I love looking around at the walls at my school and can't help but feel closer to the students. So much of that person can be understood through art that they created.
I wish I had time to do it as I had in the past... Actually, I probably still have the time. I am currently lacking the motivation to get started. It's always the hardest part of an art project. Hmm...
The dancing this weekend was exhausting. So much so that I didn't even stop to blog on time...
My feet ache.
My head is groggy.
My life seems a bit unravelly.
Was it worth it?
HELL YES!!
I can't wait for FX '12!!!
It's cold here.
Big surprise, I know, but still it's a bit surprising to be met by such a chill just after finishing a night of extreme dancing!
I loved watching the snow fall as we wandered in search of our food though. It was magical!!
So we obviously are not eating home-cooked meals while here in Boston for the weekend... We are not even trying to eat well actually. We're just enjoying the wonderful taste of roast beef sandwiches washed down with beer. Don't knock it... ever.
For your reading pleasure, some recipes on my to-do:
Candied Bacon Fudge
Peach Gnocchi
A Sausage Pasta Dish
Bacon Jam
The music at this BFX event is incredible... amazing.
Dancing to music that truly moves you is priceless.
Consider me moved!
Mmm... fusion...
Update on my current position:
-- My kinder is learning SO much and he is doing quite well in the classroom! It's really exciting actually. I can hardly get enough of it.
-- I never really see my first-grader, but she's doing a lot better. I have had several really good moments with her this week.
-- My boy for transitions regressed, BIG TIME, yesterday... but he was back to his normal self today. *huge sigh of relief*
-- My other second-grader is done with me and hardly responds to any of the redirections I propose. It bums me out, but maybe the two days without me will be good. Maybe?
Update on the potential position:
I just received another email about the interviews last night, so I now know that the big day-o-interviews is two weeks from now. I also talked to Mr. Marks and Ms. Everette about any little technicalities involving the classroom observation. According to my plan, I hope to be observed while teaching the first period of math with the Cardinals (second grade). I'm nervous, exited, anxious... Yay!
Now, I must get back to packing for Boston!!
Teach For America's presence in Texas may be in jeopardy thanks to the state's $20 billion budget shortfall. Lawmakers seeking to slash programs have commissioned a study that will look at the effectiveness and retention rates of almost 1,000 Teach For America (TFA) teachers across the state. The question they hope to answer: Are those TFA teachers worth $8 million dollars?Another concern they have is with the fact that many people who teach through TFA only stay for the allotted two years or so. This turnover rate is something that I've always found to be quite odd myself. Having worked as long as I have in order to get credentialed, it is quite different when I hear the conversations between these individuals in the teachers' lounge.
State Senator Mario Gallegos told the Houston Chronicle, "My concern has always been the cost. Is the school district getting the bang for the buck on the Teach for America teachers? I'm very concerned with the budget constraints right now."
Critics claim that Teach For America teachers don't get significantly better results than teachers coming from traditional certification programs that don't require the state to pony up extra cash. However, a recent study by the Tennessee State Board of Education says that students taught by Teach For America teachers consistently get higher test scores.
[via GOOD]
In honor of my photography & art day of the week I'm just going to daydream about what I want most right now... A camera.
I haven't had one in a very long time and it seriously bums me out when I have to bust out my phone to take pictures at weddings. Yes, just about all of the pictures I've taken in the past few years have been taken with my various camera-phones. It feels criminal.
I shall remedy this as soon as I can!
Absolutely incredible night of dancing for me.
I feel as if I made some fantastic break-throughs as a lead.
And I had a blast doing it!!
I can't wait for the Boston Fusion Exchange this weekend...
It's going to be INSANE!!
I just ordered a few cards for Thank You's.
The above photo is a little hint for the card's cover.
I'm excited to get them filled out and sent on their way.
My goal for today was to have a blogging schedule set up and posted. I need a bit more structure in my life. I have a few of the days set in place, but the rest are still a bit up in the air... Let's see what I can come up with:
MON: dancing
TUE: photography / art
WED: news
THU: education
FRI: music
SAT: cooking / food
SUN: free day!! I choose what to write about... :)
I look forward to future blogging. This should be a good year. Now, if I could just get these darned ants to leave me alone! Mer.
Now, I would like you to "imagine one area in your life that you want to work on or make a change in. This could be your relationship, a friendship, work. Anything. Think about one specific change that you’d like to see happen in that area, and then you turn to a friend or your partner and you play the ‘Remembering Forward’ game. [It's now December] 2011 and that change you wanted to see happen? It did. Your dialogue with your friend or partner makes it come alive."
[via asweetspoon]
I imagine myself scrambling to do one of two things (maybe even both): to lesson plan the coming months before the break comes to a quick end or to shove as much fun as I possibly can into my remaining time before returning to MY classroom. I will probably be living in San Jose, but spend most of my vacation in San Francisco. I'll be a bit more frazzled, far more pressed for time, and looking for any chance to take a break. I know this. And yet I still want it? Yeah, as crazy as it may seem, it's the only thing I'm sure of right now.
Since this is the new year eve's post, I'm going to hit you hard with a review post of epic proportions! Let's start with music:
2007 Pop Music Mashup: DJ Earworm
2008 Pop Music Mashup: DJ Earworm
2009 Pop Music Mashup: DJ Earworm
And the 2010 Pop Music Mashup:
My 11 resolutions in 2011 (to be revisited on July 1st):
1. leave only 1 tab open on my computer each night
2. drink 1 cup of water for each cup of coffee [realistic editing]
3. record at least 3 sentences on my blog each day
4. recap with pictures quarterly (4 photo recaps in 2011)
5. clean my room/house/car every 5 days (dates divisible by 5)
6. read at least 1 new job-related book each month
7. abstain from clothing purchases for a year (trading is ok)
8. eat, drink, learn, or try something new each month
9. throw out or give away unused items (avoid repurposing)
10. try a new recipe twice a month (on the 14th and 28th)
11. focus at least a half-hour a day on job-searching
2010 Recap by Month:
JAN: attended BFX and it changed my life!
FEB: snagged more work with I Love A Clean San Diego
MAR: reunited with the long-distance boy & made it official
APR: got environmental & danced as much as I worked
MAY: celebrated my birthday with friends in the Bay
JUN: work died down, but I got to attend the Blues Recess
JUL: began organizing & DJing SD blues events
AUG: quit my jobs, up & moved to SF without a plan
SEP: snagged a second job subbing for charters
OCT: received allergy tests & a final diagnosis
NOV: took a long-term position subbing at RLS
DEC: job interviews, holiday parties, & family time
It's been a crazy, but good year...
I'm excited for 2011.
Bring it!
Be deliberate
Resist the urge to impulsively make pledges for the upcoming year based on what's bothering you at a specific moment. Spend a week, or longer, evaluating your priorities for the new year and think about how your resolution fits with these objectives. This is a great conversation to have with a friend, "Could you see me doing this goal, this year?"
Leave the past behind
Refrain from adopting old resolutions to prevent past regrets from following you into the future. Instead, redefine failed goals. If "lose weight" didn't work last year, consider the new approaches of "eat healthier" or "exercise five days a week"
Stay positive
Swearing off bad habits such as "I will never bite my nails again" only emphasizes the forbidden behavior. For better results, cast resolutions in a flattering light and vow to "Take better care of my hands and nails"
Shorten the deadline
Recent research found 80 percent of people don't keep their resolution past Valentine's Day. Maintain yours until July 1 and you will have accomplished more than most. We're betting the buzz you get from successfully making reaching the six-month mark will carry you the rest of the year.
Define the obstacles
Acknowledging and preparing for the challenges upfront allows you to better navigate bumps in the road ahead.
Go public with your plans
Telling others about your goals helps you in a couple of ways. Writing the goals down and sharing them with others can increase your sense of responsibility to meet your objectives. It also gives others insight into what you are trying to accomplish and opens new doors for support.
[via Lia Steakley Dicker, of 43things]
I'm trying to narrow down my resolutions into attainable goals for the new year. I like the ones that I have already posted below, but I have some that I need to work in about sleep, organization, learning Spanish, attaining a permanent job, environmental practices, and cooking. Get excited. I'm determined to make things happen!
Last night was simply magical.
I will never be able to sum it up in words and I am totally okay with that fact. Power outages, the Black Swan, steak dinner, Parks & Rec, and perfection. Mmm...
More, please.
Once I recover, of course.
These past few weeks have truly been amazing... my best holiday season yet. It's been filled with family and friends and good food. We just finished up the last of the holiday parties yesterday, with David's extended family on his dad's side. I'm scared for the coming week and the fact that my sleep cycle is complete crap now. I may need to pull another all-nighter to get it back on track, since that seems to be the easiest way for me to get that done.
The best/worst part of the holidays is the immense amount of candy that collects. Right now, I have six different sources in my immediate possession. I snack on them all day long and I have little to no motivation to remedy that. In somewhat related news, I have yet to find a diet that works for me... I'm either eating too much or simply eating the wrong things. I need to make some changes, but I haven't decided how to go about that just yet. And yes, I know that the candy would be a good start... Thanks.
I know I need to straighten up and bring my life back into line a bit. I have several ideas already, but one that I'm less sure of is this blog and whether or not I should make a new one. It would be easier to ignore it and to continue writing here, but I feel like it may be beneficial to start from scratch, without the controversial posts of my past. While I ponder a bit more, here are a few more of my ideas for the new year:
1. leave only 1 tab open on my computer each night
2. drink 2 cups of water for each cup of coffee
3. record at least 3 sentences on my blog each day
4. clean my room/house/car every 4 days or so
5. read at least 1 new job-related book each month
6. abstain from clothing purchases for a year (trading ok)
I also want to figure out some realistic goals for exercising and pleasure reading. If you have suggestions or tips, they would be greatly appreciated.
I feel like an addict.
I cannot explain how strange it is to wake up each morning, fighting off my basic instincts, which all push me to burrow back under the covers. Instead I eagerly throw on my nicest clothes and head out for the day, pumped for an hour drive to work. My body has never enjoyed early rising and it's really no different now, but I have something great waiting for me.
Having the ability to touch the lives of children each and every day is tremendously motivating and gives true meaning to all the work I do. I know that things will be different once I get my own classroom... I'll have new gripes and new obstacles to overcome... but the truth of the matter is that it is utterly heart-breaking to leave a school, without the knowledge of when I'll be back or whether or not the 5 minute side-mini-lesson really sunk in for the student I helped at the end of class.
The weekends are tough because although, I'm ecstatic that I have the time to recollect and relax, I begin to miss the kids and their constant stream of questions, observations, and discoveries. I can't seem to get enough of it.
Teaching is my greatest goal and my greatest fear. It's a fear that I desperately want to confront and overcome and one school, in particular, stands out against the rest as a place that supports and strengthens the teachers' journeys, in the classroom. I want to drive my students to a greater future and stay in touch as they move on to high school and college.
I'm looking on towards a better future.
And I can't get enough of it!
yesterday was better.
My eyes are acting up again, besides the fact that I got my allergy test and tested negative for everything. It's really frustrating and quite a blow to my confidence, entering new classrooms each day. It means that I am forced to talk about it each and every day. To explain why my eyes look red and watery over and over again. *le sigh*
I wasn't called in to work today, which means I had time to take care of my eyes as best as I can. I am hoping that, although they're still bad now, they will be better by tomorrow morning. Also, hoping to actually have WORK tomorrow. I hate waiting by a phone that doesn't ring. I can't wait until I have a real job.
As you may have gathered at this point, for those who know me outside of this blog especially, my life has been rather hectic. I am substitute teaching in San Jose, at an amazing school called Rocketship. I have a three week stint lined up, starting tomorrow (which is good, since I laid down some serious money shopping for new clothes today).
On top of this wonderful new job, I am also working for Sylvan. I was originally working as a Diagnostician, unsure whether I would be tutoring any time soon. As it so happens, I have now begun the necessary training to be one of the tutors. I have some online tests to do tomorrow night, because I don't want to do them tonight, and then some on-site training on Wednesday night.
Life is crazy.
But life is so so good. :)
So We Keep Waiting, originally uploaded by Boy_Wonder.So I tried to convince myself to just post on my new blog, to move on from this one, and start fresh. Alas, I have been visiting my usual blog reads recently and noticed all of the changes here on blogger... I just couldn't resist checking it out! So, I make absolutely no promises about posting more often now, but I must say...
it feels kinda nice to be blogging on here again.
It feels like home...
which, at this point, is very hard to come by. :)
