Passing Notes

I don't usually talk much about what happens in class - or maybe I do. I haven't looked back through my posts lately. Anyway, the little girls in my room have decided this is the year to pass notes. Not nice wholesome notes "Johnny says he likes you." or "I'm having pizza tonight, wanna come over?" No, these are naughty, evil little notes "Sarah says she hates you. And so do I." "You are so mean and I'm never going to talk to you again." (Oh, but I'll write stupid notes to you...)

Anyway, I have talked to these young things over and over about how hurtful these kinds of things can be, but no luck. Still passing notes. So I'm putting it out to the universe. I know most of us passed notes in elementary school. Can you recall a really good solution or punishment you received? Or maybe a teacher handled it in an unusual or unique manner where you actually learned something. I'm pretty done with the whole note thing and made them stay after school tonight and write what they were going to do differently. But I'd like a real solution. We've had the meetings and the discussions but it's not getting very far. So help me out here, friends and family. It's annoying, messy, and distracting along with being just another form of girl bullying. I've never seen a group so wrapped up in it before. Let's think of something really useful to do with this situation, 'cause the bad ass in me wants to make them all write "I won't pass notes" 100 times on the chalkboard after school...

For my family who keep asking what I want for my birthday

This is the one I originally thought would be nice.

This is the one I found the other day and wonder if it would be better: http://www.amazon.com/T-Fal-FP4121002A-Emerilware-Food-Processor/dp/B001BHOWZK

Mike - I certainly don't want BOTH, and I really, really want to see both options before I buy. One is at Macy's one is at Dillards. Let's go shoppin'

Other items I would like to have:
These come in two sizes and you can sometimes find vintage ones that are new rather than used. Mine are becoming too roughed up to be safe - bacteria in all those little bubbled areas, you know. Anyway, ebay is your best bet and you can just search for Tupperware Mix & Stor (go figure) I'd rather have new or at least very nice used. (I already have very used.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Tupperware-8-Cup-4-Cup-Mix-N-Store_W0QQitemZ250505336422QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a53481666&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I would also enjoy a digital food scale. Don't care which one.
It is kind of crazy that everything I've listed here is for the kitchen this time. Some non kitchen items might be tickets to a movie or a DVD of a movie we didn't get a chance to see. You guys always please me, so get what you want. Just having you around is a gift.

Can't Believe How Time Flies

My last post was over a month ago! Where have I been? Well, it's the start of the school year so I've been:
Making lists of students (over and over and over)
Testing every student in reading, math, reading, reading...
Attending meetings
Sorting through paperwork
Creating a homework system
Fighting with my grade level partner about lesson timing
Correcting homework
Correcting schoolwork
Correcting quizzes
Correcting grammar
Correcting spelling
Reading essays
Moving students around for better behavior
Talking to parents on the phone
Talking to parents in person
Writing notes to parents
Discussing behavior issues with the discipline team
Planning lessons
Gathering materials
Searching the Internet for resources

Well, you get it. I'm trying to get back to posting regularly now that the big hit at the beginning of the year is over. I have 27 students this year, up from about 22 last year. You wouldn't think that five would be such a big deal. But it's a big deal. That's another five of everything that has to be taken care of. I really do enjoy my job. It's just kind of daunting at the beginning of a new year. Makes me think I am getting too old to do this. I need a quieter, less stressful way to earn tons of money. Oh yeah, I don't make tons of money now. So maybe I just need a less stressful way of earning enough money. Have a great fall. It's my favorite season of the year. I'll try to post more often so come back soon, y'all

Time to be a B-- A--

Trying something different this school year. I'm kind of tired of being the only thing that must change. If only I get more training or change my attitude children living in abject poverty with parents who cook meth for a hobby will suddenly become able to overcome their circumstances and pass some arbitrary test, proving to all that they are educated. Well, students in my classroom ARE educated. And this year I am going to remember that fact when someone tries to pin all the ills of the world on my shoulders. Yup, I'm planning to be a Bad A - - this year. Nothing you can do, I'm just saying. Think I'm gonna get myself a pin with BA on it. ;)

Ouch!

Last day of vacation Lucas helped me down to the water with a kayak. He misstepped on the bottom stair and sprained his ankle. It ballooned up immediately - I hate those injuries where you just can't decide if it's bad enough to go to the emergency room. This one was a no brainer. We found out that the hospital in Florence is a fine place with very kind people working there. The doctor even called around and found us some "after hours" crutches that were delivered straight to the hospital for a total charge of $20. And he put all the x-rays on a CD so we could follow up with our doc here at home. Nice guy. Lucas is feeling a bit better after a week, but his ankle is still painful. It's a yucky shade of purple and yellow now and he'll be going in to see the doctor again next week. This is why we need national health coverage, people. He has no insurance because he isn't employed and can't get coverage because of his prior problems. So we'll be getting a final souvenir from Oregon later this month. We're just grateful it wasn't worse than it was.

Water Sports

Today was aquarium day. Anna had an appointment to visit with the director of membership at the Oregon Coast Aquarium near Newport. Mike's favorite part was when they fed the otters. He went back a second time to watch. Lots of normal aquarium stuff along with some pretty weird little animals in a rotating exhibit. We ate at the cafe and shopped the gift shop. Pretty touristy of us...

Yesterday turned out to be a beautiful day here. We headed into town about noon, took a wrong turn on the tiny, steep, scary gravel roads and had to back uphill out of a dead end. When we got to Heceta beach the sky was clearing with low clouds/mist breaking overhead. The ocean water is too cool and too wavy there, so we didn't do much more than wade. But we did get Grandma out to the shoreline, not too near the water, to sit on a big log and watch the kids play. Lucas hyperextended his knee and fell as he ran along. We got him a knee brace and some Advil at Fred Meyer and he seems better now. Later in the day we toddled down (a LONG way down) to the dock where I helped the girls get out in the two person canoe, wrenching my wrist in the process. Mike had me go out on the paddle boat with him. It's built for short people or something, because I kept getting a cramp in my thigh. We nearly ran into an overhanging tree because the wind was blowing a bit and the paddle boat wasn't going anywhere even though we were paddling as fast as we could. It's definitely a fair weather craft. Sean and Andrew set out in the two kayaks and went all around the area of the lake we can see from here. You can go to google maps and type in Mercer Lake Oregon to see the lake and surrounding area.
At some point the kids decided to jump off of the dock and go swimming. Sean has very good judgment much of the time, but he wanted to dive off the dock without first checking out the water below. Sometimes I forget they don't have much experience in outdoor things. I made him swim around there for a while before diving off. Turns out it's at least 10 feet deep. Kimmi and our friend Mike were afraid of the spiders on the dock. There were several of them, but come on! They are just spiders. At one point Anna said, "We are such city kids."
All in all it was a wonderful day.