It's a Girl Thing

What Teachers Make

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

To stress his point he said to another guest, "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"


Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...) Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without and iPod, game cube or redbox.

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)

I make kids wonder.

I make them criticize.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.) Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant.

You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What do you make?"



I enjoy the message in this story. I've been noticing some parents who want to blame a lot of problems on me because I'm the "teacher". I am "pushing" too hard. I "expect" too much. The students don't feel like they can come give me "excuses" as to why their work is not finished.

Where is the push from the parent? Are expectations at home not as high as they are at school? Do excuses get everyone in life out of everything that is a responsibility?

If I hurt a child's feelings by my tactics, I would feel sorry. I would apologize. If a parent came in to talk to ME first, I would conference to come up with a solution. If the child came to me asking for help, I would find a way to help.

If there is one thing that I've learned from this year so far it's that you have the freedom to make choices, you do not have the freedom to escape the consequences.

I also heard a funny saying that a teacher posts on her door during parent teacher conference week: "If you promise to not believe half of what your child says happens in class, I promise not to believe half of what your child says happens at home."


Can anyone tell that I have parent teacher conferences this week? Can anyone tell that I'm getting a little burnt out? Thanksgiving couldn't come faster!

Wish me luck this week. Wish my students good luck this week. Wish my parents good luck this week.

LOST

I can't believe it's over
I watched the whole thing fall
And I never saw the writing that was on the wall
If I'd only knew
The days were slipping past
That the good things never last
That you were crying

Summer turned to winter
And the snow it turned to rain
And the rain turned into tears upon your face
I hardly recognize the girl you are today
And God I hope it's not too late
It's not too late

'Cause you are not alone
I'm always there with you
And we'll get lost together
Until the light comes pouring through
It's when you feel like you're done
And the darkness has won
Babe, you're not lost
When your world's crashing down
And you can't bear the cross
I said, babe, you're not lost

Life can show no mercy
It can tear your soul apart
It can make you feel like you've gone crazy but you're not
Things have seemed to change
There's one thing that's still the same
In my heart you have remained
And we can fly fly fly away

'Cause you are not alone
And I am there with you
And we'll get lost together
Until the light comes pouring through
It's when you feel like you're done
And the darkness has won
Babe, you're not lost
And the world's crashing down
And you can not bear the cross
I said, baby, you're not lost

Remember the Game Have You Ever?

Ok, well, put up ten fingers. If it applies to you, put a finger down. The last person with the most fingers left....wins.

Have you ever gotten yourself into a situation where you looked around you and were amazed at how you could have possibly screwed up so horribly?

Have you ever tried to do the right thing and give service and be loving only to, not only get nothing in return but, realize that it didn't matter that you even tried, that it would have actually turned out better for you if you HADN'T tried?!

Have you ever been called on the phone with the worst news ever because the person on the other end didn't have the guts to say it to your face?

Have you ever been hurt when you realized that nothing that you say or do can change anything?

Have you ever protected someone's reputation when they didn't deserve it?

Have you ever wished you could rewind so you could make just one choice in the opposite direction?

Have you ever woken up and, when reality set back in, started sobbing?

Have you ever needed to talk to someone but no one was answering?

Have you ever had to pull to the side of the road because you were crying so hard you couldn't concentrate?

Have you ever had a hard time finding a good reason to get out of bed?

Have you ever wished for a happily ever after a million times and then stopped believing in them after the millionth wish?

Have you ever written a ridiculously depressing post on your blog because you need to get it out somehow?

I have.

As I've written this stupid post, I think about the few people who will actually read it most certainly have felt these feelings. I don't want to talk about mine, but if you want to tell me your story, give me a call or write me an email. I honestly don't know what my future holds at this point.

PS Please don't ask me to take this post down. It's how I feel. If you don't like it....don't read it.

Sobering Thought

I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or de-humanized.

-Hiam Ginott

Create

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k

FIRE

HERRIMAN, Utah — A wind-stoked fire blazed across hundreds of acres Monday as crews rushed to keep it from reaching any more homes than the two authorities said had burned a day earlier.

The 300-acre fire moved in on the small community of Herriman on Sunday after flaring up at Camp Williams, a sprawling National Guard site about 30 miles outside Salt Lake City, said Captain Brad Taylor.

Some 1,400 homes were evacuated, and fire officials said at least 100 more were threatened.

A shelter for evacuees without lodging was set up at a local high school.

"We're going to keep our eyes obviously on the homes, and call additional crews out," Taylor said late Sunday.

Utah National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Hank McIntire told the Salt Lake Tribune that dry brush had caught fire during an artillery training session at Camp Williams, and soldiers did not have the manpower or equipment to stop it from rapidly spreading.

'Perfect storm'
"It was kind of a perfect storm scenario where once the fire started on the firing range at the National Guard base, the wind really kicked up," Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson, who saw homes catch fire, said.

"Literally, the fire was coming down into the backyards of many of these residents," he added.

Winds racing through the area at 40 to 50 miles per hour pushed the fire over a mountain ridge and into the Salt Lake Valley, he said.

"It was lifesaving efforts trying to get people out of the area because of a very, very fast-moving fire — literally moving faster than anybody could run," he said.

Several hours after the fire sparked, crews with the Unified Fire Authority crews were enlisted to help battle the blaze as it spread into Salt Lake County.

The first round of mandatory evacuations, which included 262 homes, were ordered at 7 p.m., Taylor said. Later, another 1,000 homes were ordered evacuated, he said.

All Salt Lake County residents were asked not to use their cell phones to keep lines open for emergency communication, and volunteers worked to evacuate animals from the area, which has a high horse population.

"We can see the flames at the top of the hill," Faith Ching, owner of Ching Animal Farm and Rescue, told the Deseret News just before the fire reached some of the houses. "I don't want to take a chance. It's really scary."

Taylor confirmed with The Associated Press late Sunday that two Herriman-area homes had caught fire, but added that smoke kept officials from fully assessing the damage in the area.

"It's moving rapidly," he said. "We're going to keep our crews on this."

I saw the smoke from the hill yesterday afternoon. I remember thinking about the huge fire in Washington along the Snake River, but then went to sleep not thinking much of it.

In the morning I got up, got dressed, and left my place quickly, as usual. Driving down the road, I tuned into 97.1 for their morning show. To my surprise, Herriman city was on a red alert. The high school was being used as an evacuation site. (The middle school was being used, but the fire got to close for comfort and those people had to be moved.)

"All Herriman schools are closed," one of the radio voices warned.

I look to my left as National Guard bull dozers drive past me, turning up 136th.

Grabbing my phone, I checked my messages. I had received, and missed a call from my team leader saying our school is closed for the day because of the fire.

Looking at the hill, I could see smoke and burnt remains. I know for sure several people lost their homes.

It's amazing to me how many people jumped into action to stop this fire. With the wind from last night, it must have been a hard battle.

I hope that the National Guard, the local fire department, the helicopters dropping water, and all of the volunteers are successful in stopping this fire. It looks like they are on their way to beating it.

Let's Talk for a Sec

So, a lot of crazy things have happened lately. I think that we all feel this way sometimes. I wanted to sit down for a second and think about all of the GOOD things going on in my life. You ready for my list off the top of my head?
Aaron
Avery
Mom and Dad
Stacey
Leslie
Kristy
Greg
Brittany
Sweet kids
Music
THE RADIO
The Repo Men Soundtrack
The smell of fall in the morning
A beautiful new school to teach in
A new ward that is supportive
A new look at how precious life is
Tums
Milk
Cereal
Good books to read
Comedy Brew
Funny moments with kids
Math
SLEEP
Waking up rested
Strangers Who Smile at Me
Blistex Silk & Shine Chapstick
The amazing things doctors can do now!
Science
Games
Being busy
Laughing
Holding Hands
Friends who really care

I love you guys!

You're the Pick of the Crop!

You know when you're a teacher when you get a cookie, see the title "You're the Pick of the Crop", and automatically think, "Hey! Crop was a spelling word this week!"


Ha. At least I got a cookie out of it.