Spending each day with fourth graders is a bit like playing the lottery. Every single day is full of a hopeful, positive feeling . . . like you just might "hit it big" . . . and sometimes at the end of the day, you reflect and you DO. You have a day that is filled with "ah-hah" moments, smiles and giggles, friendships that warm your heart, patience and an act of true, selfless kindness from one nine year old to another that reminds you what life is really all about. And then some moments you feel like you lose . . . big time.
Today I found out that one of my students - who was just yesterday an active, happy, fabulous part of our team - isn't coming back . . . he moved all the way to another state, just.like.that. No goodbyes, which feels a bit like a sucker punch, no time to process, just gone.
Admittedly, it is part of the "business." Most teachers gain a whole new class at the beginning of each school year and bid those lovlies goodbye the following June. I also realize that in my district, stability is the norm, not the exception, so we deal with this far, far, less frequently than teachers in some other places.
But! None of that makes it any easier. My kids at school are exactly that . . . my kids! Sure they have homes and families and they leave me each day, but when we are in school, we are a team . . . a school family. I have a fierce teacher-love for them that drives me to show up, work hard, expect the best, and hold them accountable, just like I do my own beautiful children at home.
So today when I found out that B left us, I had an instant lump in my throat. I hate knowing that he didn't get to say goodbye, that my other 24 kiddos didn't get to say goodbye, and that *I* didn't get to say goodbye. When I had to tell my kids that he moved, I might have choked up just a little . . . and then came the sunshine.
We made cards. It was an optional activity during quiet time, but every one of those precious nine and ten year olds got out their best markers, creative ideas, gentle words, and chose their favorite colored sheet of construction paper. They crafted, they illustrated, they cut, they glued, they wrote, they chose their best Pokemon cards to carefully tape inside in a selfless gesture of friendship, and one even made an elaborate diorama scene of our classroom to remind him where we spent our days.
After school, I sat down to read through the cards before packing them up to send on to B. And I got all teary. You see . . . the innocence and genuine love that comes from the hearts and minds of kiddos who care about each other is the most powerful thing on earth! The words that they used to wish him luck, the pictures that they drew to illustrate how much they'd miss him, their memories together, or what they'd remember about him . . . they stopped me from feeling so gloomy.
Instead I'm trying to see this for what it is . . . an adventure in the road that is our collective life. People come and go and things don't always and won't always feel "right", but they are . . . because they are. There is so much we can't control, so if we can hold close the "things" that matter most, we'll always remember that everything is just as it should be.
Maybe B's job in our classroom was to make us stop to appreciate each other a little more, because by December sometimes those sweet little nine and ten year olds start to bicker like siblings trapped in a Yugo on a 24 hour road trip. Whatever it was, I'm confident that he is on the path that was meant for him, and I'm hopeful that he is feeling content and comforted tonight, remembering the people he met only in September, but who accepted him exactly as he was and who shed a tear today when they found out that our moments together were fleeting.
So while I left school feeling a bit like I lost the lottery today, as I reflect, I'm feeling a whole lot more like a winner. I get to go back tomorrow after all . . . and that is a stroke of luck that can't be discounted!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Sunday, December 2, 2012
When you can't find what you need, make it yourself.
At the end of the summer, we lofted our 7 year old's bed. We wanted to get him a desk and have a reading space with a bean bag, but since his room is on the small side, we knew we needed to be creative. Thankfully the hubs is pretty handy, so between his ideas and some loose plans that were inspired by . . . wait for it . . . Pinterest, he now has a hanging bed.
His room was redone in a football theme. I use the term "theme" lightly since I'm not a "theme-y" kind of girl. I prefer to keep things simple with a splash of "theme" here and there. He needed the space in his bed and below his bed to be lit up. I started at IKEA, shopping for lights that we could mount on the wall.
I found lights that would work and after hunting around Michael's Crafts for a while, discovered a little thing called glass paint. With some blue painters tape, a brush, and the glass paint, I got busy and turned those boring old white lights into something that is more suitable for a growing boy's room.
His room was redone in a football theme. I use the term "theme" lightly since I'm not a "theme-y" kind of girl. I prefer to keep things simple with a splash of "theme" here and there. He needed the space in his bed and below his bed to be lit up. I started at IKEA, shopping for lights that we could mount on the wall.
Classroom crafty . . .
I'm super excited about the way things are going in my reading block this year. Of course my lessons are skill based, so I bring in a new story, article, poem, or several of each throughout the week. I love the focus on the skill, which students can easily extend to their own reading and we pull into our class read aloud as well.
Last week, our skill focus was main idea. We've actually been doing this all along, since we dissect each story for topic, main idea, and summary details every week, but this week we dove in a little more.
I'm a huge fan of Pinterest, but I'm also very much a "Do-It-Yourselfer" who loves to take what others have done and modify it to fit our exact needs. Here is the anchor chart that I used to kick-off the skill and had posted near our story organizer board all week. (I'll have to share the organizer board someday; it was inspired by advice from a seasoned teacher and I love the flow and support it lends us as we add to it each day.)
This build on a sample that I found on Pinterest, so I can't claim all of the ideas, but I worded some of them a little differently and added some flair. I actually had three different students compliment me on it . . . tee hee!!
I spend a little time in my classroom again this morning. My real intent was to finish grades, which are due tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. In true me-fashion, I found other things to keep me busy. Oy! (I was able to justify it with the fact that what I accomplished can't be done at home, but I can finish my grades from the comfort of my kitchen this evening . . . so . . . )
Tomorrow kicks off trimester 2. I have a classroom filled with really cool kids and I mean that . . . sincerely. Many of them have struggled to get through books, and I wouldn't consider all of them "readers" . . . which is painful to say at this point. I recognize that my job as a fourth grade teacher is to inspire kids, and I feel like there is nothing more worth being inspired toward than READING. We all know that strong readers are more successful academically for so many reasons. I changed the way I did a few things at the beginning of the year, and I fear that I dropped a couple of elements that pushed my kids to focus on reading and begin to value the importance of truly READING books from start to finish . . . most of all, to enjoy them.
When I told my kids last week that typically my fourth graders would have read no fewer than 13 books at the end of trimester 1 (many of them would have read well beyond that!), the looks of shock from even some of my voracious readers told a story that I knew I needed to face.
I don't want to make reading WORK . . . but the reality is that if a fourth grader hasn't been "a reader" until now, it can be a difficult hurdle to jump. I've worked tirelessly in many ways and continue to feel like something is missing.
So today I built a "POP open a GOOD BOOK" bulletin board. Each student has his or her own popcorn bag and will add kernel stickers (ordered from Amazon and Really Great Toys for $3.59 / 800 stickers) each time they finish a book. I need to add the goal at the top, which is to read 13 books by the end of the second trimester. My students already complete a reading log, so each time that they finish a book, they will add a popcorn kernel sticker to their personal popcorn bag on the bulletin board. One sticker represents one book. They can also share about their book at morning meeting, hopefully to inspire others to read it! I'm toying with the idea of celebrating their awesomeness with a popcorn / reading party on the last day of the trimester.
Each kiddo has his or her own bag. I even have one and can't wait to start adding kernels and sharing my books each time I finish one!
I'm loving the way that the letters GOOD BOOK turned out. In a fit of inspiration, I glued aluminum foil to construction paper and then cut the letters out. Worked like a charm! GOOD BOOK pops, which is the point! :)
I also added some texture on the paper popcorn kernels. Those were inspired by another Pinterest post for textured bulletin board boarders, which I did at the beginning of the school year. Staple, scrunch, staple, scrunch. It looks a little more "staple-y" than I'd like, but I didn't think ahead to use lighter paper, so my kernel ovals were cut out of construction paper. Oh well . . . I'm happy with it and can't wait for the kids to see it tomorrow.
Last week, our skill focus was main idea. We've actually been doing this all along, since we dissect each story for topic, main idea, and summary details every week, but this week we dove in a little more.
I'm a huge fan of Pinterest, but I'm also very much a "Do-It-Yourselfer" who loves to take what others have done and modify it to fit our exact needs. Here is the anchor chart that I used to kick-off the skill and had posted near our story organizer board all week. (I'll have to share the organizer board someday; it was inspired by advice from a seasoned teacher and I love the flow and support it lends us as we add to it each day.)
I spend a little time in my classroom again this morning. My real intent was to finish grades, which are due tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. In true me-fashion, I found other things to keep me busy. Oy! (I was able to justify it with the fact that what I accomplished can't be done at home, but I can finish my grades from the comfort of my kitchen this evening . . . so . . . )
Tomorrow kicks off trimester 2. I have a classroom filled with really cool kids and I mean that . . . sincerely. Many of them have struggled to get through books, and I wouldn't consider all of them "readers" . . . which is painful to say at this point. I recognize that my job as a fourth grade teacher is to inspire kids, and I feel like there is nothing more worth being inspired toward than READING. We all know that strong readers are more successful academically for so many reasons. I changed the way I did a few things at the beginning of the year, and I fear that I dropped a couple of elements that pushed my kids to focus on reading and begin to value the importance of truly READING books from start to finish . . . most of all, to enjoy them.
When I told my kids last week that typically my fourth graders would have read no fewer than 13 books at the end of trimester 1 (many of them would have read well beyond that!), the looks of shock from even some of my voracious readers told a story that I knew I needed to face.
I don't want to make reading WORK . . . but the reality is that if a fourth grader hasn't been "a reader" until now, it can be a difficult hurdle to jump. I've worked tirelessly in many ways and continue to feel like something is missing.
So today I built a "POP open a GOOD BOOK" bulletin board. Each student has his or her own popcorn bag and will add kernel stickers (ordered from Amazon and Really Great Toys for $3.59 / 800 stickers) each time they finish a book. I need to add the goal at the top, which is to read 13 books by the end of the second trimester. My students already complete a reading log, so each time that they finish a book, they will add a popcorn kernel sticker to their personal popcorn bag on the bulletin board. One sticker represents one book. They can also share about their book at morning meeting, hopefully to inspire others to read it! I'm toying with the idea of celebrating their awesomeness with a popcorn / reading party on the last day of the trimester.
I'm loving the way that the letters GOOD BOOK turned out. In a fit of inspiration, I glued aluminum foil to construction paper and then cut the letters out. Worked like a charm! GOOD BOOK pops, which is the point! :)
Sunday, November 25, 2012
We wish you a Merry Chex-Mix . . .
I'm a big fan of Chex mix, though I don't make it all that often. I love the endless options and the mix of flavors. Just plain old good stuff.
Recently, we discovered Cinnamon Chex at our house. Good stuff as it is, but I knew it would be even better in a Chex mix. Lo and behold, the back of the box had a couple of recipes just waiting for me. In true "me-style" though . . . I couldn't follow the recipe completely. It isn't that I think I'm a better chef or more imaginative or have better ideas, just that something in me has to always change it up . . . not just when I'm cooking either. Oh well. I've learned to live with it.
Just try this, you'll love it.
Cranberry-Nut Cinnamon Chex Mix
6 cups Cinnamon Chex (go the distance and get the real Cinnamon Chex on this one, trust me)
1 cup almonds (their recipe called for walnuts, use those if you'd like)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (I used a little more)
1 T vegetable oil (their recipe called for 2 T., I didn't feel like it needed it)
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (I think dried cherries would be divine too, but then you have to change the name)
1. Mix cereal and almonds in a large microwaveable bowl. Tough stuff here, people.
2. Mix brown sugar and frozen oj and oil in a small microwaveable bowl. Stir after a minute. Microwave for another minute or so, stirring after 30 seconds. Just keep it smooth and well mixed while it heats.
3. Pour half over the cereal and nuts and mix gently. Pour the remaining half over and mix again until evenly coated.
4. Microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Stir in cranberries.
5. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in tightly covered container . . . if you can keep your grubby little mits off of it long enough to actually have some left to store. ;)
Recently, we discovered Cinnamon Chex at our house. Good stuff as it is, but I knew it would be even better in a Chex mix. Lo and behold, the back of the box had a couple of recipes just waiting for me. In true "me-style" though . . . I couldn't follow the recipe completely. It isn't that I think I'm a better chef or more imaginative or have better ideas, just that something in me has to always change it up . . . not just when I'm cooking either. Oh well. I've learned to live with it.
Just try this, you'll love it.
Cranberry-Nut Cinnamon Chex Mix
6 cups Cinnamon Chex (go the distance and get the real Cinnamon Chex on this one, trust me)
1 cup almonds (their recipe called for walnuts, use those if you'd like)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (I used a little more)
1 T vegetable oil (their recipe called for 2 T., I didn't feel like it needed it)
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (I think dried cherries would be divine too, but then you have to change the name)
1. Mix cereal and almonds in a large microwaveable bowl. Tough stuff here, people.
2. Mix brown sugar and frozen oj and oil in a small microwaveable bowl. Stir after a minute. Microwave for another minute or so, stirring after 30 seconds. Just keep it smooth and well mixed while it heats.
3. Pour half over the cereal and nuts and mix gently. Pour the remaining half over and mix again until evenly coated.
4. Microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Stir in cranberries.
5. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in tightly covered container . . . if you can keep your grubby little mits off of it long enough to actually have some left to store. ;)
Pin-spired! Key hooks.
I love Pinterest . . . that is no secret! I've been eyeing several projects that inspired today's plan. We've been needing a place to hang our keys, and I knew I could come up with something fun with the help of Pinterest. After eyeing more than a few projects, this is what I settled on . . .
First I cut the paper to fit the board. I had to do this in two chunks since it wasn't long enough. I also cut it slightly narrower than the board, so that I wouldn't have issues with paper hanging over, etc.
Repeat with the second sheet of scrapbook paper so that you have 4 pieces of paper to fit, 2 for the top and 2 for the bottom.
One coat was plenty, just be sure to get the edges well.
Once the paint dries, lightly sand the sides. I chose not to do the top and bottom, just didn't see the point. You're going for the "weathered" look here . . . keep it simple.
Next lay out your paper, choosing one piece to be the base on both the top and the bottom.
Spread more decoupage over the top of the paper that has already been glued down. Add several of the torn pieces to the top, fitting them carefully from side to side so that they don't hang off of the edge. The patterns shouldn't match, that's the point, and you're also covering the seam of the top and bottom base papers.
Decoupage over the whole thing again, top, bottom, and sides. Then add hooks. I found mine (a 12 pack) at Target. I chose the oil rubbed bronze version since that is the theme we've got going on in our home. I started 3 1/2 inches from the top, found the center, and screwed in the first one. Next, I measured up 3 1/2 inches from the bottom, found the center, and screwed in the bottom hook. Then, I measured the space in between and divided it by 3 (all the while thinking about how I can't wait to tell my fourth graders about how useful it was that I knew how to use a tape measure AND divide . . . see?! "Math is important," I said to myself, even if I avoided it while figuring out the exact cost of this project.) Screw in the remaining hooks where they belong, dividing that space up as evenly as possible so that it doesn't make you crazy when you're staring at it on the wall.
Viola! I'll be honest in saying that I still don't have mine hung on the wall. I thought we had some picture hangers, but it turns out we don't, so I will have to stop at the hardware store tomorrow after work to take care of that.
At any rate . . . I'm pretty excited about my craftiness! You could definitely skip the hook part of this project and add letters, a favorite quote, or something. On to the next thing . . .
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Egg, Cheese, and Raspberry "Sandwich"
We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yadda yadda yadda . . . but it can't be denied that after all those hours of restful slumber (who am I kidding . . . but still!), your body needs fuel to kick start the day. I work full-time, fly solo with our boys in the morning, and refuse to sacrifice my already few and precious hours of sleep for a significant chunk of time to whip of breakfast, but I definitely dig a hot, hearty, and healthy meal if I have to be up before the sun anyway. My solution has been to have a few "go-to" breakfasts that literally take me a few minutes to put together while making lunch for myself, packing a snack and getting the Bean's backpack ready, and trying desperately to get the IV started on my coffee.
I realize this might sound wacky, but it's all yum . . . promise.
1 slice whole wheat bread
1 egg
olive oil cooking spray
1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese (I prefer something with a little flavor on this one . . . Light Bleu Cheese and Light Queso Fresco Chipotle are my faves)
1 T homemade raspberry jam*
Toast the bread. Simple.
Spray a small skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat.
Crack egg. (I did say this was easy, right?)
Wait for toast and egg. I cook the egg on one side until the white is opaque and the "goo" isn't so gooey, then turn off the burner and flip it.
Spread Laughing Cow on the toast, spread raspberry jam on top of that, and plop your egg right on top.
Enjoy!
* Side note: I refuse to buy jam packed with junk at the store. Check out that long list of strange ingredients. Jam should = fruit which should = delicious and remotely healthy, not packed with chemicals. Raspberry jam is insanely simple to make on your own with more or less equal parts white sugar (or less) and mashed raspberries. No pectin required and that lovely red color? All natural. No nasty Red 40 here. While I've done this before, I am also fortunate to have pretty much the world's best mother-in-law who makes jam with my boys in the summer like it is going out of style.
* Side-side note: I add a bowl of blueberries on the side. Yes, pretty much everyday. They are not only delicious, but insanely good for you. In the winter we buy frozen. In the summer we do fresh as well.
I realize this might sound wacky, but it's all yum . . . promise.
1 slice whole wheat bread
1 egg
olive oil cooking spray
1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese (I prefer something with a little flavor on this one . . . Light Bleu Cheese and Light Queso Fresco Chipotle are my faves)
1 T homemade raspberry jam*
Toast the bread. Simple.
Spray a small skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat.
Crack egg. (I did say this was easy, right?)
Wait for toast and egg. I cook the egg on one side until the white is opaque and the "goo" isn't so gooey, then turn off the burner and flip it.
Spread Laughing Cow on the toast, spread raspberry jam on top of that, and plop your egg right on top.
Enjoy!
* Side note: I refuse to buy jam packed with junk at the store. Check out that long list of strange ingredients. Jam should = fruit which should = delicious and remotely healthy, not packed with chemicals. Raspberry jam is insanely simple to make on your own with more or less equal parts white sugar (or less) and mashed raspberries. No pectin required and that lovely red color? All natural. No nasty Red 40 here. While I've done this before, I am also fortunate to have pretty much the world's best mother-in-law who makes jam with my boys in the summer like it is going out of style.
* Side-side note: I add a bowl of blueberries on the side. Yes, pretty much everyday. They are not only delicious, but insanely good for you. In the winter we buy frozen. In the summer we do fresh as well.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Southwest Chicken Wraps
Amazing! These were inspired by a recipe on Pinterest and, because I rarely follow the rules when it comes to recipes, I made it my own . . . changing it quite a bit really. They went over well with the hubs. The kids who are uber-picky when it comes to "mixed" foods selective in their diets, weren't the biggest fans, but they were good enough for us to say, "Tough bounce. We're making them again." Served with a side of corn and plain rice, they had enough to eat. This is something you can definitely add to as well, so be sure to comment if you have some good ideas!
approx. 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
garlic powder or 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
4-6 green onions, chopped
3 T. lime juice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked brown rice
ground cumin
sea salt
2 c. shredded cheddar jack cheese
plain yogurt
burrito size tortillas
1. heat 2 T. evoo in a large skillet
2. in skillet, cook chicken breasts seasoned with garlic powder until almost cooked through
3. add chopped red pepper and green onions into the same skillet
4. when chicken has finished cooking, use 2 forks to shred into bite-sized pieces while still in the skillet
5. drizzle about lime juice over the top and allow chicken, peppers, and onions to simmer in the juice
6. in small bowl, combine rice and black beans; season with garlic powder, ground cumin, and salt to taste
7. heat another large skillet (or, if you're like me, dump the contents of the skillet into a large glass bowl, quickly wipe out the chicken skillet and reuse because you're too practical to have countless skillets that you don't regularly use and / or don't want to donate storage space to multiple, huge skillets) and spray with olive oil cooking spray
8. spread approximately 1-2 T. plain yogurt around a tortilla, leaving about a 1/2 inch from the edge
9. sprinkle with cheese and add rice and bean mixture, then chicken mixture
10. tuck sides in and carefully roll
11. place wraps in heated skillet seam side down (my skillet comfortably held 2-3)
12. heat through on low heat, allowing to brown; flip to brown and crisp the other side
13. enjoy!
PS - I will never be hired to layout cookbooks. I am okay with that.
approx. 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
garlic powder or 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
4-6 green onions, chopped
3 T. lime juice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked brown rice
ground cumin
sea salt
2 c. shredded cheddar jack cheese
plain yogurt
burrito size tortillas
1. heat 2 T. evoo in a large skillet
2. in skillet, cook chicken breasts seasoned with garlic powder until almost cooked through
3. add chopped red pepper and green onions into the same skillet
4. when chicken has finished cooking, use 2 forks to shred into bite-sized pieces while still in the skillet
5. drizzle about lime juice over the top and allow chicken, peppers, and onions to simmer in the juice
6. in small bowl, combine rice and black beans; season with garlic powder, ground cumin, and salt to taste
7. heat another large skillet (or, if you're like me, dump the contents of the skillet into a large glass bowl, quickly wipe out the chicken skillet and reuse because you're too practical to have countless skillets that you don't regularly use and / or don't want to donate storage space to multiple, huge skillets) and spray with olive oil cooking spray
8. spread approximately 1-2 T. plain yogurt around a tortilla, leaving about a 1/2 inch from the edge
9. sprinkle with cheese and add rice and bean mixture, then chicken mixture
10. tuck sides in and carefully roll
11. place wraps in heated skillet seam side down (my skillet comfortably held 2-3)
12. heat through on low heat, allowing to brown; flip to brown and crisp the other side
13. enjoy!
So yesterday we took the boys to Brunswick Zone XL. Mr. B, four, spent all morning and early afternoon excitedly reminding me that "We haven't been bow-ing in in a wong time! This is going to be fuuuuun!" only to throw his hands up and quit after his first ball took approximately 437 minutes to reach the pins. No amount of cajoling or encouragement would convince him that it was okay and he should try again. He instead spent the whole time reminding us how hungry he was. Dude. Eat something. Anyway, the rest of us had a blast and happily bowled our hearts out. The Bean, six, took the whole thing very seriously and made it his goal to bowl better for himself than his brother. Competition is strong. For my part, I was crossing my fingers right up until the very end that I'd overtake hubby's score and swore the 10th frame was going to make it happen for me. It didn't and I didn't. (But I'm still clueless about where the Bean gets his competitive streak.)
After bowling we headed to the arcade and threw $20 on a card. I will say that the card lasted a relatively long time, but only because Mr. B and Daddy spent most of the time "pwaying the racing game" while the Bean and I played every other cheesy arcade game known to man. PURE JOY! Seriously. Total hoot! We even "won" an Angry Birds green pig when the game stole our money and the high school kid who worked there sweetly opened the machine and let the Bean pick out whatever he wanted. Worth $20 to see the look on his face when he got his hot little hands on that silly green pig?! You betcha'!
We followed up the craziness with dinner out and a family movie at home. Lots of cozy good times to be had by all. There is nothing like being surrounded by those souls who love you best and for whom you'd give anything in the world . .. just relaxing and living the good life. Sometimes you just gotta' slow it down.
After bowling we headed to the arcade and threw $20 on a card. I will say that the card lasted a relatively long time, but only because Mr. B and Daddy spent most of the time "pwaying the racing game" while the Bean and I played every other cheesy arcade game known to man. PURE JOY! Seriously. Total hoot! We even "won" an Angry Birds green pig when the game stole our money and the high school kid who worked there sweetly opened the machine and let the Bean pick out whatever he wanted. Worth $20 to see the look on his face when he got his hot little hands on that silly green pig?! You betcha'!
We followed up the craziness with dinner out and a family movie at home. Lots of cozy good times to be had by all. There is nothing like being surrounded by those souls who love you best and for whom you'd give anything in the world . .. just relaxing and living the good life. Sometimes you just gotta' slow it down.