Week in review…

Last week was such a hectic week. I had three I.E.P.’s, report cards were due, I had to lead the discussion in my Methods class when I was riddled with bronchitis and out of breath, etc., etc.,
It was such a busy week. I am so glad it’s over! Oh well. On to next week. I [...]

Losing Man-Man!

When I spoke to my assistants about Man-Man moving to another school, they understood how sad I was to lose him. However, when I spoke to another teacher, she didn’t. She said that I shouldn’t feel bad; that I should move on.
I guess I really shouldn’t. Maybe he is in a better place for him. [...]

More on my plate!

Look what we have for you. Another student, and he’s in 2nd grade. From now on, you’re going to have 2nd grade as well.
Well, according to my APEIS (Assistant Principal in charge of Special Ed), my class is no longer called Upper Elementary Special Day Class (SDC). It’s now called a span class. I found [...]

Heartbroken!

I am heartbroken. One of my favorite students, Man-Man, has checked out and moved to another school. I am just torn up about this. He was just beginning to make progress.
When I first took over the class in November, he’d arrived just a couple of weeks before that. So, this will make his third school [...]

Midnight thinking!

What is midnight thinking? Well, it is a term I made up (although I’m sure someone else thought of it also) when I was thinking about how you think that an idea is so brilliant. At midnight!!! That is, until you wake up the next morning and try to read it. You’re like, what the [...]

The day is over!

I did not want to go to work today. My hair was crazy. I had nothing that I want to wear. I was grouchy, etc., etc.
I am so happy that the day is over. I was actually having nightmares about going to school with my hair sticking straight up. My hair looks so crazy from [...]

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to everyone!

Random facts about me

These are some random facts about me:

I have the worst cruch on actor Hill Harper. He’s so brilliant. He has three degrees. Two of which are from Harvard.
I sometimes want to beat my teenaged sons up. I still love them, but that teenage angst is sooooooo overwhelming at times.
I love having a little girl. She’s [...]

About what I started last summer!

I was just over at Content Black Woman, and was reading one of her articles regarding spiritual awakening. We connected when I wrote an article, in the summer, on depression. We were both grappling with it at the time.
I was on a great spiritual journey that seemed to end just as abruptly as it began. [...]

I have to live with myself

I have been extra hard on myself. Part of the reason is because I haven’t been giving my all like I used to. Right now, I just don’t have it to give. I am so burntout.
Last year, I was able to give my all because I was not a teacher; I was an assistant. Being [...]

What the problem is…

I found out what the problem is. I have bronchitis. I knew I was sick, but I didn’t know I was that sick.
My prescribed treatment: Erythromicin and rest.
So, until next time!

Stillllllll sick!

Yes, I am still sick, but I am getting better. Though I am not happy about being sick, I am happy that I have Spring Break, or else I would be missing a whole week of work.
I couldn’t do any other type of work where I had to go to work everyday, all the time. [...]

The surgery’s over!

The surgery was over so fast that I didn’t even get a chance to really get uncomfortable in the waiting room chairs. It was supposed to take 2 hours, but only took about an hour because they didn’t need to put a plate in it. They only had to make a tiny incision and insert [...]

Sick… again!

Yes, I am sick again. Many told me that I would be sick my whole first year, but I thought that I wouldn’t succumb; I would be extra careful and take a lot of vitamins.
Well, obviously I didn’t get around to doing that. I have, however, been wiping down the classroom almost everyday, and using [...]

Happy Spring Break!

That’s all that needs to be said!

I know how he feels…

Well, as it turns out, Phillip does need the surgery. We spent all day yesterday at the hospital only to have his surgery cancelled at the last minute.
I can remember being in labor and just wanting it to be over. Phillip was there with me with all of them except Dakota- he was sleep in [...]

Not this way…

I wanted a day off of work, but not this way…
Yes, I have been stressed out, but I have Spring Break next week, so I was going to wait it out. Well, as it turns out, I will not be going to work tomorrow; maybe not Friday either.
I have to go with Phillip to the [...]

I love it when a plan comes together

That was one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite shows from the 80’s.
That is so true. I absolutely do love it when a plan comes together. It is especially lovely when the coming together is seemingly coincidental. I’m talking about my science experiment coming together with my science lesson plan that’s due [...]

Riding my pink Huffy!

I have been such a little complainer and whiner lately. I don’t like being like that. Even though that is what I revert to when I get stressed, I don’t like it. It is not one of my better character traits. So, I thought I’d take a break and write about a time when I [...]

Oh, that effing word…

Yes, I know, this is a site about being a mom, and my first year of teaching. However, it is also about random stuff. So something random I want to talk about is that effing word- the “f” word. I love this word. It is the perfect word to let out frustration.
Example: I hate this [...]

I’m on my way

I am definitely on my way to establishing a system. As I was teaching today, I immediately went to my laptop and wrote myself a note about what was working for me and what wasn’t. I am doing this experiment with plants, cotton balls, and dirt.
One thing that I realize I need to do is [...]

I’m on the list!

In the faculty meeting, another list was printed and guess what- my name was on it. My children will be so happy about this. Thank god for small favors.

Left out yet again!

I got left out of everything yet again. Last week, in the faculty meeting, as I was perusing the list for Career Day, I wasn’t surprised that my name was nowhere on the list.
I thought that our psychologist was in charge of compiling the list so I asked her why my name wasn’t on the [...]

Yay! Not today!

Yay! As it turns out, today is not my day to present. My day is on the 24th. I will stay true to my promise and do my work this week ahead of time, so I will not be so stressed out. As for the assignment that was due where I confused phonological awareness and [...]

As usual…

As usual, all of my worrying and stressing has been for naught. My Stull was great. The only criticism that my Principal had was that two of my posters couldn’t be seen from the student’s seat. That takes so much stress off of me.
Additionally, for school I was supposed to critique an article on RICA [...]

Sunday night blues!

I mentioned last year (click here) about my counseling session with the priests for my last class of the semester. During the session, a couple of my classmates mentioned that they got the blues on Sunday night because they didn’t want to return to work.
It’s not that the job is so bad. It’s just the [...]

Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. This was a long week. I am happy that it’s over. I need some rest. I have barely had rest the whole week. I am badly in need of rest.
Oh, my oldest son, Sam, got a job yesterday. I was supposed to go grocery shopping, but my middle son, Dakota, had to be [...]

Maybe I am making a difference

I am having such great ups and downs. One day I feel like a complete nimcompoop, while the next day, I feel like I am on top of the world.
Today, I began to think that maybe I am actually making a difference. One of my students, Man-Man came into my classroom not recognizing any of [...]

My true test…

I have so many things to get out. They’re all ready to just tumble out. I am not sure that I will pull this post together successfully, but I will try anyway. Here goes:
This thing that I’m doing, my so called teaching, is my true test. It is one of the hardest things I’ve done [...]

What I’d like to change…

I’d like to change other people’s perception about Special education. Some people seem to think that children in special ed have cooties with all types of infectious diseases who drool uncontrollablly and can’t read a lick.
In this day and age you would think that people would be more enlightened. But how can you expect people [...]

What does K-W-L mean?

I learned about this chart while in teacher training. I thought it was so great. With it we were able to track our progress throughout the training.
Once I learned what it was and how to use it, I thought to myself, that it would make a great tool for my classroom. Up til now, I [...]

Fostering an early love of reading and writing, Part 1

I have always tried to foster a love of reading and writing in my children. I started collecting children’s book when Sam & Dakota were very young, so I have a couple hundred book. So when Phillise or David wants to read, I have my own books for them to check out.
To further encourage Phillise’s [...]