This is why teachers are tired:
46 students in my classes
8 English as a Second Language Learners
5 students reading below a 2nd grade level
5 students reading below 3rd grade level
3 major discipline issues
5 languages other than English spoken by my students
27 boys in my classes
19 girls in my classes
10 students who wear glasses
7 identified gifted and talented students
9 economically disadvantaged students
6 SEE ME notes from last years' teachers
5 parent emails questioning a student's conduct mark received since school started Monday
3 students receiving speech services
1 student receiving special education support
30 minutes per day I have an aide available to help students
2 students receiving in school tutorials
1 student identified with dyslexia
3 students exhibiting signs of dyslexia
4 students exhibiting signs of ADHD
2 parents who assure me herbal supplements are helping their child control themselves
8 students with medical issues (asthma/ADD/seizures) noted
2 alcoholic beverages I have consumed this week
2 times I have laughed until I cried
2 times I have cried until I laughed
17, 392 (approximate) times I have asked students to sit down and raise their hand to get my attention this week
611 forms I have processed
722 sheets of paper I have photocopied this week
2 hours spent trying to remember how to do online lesson plans
3 hours spent trying to make a sheet of labels from Open Office
59 days until I leave on my cruise
Friday, August 26, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Summer Days
Here's a picture salute to the highlights of a great summer, one of the best in memory... not in chronological order.
Glorieta for camp was a great chance to start the summer with a great focus.
This was a wicked game of duck-duck-goose!
We met Meg Riser, our newest friend!
Girls' Weekend accomplished adding to the national economy and some really pretty toes!
And the cousins got to practice their mean faces.
Ryan went to Preteen camp.
The boys took me to see the final Harry Potter movie.
Glorieta for camp was a great chance to start the summer with a great focus.
This was a wicked game of duck-duck-goose!
Girls' Weekend accomplished adding to the national economy and some really pretty toes!
Time on the farm provided a lot of entertainment. Mom and Dad got to burn the lien on their farm because it is PAID OFF!
The family trip to NASA was fun. Future astronauts in the making.
The World Changers cleaned up our backyard and helped rebuild our fence.
Mommy and Josh got to explore the Woodlands and eat gourmet cupcakes.
See ya next summer!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Deep thoughts from Labyrinth
As we were eating lunch today, I was looking for TV alternatives to SpongeBob and Avatar and ran across a modern classic.. Labyrinth. It was the age of muppet technology and weird thoughts, but is a truly delightful/slightly creepy fairy tale. So the boys had some thought throughtout that need to be shared.
As David Bowie twirls the bubble balls..
R - Fushigi balls, really? How lame. Oh, bubbles, I guess that's better.
During the dance hallucination scene:
J - That's really awkward
R - Don't forget distubing.
J - Yeah, that too.
J - He looks like a girl
R - Fushigi balls, really? How lame. Oh, bubbles, I guess that's better.
For reference.. these are real fushigi balls
J - That's really awkward
R - Don't forget distubing.
J - Yeah, that too.
When Sara is walking through the castle trying to get to her brother......
J - That's a hard puzzle. Hope she figures it out. And how does he walk on the ceiling?
J - So wait, he was an owl the whole time?
After the movie Josh and I had a little talk about all the how's and why's of the movie. I don't think he understood, but at least he was thinking. I love sharing classics with my kids!
Grumpy morning
I haven't posted in a while. And I will share more tales of fun and joy from our Summer Adventures. But this morning, I just can't make it to the Happy Place. Here is my morning:
6:30 - alarm starts going off for The Man to get up
7:00 - I gently remind The Man that it is, indeed, 7 am and ask if he is getting up.
7:05 - The Man gets up to shower and I sink back into dreaming twilight
7:10 - The Man needs my eyes to find out where the shower is leaking because the floor is nothin but a puddle
7:15 - I discern that the shower is leaking from hitting the back wall and trickling down the outside of the tub. At this point I decide to get up, but realize the children are still asleep in bed. Not one to waste an opportunity, I get back in bed with optimistic hope of a few more minutes of rest.
7:30 - The Man gets out of the shower and gets dressed, and "wakes" me to kiss me goodbye.
7:40 - The Man drives off, the dog starts scratching outside my door
7:42 - I give up and push the dog downstairs to go out and run into Purple. "I thought ya'll had all left. Sorry about not getting the dog."
"No problem. None at all. I was up anyway."
6:30 - alarm starts going off for The Man to get up
7:00 - I gently remind The Man that it is, indeed, 7 am and ask if he is getting up.
7:05 - The Man gets up to shower and I sink back into dreaming twilight
7:10 - The Man needs my eyes to find out where the shower is leaking because the floor is nothin but a puddle
7:15 - I discern that the shower is leaking from hitting the back wall and trickling down the outside of the tub. At this point I decide to get up, but realize the children are still asleep in bed. Not one to waste an opportunity, I get back in bed with optimistic hope of a few more minutes of rest.
7:30 - The Man gets out of the shower and gets dressed, and "wakes" me to kiss me goodbye.
7:40 - The Man drives off, the dog starts scratching outside my door
7:42 - I give up and push the dog downstairs to go out and run into Purple. "I thought ya'll had all left. Sorry about not getting the dog."
"No problem. None at all. I was up anyway."
Friday, July 15, 2011
Best FB status ever
I withheld for the masses.. images and reputations to keep up and all that. But I do need an outlet. Pls don't tell on me!
The status reads:
Mime team is at a rehab center...some sorting snacks for VBS. Making much of Jesus in Mexico!
My initial response was outrageous laughter and a desire to type:
Glad to hear our students are giving snacks to the addicts with munchies! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Maybe it's just me, but that's funny stuff.
The status reads:
Mime team is at a rehab center...some sorting snacks for VBS. Making much of Jesus in Mexico!
My initial response was outrageous laughter and a desire to type:
Glad to hear our students are giving snacks to the addicts with munchies! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Maybe it's just me, but that's funny stuff.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tackling IT
Have you ever had a huge job looming that you didn't want to start? Where there isn't a deadline? A job the needing doing, has needed to be done for a while, but you just can't bring yourself to start it? Because once you start it, there is no turning back? And it's going to be messy? And probably make you unpopular with the family because they might not like your choices, but I notice they aren't stepping up to help? A task that has scared stronger women than me and sent full grown men running in terror?
No, I'm not talking about shaving my legs or washing the dishes. This is bigger than both and messier by far. This mountain that must be tackled is awkward and huge and will take many days and cost money and I might even need a backhoe at some point. It will take all my resolve and intelligence and skills. It will require commitment and pain and sweat and. most likely, a dumpster.
I think longingly about a wayward match that would take care of it. I daydream about reality shows that could come and do it for me. I pine away for that phone call saying "I won!" and I can just walk away and never think of it.
Do you have an IT? An unsurmountable task that is most likely beyond what you can bring to it? I've heard rumors that prayer helps in places like this. Although when I pray about it I hear mostly silence and a little snickering.
So perhaps tomorrow I will start the process. Maybe the morning will bring the desire to do what must be done. Some restful sleep, relaxing evening, and hearty breakfast will make that mountain seem climbable. Until then, the garage will stay the way it is and I will not give in to the temptation to cry at the inhumanity of having to clean it out.
No, I'm not talking about shaving my legs or washing the dishes. This is bigger than both and messier by far. This mountain that must be tackled is awkward and huge and will take many days and cost money and I might even need a backhoe at some point. It will take all my resolve and intelligence and skills. It will require commitment and pain and sweat and. most likely, a dumpster.
I think longingly about a wayward match that would take care of it. I daydream about reality shows that could come and do it for me. I pine away for that phone call saying "I won!" and I can just walk away and never think of it.
Do you have an IT? An unsurmountable task that is most likely beyond what you can bring to it? I've heard rumors that prayer helps in places like this. Although when I pray about it I hear mostly silence and a little snickering.
So perhaps tomorrow I will start the process. Maybe the morning will bring the desire to do what must be done. Some restful sleep, relaxing evening, and hearty breakfast will make that mountain seem climbable. Until then, the garage will stay the way it is and I will not give in to the temptation to cry at the inhumanity of having to clean it out.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Play that Funky music, White Girl!
With all my summer free time, I'm playing with music. By playing, I mean that I am creating some awesome playlists. This is like when I'd make those mixed tapes in Jr High, but without the DJ talking over the start and finish of the best song of the week. Playlists for work, for moods, for fun, for memories when the Old Timer's disease kicks in.. that kind of stuff.
Digital music makes me happy because it's so EASY. Drag and drop and save. That's it. After the music has been legally downloaded of course. And when it is artfully arranged into genre, style, and purpose I have a soundtrack for my day. Here is what I am currently working on..
Instrumental soundtrack list (for when I want to be inspired, because John Williams is a GENIUS)
Disney/Kid list safe for school (gonna be using music therapy a lot this year I hear)
Hard Core Cleaning for the Suburban Housewife ( a mix of rock and 80's hits that make me happy and make me forget that I am doing chores)
Country Fun (to bring back happy college memories of when I was in my country phase from East Texas)
Creepers (for all those songs that make you sure you are being followed by someone declaring their undying love whether you want them or not)
Just another fun day in Willingham's World!
Digital music makes me happy because it's so EASY. Drag and drop and save. That's it. After the music has been legally downloaded of course. And when it is artfully arranged into genre, style, and purpose I have a soundtrack for my day. Here is what I am currently working on..
Instrumental soundtrack list (for when I want to be inspired, because John Williams is a GENIUS)
Disney/Kid list safe for school (gonna be using music therapy a lot this year I hear)
Hard Core Cleaning for the Suburban Housewife ( a mix of rock and 80's hits that make me happy and make me forget that I am doing chores)
Country Fun (to bring back happy college memories of when I was in my country phase from East Texas)
Creepers (for all those songs that make you sure you are being followed by someone declaring their undying love whether you want them or not)
Just another fun day in Willingham's World!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Revenge of the Drunken Monkeys
Home repair is for the birds. It's expensive. And it's not fixing the problem.
Our master shower leaks. And we don't know why. Because our house was apparently built by drunken monkeys, nothing is standard or works like it should. We have a leak into the kitchen from the bathtub/shower directly above. We have had 2 plumbers try to find the source. And so far, they have failed. You'd think the problem was pipes or connections or even old/missing grout/sealant. It doesn't act like a hole in the drain pan, either. And it occurs seemingly randomly. We thought we had fixed it. Stuff has been great for 2 days. We even have a guy coming to fill in the hole in the kitchen ceiling today. But, thank God who loves us, it started leaking worse than ever this morning. At least we hadn't had the sheetrock done yet.
Now I am depressed and irritated and just plain old cranky about it. Why can't anything work right??? I'm willing to make the sacrifices to pay for it when it is past my ability to fix. I just want a house that works! And doesn't leak! Because leaks are sneaky and unreliable and leave a lot of damage behind. I'm not fond of sneak, unreliable, damaging stuff.
Sigh.. Here's to hoping the day gets better.. cheers!
Our master shower leaks. And we don't know why. Because our house was apparently built by drunken monkeys, nothing is standard or works like it should. We have a leak into the kitchen from the bathtub/shower directly above. We have had 2 plumbers try to find the source. And so far, they have failed. You'd think the problem was pipes or connections or even old/missing grout/sealant. It doesn't act like a hole in the drain pan, either. And it occurs seemingly randomly. We thought we had fixed it. Stuff has been great for 2 days. We even have a guy coming to fill in the hole in the kitchen ceiling today. But, thank God who loves us, it started leaking worse than ever this morning. At least we hadn't had the sheetrock done yet.
Now I am depressed and irritated and just plain old cranky about it. Why can't anything work right??? I'm willing to make the sacrifices to pay for it when it is past my ability to fix. I just want a house that works! And doesn't leak! Because leaks are sneaky and unreliable and leave a lot of damage behind. I'm not fond of sneak, unreliable, damaging stuff.
Sigh.. Here's to hoping the day gets better.. cheers!
