dogs dogs everywhere

So a bunch of the teachers that I work with have made a book club. For the month of October we will be reading The Art of Racing in the Rain. I'm very happy to say that my copy came in the mail today. - Thank you Amazon (8.99) - I'm getting ready to go upstairs cuddle up in my nice warm bed, and read until my eyelids are heavy with sleep.

The book is written from the Dogs perspective. I am looking forward to the adventure of understanding the world from a dogs viewpoint.

On another note - last week we added a dog to the Parsons home. It has been a big change - always asking her if she needs to go potty. Trying to get all of the little pieces of paper, cords, socks, shoes, cat toys and other puppy 'no, nos' up and away. She is a funny little dog who is learning how to take walks and sit and lay down. I had forgotten what it's like to have a puppy. they are a lot of work - but it's fun work!

Voices - you must use voices

If there is one thing I know for sure about teenagers - they love voices.

There are a few that I use all the time and the kids always laugh. And I think they remember what we are discussing because I have heard the comment "remember when you said ... using that funny voice"

Here are some of the sure fire winners:
Teenage boy - think low voice, slow wording, and lots of rolling of the eyes.
Teenage girl - high pitched, lots of the word "like" and heaps of hair flips
Emu - this is my version of the teenager who is so bored by their life, I flip my hair into my eyes and slump my shoulders too.

I'm telling you start practicing in the car on the way to work and you will get their attention. That way when you do use your mean voice they will know you are being serious!

There is one of them in all of us

So many things to discuss! Amazing things have been happening.

First - I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to seeing Where the Wild Things Are - this has to be one of my all time favorite books. It makes me remember my childhood, my brother's best friend went as Max one year for Halloween. And for a few years when my school taught Lord of the Flies to sophomores I would start my unit by reading them this piece of literature. It's very important to roar a terrible roar - gnash your terrible teeth - and roll your terrible eyes when there are moments of insanity in life.

I dream of being queen of all the wild things. I would love to have a wild rumpus and then be able to sail back over a year and a through a month and end up where someone loves me most of all. The smell of something delicious is always drawing me back. The familiar life that keeps me happy - yet there is that willingness to have the adventure.

How do we build that in students?

More over - how have I been able to build this in students, in the past I didn't know what effect I had had on these students of mine. I knew that they enjoyed my class - listened to what I had to say but I don't know if I thought that I was changing peoples lives. That is what I set out to do when I became a teacher. It was not for the money (everyone knows that) and it wasn't for the summers off (Although those are nice!) but I really wanted to change the world. I was one of those novice teachers who believed that I could. Well in the last few weeks I have come to find out that I may be adding to the beauty in the world.

I've been teaching a class this year - Intro to Education - and I have a student who is taking it so that she can be like me when she grows up. I feel like I don't even know what to think about this. I never thought that people would say "I want to be like you when I grow up" - I mean I think this is every teachers dream, but I know that not every kid wants to be an English teacher. Heck, Most kids don't even want to be in an English class! So when some shy student tells me that she wants to help people the way that I helped her - I am flabbergasted!

This is a picture of the quote on my door. I see it every day multiple times a day.

I want to be true to it. I want it to be a mantra that I never forget.

When we begin to allow education to be free and honest and true the walls of hatred will break down and beauty and love will flourish.

Today is Gandhi's Birthday. 140 - quite the mile stone. He is a man who wanted to better the world around him - to make his people worthy of support and a voice.

A voice that is now recognized around the world. So much so that people in a sleepy little town like Murrieta get to appreciate his legacy.

So what will be the legacy that is left behind by this generation? Will it be technology - war - peace - hope - destruction - madness - intelligence - beauty. I hope that it is something amazing. Something so profound that I can describe it in words.

And that is what I try to work on everyday in my little world, My Monday to Friday - It's in the little things. The "Have a good weekend, and don't do drugs" farewell that I give to my students. It's in the analysis of Fahrenheit 451 that I have with my Junior classes.

So wild things - I'll keep on keeping on. And I hope you do too.

Why do I need to do this?

Because I said so - and I'm the Boss!

I'm older than you - I have spent more days on this planet - And I told you to do it, so you will.

These are the things I would like to say to my students when they drone on about how hard the work is and how they aren't going to grow up and be English teachers so why should they have to do this 'stupid work'.

But with a smile on my face and a song in my heart I turn to them and explain:

The state of California cares about your education and would like you to be successful in your future endeavors. And so they created a team of educators that put together standards that must be met at every level and class for students. By mastering these standards you then prove to the state that you can be a productive human and it will be a good idea to let you roam free in the outside world. If you don't complete these assignments then, from what I've heard, they keep you in High School FOREVER!!!!

I try and sound mean so that they believe me - if only for a moment. But in that brief moment in time when fear fills their eyes over the thought of staying in high school forever - I am truly happy. Because usually this means that they are willing to do the 'stupid assignment' that I gave them in the first place!!

21st Century Learner

A Blog - Cellphone - Computer - Netbook - Ipod - PowerPoint - Publisher - Excel.

What does it take to become a 21st Century learner? Tomorrow I will be having my Into to Ed kids make a list of all of the things that they think a student needs to know for the next generation. The class is designed to help students think about what happens next in education. We have been learning about how the classrooms of the past were conducted and how much of what happens in classrooms today is the same as it was 10, 2o, and even 30 years ago.

We have technology in our classrooms and all around us but many teachers don't know what to do with it. Heck most days I go back to the tried and true direct instruction. It's because integrating good technology is hard. It can't be thrown in. It shouldn't be used to just to be used but rather to enhance the educational process.

The grant program that I'm working on has the ability to get new netbooks (don't even ask me when they will get to us!!) - and I can't wait to be able to use them with my students. They are always asking when will we do this or that with the technology that got promised to them a while back. I am feeling the same way. I can't wait until I can get my hands on the tech toys that I too want to explore.

My plan for this weekend is to make a webquest... I'll let you know how it goes :)

Can I tend to the Rabbits George?

I am in love with this book. I love teaching it - I love reading it - I love just looking at it. It has been two years since I have been able to teach it because I haven't had sophomores. This year I'm on the 10th grade team again.

George looks after Lennie in a way that all of us can relate too. There is always someone who we feel close to but we don't know why. Someone to protect and shelter from the big bad world.

One of the many reasons why I love teaching it is because it gives my students the opportunity to show empathy. They are not sure why they love the characters at first. At first glance they don't have much in common with two grown men working on a ranch in the 1930's. But as the story unfolds they begin to see the friendship that Lennie and George have built - and they find themselves in the text.

Not to mention that Steinbeck is a beautiful writer! So much so that I read my students the first paragraph and then have them draw what they see. It's a great imagery project and what 15 year old doesn't love to draw. I break out the 'colors' and away we go.

I read with enthusiasm - I do the voices - I whisper when called for - and hoot and holler when the characters do too. This does two things - it keeps me entertained as I read something multiple times during the week (This year I only have two sections of English II) - it also keeps the kids listening to what I'm talking about. They have an easier time keeping the characters straight too.

We are only 30 pages in but I am loving every second that I get to read this amazing novel. It has been banned across the nation and still draws great criticism. It deals with Sexism, Racism, Disability, Profanity, and Murder. That list of topics alone would turn many stomachs - but our district has been brave enough to let us teach it - and I am thankful!

Old Friends...

Old friends
Sat on their park bench
Like bookends.
A newspaper blown though the grass
Falls on the round toes
Of the high shoes
Of the old friends.

When I was small I had a best friend who I wanted to be like.



This picture was taken on Twin Day at school. My mom helped me get those signature bangs and we both had homemade t-shirts to wear. We used to joke that Carly was a little bit country and I was a little bit Rock and Roll. (Please notice that I'm in the acid wash denim - ohhh the late 80's). She was the first person I met at Sequoia Elementary school. A teacher saw that I was new and walked me over to meet her. We were instant friends.

During the summer between 4th and 5th grade we move to Temecula and away from everything that I had known. I made friends in my new school but there was something about Carly that was kinder, smoother, happier, than all of the kids out here.

So when I was clearing out some paperwork and stumbled upon the photo you see above I was overjoyed. Now after all of these years we have stumbled back into each others lives. Through the beauty of the internet I'm able to keep up with her on her own blog and see the amazing family she is raising.

I am thankful that I have the opportunity to know her as an adult- we still have so much in common. We both have amazing husbands, have degrees in English education, and are pleasantly living lives that fulfill us.

So my old friend. Thank you for those years long ago when we were young. And Thank you for all of the years ahead - I can't wait to see what comes next.