Misguided Angel

Never Try to Teach A Pig to Sing

2010-01-04T03:28:00Z

It wastes your time and it annoys the pig. This is related to setting expectations. Negative people are a waste of time, but they are persistent. They never give up trying to point out defeat, so I have found it is best to kick back and watch. I don't contradict, I don't have to attend every argument I am invited to. I listen to endless tirades of "You want them to do what?" "They'll never catch up--it is too hard!" Really? How many opportunities to teach do you think we miss when we act according...(read more)

In My PJs

2010-01-01T17:54:00Z

The prospect of the New Year is ahead of us, great things could happen, and I am still in my pjs. Today is a gloomy day outside, and all I want is to cuddle and hide from the world. It has been raining all morning, the clouds progressively darker. It's cold, and almost too quiet. Two more days of peace, and back to the hustle and bustle and the pressure of every day teaching tasks and standardized test races. Don't get me wrong, I like the race. I know how that sounds, but if we have to I guess there...(read more)

Teacher to Teacher

2009-12-29T01:19:00Z

I haven't written anything in a while. Usual excuses--too busy, not enough time... I am not delusional about how introspective thinking works--the more I do it, the more the truth hurts. When we fail, we know it. Accepting it and dealing with it is a different story. I know I can teach kids. I like it, and I am reasonably good at it. I thought I could mentor someone beyond giving advice or resource help. I couldn't. I failed to be an effective teacher to someone brand new, who didn't know better....(read more)

Saying Goodbye to BJ

2008-10-26T12:18:00Z

Over the last two months I have been thoroughly absorbed on my teaching and students. Working again is exhilarating and exhausting; the struggle to balance everything keeps me on my toes. Many funny, wonderful things have happened. Those days I feel like that song "ten feet tall and bullet proof". Sometimes, I loose sleep over my worries. Too much work, not enough resources, no support and things keep piling up. But I am used to all that. What I'll never get used to are kids like BJ. At first, I...(read more)

At The Mercy Of Bureaucrats

2008-08-07T11:03:00Z

Most of us know that we have to deal with administrators and other authority figures. Fine. I treat everyone with respect, listen attentively for changes and policies, and follow directions to the best of my ability. I cannot, however, suffer fools. And that is what I have had to do ever since I got rehired at my present job. So instead of spending today organizing, planning, and setting up my room, I have to run back and forth to the insurance office, the benefits office, and personnel. A lot of...(read more)

The Secret World of Writing

2008-08-01T11:24:00Z

Writing is a tricky subject. It is the one place where questions and answers are within us, and all you can do is round them up and see what pours out onto the pages of a blog, a notebook, or a restaurant napkin. I am a passionate reader, so I can bear witness to many great writers' work. However, up until 8 years ago, I didn't think of myself as a particularly strong writing teacher. I mean, I knew the basics: grammar, spelling, vocabulary. All of these things came in handy when, as a new Florida...(read more)

Take it on Faith

2008-07-28T12:29:00Z

The real process of taking down and setting up a classroom is a bit like losing your mind. When I began moving boxes back to school, I was elated. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on my things again, to imagine how everything would fit and how these items that I’ve been collecting for so long would be used again. Let’s just say that after quite a few days of being “blessed with work” I am now closer to rebellion than readiness. All of a sudden housework seems more fun, and don’t you know, I have so...(read more)

All creatures, great and small...

2008-07-21T01:09:00Z

I got this from a friend, and I wanted to share--If you love animals, you'll understand... DOG DIARY 8:00 am Dog food! My favorite thing! 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing! 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing! 10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing! 12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing! 1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing! 3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing! 5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing! 7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing! 8:00...(read more)

The Power of Words

2008-07-19T22:45:00Z

At night, I have been spending a lot of time with my professional books. They always looked as if they’ve been through battle, because I underscore and highlight, and make notes on the margins just as I did back in college. My kids laugh when I show them, telling me that I should know better. Maybe so... Anyway, Isabelle Beck came to mind with Bringing Words to Life, one of the best books on vocabulary instruction. Her research is both frightening and illuminating. Some scary facts I am sure we are...(read more)

The Still Small Voice of Gratitude...

2008-07-18T17:43:00Z

I have begun to move into my new digs, room 206. It’s a new building, and the room echoes empty until I’m able to move the majority of resources and really have some fun decorating and planning. It takes a lot of work and organization to make a classroom both beautiful and comfortable. I have been keeping a notebook where I write down all my lists and ideas for the way I want things to work--everything from what to buy to the bulletin boards. I don’t really have a theme. My goal is to present a comfortable,...(read more)

Alone For a Few Rainy Days With My Books...

2008-07-11T23:48:00Z

My husband and son have left for a short vacation (just the boys). I chose to stay home this time, and spend sometime by myself. While I was sad to see them go, I am the type of person who enjoys being alone, not necessarily lonely. While I miss my family very much, I am also looking forward to indulging in a shameless fest of books, chocolate, numerous cups of tea, long naps, and curling up with my pets while watching old movies. Florida has a wonderful program, called Sunshine State Readers. They...(read more)

Where are the signs?

2008-07-09T00:46:00Z

I never believed in signs. People waiting for some sort of clue from the universe, waiting to tell them where to go or what to do. My Mom, on the other hand, has unshakeable faith. She tries to pass it on, but sometimes I don't believe because, lets face it, I don't often get my way. But she continues to pray for me, and because she lives far away, I imagine that I can wrap myself up in her devotion, like a warm blanket on a cold day. Without looking for them, I have tripped on a few sign bearers....(read more)

My Forgotten Garden

2008-07-05T20:40:00Z

Before you begin reading, I must warn you--this is not a post about a metaphorical garden, where young minds must grow and prosper, blah, blah, blah...This is an actual, honest to goodness garden, a very cool place at my school, tucked away between two buildings. Six years ago, when I started working there, it was nothing but a dusty patch of grass. Trying to find a way out of the confining four walls of my room during good weather, I began searching for a good place to take my class out to read....(read more)

Blessed

2008-07-02T13:47:00Z

I got to see my new classroom yesterday. It is like staring at the proverbial blank canvas, and wondering what pictures we will paint in this neutral, empty space. I know other teachers may prefer less materials, books, posters, and crooked pictures of student work on the wall, but I am the total opposite. I love teaching from all sides with charts and posters; my books cover the walls, along with newspaper clippings, sketches, and photos of mad science experiments. We even have four computers which I am sure they will try to take away when they realized their mistake. I hope they don't. The room also has windows--that's a first. I'll be able to look out into the fields and the trees. I'll try to remind myself not to jump (just kidding!) I also feel a packrat phase coming up--did I mention I love to shop for teaching supplies? Target, AIMS, Kagan, and Lakeshore are playing my song. It is almost a religious experience to examine, ponder, and agonize over every choice, thinking what it will be used for, where you'll store it, and how much they'll enjoy it in class. Used bookstores and libraries are my favorite--the smell and feel of books is essential. Stickers and post-its are a must. And pencils--gotta have pencils everywhere, and fresh sheets of crispy, lined paper. Bright fabric for bulletin boards. Stuffed animals. Comfy chair. Coffee mugs. A ton of coffee... Blessings come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. My friend Lenny, who is a custodian in our school, gave me a huge hug when he saw me and showed me to the room. He had just finished cleaning it, and even arranged the desks the way I liked them, in groups. He showed me, smiling, some of the old supplies that were left behind, which he squirreled away in drawers for me. He and my husband laughed as they commiserated on all the projects I intend to try this year, or the amount of money I will be spending. Times are hard, he said, but I am so glad you're back. We used to have great talks while he cleaned up and I picked up after my crazy day. He gave great advice. Lenny is a big fan of Ben Franklin--"Well done is better than well said." I think he's right. My principal, also a friend, called everyone we know. I tried calling my friends--former principals, my reading coach, my other teacher friends--it turns out they all knew, and they were screaming on the phone, congratulating me. I was surprised--I did not think they would give it a second thought beyond "how nice for you". And I am working with a power group of teachers. Blessings, I tell you. I am surrounded by good will and best wishes, and I didn't even know it. So I stood in that empty room, thinking--now what? We'll see, I guess. For now, clearly, I'll be blessed with a ton of work.

To all dedicated (but hopeful) cynics...

2008-06-30T01:37:00Z

According to Wikipedia, The Cynics (Greek: Κυνικοί, Latin: Cynici) were an influential group of philosophers from the ancient school of Cynicism. Their philosophy was that the purpose of life was to live a life of Virtue in agreement with Nature. This meant rejecting all conventional desires for wealth, power, health, and fame, and by living a life free from all possessions. As reasoning creatures, people could gain happiness by rigorous training and by living in way which was natural for humans. They believed that the world belonged equally to everyone, and that suffering was caused by false judgments of what was valuable and by the worthless customs and conventions which surrounded society. So, the question is: Are all of us as teachers philosophical cynics? Because this description fits most of us to a T... Blog posts, journals, and chat rooms are brimming with teachers who are anxious for answers, tips, anything they can hang on to in order to be proactive and land just one opportunity. It is one of those situations you have to live through to understand, and as grateful I am it is almost over, I am not sorry I went through it myself. As I prepare to go back to work, I feel deeply connected to the hundreds of people I have read about, talked to, and e-mailed about the lack of teaching jobs. They have had the rigorous training, given up the worldly possessions, and are ready to banish the worthless customs and conventions. However, they are still struggling just to get a chance. Just when I start losing faith in human nature (daily) I am reminded of so many who are supportive and generous with their feedback and advice, setting an example to us by connecting to each other through invisible lifelines. You can vent, pray, and rant regularly without upsetting the balance of the universe, knowing that someone out there gets it. As teachers, we have most certainly rejected all desire for power, wealth and fame--heck, we just want to get back in the classroom and make the worthless customs go away book by book, math problem by math problem. So I dedicate this post to all closet cynics who also happen to be teachers, and to those who have spent endless hours encouraging, talking, and saving their hope. May we all live to teach another day.