suggestions

I certainly don't want to bore you with all of my mental notes I took today while talking to our Facilitator (a.k.a. "Vice-Prinicpal"), but I am completely grateful for her input, even if our meeting went almost too long. I made it out of her office in just enough time to bring Kory his Carl's Jr. birthday dinner, by request. He had Carl's mostly because we have two shows we LOVE to watch on Monday evenings: "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" (yeah, yeah. No commentary, please) and "24".

So, just for my sake, I will make note of some of the things I can remember from my meeting with Le Ann. Read on, if you wish. Oh, just a little background: I have a really tough group of kids to manage every other week. Today they were completely INSANE! They could not calm down. So, since my day made me feel like garbage and inadequate, I sought help and wound up with Le Ann, who is absolutely amazing. Here are some of her suggestions for a happier, healthier classroom.

*Golden Arrows (golden-rod colored pieces of paper that are like GOLD to the students)
*set deadlines for earning rewards
*go through procedures until the kids get it right--even if it means practicing lining up the entire day. I WILL WIN THAT BATTLE!
*Give children the opportunity to work wherever they want to in the classroom. The kids don't necessarily have to have their feet flat on the floor or be sitting in their chairs. She used a great analogy for this one: When you read for pleasure, where do you read? At your desk, hunched over a book? My answer was on the couch or bed because that's what is comfortable for me. It's not comfortable to sit flat in a hard chair all day! I liked this idea.
*Playing 3/4 time music (classical) as the kids walk into the classroom. I've heard classical music flows with the same natural rhythm of the body so it's calming.

Other suggestions where student-specific but I was thoroughly enlightened by our whole conversation and feel much better. Good-night.

Check out the coolness!

On Saturday, Kory and I went to the SLC car expo in Sandy. There were some cool cars there!
This was an OLD Camaro. I don't remember what year, but it sure was sweet.



'69 Stang. Beautiful.


In the 'Vette...Corvette convertible. Kory LOVES Corvettes.

Apparently, this was my car before I was married. Hee hee. It's actually kind of UGLY! But hey, I'll take it for free.

This is the one I really want. If I purchase a new car, the Honda Fit would be close to the top of my list. Very economical and roomy, plus how can one resist the cuteness of the hatchback?


A Viper. Oooooooooooh!




This was called a Tomahawk. It don't know who created it, but it's pretty sweet.

Yeah, so that was the car show. Apparently Jase went earlier that day with his mom and dad. He told me tonight that there weren't any pink or purple cars. Sad!

It will be nice to have a "day off" tomorrow. I have to work because I didn't spend enough time on Friday preparing for this upcoming school week.

I have a new calling in the ward: Primary Song Leader. It's been kind of scary the past two weeks, but today one of the Primary teachers told me that singing time has greatly improved since I've been there. Apparently they've had a hard time keeping a Primary chorister. I was very touched and grateful that Heavenly Father gave me an answer to my prayers about being so scared about my calling. He really does hear our prayers.

sense and sensibility

I just have to say that I am extremely grateful for a principal who has sense and tact. That's more than I can say about myself when it comes to meetings with parents. Good thing I had enough sense to keep my mouth shut and not ask the parents if they thought I was seven. UGH! Kory and I have decided to not be like them. We'll see what happens.

HELP!

So, in about two minutes flat I pulled out a month's+ worth of ungraded math homework and realized I hadn't noted all the days when the kids have math homework and it is sitting on the floor at the moment, waiting to be tackled. It'll have to wait until tomorrow I suppose.

I am not liking the fact that it snowed all day long and the district still found it in their hearts to let us go to school at a normal hour today, as they do every snow day no matter how bad the roads are. UGH! I seriously did not go over 10mph this morning on my way to work. The best part was me being shin deep in snow while trying to find my car somewhere under all the white stuff. The whole way to work I was livid!! Can't the district understand that the teachers are risking their lives to get to school just because we HAVE to be there? We didn't have a principal until about 5 minutes before morning bell and no secretaries (who are usually at the school before it's light outside) until who knows when! Where do we draw the line? Honestly, I wanted so badly to email the superintendent and let him know how I really felt. He is an extremely kind man, but seriously friend, delay school once in a while. IT'S OKAY TO DO SO!! I PROMISE!

In other news, I just got called to be the Primary song leader in my ward. YIKES. I am terrified. I can teach music and all, but making it fun and keep the attention of a bunch of senior primary kids and little 3 year olds, yeah, help!! Anyone have any management ideas? Or ANY ideas? I haven't a clue.

Twisted "Night Before Christmas."

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the town, all the people were thinking "How will we get down?"
The hills were covered with snow, inches deep and the people said "we'll stay home and sleep."
The shoppers so brave faced the slushy wet roads and hoped they could make it home with their loads.
With mama so worried and I so scared; would Santa even come, did he even dare?
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, all of us ran to see what was the matter.
And what to our wondering eyes should appear, 2-foot long icicles scaring the reindeer.
With icicles falling this way and that, we knew in a instant we should get out the hard hats.
More rapid than eagles those chuckles, they came, and Santa chuckled and chuckled and called them names.
"Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer, and Vixen. On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner, and Blitzen.
On top of your heads you each have a hat, and oh how dumb you all...."SPLAT!"
Now Santa is the brunt, and the reindeer laugh
As they see Santa sprawled on the ground, icicles cover him all around.
Then Rudolph, with his nose so bright, turned to Santa and called "have a good night!"


So this is my silly random poem that I made up in my spare time just now. I now it's cruel to think that the reindeer left Santa there, but hey, he called them names...and I got lazy and didn't want to write anymore. Enjoy and feel free to suggest any additional lines or changes.

Snow, snow, snow

I keep hearing about schools being cancelled and everything shutting down in places like Oregon and Washington because of snow--lots of snow! Now, I don't blame them one bit, but I think SOMETIMES Utah should follow in the footsteps of the great Northwest. On Friday I drove Kristen and Brittany to the airport, then headed off to the Salt Lake Temple for my best friend's wedding. The roads were pretty good, but it was very cold due to the wind chill. About the time when the girlfriends were done taking pictures with the bride, it started to snow, a lot! I ever so carefully (though in vain) drove to get gas and slipped and slid the whole way. SCARY! Even though there was still about an hour until the luncheon, I headed to the luncheon place anyway to hide safely inside the restraunt. All through the lunch I could see the snow coming down hard through the window. Around 3pm I began my trek back to Provo; generally a 30-40 minute drive. 3 hours later and lots of sliding with a near accident, I made it home safely; scared, but safe. The freeway was horrendous! It's days like that when Utah needs to shut down for a while and give the plows time to do their thing. The slightest, slightest touch of my gas pedal would cause my car to slip. THAT IS NOT SAFE! Even here in Provo, my car did that. And you want the kids to come to school? Nice! Hey, maybe it will reduce my class size for a day. I wouldn't mind. :)

I'm just going to say the snow better not keep Kory and I from getting home to Oregon tomorrow. In fact, it better not hinder us from getting to see family in Washington, either. Curse the snow! May we all be content with just watching it from our windows and not driving in it. The end!

39 years ago...

I doubt that 39 years ago that Eric Carle even had the thought cross his mind of his book becoming a legend. The Very Hungry Caterpillar was written in 1969 and has since been the staple book of every elementary teacher's classroom. Even my 2 1/2 year old nephew received a copy from yours truly (and I was very proud to give it to him) just a couple months ago. I've loved that book since as along as I can remember, as have many other people. I doubt any other book even comes close to mearsuring up. Well, imagine my excitement to find that Hallmark made a Very Hungry Caterpillar Christmas ornament followed by my disappointment that they were sold out! Go figure, huh? Last night we were at the mall and I decided we should go to Hallmark. Kory confessed to me that he was considering getting me that ornament for Christmas because he got me a cute teacher one last year. Keeping up with tradition, I suppose. There was only ONE left at that store so we snatched it up then and there. Tonight, I proudly hung it on the Christmas tree and it looks so fantastic! How could Mr. Carle know that his book that teaches food, days of the week, counting, and much more be so famous to be made into a beloved Christmas ornament? I don't think he even imagined it.