Shaddup Already!





















2008-01-04

Where I've Been

Okay, okay, so I'm back :o)

Seriously, I'm loving living in Kansas. Who'da thunk it? I do believe our country's central plains area is overlooked far too often. The landscape is beautiful, the people are nice and there are actually four distinct seasons. Here I thought hot, damn hot, oh my god it's hot and too fuckin' hot were the four seasons. Who knew it was winter, spring, summer and fall. Actually, I think I remember some talk about that in kindergarten.

School is going well. Things kind of took off for me. I'm actually getting recognized for my teaching skills. After the years of feeling inadequate and being told as much during my first, formative year of teaching, this has been a big boost to my self-confidence.

This is how crazy, yet good it's been.

One morning I got to work not really knowing what I was going to do that day. I seriously made up my mind as my first academic class was walking through the door. So imagine my shock and dismay when my principal walked in and proceeded to do an evaluation.

The went better than I could have expected. I think this was a Wednesday and on Monday I had introduced a new low stakes writing activity. The kids LOVED it and my principal loved it even more. She commented to me how every single one of my students was engaged. They were eager to write and even more eager to share. I apparently tied in my lesson beautifully to my goals (which, truthfully, were to get through the day, but it seemed to my principal that I had goals in mind).

So jump to another part of the story--I mentioned to my principal that I wanted to become a trainer for the 6-traits writing program. It's a methodology that the district adopted awhile ago, but abandoned any real staff development within the past few years. There isn't a dedicated trainer and there aren't a whole lot of people jumping up volunteering to do it. So my principal emailed the person who is in charge of the Title 1 reading department for the district. In the email, she mentioned this "incredible" lesson and the district person emailed back saying she'd like to observe me teaching.

So I replicated the lesson structure with a different skill focus and the district person LOVED it. She emailed me later saying she wanted to videotape my lesson to present at staff development and possibly play on the district's TV station. Whoa!

This videotaping is apparently going to take place after the winter break. I'm also going to be able to get a copy of the video for my National Board redo. Yes, I'm trying for that dad-blamed thing again.

It is my last year to try again without having to redo everything. I didn't try last year and if I don't get it, I don't foresee going through the tedious process any more--especially if the KS bonus stays the same, which is next to nothing. So we'll see and I'll not be so nervous or stressed about it this time. I think.

Wow, someone just won $1,000,000.00 on 1 vs. 100. I've really got to apply to be on some game shows.

Okay, and speaking of TV, can I just say how THRILLED I am that American Gladiators is getting a rebirth? And no, I'm not being sarcastic. I used to love that show. I'm interested in seeing it in its new incarnation.

I completely lost my train of thought, so I'll end this entry with a picture of Atticus in his first snow:

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