Alright, I was going to do my Thankful Thursday last night and then I got sidetracked so I didn't get it done. Better late than never though, right?
*I am thankful for the 18 gallong plastic totes I found on sale at Kmart...they are great for packing stuff in!
*I am thankful for my AWESOME kids & their awesome mother's day presents they can't wait to give me!
*I am thankful for my AWESOME students & their FABULOUS parents! It was teacher appreciation week & I was SPOILED rotten!! I felt so loved!
*I am thankful that for the SECOND time in my TEN YEARS of marriage my husband bought me flowers! That was a shocker!! Happy mother's day to me!!
*I am thankful to be half way done with CRT testing! Only 2 days left & we're done!
*I am thankful for my Relay for Life team. How much fun are we having putting together our yard/craft/bake sale?!
*I am thankful for the AWESOME people I work with and all the support they have given me.
*I am thankful my husband has a job with medical & dental insurance (side bar, I think Nash has a cavity! The first one I've had to deal with..ever. Yes, I'm almost 29 & haven't had a cavity of my own thank you.)
*I am thankful for my family's LACK of the swine flu because heaven only knows that when their's some weird disease out there, we are SURE to get it!
Have a great Mother's Day weekend!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
As promised!
Today my students made Mardi Gras masks. I know, we're off season! But, I do a "This day in history" every day & yesterday was the anniversary of the Louisana Purchase as well as the anniversary of Louisana becoming the 18th state.
My reading group has been reading a book called "Uncle Henry's New Orleans" all week too. I had talked to my reading group about New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina, Levees, Mardi Gras, etc. and then had them make Mardi Gras masks (just coloring) yesterday. When my homeroom kids came back into class they kept asking me "What are those?" To which I replied, "Mardi Gras masks!" I then got a blank stare & the question "What's Mardi Gras?" So, after our "This day in history" lesson I told the kids I'd let them make Mardi Gras masks of their own today.
They did an AWESOME job & worked so hard on their masks. I had my camera at school so I could take pictures for their Mother's Day project (which I think I'm going to have to redo) so I took their picture in their masks and told them I'd post them on my blog for them to see. So, here they are!
My reading group has been reading a book called "Uncle Henry's New Orleans" all week too. I had talked to my reading group about New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina, Levees, Mardi Gras, etc. and then had them make Mardi Gras masks (just coloring) yesterday. When my homeroom kids came back into class they kept asking me "What are those?" To which I replied, "Mardi Gras masks!" I then got a blank stare & the question "What's Mardi Gras?" So, after our "This day in history" lesson I told the kids I'd let them make Mardi Gras masks of their own today.
They did an AWESOME job & worked so hard on their masks. I had my camera at school so I could take pictures for their Mother's Day project (which I think I'm going to have to redo) so I took their picture in their masks and told them I'd post them on my blog for them to see. So, here they are!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
This sucks!
I was told today that my teaching contract with the school I'm at is NOT being renewed for the 2009-2010 school year because I am "too negative, never telling parents what their child does right, only what they do wrong. Parents are concerned that their child has had a negative experience in your class this year." I only know of 1 parent that wasn't happy with something that I said and that's because her son took what I said and completely twisted it. This parent took her kid out of my class in January and other than that, I don't know of ANY complaints against me that are reguarding me being negative. I did have 1 parent that was upset about an assignment, but his kid is still in my math class and we seem to have no worries now that things have gone through the proper channels.
My principal told me once (less than a month ago) that "I'd really like to talk to you about positive presentation, because I just really feel like that's key." And in 1 email she said, "Remember to stay positive." Other than that, nothing else has been said to me. Everything in my evaluations went smooth and the areas I was told to work on, I have to the best of my ability.
I really feel like I'm being lied to. One of the teachers that helped interview candidates to fill positions we knew were being left said that the principal offered 2 girls jobs and NEITHER one has graduated from college yet. Today my principal let 3 out of the 4 people she called into her office go. All 3 of us have our teaching licenses and none of us are first year teachers. The 1 teacher she did renew a contract for is an ARL teacher. Don't get me wrong, she's fabulous & I was planning to put Samantha in her class next year. I just think something's wrong when 3 certified, non first year teachers are fired and a first year ARL teacher is given a renewed contract.
At this point I just feel really upset. I have put absolutely EVERYTHING into this job. I have missed a lot of my daughter's kindergarten experience, my son's first preschool experience and my other son's first year of life. I think I've gone above and beyond what I've been asked to do. I'm the (volunteer) teacher advisor for the student newspaper and I'm on Community Council -volunteer AGAIN- (both of which are extracurricular with no extra pay). I'm at school at 7:30 am and my contract says I don't need to be there until 8:00. I didn't leave until at least 6 pm every day before Trav started working in WY and I don't leave until at least 4:15 pm since then and my contract says I only have to stay until 4 pm. I just really feel like maybe teaching isn't going to be worth it. I put my heart and soul into my job and this is the thanks I get (twice now for those of you who know my history). I keep asking myself "Why do this to yourself again?"
On the bright side: Travis avoided getting laid off this week when Halliburton did their first round of layoffs!
Have a better week than ME!
My principal told me once (less than a month ago) that "I'd really like to talk to you about positive presentation, because I just really feel like that's key." And in 1 email she said, "Remember to stay positive." Other than that, nothing else has been said to me. Everything in my evaluations went smooth and the areas I was told to work on, I have to the best of my ability.
I really feel like I'm being lied to. One of the teachers that helped interview candidates to fill positions we knew were being left said that the principal offered 2 girls jobs and NEITHER one has graduated from college yet. Today my principal let 3 out of the 4 people she called into her office go. All 3 of us have our teaching licenses and none of us are first year teachers. The 1 teacher she did renew a contract for is an ARL teacher. Don't get me wrong, she's fabulous & I was planning to put Samantha in her class next year. I just think something's wrong when 3 certified, non first year teachers are fired and a first year ARL teacher is given a renewed contract.
At this point I just feel really upset. I have put absolutely EVERYTHING into this job. I have missed a lot of my daughter's kindergarten experience, my son's first preschool experience and my other son's first year of life. I think I've gone above and beyond what I've been asked to do. I'm the (volunteer) teacher advisor for the student newspaper and I'm on Community Council -volunteer AGAIN- (both of which are extracurricular with no extra pay). I'm at school at 7:30 am and my contract says I don't need to be there until 8:00. I didn't leave until at least 6 pm every day before Trav started working in WY and I don't leave until at least 4:15 pm since then and my contract says I only have to stay until 4 pm. I just really feel like maybe teaching isn't going to be worth it. I put my heart and soul into my job and this is the thanks I get (twice now for those of you who know my history). I keep asking myself "Why do this to yourself again?"
On the bright side: Travis avoided getting laid off this week when Halliburton did their first round of layoffs!
Have a better week than ME!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Ahh!
Here's how my conversation with Travis went earlier today.
"Oh yea, I was going to tell you..."
"What?"
"Caleb pulled himself up to the TV last night and stood there for a minute before he fell on his face."
"What?!"
Well, this has been a busy week for that boy! Learned to crawl on all fours on Monday, got his tooth all the way through on Tuesday, and pulled himself into a standing position and held it on Thursday! Any bets on how quick he learns to run? ;)
"Oh yea, I was going to tell you..."
"What?"
"Caleb pulled himself up to the TV last night and stood there for a minute before he fell on his face."
"What?!"
Well, this has been a busy week for that boy! Learned to crawl on all fours on Monday, got his tooth all the way through on Tuesday, and pulled himself into a standing position and held it on Thursday! Any bets on how quick he learns to run? ;)
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