Grants & Funding Opportunities

I found this on Scholastic’s website. I hope that it’s useful. GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES School Improvement Grants for Parent Involvement Online Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant program finances school-improvement projects initiated by parents. Maximum Award: $5,000. Eligibility: K-12 schools (including charter, private, and parochial schools) and parent groups associated with a nonprofit, K-12 schools. [...]

It’s Better…

“It is better to build children than repair adults.” — Author Unknown —

Orville: A Dog Story by Haven Kimmel

Orville (2003), written by Haven Kimmel and illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker, was such a cute little story. It was one of my purchases from the .99¢ store last summer. Consequently, it was also one of the books that I gave away for joining my book club. Orville lay down in the culvert, covered his [...]

The War Between The Vowels & The Consonants by Priscilla Turner

** Warning- this post is kinda’ long** The War Between the Vowels and the Consonants (1999), written by Priscilla Turner, and illustrated by Whitney Turner, is a fantastic little book. My students loved it. They even acted it out. (It was their idea.) My students may not be up to par in academics, but they [...]

Egg-Drop Blues by Jacqueline Turner Banks

Ever since my friend Jessica introduced me to Joey Pigza, a book about a child with ADHD, I have been on a quest to find other books for tweeners and young adults that deal with the subject of learning disabilities. That’s why I was so happy that I found this book by Jacqueline Turner Banks [...]

Guess How Smart I Am?

I am so smart that I decided to take the Dumb Test that pops up. While waiting for my results, something comes up and I agree to it just to pass to the next phase to get my results. Well, before the screen went to the other page, I saw a dollar amount. It was [...]

If You Don’t Put That Book Down…

If you don’t put that book down, I don’t know what… This has to be one of the funniest and saddest lines I have ever heard a mother tell her child. Of course it wasn’t from anyone I knew. It was from this mom on NBC’s “My Name is Earl” who wanted her daughter to [...]

Party Over Here!

Yesterday was Moriah’s 1st birthday party. We held it at my house. It turned out wonderfully. It was about 75 people. It may sound big, but considering the size of my family plus extended family, that’s about the size of all of our parties. It would have been bigger, but many of the people who [...]

Happy 38th Birthday To Me!!!

My mother-in-law would never write a post like this. She hides her age. I say why!!! I’m not going to tell you her age because she would hate it if I did, but I will say that she retired last year. How’s that? Anyway, I don’t have a problem telling my age. I’m aging very [...]

Happy Birthday Dakota!!!

Today is my middle son Dakota’s 17th birthday. I cannot believe it’s been 17 years. He’s getting ready to go into his senior year. As I always say, ” My! Where has the time gone?”

Women Of Strength

Women of Strength A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape … but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape… A strong woman isn’t afraid of anything … but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear… A strong woman [...]

Fostering An Early Love Of Reading & Writing, Part 2!

In a post from a couple of months ago, I wrote about fostering an early love of reading and writing. I know that I have to be an example for my children. That’s why when Phillise wanted a blog to emulate her mommy, I graciously obliged and set her up with her own blog a [...]

A Very Full Morning by Eva Montanari

This book, picked by Phillise on our weekly library trip, turned out to be an excellent pick on her part. Since my baby is a new reader, I let her read some books to me, while I read some of the books to her. I liked the look of this book, so I read it [...]

Happy Birthday, Moriah!!!

We just came back from Chuck E. Cheese for Moriah’s 1st birthday party. I cannot believe that it’s been a whole year already. Wow, where did the time go so fast? So, before I forget, I want to say Happy, Happy Birthday to my beautiful little niece (who I helped deliver, btw) Moriah! Happy Birthday, [...]

Free Handwriting Worksheets & Handwriting Techniques

As Phillise was finishing up her book report, I noticed that her handwriting & her handwriting technique could both use a little help; so I did a little research on both. In the process, I happened upon: a nice, but rather lengthy article on the best way to hold a writing instrument. It was in [...]

Book Club Update #3

It’s the beginning of the third week and I have nothing but positive stuff to say about the club. Calvin has read more than 30 books. Chloe has read 29, Phillise has read about , and David has read 8. I feel a little bad because my own children are so far behind. I have [...]

The Books Are Off The Floor

Well, I finally cleaned up David & Phillise’s room. I got the books off the floor and into the bookcase. In the process, I decided to get rid of about 50 books that Phillise has outgrown. I’m donating them to the church nursery. It feels so good to spring summer clean their room. I’ve only [...]

How To Teach Writing!

My students are excellent artists (the envy of the school actually). Their pictures are so detailed. If only I could get them to transfer for that to their writing. I was beating myself up about it until I spoke with one of my professors @ B.N.U., Tim, who admitted that it took him about 5 [...]

The Time Is Not There Anymore………

Let me start by saying that I, like many others, do not care for too much change. I hate it when something that’s been there forever is suddenly not there anymore. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the time announcement service. Let’s begin at the beginning, shall we? Just a few minutes ago, [...]

Only July, & Already Time…

I know I said this before, and I guess I’m going to have to get used to it, but being a teacher is different than being an assistant. When I was an assistant, not once did I ever go back in the summer for meetings or to get the classroom in order. But, I will [...]

Oh, To Be A Kid Again!

I love that children are so honest. People say that little kids are cruel because they say how they feel. I love it They’re so honest with themselves and everyone around them. Life is so much simpler when you’re a kid. I would take the opinion of a kid over an adult any day. Why??? [...]

Struggling…

Have you ever seen a newly formed butterfly struggle out of its cocoon. There are many steps that it has to go through to metamorph to a butterfly. Now, have you ever heard the story of a man who, seeing the struggle, decides to interfere with nature’s process and help the butterfly out of its [...]

Book Club Update #2

The best laid plans of mice and men… That’s how it feels in regard to my Guys Read book club. I think that we’ve probably started on time once. The start time is 1:15, and it’s only supposed to be 2 hours. However, everyday we start about 2 p.m. and end at about 5, sometimes [...]

Among the Odds & Evens: A Tale of Adventure by Priscilla Turner

I love children’s literature. You can learn just about anything and everything you need from a children’s book. I love to use books to introduce concepts. This is one of my strong suits. My Math coach loves that I do that. And I did just that when I used this book, Among the Odds & [...]

Permission To Do Something Different!

This whole year has been so difficult for me. The only thing that I had to look forward to was my summer vacation. Now that it’s here, I’m not doing everything that I planned on doing before summer. I have been wasting it away on the couch. Well, besides doing my summer book club, I [...]

7 Things About Me

I believe in keeping things short and sweet. Useless talk irritates me. I believe in getting straight to the point. I am in a state of flux. I want to know???. I am scared of starting teaching again. I sometimes seriously doubt myself. I am such a geek. I am learning how to draw.

Cute Little Quote

I found this quote today and thought that it was beautiful and so profound. It’s from the National Suicide Prevention hotline’s website: www.hopeline.com Like to read it, here it is: I wanted to be you Better. More. Until I learned I am not done. Each of us is a masterpiece. Aspire, Be, Create, Dream.

The Fancy Nancy Thing Is Over…

Whew…it’s finally over; the Fancy Nancy party that is. I had been planning it for months. I still feel like there is more I could have done. I always feel like this, especially when I’m throwing a party. This wasn’t a birthday party though, it was a FANCY party. This is what I did: We [...]

Summer Reading w/Barnes & Noble

While on one of my trips to Barnes & Noble, I picked up some flyers for their Summer Reading with Andrew Clements. It’s called “Imagine If You Called It A Frindle.” It’s based on the best selling book, Frindle, by Andrew Clements. For reading eight books of their own choosing, children are given a coupon [...]

Book Club Update #1

Things for the book club have been going swimmingly. My members have been reading at least 1 book a day on their own, in addition to the one that I’ve been reading them. Last year, members had to read 10 books to get a prize. This year I decided to lower the amount of books [...]

I Actually Went To The Movies!!!

I actually went to the movies. The last time I’ve been is up for debate. Phillip says that it was 2004, while Sam says that it was 2001. I’m not exactly sure, but it was before Phillise was born in 2002. The movie that I saw this afternoon was Wanted. It was excellent. I can [...]

Tuesday’s Puppet Show

Tuesday was pretty nice. We went to the puppet show @ the local library, we checked out books, came home and did our Guys Read book club thing. I was pleasantly pleased with one of my members. She went to the restroom and came back with an armload full of books. She presented me with [...]

Fast Friends- A Tail and Tongue Tail by Lisa Horstman

This book, Fast Friends- A Tail and Tongue Tale- by Lisa Horstman (1994) is a Dr. Seuss Picture Book Award winner. Now, let me tell you the story of when I first bought it. There was a little bit of confusion on my part as to whether or not it was a Dr. Seuss book. [...]

A Very Nice Homegoing Celebration!

Today I attended a very special homegoing celebration. It was wonderful. Of course, there was some crying, but for the most part, it was a celebration of a life well lived. Mrs. L., the deceased, was really a wonderful person. She was kind, gentle, mild mannered, woman who never raised her voice. She was such [...]

I Ain’t Gonna’ Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont

This sweet little book is sung to the tune of… hmm…well, you know that commercial with the cute little doggy singing: There ain’t no bugs on me, on me. There ain’t no bugs on me. There may be bugs on some of you mugs, but there ain’t no bugs on me. Yeah. It’s sung like [...]

Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathmann

From the author of Goodnight Gorilla, The Day the Babies Crawled Away, & Officer Buckle and Gloria, comes Ruby the Copycat (2006). I liked the book because it deals with real life situations. Even though this book is great for everyone, it is especially great for little girls, about 5-8, because they are usually the [...]

If You’re Gonna’ Steal…

Although I definitely disagree with what he did, I’m sorta’ glad that he did it. I’m talking about one of my students who stole did not return my book, Joey Pigza, to me.  He loved the book because it is about a child with ADHD-his same affliction. When I introduced the book to the class, [...]

The Book Club

The book club is going well. I have two more members than last year. One of the members, Zay, is a voracious reader. He’s 11 and he’s already read all of the Harry Potters + The Spiderwick Chronicles. The other member, Chloe, likes to read also. I have taken out a couple of my books [...]

Conscious Decisions For Your Betterment!

I found this quote today that spoke volumes to me: Make a sincere effort to apply resolute effort against the forces of inertia, and good fortune will follow. Basically what it is saying is get up off your keister and something good will happen to you. Of course, I agree with this. I’m not sure [...]

Proud Me!

I am so proud of my baby. I read her the book, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett some time last year. A couple of days ago, I read her the sequel to it, Pickles to Pittsburgh, and she noticed right away that it was the same illustrator. She didn’t know that [...]

Expand Your Mind!

Isn’t it funny how once you expand your mind, you find new and different ways to fill it. I say this because I want more for my children. Ever since the birth of my first child, when I was 19, I decided that I would not be just another statistic; not just another young black [...]

Fear vs. FAITH!

Fear imprisons, faith liberates fear paralyzes, faith empowers fear disheartens, faith encourages fear sickens, faith heals fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable. Harry Emerson Fosdick (from Diva Zone-www.divazonemagazine.com)

A nice quiet relaxing day!

I had a nice, quiet relaxing day. I didn’t do too much. I went grocery shopping at a couple of stores, came home and rested. After resting, I finished up some of the stuff for my Summer Reading Book Club. I was going to start last week, but had to put off starting until tomorrow. [...]

CONSIDER THE SOURCE!

I love the title of Pink’s last album- Miz Understood. Why? Because up until a few years ago, I was almost always misunderstood. I don’t blame it on anyone else though. I take total responsibility for it. When I was younger, I was very anti-social. No one knew my name. You know why they didn’t [...]

Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big by Berkeley Breathed

Ever since I came across this title, I’ve wanted to read it. I am so glad that I did. It was a cute little book. From the title, I kinda’ knew what to expect. I have to admit that I did not have the faintest idea who Berkeley Breathed was before I read this book. [...]

The Power Of Positivity!

I was just at Content Black Woman’s blog. While there, I happened upon a very interesting and enlightened post of hers regarding speaking positively. We seem to be on the same page. Isn’t if funny how when you set your mind to something, everything else wraps itself around that idea? I have been “in the [...]

Happy 4th of July!

Hello all! Happy 4th of July to everyone!

B.O.S.S.- Building On Spiritual Substance

When Sam & Dakota were younger, I found a program that was wonderful. It was lead by Al & Hattie Hollingsworth- a wealthy Christian couple who believe in putting God first in everything they do. I was just reading their testimony on the CBN website (700 Club) and was just in awe. They have been [...]

The Right Words!

I found this great post about choosing your words- “Choose Your Words, Choose Your Life”. (Click here) This could not have been more timely as I am working on that and other stuff about myself that I dislike. In the article, the author says to choose your words carefully because they become your thoughts, become [...]

The Right (Multipurpose) Tool For The Job!

I am a big fan of the Food Network. I just love Alton Brown. You know why? It’s because he always uses the right tool for the job. Another thing about him that makes him a man after my own heart is that he doesn’t  use specialized single use tool. He knows that there is [...]