A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L’Engle

Taken directly from Wikipedia. A Wrinkle in Time (1962) is a science fantasy novel by Madeleine L’Engle. The book won a Newbery Medal, Sequoyah Book Award, and Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, and was runner-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. It is the first in L’Engle’s series of books about the Murry and O’Keefe families. [...]

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Taken directly from echeat.com I did read this book. I just didn’t take the time to write a review. I can remember when I read it, way back in 1985. I was in 10th grade. It wasn’t for a class. I was just pleasure reading. I don’t remember who recommended it to me, but do [...]

I Found A Copy of My Lesson Plan Template!

Okay, this is for all the people I promised an OCR lesson plan template for. I found it. I finally found it- my lesson plan template. It was on my school laptop which I had to return. I had a backup on my personal laptop. However, my laptop crashed a couple of weeks ago. As [...]

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451 (1953), written by Ray Bradbury, is an engrossing futuristic tale of a society where all printed material is banned. In this country of the future, officials believe that people who read and are able to think for themselves are a threat to the nation where individualism is strongly discouraged. The inhabitants of this [...]

List of Banned Books

In light of Banned Books week, here’s a list of books that have been banned at one time or another in the United States: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Blubber by Judy Blume [...]

Banned Book Week (September 26- October 3)

Taken directly from Wikipedia page. Banned Books Week is an annual awareness campaign that celebrates the freedom to read and draws attention to banned and challenged books. The campaign “stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them” and the requirement to keep material [...]

Maxi’s Bed Magicians by Werner Blaebst

Maxi’s Bed Magicians (1990), written & illustrated by Werner Blaebst, was too cute. It reminds me of another book I reviewed, Snuggle Mountain, by Lindsey Lane. It celebrates one of my favorite subjects, imagination. This book can be used during the 3rd grade Imagination unit in OCR. I don’t know why I didn’t read this [...]

Time To Move On!

I’m not sure if I wrote on this blog before about my dreams. If I did, this is a continuation of that. If not, I got a little story to tell you, like to hear it, here it goes. We, as human beings, are so preoccupied with our daily lives that we don’t pay attention [...]

Free Ice Cream @ Coldstone Creamery (9/24/09)

Thursday, September 24th  5-8pm FREE 3 oz. Make-A-Wish® Creation™ with a Donation Donate and receive a 3 oz. sample of Jack’s Creation served out of a ready-to-love pan in a Like It™ Cup. Valid only during published date and time. While supplies last. No substitutions. Limit one per customer. An estimated 85 percent of all [...]

Why The Sneer?

Okay, dear readers, this is my rant. I got a lil’ something to say it, here it goes. My daughter, Phillise, has had great teachers during her short time in school. I’ve had great relationships with them all. They’ve all been really nice with sparkling personalities. That is…up until now. Her current teacher is not [...]

What’s Your Stress (Relief) Plan?

Well, what is it? Your stress (relief) plan, that is. How do you plan to release the excess stress built up during the day. You know there’s going to be some in any job. There’s especially going to be a whoooooole lot in a high stress job like teaching. That’s what a good friend of [...]

Famous Quotes

Here’s an often quoted saying. You’ve probably seen it or heard it a million times, but I’m going to write it anyway. It’s so profound. “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster

The Hello, Goodbye Window (2005), written by Norton Juster & illustrated by Chris Raschka, was a good read that left me with a nice feel good feeling. Winner of the 2006 Caldecott Medal, Chris Raschka really hit the ball out the park with this one. The illustrations are a type of watercolorish drawing. They are [...]

Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone!

My dear readers, I have a story to tell you, like to hear it, here it goes: I don’t like change. I know this is not a good thing, but I sometimes stay in a situation that is not good for me longer than is healthy. Don’t get me wrong, when I have to do [...]

I’m Not Apologizing for Special Education Anymore!

In the immortal words of Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman, ” I was in here yesterday and you wouldn’t wait on me. You work on commission, right? Well, big mistake! Big, big mistake! Huge! Gigantic! Bye, I’m going shopping now.” This is what she tells the sales clerk who refused to help her the previous [...]

Hoping Against All Hope!

My life has been is such turmoil for the last couple of years that I’ve actually stopped wanting as much as I used to because, quite frankly, I’ve haven’t gotten a whole lot of things I’ve wanted lately.It’s just become a way of life. You get used to it, you know! That’s so not a [...]

Well Pulled Together Me!

Being well pulled together has been a double-edged sword for me. A couple years ago, right before I started teaching, I bought a whole new wardrobe to look the part- wool skirts, crisp white shirts, and a whole host of other little accessories & what-not. Because I was so well put together, most people thought [...]

Auditory & Visual Processing Disorders or Why It’s So Hard To Teach Students With This Disorder

As my husband & I were driving, I talked with my husband about how many people think that teaching is such a cushy job. They have no idea how intense it is or how much planning goes into teaching one lesson. A lesson that might take one day in a general education class may very [...]

Happy International Literacy Day

Yes, people. Today is International Literacy Day. It was started by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, is a specialized agency of the United Nation. Its stated purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the [...]

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day to everyone. Eat, drink & be merry!

Look @ Those Two!

I called Phillise to ask her for a hug, and got a wet one ’cause the sleeves on her robe was wet. “Honey, why are you wet? What are you doing?,” I asked her. “Oh, I was just helping David wash the dishes,” she said. So, I look in the kitchen after she walked away [...]

Ever Hopeful Me!

Can I just say that looking for a job is very daunting? I’m lucky. I’ve had help from a very good friend. He has gone out of his way for me. Because of him, I have a very promising lead on a job. If not for him, I think that I could very well get [...]

An Interesting Discussion With David…

I just had an interesting discussion with David regarding his homework. For his Social Studies class, he had to dissect a Bertolt Brecht poem. It was very enlightening. Let me just say that I am very pleased with the curriculum @ his school. To be discussing Bertolt Brecht, his philosophy, using inference in relation to [...]

Inside The Mind Of Someone With A Learning Disability

I would love to run into a couple of my students years from now. I have always wondered what their thought processes were. Did I really help them? Did I really make a difference in their lives? Were my techniques helpful? Well, on the PBS website, I found the story of a young man, Marco, [...]

Back To School With Word World

Even though I am extremely disappointed in PBS because of poor programming choices the past couple of years, I have to congratulate them for picking up this show a couple of years ago, Word World. Though it is not a substitute for Reading Rainbow, it is a fantastic show. If you’ve been reading this blog, [...]

Children’s Place Coupon

Here’s a coupon that’s sure to come in handy, to the tune of 15% off. It’s from one of my favorite clothing stores, Children’s Place. I received it today. Enjoy! Click picture below, save it, and print:

Mission Impossible Assignment #3: School Shopping on a Budget, Part 2

My mission (which I already accepted) was to purchase school uniforms, underwear & socks, and shoes for 2 children for under $150. This was seemingly impossible, but it’s been done before and it can be done again. One of the best ways to save money is to recycle clothing from the previous year that are [...]

A New Job? (Thanks George!)

Did I mention that LMU kinda’ screwed me! It’s a long story. N-e way, what does that have to do with a new job? Well, I need an extension on my intern credential. I turned in my paperwork @ the end of June. It is now September, yet my paperwork has not been turned in [...]