- My absolute FAVORITE time of the day has become the hour before I go to sleep... That's when my apartment usually gets still and quiet, and I am able to lean back on my bed, turn on the lamp and the twinkle lights, and read some Scripture, Operation World, and journal some prayers... I wish I could maintain that feeling of peace throughout my entire day.
- The Bible reading has gotten a little scattered recently as we began following the life of David. We're jumping around through the Psalms, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, and who knows what else. It's good though. I'm glad I've been sticking with it.
Things I'm hopeful about:
- The trip to Chicago in July and my very first Cubs game at Wrigley Field!!!
- Time with my sister this summer before she moves off to college.
- Possibly helping with the Hispanic ministry at Brook Hills if I get to move back to Birmingham.
- Eating Chickfila again... And Mexican food. And Zaxby's. And Jim 'N Nick's.
- A possible trip to Reevesville, South Carolina in August to learn to cook like Paula Deen. :)
- Returning to my old friendships and watching babies grow...
- We finished reading aloud the biography of Corrie Ten Boom. These kids are pretty obsessed with WWII and the Holocaust, so this was a good way to read and learn about it while hearing about a testimony of faith and perseverence.
- I rearranged the room before school this morning. I have a huge table that is probably 4'x8', and I put it in the center of the room with seven kids around it. Their desks are against the wall. The other desks are in groups of two all around the table, with the exception of the three stooges who find themselves on islands facing various walls.
- Today we made a quick door decoration that said, "I love my mom because..." and it was sweet to see them grab a marker, lay down on the paper on the floor, think, and then write about their moms. I wrote about mine too. :)
- We're studying fractions. So far, so good.
- We're reading Revolutionary War on Wednesday and for every chapter, they have to look up definitions in a dictionary and then answer comprehension questions. This has been so good for them in a couple of ways. First of all, as it turns out, they don't know how to use a dictionary. Talk about frustrating - but after ten chapters of vocabulary words, I feel like they will have mastered that skill! Also, they are often so bad at listening! Of course, I think that is obvious in the day-to-day frustrations of our class, but it is also their absolute lowest score on the SAT tests. This is a good unit because they have to listen as I read aloud to comprehend and answer the questions... And I don't feel bad about that because the book is WAY TOO EASY for fifth graders!
- I've been keeping up with my grading...
- Marco broke his arm this weekend and is now having to write with his left hand. It's entirely possible that I have never seen handwriting any worse than his... And yet I have that magic teacher-ability to read and interpret it...
- Yesterday, Juan Carlos told me I looked pregnant. In fact, his exact words were like this:
JC - "Miss, you look embarassed in that dress."
Me - "I look what in this dress?"
JC - "Embarassed."
Me - "Really? Why do I look embarassed in this dress?"
JC - "Miss - like you're going to have a baby..."
Yep. They boost my self-esteem on a daily basis... And I'm holding out hope that he used the word "embarassed" by mistake in his whole English-is-not-my-first-or-best-language kind of way.
- We've almost made it through April!!!!!!!
In my life outside of work:
- A whole lotta' nothing has been going on.
- Because I've been keeping up with my grading, I find myself with free time and no idea what to do other than to kill brain cells on Facebook.
- I'm currently reading a book called The Cage. It was a recommendation from a student, and it's about Jews living inside the gates of the ghetto during the Nazi occupation. (See? I told you... Obsessed.) However, I'm struggling to read it. After reading the biography last week and revisiting my feelings from my tour of Auschwitz concentration camp last year, I'm kind of feeling like I've had enough. And that leads me to Facebook as well so that I don't have to keep reading it...
- I've been enjoying the fruits and veggies that I got at the market last weekend. I got something like two watermelons, seven bananas, four tomatoes, three onions, twelve limes, four potatos, and two bags of green beans for $10. Twana says that when I will leave I will miss her the most and after that, I will miss the market. I think she's right.
- I've warned Twana that we're going to spend so much time together in the next two months that she will be ready for me to leave... And her parents are coming this Friday!
- I just found out today that instead of summer pay (which I didn't even know we received), our April and May paychecks will be double the regular amount, and I will receive a check from the school sometime around October! Woohoo for unexpected money!!!
- Lots of people that I know are having babies. Wow.
- Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred has been fun-ish for the last 20 days, but after Juan Carlos's comment yesterday (see above), I'm feeling discouraged.
My spiritual life:
- My absolute FAVORITE time of the day has become the hour before I go to sleep... That's when my apartment usually gets still and quiet, and I am able to lean back on my bed, turn on the lamp and the twinkle lights, and read some Scripture, Operation World, and journal some prayers... I wish I could maintain that feeling of peace throughout my entire day.
- The Bible reading has gotten a little scattered recently as we began following the life of David. We're jumping around through the Psalms, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, and who knows what else. It's good though. I'm glad I've been sticking with it.
Things I'm hopeful about:
- The trip to Chicago in July and my very first Cubs game at Wrigley Field!!!
- Time with my sister this summer before she moves off to college.
- Possibly helping with the Hispanic ministry at Brook Hills if I get to move back to Birmingham.
- Eating Chickfila again... And Mexican food. And Zaxby's. And Jim 'N Nick's.
- A possible trip to Reevesville, South Carolina in August to learn to cook like Paula Deen. :)
- Returning to my old friendships and watching babies grow...
Monday, April 26, 2010
Craziness...
Who needs alcohol when you've got watermelon? That's what I'm thinking this evening... Let's just say it was one of those days... I was in a funk, and they were out of control. I'm really struggling to keep three particular mouths shut during work-time, and it doesn't make for a happy teacher.
Anyway, I've joked a few times this year that it's a good thing we all signed a contract that we wouldn't drink alcohol while we're in Honduras because this year has been enough to turn a non-drinker like me into an alcoholic...
Today, I nursed my spirit with a nap and about three-fourths of a small watermelon, and I am in such a different place right now than I was just four hours ago! Praise the Lord!
So I think a new seating arrangement may be in order soon in my classroom... I'm picturing three boys in three corners. I'm not sure how the Honduran "Rights of the Child" law would look on that, but I dare these Honduran politicians to deal with this for a few days and get back to me... The unfortunate part is that all of the good classroom management tips say to move these kids to the front of the room and close to the teacher.
A of all) That puts them front-and-center for all the negative attention they could want.
B of all) That means I'm the one they talk to and annoy!!!
Ugh. Any and all legal suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I don't love the fact that the majority of my class would tell you in a heartbeat that they hate school. So many of them are SO LAZY. I have tried and tried to ask them for ideas about things that they care about and are motivated to do, but if it is at all academic and not about playing - they're out.
Sadness.
I wish I had the answers...
Now time for Bible study. Adios!
Anyway, I've joked a few times this year that it's a good thing we all signed a contract that we wouldn't drink alcohol while we're in Honduras because this year has been enough to turn a non-drinker like me into an alcoholic...
Today, I nursed my spirit with a nap and about three-fourths of a small watermelon, and I am in such a different place right now than I was just four hours ago! Praise the Lord!
So I think a new seating arrangement may be in order soon in my classroom... I'm picturing three boys in three corners. I'm not sure how the Honduran "Rights of the Child" law would look on that, but I dare these Honduran politicians to deal with this for a few days and get back to me... The unfortunate part is that all of the good classroom management tips say to move these kids to the front of the room and close to the teacher.
A of all) That puts them front-and-center for all the negative attention they could want.
B of all) That means I'm the one they talk to and annoy!!!
Ugh. Any and all legal suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I don't love the fact that the majority of my class would tell you in a heartbeat that they hate school. So many of them are SO LAZY. I have tried and tried to ask them for ideas about things that they care about and are motivated to do, but if it is at all academic and not about playing - they're out.
Sadness.
I wish I had the answers...
Now time for Bible study. Adios!
Counting...
Today I feel sad. I have no idea why, but I do.
My students came in like usual, talking and procrastinating... Yet, they have settled down into their math assignment, and I am so proud. I feel like they've made a lot of progress.
Many of us have countdowns going for various things... For instance, I come home eight weeks from yesterday. I'll be living with my family again in 55 days. We have seven weeks of school left. There are 34 more school days, and two of those are half-days. :) My friend Kristen is coming to visit four weeks from yesterday. She'll be here in 27 days!
With all of this thinking about countdowns, I'm wondering if we should be counting up too...
I just checked the calendar. We have been here for a little more than 37 weeks. (Meaning, 37 weeks have passed since we moved here August 8th...) If I counted correctly, it's been 262 days. I wish I could count the school days, but with the random breaks thrown in this year, I'm really not sure... I'm guessing we've taught for about 140-145 days.
It's nice to look back and see all you've come through sometimes...
Apparently it's a yawny, sniffly morning in 5th grade. Too bad it's unprofessional for a teacher to be listening to her ipod in class.
My students came in like usual, talking and procrastinating... Yet, they have settled down into their math assignment, and I am so proud. I feel like they've made a lot of progress.
Many of us have countdowns going for various things... For instance, I come home eight weeks from yesterday. I'll be living with my family again in 55 days. We have seven weeks of school left. There are 34 more school days, and two of those are half-days. :) My friend Kristen is coming to visit four weeks from yesterday. She'll be here in 27 days!
With all of this thinking about countdowns, I'm wondering if we should be counting up too...
I just checked the calendar. We have been here for a little more than 37 weeks. (Meaning, 37 weeks have passed since we moved here August 8th...) If I counted correctly, it's been 262 days. I wish I could count the school days, but with the random breaks thrown in this year, I'm really not sure... I'm guessing we've taught for about 140-145 days.
It's nice to look back and see all you've come through sometimes...
Apparently it's a yawny, sniffly morning in 5th grade. Too bad it's unprofessional for a teacher to be listening to her ipod in class.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Heaven
Tonight I'm longing for the completion of our rescue and redemption - when and where there will be no more:
I want to learn to make the RIGHT decisions...
And maybe the whole point of the waiting is to help others who long for the same thing to find The Way there as well...
And in the mean time, maybe it's true - you can't always get what you want. I hope I can become increasingly more content with that.
- pain
- suffering
- disappointment
- foolishness
- bad decisions
- sickness
- tornadoes
- fear
- discouragement
- procrastination
- laziness
- apathy
- dissatisfaction
- uncertainty
- disrespect
- hurt feelings
- disease
- starvation
- weakness
- selfishness
- goodbyes
- instability
- hopelessness
- heartache
- lonliness
- scheming
- manipulation
- condemnation...
I want to learn to make the RIGHT decisions...
And maybe the whole point of the waiting is to help others who long for the same thing to find The Way there as well...
And in the mean time, maybe it's true - you can't always get what you want. I hope I can become increasingly more content with that.
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