Jumpin' Off the Edge

We are in the second week of school. I have close to 150 students a day, plan for four different subjects, and teach six periods a day in half the time I used to. After driving an hour, I get home and spend more time grading papers, preparing the next-day’s activities, or whatever else needs to be done. I have taken on coaching cross country and co-chairing Student Council. While I go to bed tired, I am not feeling overwhelmed even after missing two days last week. What is it about teaching this year that makes it so different? I believe it is a little bit of everything. Leadership, colleagues, students, curriculum, and of course, the pure joy of teaching. Right from the beginning the leadership has treated us like professionals. We know our subject matter. We are expected to teach it to ALL students. We are trusted to follow the pacing guide and write lesson plans every week. We know the policies and procedures. It is up to us to follow them. I am sure there will come a day whe

Sean tells me that he is not a hero.  In the military they define a hero as someone who has been deployed in a time of war. To me...he is a hero. I am so thankful we had the opportunity to be there with him to celebrate his accomplishment of making it through boot camp and engineering school. This one's for you, Sean! I love you forever I'll like you for always As long as you're living My baby you'll be

Mile 1…pick up girls at school Mile 4….Fax our lease to our landlord. (Woo Hoo! We will be living closer to school soon.) Mile 10….Fill up the car and head on our way. Mile 17….Offered to drive. Was politely turned down. Mile 107 …. Stop for another pee break. Tempted to get a tattoo at the all-in-one service station. Unfortunately, time was limited. Mile 115….Offered to drive during daylight. Once again my offer was turned down. Mile 192….Contemplated the schoolwork that needed to be done. Mile 259….Grease sing-along Mile 293…..Schoolwork Papers masked my pillow serving as a desk while post-its with ideas and things to follow up on covered my window. Two hours was spent correcting papers. Mile 364….Turned down the job of toll assistant to focus on my job of teacher. Sana took the job and nailed it. Not only did she have tolls ready as needed, she figured the gas mileage every time we stopped. Mile 497…Can I say I have been to Kentucky? Unfortunately, I never got out of t

Are you having difficulty picking out what to wear to school in the morning? Fewer choices means more time to sleep in the morning. School uniforms the only way to go! Shop our very short catalog to get all your school clothes. No more fighting the mall crowds for hours on end to find that perfect outfit that will change your year.  Come be part of our school! Pants: Holes are a thing of the past. Are they too big? Too small? It doesn’t matter. Our pants do not have them. If holes are developed during the school year, you can recycle them in the nearest rag bin. Our pants come in two colors – navy and khaki. Due to the material they are constructed from (not corduroy or jean-like material), they freely allow your legs to breathe. Shorts: North Carolina weather too hot for you? Wanting to show off some leg? We have just the thing! A shorter version of our most popular pants. Not only can you wear these shorts at your school, they are perfectly acceptable in Uganda where thighs

  I love the first day of school! Everything about this one was totally awesome in so many ways! 1.    Sana was an amazing helper at 5am! She made us a breakfast of eggs before packing lunch for herself and Patti. (The night before she got all their school supplies organized and ready to go.) Both Sana and Patti attacked their first day of school with a positive attitude and a smile on their face! They didn’t even complain when I dropped them off at school two hours early. AWESOME! 2.    The students came in lugging school supplies and clutching their schedules, looking for their lockers and homerooms. Many returning students with some fresh new faces thrown in. (Being my first year, they were all new to me.) All of them smiled and seemed to enjoy the day. AWESOME! 3.    I have the opportunity to get to know many students in the 6 th , 7 th , and 8 th grades. I work with somewhere around 150 students on a daily basis. AWESOME! 4.    A Hershey’s chocolate bar was found

Six days since I have put anything in writing for posterity’s sake. In those six days, there have been many trainings and meetings. Most importantly, I have been preparing for tomorrow. The first day of school. Excitement came from brainstorming with other teachers about my subject matter. We speak the same language. As a result of these meetings and discussions around education, I am going to start my year stronger than ever. What was once a good lesson is now a great one. The energy in the room when we get together is enough to turn on the minds of all who enter our classroom. As a result of all of the above along with my history of teaching, I have been contemplating many areas in the field of education.  Sitting in a training for a grammar program the other day, I started thinking about all the different approaches to teaching I have been involved in during my 18 years of teaching. Programs and curriculum are only a small part of it. I have taught in a variety of schools: sm

10 July 2011 10:00pm Head upon my pillow, eyes close I need to remember… 10:13pm Bolt up out of bed Print off the next day’s schedule Send out a quick e-mail 10:27pm Head upon my pillow, eyes close Did I set the alarm? Quick check of the phone. 10:35pm Head upon my pillow, eyes close. Mind racing with anticipation What does my classroom look like? Where is the school? I hope I will get there on time Midnight Head upon my pillow, eyes close “Tony, I can’t sleep.” 2:00am Head upon my pillow, eyes close Tossing and turning Between stolen moments of sleep 11 July 2011 5:00am The alarm clock rings I jump out of bed Workout Shower On my way An abundance of positive energy envelopes me As soon as I walk through the door So many others new this year Introductions and greetings Welcoming me into the fold My new team….. A first-year teacher A veteran teacher from South Africa A dairy farmer A park ranger Loving the instant camaraderie between us My classroom…. Desks piled on each oth

WEEK 1: Routine forgotten Workout ignored most days Spend all my spare time looking for openings Questioning where I will be employed in the fall Someone will hire me, right? Ignoring the upcoming doctor’s appointment I am sure it is nothing. Sending out more and more applications (At least 349….or so it seemed) Why aren’t they calling me? Telling my students I wouldn’t be back Disappointment abounds No matter what, I want to stay in touch. A new haircut New clothes A new me But not. WEEK 2: The funk begins Get up Well after 8. Turn on the computer Play on facebook, watch TV shows Apply for jobs Repeat The gym beckons, I ignore. “Hello. Are you interested in interviewing with us?” Renewed confidence with each call Raleigh My first interview Immediately following my diagnostic mammogram In which there is a SUSPICIOUS LUMP And I am scheduled for a biopsy. “How did your students do on the EOG?” Cary Make today a great day! Greensboro Cancelled – too far away Wake Forest A

I reached that part in the book, The Help , where I could not put it down. I read it on the way to Raleigh to celebrate Independence Day on the Capitol lawn. Fresh in my mind were the stories   being told in the book. Stories of the relationships between maids and the families they worked for in Jackson, Mississippi. A work of fiction, but one that set my mind wondering when added to the exhibits of my day. In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed stating “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” A document for white men. I wonder what is was like for the slaves to read those words? Were woman free to pursue their happiness? I learned today that during the Revolutionary War the wives of the soldiers traveled behind them. They contributed by doing laundry and a few other small tasks. If their husband d

Alondra (Notice the cakes in the heart behind her When a teacher develops relationships with students, opportunities to be witness important events in students’ lives come along. I was there four years ago when Jordan Kippur became a man according to Jewish Law. And last night, I was there to celebrate Alondra Peralta turning 15 and making the transition from child to woman according to Mexican tradition. I feel honored to have been invited to both of these special events. Unfortunately, I missed Alondra’s mass, but I was there for the celebration with food and dance. Celia, Alondra, Me, Daisy Walking in, I had no idea what to expect as this was the first quinceanera . When Patti and I walked in, there were not many people there yet. We didn’t recognize anyone. And then the princess appeared followed by her ladies in waiting. The three girls transformed from the 8 th graders I saw in the halls all year. I was welcomed with hugs. We took pictures and chatted for a b

Silly me. I got derailed from my philosophy of finding the positive in whatever comes my way. I was offered a job today and instead of finding all the reasons why I should accept it; I focused on the job I wasn’t offered. (The one I wasn’t offered has another week of interviews before they decide on their candidate. The principal advised me to go with the one I was offered.) After conversations with my husband and a couple of close friends, my head is back on straight. Come along with me on the journey to focus on the positive…   FRANKLIN ACADEMY Click on above to go to the school website   Franklin Academy is a K-12 charter school with quite a waiting list. I will be teaching 6 th , 7 th , and 8 th grade. A bit of an anomaly as my principal would say. Most teachers teach one subject at one grade level. Not me! That is one of the exciting things about this position. I get to know students from each grade level and teach a variety of subjects throughout the day. I love tea

I should be happy. Instead disappointment fills me. Do I take it? Or wait in hopes the one I really want will be mine? Uncertainty overwhelms me.