MLK Day

Thank you, Martin Luther King, for providing me with a day off school. And because I couldn't bear to stick around in Provo all day, I headed up to Salt Lake. Basically because I could. I needed some space from Provo, needed some time alone, and needed some time to wander around WITHOUT A JACKET! That's how warm it was.

Oh, Life

In the last two weeks, I've chanced upon two songs that describe my life perfectly. to a T. It's a little bit ridiculous actually!!!

I always love finding songs I connect to (which is why I think I like country so much - the lyrics always mean something) and these two in particular have been on repeat in my room because every word is something that I'm feeling.

Also, it took me an hour and a half to get home from school tonight. I was already there until 8:40 because of parent/teacher conferences, and I didn't walk in the door until 10:12. YUCK! I actually turned my car off on the freeway because I only had a quarter tank and I didn't want to run out. Yep. Sat with my car completely off for about 27 minutes. I counted. It was bad - there was a 10 car plus a semi crash just south of my exit. It didn't look like anyone was hurt too bad, thank goodness, but I am so glad I left school when I did and not earlier!!

Plus, no kiddos tomorrow. Report card day. Which means movies plugged into my projector in my room while I work. :) I'm taking I Love Lucy, Miss Congeniality, the Sandlot, Ocean's 11, and the old (awesome) Yours, Mine and Ours. So that I have lots of choices of things to watch while I work alone all day. :)

I'm Really Enjoying This!

My assignment was to create a layout, using close up photos, of something that makes me happy. What I thought of? My boots. :)

Also. My big camera had no battery power so these were taken with my point and shoot. Which is why they are not as super awesome as they could have been.

Digital Scrapbooking

So, I totally procrastinated my guided reading lessons by creating this little gem.

The first scrapbook page I've made completely on my own in Photoshop. It's very simple, but, hey, it's my first try.

Oh, Life

Wow. I can feel the stress building in me right now. Which is weird, because I'm normally not that stressed out. Usually, I feel fine, and then one day all the stress from the last 2 months comes out to haunt me.

Maybe that's what's happening to me today.

I seriously just can't seem to get a grip on my life this week. Things are slipping because I just don't have the time or energy to deal with them at the moment. Things that probably should be dealt with and processed.
Like taking down the Christmas decorations. And working out my life.

Today's an "I could use a hug" day. Yup.


Oh well. You take life as it comes to you. Hopefully after next month things will calm down and I can breathe again.

Songs?

I love music and these are some of the songs that are just my favorite right now. Or have been my favorite and I forgot about them. :)

Great Day to be Alive by Travis Tritt
Kissin U by Miranda Cosgrove
Felt Good on my Lips by Tim McGraw
As She's Walking Away by Zac Brown Band ft. Alan Jackson
Enchanted by Taylor Swift
Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Buble
Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
Out of My League by Stephen Speaks
Unapologize and Everytime You Look at Me by Carrie Underwood
Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift
Hotel California by the Eagles
Defying Gravity and As Long as You're Mine from Wicked

Brain Dump

1. Tonight I have been thinking a lot about teaching, based a lot on things that were said to me last week. I want to be the kind of teacher who can:

• teach to every learning style.
• instill a love of reading, a love of learning, and an intrinsic desire to continue to learn.
• make her kids want to come to school every morning.
• have infinite amounts of patience.
• take the resources given to her and tweak them so that they become appropriate for her specific children.
• instill motivation to do the right thing, always, even when no one is watching you.
• incorporate song and dance and fine arts into many lessons.
• take constructive criticism, honestly evaluate it, and incorporate it.
• always teach in a developmentally appropriate way.
• always have a smile on her face.
• somehow get all her kids reading and doing math above grade level, no matter where they started from.
• instill confidence in her students, so that they know and believe that they can do anything that they set their mind to.

But most of all, I want to be the kind of teacher that loves her children, and they know that they are loved. They know that their teacher honestly wants what is best for them, and will help them any way she can to achieve their dreams. The kind of teacher who leads by example, especially for those students who may be lacking a kind example in their homes and may not feel loved.

2. Anne of Green Gables. Just re-read it AGAIN. And guess what? It got better again. Just like always.

3. Why does music always hit me so deeply? Is it because I don't feel eloquent; I don't feel like the words that I say are sufficient? All I know is that when I find a song that touches me, it communicates how I feel in ways that I never could.

4. Do you know what my favorite part of teaching is?

Moments like today, when D says, "Teacher, I found our sight word in my book!!!"

when G finally understands the difference between nickels and dimes.

when M has moved up 5 reading levels in the last 2 1/2 months.

when I finally figured out what was bothering G.

when J started to tell the truth.

when I walk in from bus duty and find my children all working hard on their morning work, without a teacher in there to tell them what to do.

when B writes 2 1/2 pages in 40 minutes.

when they walk out every day saying, "Who I Am Makes a Difference," and I can see in E's eyes that she truly believes it.

when A figures out a different way to solve the math problem every single time.

when K's eyes lit up when she finally understood antonyms.

when H says to me, "It looks like you're having a bad day. I'm sure that it will get better."

when T helps B clean his desk out, because she has extra time.