Lakeshore After Thanksgiving (Black Friday) Sale!

Present this coupon at time of purchase.

©Lakeshore
coupon code: 39259

Offer valid November 27-28, 2009. Valid on in-store purchases only. Limit one coupon and one bag per customer. 20% discount taken off lowest ticketed price. Excludes tax & shipping charges. Not valid on Super Deals or gift cards. Valid on in-stock items only. No ship-to or special [...]

Much Needed Validation!

Hello dear readers. As you know, I’ve been having a hard time lately and have been feeling a wee bit sorry for myself. I have been thinking about ditching teaching and getting another type of job altogether. I was thinking that I was not meant to teach. You know, I’ve had so much trouble and [...]

Happy Veteran’s Day!

Happy Veteran’s Day to all the former, current, & future veterans. Thanks for all you’ve done!

Lakeshore 15% Off Coupon!

Present this coupon at time of purchase.

©Lakeshore
coupon code: 1631

Offer valid 11/14/09 – 11/15/09. Valid on in-store purchases only. Limit one coupon per customer. Offer excludes sales tax & shipping charges. Valid on in-stock items only. No ship-to or special orders. Not to be used toward the purchase of gift cards or in conjunction with any [...]

Happy Anniversary Sesame Street!

Happy Anniversary Sesame Street! The 40th to be exact. Can you believe it? It’s older than I am. I remember watching it when i was a child. All of my children watched it, now younger members of my family watch it. It truly transcends generations.

Happy Birthday David!

Today is my baby David’s 12th birthday. He is such a great kid. I love him so much.
Happy 12th Birthday David! Here’s to many more.

I Don’t Like to Read! by Nancy Carlson

I Don’t Like to Read!, written & illustrated by Nancy Carlson, is a book that I’ve book looking for. I am always on the lookout for amazing books; especially ones that deal with slow learners or those with learning disabilities. This book, my latest purchase, deals with slow learners. The hero of the book is [...]

God Always Has a Plan B!

Ok, so I’ve been screwed over, but I don’t have time to stop or worry about that now, I still need a job. I am going with Plan B. I will begin applying @ Charter schools & private schools. I don’t have a choice. I know I will make a difference no matter where I [...]

Guest bloggers needed!

Although I get a significant amount of hits, I know that I’m not one of the most popular blogs out there. That being said, I would like put out a feeler for guest bloggers who teach elementary special education. I am not in the classroom right now and cannot bring the latest information to you, [...]

I Got the List!!!

Yes, dear readers, I am so happy. I have acquired that once oh-so-elusive list of teaching vacancies. Here’s hoping for the best!

A Message So True!

I love these messages from Facebook. This is the one I got the other day.
You are not your wallet, your job, your kids, your house.
You are not your activities or your worries or the labels other people give you.
Like an actor you play these roles, and like a good actor you sometimes forget [...]

Happy Daylight Savings!

Yes, dear readers, I hope everyone put their clocks back last night. I am so happy that now until April, we are the proud recipients of an extra hour of sleep each day. Yippee!!!

Halloween by Jerry Seinfeld

Since today is Halloween, I decided to review a book about Halloween, called Halloween (2003). This book is hilarious. Of course it is. It’s by none other than Jerry Seinfeld. He perfectly captures the spirit of Halloween. He begins the books by saying… When you’re a kid you can eat amazing amounts of food. All [...]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween everyone. Have fun, but above all, be safe!

Benchwarmer? I Think Not!

I say, no, no, no. A THOUSAND TIMES NO! My dear readers, I say this very emphatically, “I am no benchwarmer!”
True, I have been sidelined with this no job having thing. I truly did not think it would take this long.
True, I did think I would have a job by now. I was probably even [...]

Attn: Displaced L.A.U.S.D. teachers, Part 2

Well, obtaining that list of available teaching positions from L.A.U.S.D. is going to be easier said than done. What is the problem????? Well, the problem is that access to L.A.U.S.D. e-mail is necessary to obtain the list.
Other problem????? If you’re not a current employee, you do not have access to L.A.U.S.D. e-mail.
I tried for half [...]

The Plot Chickens by Mary Jane and Herm Auch

The Plot Chickens (2009) by Mary Jane & Herman Auch was the cutest little book.I really liked it because it can be used during English/Language Arts time to help children with the writing process. The illustrations were a very colorful mixed media mishmash. They were quite enjoyable to look at. Now, on to the review.
The [...]

Happy Birthday Sam!

Today is, Sam, my oldest son’s 20th birthday. My, how time flies. He was just a baby. Happy Birthday!

Attn: Displaced L.A.U.S.D. teachers

***This post is for all the displaced L.A.U.S.D. teachers.***
I just got off the phone with Recruitment & Placement @ Beaudry building and have some very good news. Believe me when I say this made my day. I was a little down yesterday and today.  I was told that L.A.U.S.D. just received a list of vacancies [...]

Bound & Gagged!

In the words of India.arie- I am not my hair. I am not this skin. I am not your expectations. No… I am a soul that lives within.
You know what? That is so true. I am a soul that lives within. I am more than the title of teacher. But if that’s true why do [...]

Traumatic Brain Injury posting delayed!

I would like to extend my apologies to the interested reader who requested research on Traumatic Brain Injury. I was extremely busy last week and did not have time to research & post it. I will post next week.

Miss Malarkey Won’t Be In Today by Judy Finchler

Miss Malarkey Won’t Be In Today (2000), written by Judy Finchler and illustrated by Kevin O’ Malley, gave me quite a little chuckle. In this 2nd installation in the Miss Malarkey series, Miss Malarkey is back and this time SHE is the one with the over-active imagination! Stuck at home, delirious and helplessly sick, Miss [...]

An A.P.L.E. a Day? Maybe not!

An A.P.L.E. a Day? Maybe not! It seems my site has become an unofficial sounding board for A.P.L.E. recipients who haven’t received their promised payments. Now, this disheartens me since I am signed up for the A.P.L.E. grant. I am beginning to get scared. Am I going to have problems collecting like all those [...]

Feeling a little bit better!

I feel a little better today. I’d been feeling a little down ’cause I thought I’d have a job by now. I’m going to send out so me more resumés tomorrow. I’m confident I’ll find something in the coming weeks.

What is a Leader?

Leadership is not the ability to command, it is the ability to inspire others to act in ways that make them leaders as well.
-Unknown-

Still Unemployed!

Yep, dear readers, I am still unemployed. I thought I’d have a job by now, but not so. I’ve done all I know how. I’ve reached out to contacts & sent out resumes. But, so far, nothing at all.  I’ll just have to keep on pounding the pavement.

Learning Disabilities Awareness Month

October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. So, I’d like to take this month and dedicate a week to a specific disability. My personal specialty is Specific Learning Disability or SLD. I’m not sure why it’s called Specific Learning Disability because there is nothing specific about it. I will, however, discuss that at a later date. [...]

I Didn’t Get It!

Nope, dear readers, I did not get the job that I was up for. At first I thought I was a shoe-in. However, after I was contacted after a week, I knew it wasn’t meant to be. I’m not upset though. It would have been fine if it happened. It didn’t, so next. Hopefully someone [...]

Lulu’s Hat by Susan Meddaugh

Lulu’s Hat (2002), by Susan Meddaugh, author of Martha the talking dog series, was my latest purchase from the .99¢ store. I could not believe it. It’s a chapter book. Since I have a middle school student, it’s high time that I begin re-familiarizing myself with chapter books. But, even though this is a chapter [...]

Missing them terribly!

I miss my students so much. They miss me too. They want me to come back. Oh, if I could. That’s just not in the cards, but I miss them so much.

How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

How to Eat Fried Worms (1972) is so gross. It is totally a little boy’s book. The author, Thomas Rockwell, is the son of beloved American painter Norman Rockwell, and he was the recipient of the Mark Twain Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and the Sequoyah Award for Worms.  He wrote several other young [...]

And After That?

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.
“Not very long,” answered the Mexican.
“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.

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.
Meg Murry [...]

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
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Bridge [...]

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 publicly [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 day. [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

10 Things to Expect & Not Expect Your First Year of Teaching

My first year, just like mostly every new teacher, was sooooooo hard. Mostly because I didn’t know what to expect. These are tips that would have helped me when I was beginning my first year of school.

Expect to be overwhelmed. Teaching is such a big job. You only find out how big those shoes are [...]