I accomplished a little bit more today!

I am so happy. I was not so much of a slacker today. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this, but I have 2 major papers due. The paper that’s due for my first class is 10 pages, while the paper due for my second class is 15-20 pages. In addition to that, I had [...]

Scholastic Book Fair

Scholastic Books is having a Warehouse sale with up to 25% to 80% Off Books! You can purchase books and gifts for everyone on your list!
Save Up to 80% Off at Our Customer Appreciation Warehouse Sale!
Receive a FREE Reading Poster!
As a special gift, you’ll receive a free reading poster at the sale (while supplies last).
• [...]

Next Thanksgiving…

I have a little something to get off my chest. This happens every Thanksgiving, but it really bothered me the other day. Like to hear it, here it goes…
One of my sisters likes to play games. I don’t know why she does, but she does. She is always trying to get out of bringing the [...]

HAPPY BLACK FRIDAY!!

Again, the title says it all. Now, I’ve got some shopping to do! Bye! Are you still here? Go. Leave. Go shopping or do something else. Just leave.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

The title says it all. Have a good one!

Just doin’ a little bit of cookin’!

Well, I actually accomplished a little something today. I ‘ve already made 2 of the 4 Sweet Potato pies. One’s in the oven cooking. As soon as that one’s finished cooking, I am going to cook the 4th and final one. After that I will start on the 3 Large Peach Cobblers I’m making. I [...]

Advice to a First Year Teacher!

One thing that I’ve learned this year that I wish I would have learned last year is to use all of the resources available to me. Use the services of the Literacy Coach, the Math Coach, veteran teachers, anyone who can help. Use them. That’s what they’re there for!
Until next time!

On the subject of Special Education (Or that old Good Times episode)

I am watching an episode of “Good Times”. In this particular episode the writers or whoever decided to introduce the subject of retardation/hard-of-hearing. It is so funny to see how Special Ed. issues were handled back then; sometimes even now.
The episode I’m watching is about a little boy named Larry who nearly fell down [...]

The best laid plans…

Yes, you know how the saying goes. The best laid plans… Well, I took today and tomorrow off because I’m sick (wink,wink!). I planned to do a long list of chores and run a bunch of errands. Now, ask me if I got anything done!!! Nope, I sure didn’t. I did one load of laundry [...]

Special Education Meeting @ Beaudry Building

For those of you seeking information on teaching Special Education for L.A.U.S.D. there will be a meeting held @ the Beaudry building @ 333 S. Beaudry, L.A., CA 90007
Taken directly from www.lausd.net:
Special Education Initiative: An informational meeting will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, December 8th for those considering a career in the field [...]

It had to be the Fiddle Faddle!!!

Yeah, strange title I know, but there’s actually a story behind it. Last week I went to training. I’d missed the training at my school, so I went to training at another school with my Math coach. I was late, but hungry, so I whipped out my Fiddle Faddle and proceeded to snack. I’d intended [...]

I nailed it once again!

Someone told me they thought that I should look into being a college professor. I said that I didn’t think that I could manage adults.
“Oh, pish,” she said, “it’s just like managing children.”
I questioned whether she was right or not. Well, as it turns out, she was right. Managing rude, unruly adults is [...]

If only…

One of my studens keeps promising that he’s going to change schools. Promises, promises!!!

My soul looks back in wonder…

Yes, my soul does look back in wonder how I got over. I cannot believe that I am almost through this semester. About three weeks ago I thought that I could not possibly make it through. I was so overwhelmed. At one point I tried to take a step back and try to put things [...]

Knowing what you don’t want…

Knowing what you don’t want helps you to find out what you do want. I’ve found this out during many trials and tribulations. When I was really young, I didn’t have a clue as to who I was. That all changed when I read this anonymous poem about Standing for something or falling for anything. [...]

Swamped me!

I have been so swamped lately that I haven’t had a chance to be my usual Post-a-holic self. This week I barely got any sleep. All this week, I went to sleep at around 12, just to turn right around and wake right back up at 5:45 a.m. I am so happy this week is [...]

I nailed it, Part 2!

Once again I nailed my presentation. This is the same presentation that I was so stressed out about last week. The same one that I just completed at 4 a.m. this morning. It feels so good! Now, only 7 months to go and I will be finished!

Happy Birthday David!!!

Today, my baby is 11 years old. I can’t believe it. I love you little brown man.

Proud me!

I am so proud of the work that I’m doing because right now, all of my students can read. A couple of them may only be reading two and three letter words, but that’s a great start considering last year, some of them didn’t know any alphabets and could only count to ten.
One of my [...]

Growing up with Tamales by Gwendolyn Zepeda

** Warning- This post is kinda’ long. Growing up with Tamales (2008), written by Gwendolyn Zepeda and illustrated by April Ward, is what I read to my students today. I purchased it at the AEMP training. For those of you who don’t know, AEMP stands for Academic English Mastery Proficiency Plus. It’s basically a program [...]

What’s working for me in Math!!

For math, this is how I do it; this is what’s working for me. I begin with the whole class as a group. I then explain the assignment to the whole class, model it while checking for understanding, then break out into groups. Since there are 10 students, I take the lower half of students, [...]

The Blending method that works for me!!!

My students are fantastic at blending. I’m not kidding. I am so proud of them. If you walked into my class off the street, you would not know that my class was a Special ed. class.
The blending method I’ve been using is “vowel first” blending. This week, we are working on long vowels, specifically long [...]

Barack Obama elected President of the United States!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot believe this. I am absolutely stunned. Is this really happening? Has a Black man actually been elected President of the United States??????? Yes, it is true. History has just been made. Tears are welling up in my eyes as I write this. I never thought that this would happen in my lifetime. Maybe [...]

Hooray for the time change!

I love the “Falling Back” time change. Everything seems to move so slowly in a good way. I have more time with my family. I seem to have more time to teach. It seems like I even have more time in the morning. I don’t rush as much as I do when I “Spring Forward”. [...]

Are you going to prove them right or wrong???

“Are you going to prove them right or wrong?” I asked.
“What do you mean?” they asked.
Well, some people say that Special Ed. students:

can’t learn
can’t behave
can’t stand in line properly
can’t get along with other students
etc..

I named a list of things as they sat there not believing that I was voicing what others thought but didn’t say.
“Well, [...]