One Day

I just finished One Day. I've been reading the last chunk at school during our silent reading time. Not a big fan of crying a little in front of students, so things got a little awkward today as I finished this one up in front of an audience of 39 kiddos.

I thought some of the years of the novel were a bit draggy, but the message is quite worthy. I haven't seen the movie and probably won't. I can't decide if I recommend this book. If you'd asked me while I was slowly making my way through the middle, I would have said no.

The best thing (other than the message) is that you pick up nice, jaunty, British phrases and syntax as you read. It's similar to P.S. I Love You in style, but P.S. is my preference of the two.

Color of Water

My juniors are reading this book right now. I finished it last week. It is a wonderful read for all kinds of people, especially moms. It is a beautiful story of family and identity. They are reading it to help define what it means to be American, but it can be used to teach many life lessons. It is also a great read to enjoy just because!

Source: heyawesome.tumblr.com via Arcelia on Pinterest

Being that I cried on the fourth day of school, this made me realize it's all good. Passionate people cause trouble. It's what we do. I'd rather be excited or mad or happy or sad rather than indifferent. So if that means, I have to pay the price for being interesting and passionate, so be it.

Amen. 20-40/day/everyday.
image from pinterest

Why I Teach

Teaching, in my unbiased opinion, is the noblest of professions. Still. No matter what. It is emotionally, physically, and mentally taxing each and every day. The pay is a shame. The bar is raised and we are asked to do more and more each year but with less and less. Students don't appreciate you until they in college or dealing with their own children in school. All this though is nothing in comparison to what teaching can be when embraced with passion and conviction. The money I make is barely enough to cover daycare expenses and there are days when I think it might not be worth it, but most days when I turn in for the night, I know I've put in a hard day's work and done something truly good and worthy with my day. My hope is that most people feel that good about what they do. Life is just too short (cliche #54 b/c it's true) to be doing anything other than something that evokes this sense of content.

Why I love teaching:

• June, July, August
• the cyclic nature
• a fresh start in Aug.
• kids that make me laugh
• kids that make me cry
• creative outlet
• my room is 1,005 times bigger than most people's cubes
• fellow teachers
• summers with my kiddos
• winter break
• being the center of attention (for like 5 mins)
• making kids think
• inspiring kids to read
• Friday night football
• seeing kids grow
• new school supplies
• bulletin boards
• afternoons with my kiddos
• schedule
• pushing kids
• getting thank you cards
• health insurance
• being a part of someone's memories from "time of your life" era
• feeling successful
• doing something I feel like I was born to do
• jeans Friday
• happy hour with my homies
• always, always learning
• never, ever settling

These Four Walls

I had the privilege of attending a workshop today given by the fabulously smart and teacher-friendly Kylene Beers. I've read her book When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do. I've practiced many of the strategies she suggests and have loved them all. She was engaging, thoughtful, sensitive to  teachers and students. She made me feel appreciated and honored to do what I do. She also reminded me of the humor that you can find in teaching and in students. The quote of the day by Dr. Beers, "Close the door and teach your students." This is similar to something that my dear friend Marcia said to me last yeSar regarding teaching during Pay for Performance and other legalese inspired educational policies. Marcia said, "I'm doing everything I can for the kids within my four walls. I'm teaching the kids in front of me right now." It is so easy to get caught up in the latest and greatest (or not so great) edu-hype, but really if you are doing what is truly best for your students (and not just saying it), then how can you not feel good about yourself and your students when you bid them bye at the bell?

Bottoms Up

First day back. Just a workday. No students yet. I had to give a presentation to the staff. I ended up talking about my bottom. This is a real problem. Who does that? I was trying to make the staff feel better by reminding them that instead of sitting through a four day training, they were only going to have to bear about an hour. I said,  "After four days from 8-3 sitting on a cafeteria stool, my bottom really hurt. Oh wait, I just talked about my bottom in front of the whole staff. " And thus began the beginning of a lifetime of references to this particular public humiliation. Here's to 2011-2012! 

The Goonies...Sort Of

A Visit From the Goon Squad is worth the read. It is written vignette style through various points of view. The pieces don't come together quite as tightly as I'd hoped, but it leaves room for thinking about the characters and making connections between their lives. A time marches on kind of story. Great vocabulary. The writing style is intriguing. I read it in two days. Though on one of these days I: ate a pie, a whole tub of crab dip, wore no make up, and stayed in my pajamas.