Betty's Blog

Kiss a snake? I don't think so!

2010-03-12T16:49:13Z

It amazes me that principals make these strange deals with students to get them to read, study for tests, etc. As my grandson said the other day, "Principals do some crazy things." Kissing a Burmese python has to be one of the craziest. When I saw this picture , my first thought was germs. I don't know much about snakes, but I would be afraid I would get some exotic disease that would mystify even the best doctors. My next thought was bad dreams. My five year old grandson showed me a lizard he caught, and that night I dreamed that there were lizards the size of dogs running around my house. In the dream, my husband refused to do anything about them. I was mad at him the next morning. The students might be impressed, but for me, not so much. In past years, Spickler said she has been on the roof of the school in her pajamas in cold weather and been decorated by students to look like "a cross between a turkey and a clown" - all in the name of encouraging the students to accomplish goals.

Textbooks going green

2010-03-12T16:29:48Z

It is so hard for me to throw anything away. I still have some of my dad's former textbooks from his days back in the early fifties at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. For some reason, everything takes on sentimental value for me. Even as a former math teacher, I saved old textbooks. During my spring cleaning this year, I think I'm going to gather up books for www.textbookrecycling.com . This site will pay money for books and textbooks no longer being used and will also give some of their profits to charity. Plus, some of the books are actually donated to countries in need. That way I wouldn't feel so bad about getting rid of books handed down in my family. You can read more about the donation program and learn about this little family owned company from Idaho on their website. Textbooks are so expensive. I hang out with a lot of nursing students at the hospital and am amazed at the amount of books they carry around with them. (I recently tried to throw one of their book bags over my shoulder and almost fell to the ground.) Each book usually costs over $80.00, so that's a lot of money packed into a heavy bag. Getting into the habit of buying used textbooks and selling back those that they no longer need could help them save money and space. You can choose to donate, buy, or sell textbooks online and get those books recycled. What a great to save trees! This online company works really hard to make sure that you are getting good prices for your books and also receive books ordered in a timely manner. It's also cool that if you donate or sell books, you get to choose from their list of charitable organizations, and a donation is made in your name. Take the time to visit and pass along the site to your friends.

That guy who writes books

2010-03-03T13:42:28Z

Yesterday the boys were in the back seat of my car having a conversation. We were driving back from Cici's Pizza after a trip putting quarters in a machine in an attempt to get rare squishy pencil toppers. Those things have become quite the rage around here. Kids collect and trade them, and of course, some are more valuable than others. I was just listening since the boys were happy and really getting along. "You know that guy who writes books?" Kindergarten boy asked his brother. "Sure. Dr. Seuss," Third grade boy replied confidently. "He would be a 106 today if he were still alive, but he was really Mr. S (the principal)," K-boy shared. "I know. Principals are just crazy with some of the things they do." Little did they know that my mind had gone crazy with the first question. Only one guy writes books.:)

Still recognizable after all these years

2010-02-27T14:04:51Z

Wednesday was an early dismissal day, so while a lot of teachers were busy working, I took my grandsons to a birthday party at Pizza Madness. That's not the real name, but you know what I mean. Kids are running in all directions swiping their cards to play games. Adults have to pay to get in, so they are shoving pizza into their mouths without worrying too much about nutrition. After all, watching the kids is a full time job. The party was well chaperoned with a guard dad at the entrance to ensure that we didn't lose anybody. It was pretty much impossible to watch both boys. They paired with friends, so one of the moms and I worked together as a team. Sometimes I envy horses since they have eyes on both sides of their heads. It would make wearing glasses difficult, but contacts would work. I'm sure that by now you can tell I am one of those teachers who can easily get off subject. The point of my post is that one of my students from at least fifteen years ago approached me and asked if I used to teach at McCoy. Sure enough, she had been in my sixth grade class, and yes, I did remember her. It was awesome to see her and her three children. My grandsons and her boys were amazed that I used to be her teacher. My grandsons and her oldest actually attend the same school, so I'm sure I will see her again. The funniest part of the day was when my grandsons took their swipe cards to the pizza store to see how many points they had earned. Of course, B (me) had added extra money along the way, so they had played a lot of games. They both had only about twenty points and were very disappointed. Tokens go a longer way at Chuck E. Cheese. Anyway, they got these really cool tops that spin and then turn upside down. I wonder if one of my students invented that cool little toy.:)

30 Ways to go green in the classroom

2010-02-18T00:29:39Z

If you are looking for some pretty unique ways to go greener in your classroom , check out the creative ideas on this healthy green living blog. I especially like ideas #3 and #4 since they involve art projects and plants. The world has really changed since my childhood. My family did have a green 1949 Mercury that my father treated as a member of the family. He talked to it and let us know how important it was. As a kid, I really felt like we were one with the car as we charged down the road. My sister actually took a saw to the top of it once and did a little damage to the roof. Luckily, she was okay, but the car not so much. I still remember that people littered all of the time and threw out trash as they drove down the road. It was the normal and expected thing to do. Finished with that Kleenex? Out it went. Cigarette butts were also everywhere. Luckily, times have changed for the better! Just look at me now Rosarita!

Snow with school

2010-02-11T15:47:34Z

The snow is beautifully coming down in our neck of the suburbs, and the sub system is going nuts with calls. I know we must have a lot of upset kids who want to just pop out of those school doors and enjoy the snow. Most of the surrounding districts canceled school, but I guess we were a little out of the worst weather areas. Since I pick up my grandsons today, I am wondering if we will have early dismissal. At any rate, I have lots of stuff to do with my time. I feel like I am in the middle of a Robert Frost poem as I sit by my window and see the snow falling in front of the fence that separates me from my neighbors.:) Good fences make good neighbors Collection of Robert Frost poems Enjoy!

It's because of you

2010-02-06T00:26:19Z

An aide leaned over to me today and told me that a student was misbehaving because of me. She explained that the behavior was all for my benefit. Okay, I was a little irritated. She was letting me know that I was the problem. Was she just letting herself off the hook? Did the kid really decide to act out because I was there? I really don't think so. I think the aide was trying to let me know that she was more knowledgeable than me. How silly is that? Substituting is so not easy. At my age, I take everything with a very large grain of salt. I mean, really. The kid did not respond appropriately to the aide, so the aide chose to let me know that it was because of my being there. I mean, seriously? Really? What was her purpose? Okay, I just had to vent.

Teacher morale drops for real?

2010-02-05T14:53:18Z

A February 4th newspaper story titled " Teacher morale scores decline " could have just been the title. No article needed. With pressure coming from every direction, it's difficult to get up in the morning with a spring in your step and a smile on your face. A few years back our district discontinued its yearly morale survey. We were all disappointed as it helped to have a way to communicate our concerns. Perhaps the powers that be no longer wanted to know about the stress being inflicted on its worker bees. The biggest stress for me was the lack of support from administrators. Leading by intimidation does not work. Coming in to evaluate a teacher with a scowling face and only pointing out the negative does not work. Yet, this seems to be the style of a lot of principals. One has to wonder where they went to "Principal School". Do they perform better when they are made to feel less than human? I kind of doubt it. Before some of you beat me up, let me assure you that for the most part, my students did very well. I am a self motivating kind of person and am always striving to do better. My lesson plans were constantly evaluated and changed . . . by me. Even now as a childbirth educator, I enjoy reading and studying to stay up with new research. I love my students and want to do what is best for them. Principals need to offer teachers support, words of encouragement, praise, offers of help, and an open door policy where teachers are not afraid to come and express their concerns. Evaluations should not be scary. Working together in a non threatening environment can improve test scores and the mental and physical health of everyone involved.

Teaching with my big boot

2010-02-02T13:31:28Z

Wearing a support boot up to my knee gets a lot of comments. Everybody asks what happened. Yesterday I changed my story from the truth (turning my foot to the point that it is swollen so much that the toes look like they belong on another planet) to a snowboarding accident. Of course, no one believed me, but at least I didn't have to explain my boring story again and again. Last night I started a new childbirth series at the hospital and was surprised that not one of my students inquired about my foot. Then it occurred to me that they had just met me and might have thought that I always have a boot on my left leg. If I add a boot to the other foot and get a mask, I will look like a baseball catcher.:) That boot is certainly zapping my energy. Just lugging it around all day makes me tired. I try to be my normal, energetic self while teaching, but it isn't easy. It makes me think about some of the times I was evaluated as a teacher when I was not at my finest moment. Maybe I had a cold, a bad night's sleep, a headache, etc., and in comes the principal with a yellow note pad and a somber expression. "Spring into action, Betty! You are on display and must impress this person." That is what I always said in my mind. I wonder now if I ever said it out loud. My question is, "Why was that intimidating notepad always yellow, and why the somber expression?" Aren't we all in this together? Why did I have so many principals who seemed to enjoy making teachers squirm during evaluations? A smile and a bit of compassion go a long way.

At least it's not broken

2010-01-29T18:06:56Z

I turned my foot yesterday as I was running to the car in the rain. Ouch! Give me Advil and some leather to bite. When I arrived at the elementary school to pick up my grandsons, I wondered if I would be able to walk. I was able to limp up to the Kindergarten line and then escort the boys to the car. I thought about going to the Fast ER last night, but it was raining, and a class of wine sounded like a better idea. Maybe I could just go to sleep, wake up, and my foot would be happy again. OMG! When I stepped on it this morning, the pain was incredible. After a trip to the Fast ER, I am relieved to learn that it is a sprain, not a break. I am now the proud owner of a walking boot that goes up to my neck and a sparkling pair of crutches. I must consider my look for tomorrow's classes at the hospital. Who wants one big boot as a teacher? At least I can use one crutch as a really big pointer. It will come in handy for the hospital tour.:) The crutches make me think about sixth graders. Usually the ones using the crutches aren't the ones that need them. There always seemed to be a bit of crutch envy going on, and eventually some kid would be barreling down the hall using the crutches and collide with a group of students. One of my friends used the expression, "If it's not broke, don't fix it" just hours before my mishap. At least it's not broken!

Seriously?

2010-01-20T13:09:57Z

After TWO HOURS of encouraging :) my third grade grandson to do his homework, I have very little hair left. I believe that there is a smidgen left on the top of my head and maybe a little behind my ears. What on earth is happening here? Let's see. Vocabulary test, math test, required reading, and a word of the day crossword puzzle that was so small that I needed a magnifying glass to read the numbers. The math is just strange. After teaching sixth grade math for fifteen years, I felt pretty comfortable until I saw a subtraction problem that must be solved by adding up. Now, I don't know about anyone else, but isn't that just making it harder and more confusing? I just couldn't wrap my head around it. The weather was nice when we arrived home, and the boys wanted to play. By the time the homework was completed, it was cold, windy, and yucky outside. Plus, it was dinner time. We wonder why we have overweight, lethargic kids who don't want to play outside. Maybe it's because they have lost their enthusiasm.

Adults are kids too

2010-01-09T14:01:34Z

This is a teaching weekend for me. Although I retired from teaching a few years ago, I am not really retired. I substitute in my local district and also teach childbirth classes at a hospital. Teaching adults is something I never thought I'd do. Just standing up at a faculty meeting used to make me sweat and quake in my shoes. I am surprised at myself that my life has taken some of the twists and turns that it has. I joke with my adult classes that one of the biggest differences is discipline. I never have to remind them to pay attention. Of course, they are very interested in the content. That helps a lot too. The part that I enjoy the most is the interaction. Some of the comments make us all stop and laugh. The anticipation of being new parents connects them, and I'm sure there are those who will become lifelong friends. I always come away from class laughing about something that was said or done. This part does remind me of teaching sixth grade. Also, there is usually something that goes wrong. Last Wednesday night when I was teaching a CPR class, the computer decided to go nuts. I'll talk about that in my next post.:)

Looking for interactive grammar sites

2010-01-08T13:57:39Z

If anyone knows of any interactive grammar sites, please share them with me. I have googled a few but haven't found one that I really like. Maybe we could start a list of interactive learning sites for all subjects that we could share.:) Just make a comment, and I will make a list for a later post. Thanks guys!

A Starbucks kind of night

2010-01-04T14:17:17Z

If I ever want to just stay awake at night and toss and turn, all I need to do is have one Starbucks coffee the day before. Notice I didn't say the night before. For me, one Starbucks turns me into the Energizer Bunny. I might as well get up and do some work. Teachers in our district have inservice today. The experience of going back for a second semester has mixed memories for me. Seeing friends and hearing about their holidays was great. Often they would have a new hair style or have some show and tell items of clothing. Recent pictures of family members accompanied by school provided donuts fill my thoughts. After the initial meet and greet, we settled in for boring meetings to remind us that there was still work to be done. Wind was removed from our sails. We had been allowed days to rest, so it was time to get back to analyzing those practice test results and coming up with strategies to implement as soon as those bright little cherubs showed their faces. The biggest memory of all was my yearning to be in my room to really get ready for my students. Recently, I heard some moms of middle schoolers complaining about early dismissal. They figured that since grades were entered daily online, there was nothing for the teachers to do at the end of a semester but drink coffee and eat donuts. I tried to explain but could tell that I was wasting my time. At least there is one way to get some extra working time. Just go to Starbucks.:)

2010 for real?

2009-12-31T19:20:17Z

A number divisible by 2, 3, 5, and 6? It sounds like a good math problem for sixth graders. I am so lucky to have so many blogging friends. It's just so much fun. I keep waiting to see who is going to post their resolutions first, so I decided it would be me.:) My resolutions for 2010 are: Use bullets less, obviously not the real ones, but the ones you see here Blog more Organize everything Finish one book that's been in the works for over a year and really get started on another in progress Worry less Relax more Substitute more Get my iPod to work again Talk my son or one of my son-in-laws to install a DVD player for me Throw away stuff I don't use even though it seems important to me somehow Eat healthier Drink more water; ten drops a day just aren't cutting it Give up Coke (the drink) Spend more time with my family and friends Have a wonderful New Year and 2010. Relax, put your feet up, and just get cozy.