March 3

Twenty eight years and three boys later!

We still rock it!  Remember that song...Your Still the One by Orleans..."We've been together since way back when...I want you to know that after all these years...your still the one I want to talk to in bed and the one that turns my head..."

We've lived in Georgia 20 years and tonight was the 19th time we've gone to Carraba's for our anniversary dinner.  I love traditions and have tried hard to make sure that they are a part of our life! 

How do you feel about traditions?

Here's to 28 more if the Lord allows!

March 2

In Social Studies we have started studying WWII.  Fifth grade boys long for this day and the girls just look mildly interested.  However, today as I was doing lesson plans I was so excited I wanted to scream.  Next week I will introduce them to old friends...Ellen and AnnaMarie.  Yes, we are going to start Number the Stars.  I LOVE that book.  And as a teacher I can't wait to introduce a whole new group of students to some of the most memorable characters ever!  This is the stuff that makes teaching worth it for me! 

Happy Friday all!  I hope you find renewed excitement this weekend!

March 1

Man it is hard to believe that it is March already!  Today was a wild ride going into work as heavy showers passed through Georgia.  When I made it to work and finally punched the time clock I was relieved! Stayed busy teaching and then had a baby shower after work.  By this time the sun was shining and the temperature was 78!  After that I went and finished my last homebound lesson, our student will be back on Monday. 

Dan had finished up supper and had it ready when I finally came home.  Nothing like a wonderful husband to make life fit together!

April Already

I think the old saying should be changed...time flies whether you are having a good time or not!!!  Hard to believe how many things have happened in a short time.

I went in for a regular physical and have come out with heart problems and a growth on my thyroid that needs to be watched!  Holy Cow!!!

Dan's mother's cancer has spread.  She is refusing to do chemo and I'm not sure, but I think she is starving herself to death.  Dan needs to be going up there at least once a month, but there is this thing called money.
I don't want to work summer school, but know that I need to.  We are very thankful to two of Dan's SS members who helped us get to Minneapolis last week. 

Matt is still looking for an internship and/or job. Plus he is fighting a sinus infection.  He has met a delightful young lady.  Gabe has a strange spot that has come up on him.  I'm going to watch it for two days then go to the doctor. 

CRCT is in two weeks.  The results of it will truly rest in the arms of God.  I can say we've done all we could, but it doesn't look like enough.  Can you say in need of a miracle!

Hello 2011

Usually my first post of the year is my "word of the year".  This year there is no word.  This year it is going to be all about survival.  I don't think I've ever had such a hard year of teaching.  It is January and I'm exhausted!

Things I know about the rest of this school year:
     1.  Nothing will be done because of anything I do; it will take Divine interventions.
     2.  My health has got to improve.
     3.  I've got to finish my doctorate, take care of my own family and face the challenges of everyday.

I think it is going to be a long year!

I LOVE to Read

I love to read!!  I remember after unch when our 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Cobb, would tell us to pack our bags we were going on a trip.  I loved it!!! Since then books have transported me many places.  They've allowed me to learn things I never would have known.

However, my heart is saddened as year after year I teach fifth graders who see no value in reading. I'm left questioning what happened that sucked the very love of learning from their souls.  Is it society today?  Is it the standards based movement?  Or high stakes testing?  Perhaps we are so driven by data-based teaching that we've forgotten to love teaching and learning as adults?  Whatever it is we need to find it!!!! QUICK!!!

Every year we get the same library speech...."You can check out one picture book and one chapter book.  You can not checkout anything else until you've tested on the chapter book."  No love for reading, no reading for pleasure...just do what I say.  Personally, I don't have a problem with the librarian, I've got a problem with the statement.

Reading has to be an adventure...it is the key to developing lifelong learners. Last night at Matt's ABAC commencement the keynote speaker said that every year he challenges himself to read 75 new books.  He said he does this just to learn new things.  Why have today's fifth graders lost their love for reading? 

Kelly Gallagher in his book, Readicide:  How Schools Are Killing Rading and What You Can Do About It states the reasons AR is killing a love for reading.  His main point is that students read (when indoctrinated into AR) is to earn points.  If there is no reward for reading they stop!!!  Whoa!!!! I thought we wanted to create life-long readers and learners.  That was what I signed on for in the beginning of this career.  Well there is hope...numerous studies have shown that free-voluntary reading has long had positive results in building lifelong learners.  Unfortunately, as Gallagher says, testing pressure often trumph reason.

So as usual...I seem to be labeled as "bucking the system".  Forget that I had to have a parent conference Thursday about AR and the fact that their child didn't want to read the book, but wouldn't take it back because he didn't want to take a test. 

So what do I want?  I want people in charge to stop saying, "You've got to read a chapter book and test on it before you can check out another book."  I want students to develop a love of reading. I guess I just don't understand, because come Monday I'm being called to the principals office.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Good

1.  I had six students compete to represent our room in the poetry recitation contest.

2.  My low reading babies are hanging through class novels at a 5th grade level and passing AR test.

3.  Gabe's One Act Play won state.

4.  I teach with my best friend; therefore, she shares my misery.

5.  I'm married to the love of my life.

6.  Matt got accepted into UGA.

7.  Drew and Nicole are doing good at UK.

8.  Chiropractor seems to have helped my back (see the ugly).

9.  I've got a week off work to relax.

10. I've got time to read a book for relaxation this week. 

The Bad

1.  I'm not having enough time to test reading, writing, language, spelling, and do massive amounts of RTI data.

2. We've got serious clothing needs around here.

3.  My classroom discipline techniques are going south.

4.  Matt going to UGA = more money needed.

5.  Feeding a family of 4 through the holiday on a budget!

The Ugly

1.  We've got to get on a serious budget in order to survive the remainder of this economic downturn. (A second job might be in order.)
2.  My students call people names, walk around the room, talk, and go through numerous mood swings.  All the time not understanding that if they could settle down we could learn.
3.  Payroll budget cuts are killing us.
4. Trying to figure out how to buy even a meager Christmas.
5.  Trying to determine the differences between needs and wants.