Real friends tell

So I've always heard the phrase, real friends tell. Mostly when it comes to telling your friend something awkward or embarrassing.  Like when my husband has a bugger in his nose, or when an 11 year old boy has his zipper open, or you can see panties through a skirt. Things like that. So today I walk into my class and take my coat off.  (It was a cool morning, so I'd had my jacket on til around 9 am)

A few moments later, H walks up to me and says, Mrs. H is your shirt on inside out?  It takes me a moment to realize that she is not trying to pull one over on me. I glance down, my shirt appears the same on the outside and on the inside with the exception the seams show. There is no tag, to other give-aways. Sure enough, my shirt is on inside out. 

I quickly take the moment to teach my students things that only weird situations can bring on. I show them how to handle embarrassment.  I tell H that I planned that to see how observant they are, and begin a contest of how many people mention to me that my shirt is on inside out. She, and all my other students thought this was a great idea. 

But on a serious note, in their lives embarrassing things happen, they and if they can learn to laugh at themselves, other will laugh with them, instead of at them. 

P.S. H was the only person who told me today, that my shirt was on backwards...thanks Mrs. M and Mrs. W!

thoughts about LOVE

With V-day coming up, I've been surrounded by people who either love or hate this holiday. 

Valentine's Day in the 6th grade:  

Today I had 12 year olds receive flowers, candy, and valentines from their significant others. Today I had 12 year olds wear anti-Valentine's Day shirts.

Today I had 12 year olds tell me they loved electronics.

Today I had 12 year olds tell me they loved other 12 year olds.

It amazes me how much love changes as we do.  I remember my first little "boyfriend".  His name is Nick, and we were 6.  I'm pretty sure I told my mom I loved him. And -gasp- I kissed him! 

* I am happy to report that Nick is happily married to an awesome girl, and has a sweet little boy.*

As I grew up, there were boys that I was interested in, but I'm positive I never told anyone that I loved a boy from the age of 7 to probably about 15.  When I was 15 I would have told you I loved around six boys...but only as friends. I truly did.

Then there is Trevor. My love for Trev changed over the years.  It went from a figment of my imagination, to an interest in friendship, to a love of friendship, to a young romance, and now we share a two year of marriage, you're my other half love. 

So two days before the big V, I can tell you this: I LOVE teaching, expanding, investing, and frustrating my 25 amazing 11 year olds, who are experiencing their own level of love.  

And I Love my husband, the most sincere, honest, humble, forgiving, even-keel, funny man I know.  

I can't imagine my life without either!

56

Fifty Six

Fifty six = hands in my classroom

Fifty six = more then me and Michael's ages added together

Fifty six = the year my aunt was born

Fifty six = the age I am going to be when I'm eligible to retire from teaching.

I came to this realization today. Years taught + real age = 90.

Fifty six is older then either of my parents. Fifty six is over thirty years away. Fifty six seems so far away. Fifty six.... I don't know how much energy I'm going to have then. Fifty six seems like a grandma age. Fifty six...

By the time I'm fifty-six ;

I'll be finished raising children if I have any

My first students will be 44 years old

I'll have been married for 32 years

Hope, Hannah, and Jacob will be 43 years old

My parents will be in their eighties

David will be 30 years old

I'll own my own house

My student loans will be paid off!

God bless me if I make it to 56.

Old Fart

Our new counselor, Mrs. 'Old-School' was in my room yesterday.  Now, understand I don't have anything against her, well not much anyways. I know a lot about teaching has changed in the last say...40 years... 

Anyway, she is very tough, and likes to make sure the students are doing exactly what she says, and writing exactly what she's written....word. for. word. 

Besides that, she sometimes interrupts then before they are done speaking, and she discourages their individualism, and it's her way or the high way. 

That being said, I'm thankful that she comes once every two weeks, to share a life skill lesson so that I don't have to write a lesson plan, deliver the lesson, answer questions, grade the papers, enter the grades. Okay, okay back to the story.

Mrs. O-S is in my room lecturing about different ways to handle conflict. She is instructing the students to fill in pages in the work book, keep their head up, pay attention, and on and on. Meanwhile, she is walking around the room. As she walks past my desk I hear a psh psh psh psh sound every time she walks.  

Squeaky shoes?

Student playing in their desk?

Student making noise with their mouth?

What IS that noise? I look up to see if my students are playing around, and I notice them covering their mouths, with red faces. Then I realize what is going on....

OLD FARTS!

Instead of Grading

I stole this idea from one of my two favorite teachers, Mrs. M

Instead of grading I am:

Helping my friend come up with lesson plan ideas

Watching DVRd TV shows

Eating raw cookie dough

Changing pj pants

Driving to go get pizza

Checking all the blogs I follow

Farming on farmville

Texting my brother in law about a kilt

Drinking Coke

Bothering Smash's dog

Watching the bachelor!

Strings That Tie Us Together

This story is about one of my all time favorite students, if I had favorite students.  But being a completely perfect teacher, I don't. :)

Anyway, I remember meeting Shelby when she walked into my room with her mom for meet the teacher. She was dressed in boy-length sport shorts, a tee-shirt, and flip flops. Her hair was straight down, and about shoulder length. She looked tough and strong, and I listened as her mom told me of a fight she was in last year, where she took a punch.  If you are getting the idea of a tough kid, you are seeing this correctly. If you are thinking bully, you're completely off. 

Towards the end of the year, my class each made quilt pieces, and I sewed them together to make a class quilt.  So when we were finished with our project we had extra embroidery thread.  Being a camp girl at heart, I showed my students how to make a variety of string bracelets and necklaces.  I made an example and eventually let Shelby have it.  Little did I know the impact it would have on me, later.

So the year ends, Shelby moves to Jr. High, and I see her when I go to Jr. High sporting events. The first time I saw her she runs up, yells my name and gives me a hug.  The first thing she shows me is how she is still wearing her necklace.  (It had been on for a total of 5 months at this point)

The next time I see Shelby is at a basketball game, having hurt her knee she couldn't play in the game, so she sat by me on the bleachers. It amazes me the changes in this kid in a year. She dons dress pants, and a pink shirt, dress shoes, a little make-up, and a nice hair-do.  Then she recalls a story that happened at the last basketball game. The refs wouldn't let her play with the necklace on. She fought it a little, since it's just string, but in the end they made her cut it off. It occurs to me, I hadn't really remembered that she still had it. (now 11 months) So I didn't notice when she wasn't wearing it. She quickly brought me back to reality by lifting up her pant leg and showing me her ankle where the necklace had been tied. I'm pretty sure it choked me up a little. 

Being a teacher is sometimes and thank-less job.  But there are students sometimes who are wise beyond their years and appreciate the hard work that goes into their education.  Shelby will always be a bright spot in my teaching career. 

Shelby- I am so proud of the person you are, keep fighting for what you believe. Continue to make good choices and grades...you are going to soar Shelb! Thanks for helping me remember what is important.

I am THAT teacher

What teacher, when a student says the "F" word, makes them copy every word that begins with f, and its definition.

I am that teacher

What teacher, when a student colors her hair with sharpie, makes her color pages and pages of blank paper with old markers.

I am that teacher

What teacher, after repeating directions 10 times, when a student asks a question remarks that she might explode

I am that teacher

What teacher, when a student tattles says, are you injured or in danger?

I am that teacher

What teacher sends all her kids outside, even if they have homework missing, so she can have 15 minutes of silence?

I am that teacher

What teacher loves her kiddos so much she goes to their sporting events a year after they leave her class?

I am that teacher

What teacher, when a student writes on the bricks outside with crayon, will make her scrub it off with a toothbrush

I am that teacher