Life, Family, and Teacher Status Update

Life, Family, and Teacher Status Update as of November 1, 2020

I think it's important to document my professional and personal status. I've had this blog since 2011, so I've changed as a person, mother, wife, and teacher. Here's the skinny...

I'm now in my 26th year of teaching. My daughter, Liz, is a freshman at Western Kentucky University, and Roman is a freshman in high school. Most importantly, he, she, they, we, ALL survived middle school. Whoohoo!

I left ELA (English) AND my beloved 6th graders to teach 7th grade Ancient History, and I LOVE IT! The difference between teaching 6th grade and 7th grade is like having two different careers. The kids are THAT different. The mental and physical maturity completely disrupt the person's emotional maturity, causing a momentary ripple in the universe. The first time parents experience this, they're confused, frustrated, even saddened by the loss of their kid's childhood.

I was different that way. Roman and Liz's middle school years were the years I understood them best. 

THE GIRL:

When Liz threw her backpack in the car one day, slammed the door, and declared the world was ending because her principal just YELLED at her to walk up to the front of the car rider line. I knew exactly what to do.

Me: Will Sonic make it better?

Her: Yes! Sonic will make it better. (She's still yelling.)

She stomps her bookbag. 

Pause.

Her: Sonic makes everything better!!

Yes, my girl, it does. Ice cream is the best medicine. 

...and scene! 

Mean girl drama? I got this! 

She said she didn't like your hair today? They pretended you were invisible? They were mean to the new girl? They videoed you and posted it on social media without permission? 

All teachable moments on how to deal with problems life will throw your way. I knew not to deflect or protect, but to teach her how to deal with these moments. I saw them as gifts. 

THE BOY:

Boys are so different. Roman changed more physically. Emotionally, there was an impediment. The maturity process is extremely delayed with adolescent boys. 

Him: I'm perfectly fine making B's. Why would I want to work that hard to make an A?

Me: <GASP> Well, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Him: An engineer. I'm going to be a mechanical engineer.

Me: <BOOM! If that's what he wants to do, he'll have to work hard.>

As a teacher, I value work ethic over grades. As his mother, this challenge would be the scariest. Luckily, his teachers saw him for who he was, cultivated his quirkiness, and always helped him when he asked. He was working to please them. I would have to settle for the external motivation over internal motivation for now. That's a scary gamble. 

Then it happened. Our 8th graders do a PBL (Project Based Learning) where they take a test called Kuder, or You Science, that helps them determine their professional aptitude. All three of his top occupations were indeed, engineering. That lit the fire.

At his high school registration, I boldly manipulated the system, and placed him in all honor's classes. It's do or die. He's doing, so far.

Now that Roman has started high school, I miss him walking the halls with me.  He always came by between classes to visit and was happy 99% of the time. It was so different from my girl, who stressed about her grades and school 24/7. Every child is so different.

But we all survived it.

Student Accountability in State Testing

Should students receive a report card grade for state standardized tests?

For the first time in Tennessee's testing history, students will receive a grade for the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, or TCAP. According to this article that appeared in the Tennessean on April 12 of this year, Public Chapter 1127, a new state law, requires counties to count these tests 15-25% of students' second semester grades. My county has chosen to count the test as 20%, which is comparable to the weight of the end-of-course (EOC) testing in high schools. As it stands, a student's semester average will consist of 70% daily grades and tests, 10% final exam, and 20% TCAP score.

Parent Perspective
As a parent, I am a little weary of this idea. I'm blessed in that both of my children attend great schools that receive top scores, but what if there's a tragedy or illness that occurs right before testing? When life deals circumstances that are out of his/her control, should they have to worry about that grade?

My fourth grader expressed concern about her social studies test, so I made an effort to look over her standards and review with her. We wouldn't have done any of that had she not been getting a grade.

Educator Perspective
As a middle school teacher, I'm grateful that students are taking more ownership of their performance. Kids are actually studying this year. Parents are asking great questions about our standards. Teachers, knowing that kids are trying harder, are helping students take ownership of their own learning by making them more aware of those standards. It's been extremely effective this year.

One other interesting thing has been observable. During our practice tests, we were able to identify the students who "Christmas tree" their answers instead of giving it an honest effort. (Full disclosure, I only had two boys.) After a short discussion with these students and their parents, we were able to stress how much this score affects them personally. It's not just about the teacher, anymore.

Perceptions of Middle School Transitions

"Perceptions of Middle School Transitions" by Stefanie Moore is a Prezi that offers parents and educators a thorough look at the middle school transition. It will show you student data, as well as teacher data. I was very impressed with her work! ENJOY!

http://prezi.com/prbvfoecwq4a/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Reality Check

What advice would you give to new middle school parents? Here's more good informationfrom a teacher.

Advice for parents: stay up-to-date with Portal and look at your child's agenda for homework assignments! Some of us have 175+ students daily, and we (unlike elementary teachers) may not realize your child's grade has dropped 2 points! We cannot call you about every single thing like you're used to in elementary school, but it doesn't mean we don't care or won't help out/answer emails/offer help!! Parents still need to be a part of the education process on a daily basis! Your child is NOT going to offer the information! ~Stacy (MS Teacher and mother)

Advice from a Middle School Teacher

This is so true. This is something all middle school teachers wish they could tell you, but never have the opportunity.

Advice to new middle school parents: 1) Middle School teachers do NOT conspire to keep you in the dark regarding your child's education, extracurricular activities, etc. Remember all those notes and letters that came home with your kids in elementary school when teachers/school leaders thought you needed to be informed of something? News flash - MS teachers send those home, too! MS students drop those things right into the trash on the way out the door because they don't feel you "need to know" that stuff - especially information regarding open house (who needs to meet teachers, anyway?), parent-teacher conferences (is an explanation here really necessary?), and detentions. 2) Despite rumors, MS teachers really do LIKE kids - yes, it's true! 3) It is no longer "cool" to eat lunch in the cafeteria with your child. Don't get your feelings hurt when your child doesn't turn flips when you ask if you can have lunch with him/her one day. They still love you, but the ridicule from their peers (they ALL do it) is not worth the 20 min. sharing smiley fries with mom. ;) ~Brandi (Veteran middle school teacher and mother of a college sophomore and high school junior.)

The transition from elementary school to middle school is very difficult for parents. The kids adjust well, but parents want things to be the same as they were in the fifth grade. Like Brandi said, they still need you, but they need you in a different way. Just step back, take a deep breath, monitor closely, and be a good sport.

Come up with a system in your home so you have a better chance at getting communication from school. Also, be proactive by checking the school's website for upcoming events. Bookmark teachers' websites and check them regularly. If your school system has an online grading program, monitor your child's grades once a week.

Drama Llama

Drama is NOT a middle school subject, but the preverbial stage is everpresent. This comes as a shock, I know. Middle school boys are not very dramatic, but the girls are competeing for the Oscars. I think some of this is hormonal, but nevertheless, it causes lots of angst in the home.

M is going into 7th grade. My biggest wish as a parent is I truly wish I knew how mean middle school girls can be. I thought it would be high school but nope it is middle school. By the third kid I have realized that girls are just crazy. With R there was never drama with my girls just about everyday!! So and so did not sit with me at lunch..... She has a new BFF and it is not me........ And of course my favorite is so and so has ( insert whatever they want that is of course very pricey) now if I don't get one no one will like me!! LOL

Remember, kids this age are just beginning to find themselves. Who am I outside of my family? is THE big question. Girls are more emotional and tend to define themselves by the company they keep (or don't keep). Tackle each issue as it arises, show her the "other" side of the story, remind her that character means everything. Most of all, remember the bad situation was only half as bad as it seemed to her. 

Avoid calling other mothers. Teach her to work it out to the best of her ability. You will know when it's time to step in, but do so carefully. Remember, they're very young.

TRUE bullying

 

Bend Like a Willow

This advice is from a parent who became a friend after I taught her son twice, once in the 2nd grade and again in the 5th. She challenged me, supported me, and as you'll be able to tell, her wisdom is amazing!

A new middle school parent should be aware that giving their kid an armor against being defined by anyone or anything other than themselves, will be one of the greatest gifts given. Events will happen to look like game-changing events (e.g., being cut from a sports team and wondering where life goes from there), and though decisions like this one are most certainly going to change the pattern of their life, they are NOT to be defined by the perceived rejection. "Get up. Chase the next great adventure in your life. Best foot forward, always." Teaching a kid at that age (or long before) that they are in control of and accountable for their decisions, their choices, their actions and the outcomes of events surrounding them, is a good way to build up the strength they will need to be a self-assured, strong-minded middle school student. "Bend like a willow or break like an oak." Willows survive the storm because they are strong, yet flexible. Oaks see only one way to get through it - and when the storm is too rough, they break. No more broken kids...let's equip them with the tools they need in order to "bend" in the storm. ~Tara Greene (mother of three adult children)

She's so right! Teach your child to not allow other people to define him/her. Feelings will be hurt because children this age do not have filters. They are all still a work in progress. Your son/daughter's attitude towards a difficult situation can/will make all the difference. Teach your child to BEND!

Confidence in Communication

What advice would you give new middle school parents?

Teach your child to ask their teachers questions. Even if they are your questions. They need to learn now how to communicate with their teachers, not rely on their parents to do it. Was that harsh? ~Lisa Riccardi (Parent of college sophomore and high school freshman)

I should also note that Lisa worked as a substitute teacher in my middle school for a few years, and she hit the nail on the head. Don't send notes to your child's teacher if the child can communicate the question himself/herself. Confidential questions withstanding, I'd much rather listen and answer the child. Truthfully, it's just quicker! Building good communication skills is important, and this is the best place to start.

Lisa later added,

Communication with teachers is a good practice for communication with all adults in the future. 'Teachers' are a good place to start this valuable skill.

Yes! When this generation of young people is constantly looking down at a cell phone screen, you have to be concerned about those face-to face moments. Where else are they going to learn this skill?

Before your child starts middle school...

Right after school ended this year, I was sitting at the ballpark when a friend was rehashing the events of her son's sixth grade year. You know me! I'm a captive audience for such a conversation. Most of it was good, but she mentioned a few hiccups along the way. At one point, she said, "I wish I had known." Well, that got my wheels turning. I do know. I live it. Why can't I help other parents? So, here we are.

Recently, I posed the question to my friends, family members, and former parents. Specifically, I asked these two questions:

1. What do you wish you'd known before your child started middle school?
2. What advice would you give to a brand new middle school parent?

In the next few weeks, I'll share their wisdom with you. Also, note the age of the student/adult. Sometimes it helps to read and relate to people who have a similar background. The further away from the middle school years, the parent will bring a different perspective.

As always, thanks for reading!

Today's THE day!

OK, so I didn't post this year like I wanted. Planning, grading papers, and attempting to be creative have taken all my time. Unfortunately, my professional blog took a backseat. (Better this than my parenting!) I'm not giving up, though! After today, it's over. Yep, it's state standardized testing day. I'm a language arts teacher, and today, my students take that portion of the test. Every lesson I've taught, every strategy created, every modification made, every decision thought out

comes
down
to
today.
Aaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!!!!

At breakfast this morning, my 4th grader was so aware of my tenseness that she felt the need to tell me she thinks I'm a good teacher. I hope she's right, because I don't "feel" good. As a matter of fact, I feel sick. As she gets out of the car, she smiles and wishes me luck; I tell her I'd feel better if she were one of my students.

Once at school, I visit my language arts partner. She's a young teacher, but she feels confident. Her only question addresses whether she should pass out candy. I tell her I do, because research shows that sucking on a piece of hard candy helps you concentrate.

As classes are getting settled, I make it a point to visit a few key students: the two boys who "Christmas treed" the practice test and a few more that may need a little confidence boost. I'm all too aware that his or her mood could mean everything today.

Now, I'm sitting at my desk watching my homeroom take the test. It's an accelerated class. They are making me feel better. They are smart and confident; I know they'll do well. They've worked hard this year, and I'm proud of them. I still stress over them because their scores were already high. They need to make a decent amount of growth this year, but that's difficult when some of them are already in the 99th percentile.

One of my lowest students in this class finishes first with half the time to spare. He pretends to look over his answers. I make a mental note to pay close attention to his data when scores return.

A good third of this class has a cold or allergies. I've passed out a ton of tissues. I love to be made to read a bunch of boring passages when I have a dripping nose...don't you?

During the testing break, the teacher across the hall noted that one of my highest students in her homeroom only used 25 out of the 76 minutes she was allotted. Confidence or arrogance?

We have had our break, and now we are starting part 2. I brought a good supply of my favorite protein bars and chocolate dipped granola bars for them to eat during the break. Almost all of them are gone.

Bellies are full, candy has been replenished, teacher has been talked off the ledge.

Watching my iPhone timer, I realize that in a matter of 62 minutes, it is over. For me, it all comes down to one test on one day.

Did I do enough?
Could I have done more?
What should I do differently next year?

21:09 left. My nerves have finally gotten the best of me, and I'm off to the restroom (TMI, I know!). Most of the kids have finished the second part, and the finality is setting in. What's done is done.

I'm able to start thinking about the rest of the week. I've collected a short set of standards from my colleagues that I know I can help review for math, science, and social studies portions of TCAP. I'll do math today since that test is tomorrow. I'm excited that my language arts partner will be combining classes with me today so we can review the kids together and do some co-planning for the rest of the year.

When the short scores return, we'll comb through each score and plan some more. We'll note our strengths and weaknesses and design a plan that will supplement those deficits. The data will tell a story. Is it reliable?

2:23 left. The kids are getting squirrely. Nothing more to do today. Now, we'll begin the 7th grade curriculum to give them a confidence boost into the next school year.

0:00 Language arts portion of the TCAP is over. Another teacher tells me that one of my boys fell asleep twice during the first part of the test. Child sleeping through the test DOES NOT equal teacher accountability, but I will have to answer for his scores.

Group Posters From Our Study Skills Unit

Remembering NINE11

For me, September 11, 2001, is simply unforgettable.

*Note: Times are all on Central time, since it follows my personal timeline.

7:46 AM               Flight 11 hit the first tower.

It was a beautiful Tennessee morning, and time passed without incident. We were about five weeks into the new school year, and I was in the middle of a low key literature lesson in first period. My students and I had finally settled into a routine My biggest problem that morning was the drained feeling I had as a result of my new pregnancy.

“I could see the big airplane coming straight toward us.” ~Connie Labetti, AON, South Tower, 99^th Floor

“Hi Jules, it’s Brian. Listen, I’m on an airplane that’s been hijacked.” ~Brian Sweeney, passenger on Flight 175.

At 8:59 am, Flight 175 passenger Brian Sweeney, 29, leaves a message for his wife Julie. He then calls his mother, Louise, to report the hijacking, telling her that the passengers are considering storming the cockpit to wrest control from the hijackers.

8:03 AM               Flight 175 hit the South Tower

I hear a knock on my portable door around 9:00. As I open the door, I’m told to lock up. He doesn’t tell me why, but it’s safe to assume that somebody must have robbed a gas station, and is still at large. Slightly irritated at the inconvenience; nonetheless, I do as I am told.

Within minutes of Flight 11’s crash, the FDNY raises its mobilization to the highest level.  Many firefighters are already responding to the World Trade Center when hijacked Flight 175 hits the South Tower.

8:37 AM               Flight 77 hit the Pentagon

I’m still completely oblivious as second period begins. I’m making sure Sam is on the right page in his novel, and Loren says she needs a pencil.

The Pentagon's on-site firehouse responds immediately to the crash of Flight 77. Firefighters from nearby National Airport (with a foam truck designed to fight jet fuel fires) and Virginia's Arlington County Fire Department arrive within minutes.

Many civilian employees and military personnel evacuate the building shortly after the impact, while others felt compelled to rush into the burning building to rescue trapped and injured colleagues.

It’s another hour before I’m aware my country is under attack. The shock and disbelief only proliferate as the teachers gather to eat lunch and watch the news coverage. We are asked not to discuss anything with the students. That is easy. What do I say to my students anyway? New York is a long way from Tennessee. It might as well be on Mars. Can this generation actually grasp the seriousness of terrorist assaults? As of THIS moment, our lives are forever changed.

Mark Bingham is one the thirteen Flight 93 passengers who succeed in placing a phone call to authorities or loved ones on the ground. 

Mark calls his mother, Alice Hoagland, a former flight attendant, via GTE Airphone, and alerts her to the hijacking.  Hoagland immediately turns on the television and learns of the recent attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.  Realizing that Mark’s plane is part of the suicide hijacking mission, she calls him back on his cell phone and leaves two messages, informing him of the other attacks and counseling him to do whatever he can to stop the hijackers.

[Mark never receives the messages. His flight crashes in Somerset, Pennsylvania.]

10 Years Later: September 11, 2011

Ten years later, my daughter, who was born in February of 2002, is nine years old. She and I were in Wal-Mart a few days ago when the latest version of People Magazine caught my eye. The title read, “The Children of 9/11: Their fathers died on that terrible day, before they were born.” The article features the personal account of each of the ten children and how their lives have been affected by the 9/11 tragedy. That’s when it hit me.

Those children are her age. <Gulp> What if SHE never knew her daddy? He’s such a huge force in her life. What if SHE never had a picture made with him holding her? She would have never truly seen how much he loves her. What if he was absent for that “first day of school” picture? There are too many questions with no conceivable answers.

I want to explain. I want to tell her that I lied about the “monsters” not being real. They DO exist...just LOOK! But...not today. One day.

I want her to be exposed to the stories these children tell in the article. She must not ever take her family and friends for granted. But...I choose to protect her innocence for as long as I can. She’ll learn about the monsters soon enough. 

There are moments when my personal and professional lives truly collide. A lot of things happened that fateful day in September. Daddies died. Mommies died. Sisters and brothers died. Wars started. Gas prices became preposterous. Airports security became ludicrous. Ultimately, my daughter and these 9/11 kids started their lives under the observance of the National Homeland Security Advisory System.

Now fourth graders, Liz and the 9/11 children will be in middle school in two short years. Middle school is a fragile time of development. After teaching 11 year olds for 17 years, I am anticipating the pain that will inevitably surround them as pre-adolescence dances into their lives.

I’m not sure parents realize how much their adolescents need them, because their children seem to be pushing them away. However, the “push” is like a game of hide and go seek. Today, they’ll hide their immature, childlike ways, to go seek who they are apart from their parents. Tomorrow, they’ll return to childhood for reassurance that they are on the right track. The lost will look, and sometimes ask for direction again. My daughter will be able to do that, but where will these children go when Dad is the only one that will do? Just thinking about the uncertainty of this time unnerves me. They will figure it out eventually, and be better people for it, but that will be an uphill dirt road. God, bless the strong people in each and every one of those children’s lives.

Parents, may we never take for granted how fragile life can be. Every game of hide-and-go-seek takes that child one step closer to adulthood. Cherish the trial-and-error that is necessary for that development. Finally, when you do get frustrated, because you WILL, just remember the 9/11 children and enjoy even life’s most childish games.  

*Special thanks to the 9/11 Interactive Timeline for the information in red.  This site was designed and engineered by Archetype for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

Giants, Wizards, Dwarfs...and Mermaids?

Robert Fulghum is a writer, philosopher, and public speaker. You may remember him as the author of the popular poem "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." He also wrote a book with the same title that contains lots of mini stories. I read the following story, "Mermaids," to my Exploratory class this week. When I finished, I asked them to tell me about the little girl. Their answers, written below, might surprise you. Read it and think to yourself how you would describe the mermaid.

Mermaids

By Robert Fulghum

Giants, wizards and dwarfs was the game to play.

Being left in charge of about eighty children seven to ten years old, while their parents were off doing parenty things, I mustered my troops in the church social hall and explained the game.  It's a large-scale version of Rock, Paper, and Scissors, and involves some intellectual decision making.  But the real purpose of the game is to make a lot of noise and run around chasing people until nobody knows which side you are on or who won.

Organizing a roomful of wired-up gradeschoolers into two teams, explaining the rudiments of the game, achieving consensus on group identity--all this is no mean accomplishment, but we did it with a right good will and were ready to go.

The excitement of the chase had reached a critical mass.  I yelled out:  "You have to decide now which you are--a GIANT, a WIZARD, or a DWARF!"

While the groups huddled in frenzied, whispered consultation, a tug came at my pants leg.  A small child stands there looking up, and asks in a small, concerned voice, "Where do the Mermaids stand?"

Where do the Mermaids stand?

A long pause.  A very long pause.  "Where do the Mermaids stand?" says I.

"Yes.  You see, I am a Mermaid."

"There are no such thing as Mermaids."

stands there looking up, and asks in a small, concerned voice, "Where do the Mermaids stand?"

Where do the Mermaids stand?

A long pause.  A very long pause.  "Where do the Mermaids stand?" says I.

"Yes.  You see, I am a Mermaid."

"There are no such thing as Mermaids."

"Oh, yes, I am one!"

She did not relate to being a Giant, a Wizard, or a Dwarf.  She knew her category.  Mermaid.  And was not about to leave the game and go over and stand against the wall where a loser would stand.  She intended to participate, wherever Mermaids fit into the scheme of things.  Without giving up dignity or identity.  She took it for granted that there was a place for Mermaids and that I would know just where.

Well, where DO the Mermaids stand?  All the "Mermaids"--all those who are different, who do not fit the norm and who do not accept the available boxes and pigeonholes?

Answer that question and you can build a school, a nation, or a world on it.

What was my answer at the moment?  Every once in a while I say the right thing.  "The Mermaid stands right here by the King of the Sea!" says I.  (Yes, right here by the King's Fool, I thought to myself.)

So we stood there hand in hand, reviewing the troops of Wizards and Giants and Dwarfs as they roiled by in wild disarray.

It is not true, by the way, that Mermaids do not exist.  I know at least one personally.  I have held her hand.

Tell me about the little girl. Middle schoolers answers:

"Crazy!" (as he circles his finger around the side of his ear several times)

Someone made the cuckoo sound.

<Teacher's eyebrows go up>

"She belongs in an asylum."

<Teacher adds big eyeballs>

"Not like the others!" (Disgusted and confused look on his face.)

Finally, a girl from the back quietly stated the word "Independent."

<hopeful sigh>

Now, I did NOT read this story to them for the purpose of highlighting what sassy little girls do to annoy adults, but they did not naturally infer that logic. No sireee! They assumed I was reading the story to illustrate what not to do. Once I got over the shock, I realized how much sense they made.

Middle school is about conforming; therefore, their responses are naturally middle schoolish. Don't you remember? Most likely, you watched the behaviors of the people around you just so you would know what to do and how to act. As the pre-adolescent struggles to move away from his/her parents, he or she begins to grasp for a different anchor. At this stage in their lives, that may come from their peers. The outliers are the ones more determined to make their own way-whether that's positive or negative.

Is the ability to conform necessary? Yes, I think so. There are times in our lives that we must learn to do the accepted thing, obey the rules, or play the game. I’m just a big fan of the ones that dare to be different.

I want them to like and be grateful for who they are.

Individuality should be appreciated and celebrated. The sad truth is I’ve been fighting this battle for 17 years, and I’m no closer than I was 17 years ago <sigh>. Society encourages conformity. Media encourages conformity. Even some parents encourage conformity. We may want to be the mermaid, even crave it, but I suppose that must wait until we get through the Giants, Wizards, and Dwarfs stage of life.

Final Days

My days as an Instructional Coach are winding down. As I prepare to say goodbye to the teachers I've served for two years, I'm forced into reflection mode. My thoughts?

The County Alternative School
I will miss the peace, tranquility, control, and smallness of your promise land. Thank you for sacrificing to work with our at-risk youth. As reigning Queen of student migration, you know differentiation better than most. Even though you operate on limited funding and resources, you make it work. We, the general public, fail to show our appreciation for your efforts to reform the behaviors of our children. I've never heard you complain...never!

Drugs, alcohol, media, and negative life experiences have control of many teens today, but you welcome the challenge. You empower them to gain control just enough to walk back into the world they can't trust. Will it forsake them again? Most likely, yes. But this time, they'll have the tools to survive.

On behalf of my colleagues,
Thank you, thank you, thank you!



To my most northern friends up on the hill:

Just to have the opportunity to experience your school environment was a rare pleasure! You should be proud of the strong sense of community you foster every day. No wonder so many of your own graduates return to teach there- a whole line of them this year! Where else could that possibly happen? They KNOW you care about them and want them to succeed. Then they come back to be a part of that support system.

Oh, and I get it. What other school would have people who would drive up to the school at 7:00pm just to help their new Instructional Coach dumpster dive for her wedding ring? I do believe we touched every last piece of trash in the dumpster and then in the school. Thank you for laughing when I called 5 minutes after I left to tell you I found the ring under my car seat. I do adore you, my trashy friends!

Administration. WOW! I truly felt like part of your team. I learned so much from watching you work. Everything you did focused of the needs of the students. Your attentiveness and passion for meeting those needs was noticed. One criticism: You need to be kicking those talented teachers down the hill more often to share with the rest of us in PD sessions. Don't let them hide!

...and Staffulty? I have three words for you: Be the Best!


To my school of soldiers:

It was humbling to walk into your school, get a bird's eye view of the battle field in front of you, and watch you conquer it. Thanks to your fearless leader, I knew just enough about your plight to know I had to be a good listener to survive in your school. At each turn, you asked, "What now? What next?" Oh, let's do a pilot program for the county! LOL! I thought y'all were crazy...but, alas <sigh>, you were focused.

To the head honcho: Your talks were some of my favorite memories! Not too many people have the ability to tell a story like you do. It helps that you're so much like my dad. I learned a lot about loyalty, pride, and the fierce desire to protect your own. Not too many principals know their faculty and students like you do. Most of all, thanks for keeping it real!

To the AP: Where do I start, my friend? I wish I had just half of your calm, cool, and collected demeanor. It's been a pleasure to watch you lead. I'm not sure you have any concept of how impressed other schools are with your new program and, as we implement it into my home school, how well you executed the plans you were given. Oh, and I promise to give you credit for all the great things I've stolen from you the past two years.

To my Shurley girls: "What's that?" you say. "You've been teaching for 20+ years, and you want to try a brand new program before you retire?" REALLY? Who does that? Hmmm...you do!  I had a blast in your rooms! Thank you for sharing your students with me. I was most comfortable in your classrooms, because you allowed me to do what I do best-English to a beat.

Speaking of English, I would be remiss to not mention the one we lost. Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to watch her teach. This profession lost so much that day!

Thank you for trusting me, opening the doors of your classroom, and treating me as one of your own. Being willing to try new things in the midst of obstacles takes guts- the kind only the bravest soldiers can muster.

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One more school to mention, but I think I'll have to have more time...a lot more. I'll be back later, so stay tuned! 

Who? Me?

Middle School. Remember it? Does it bring you pain, misery, or laughter? Do the memories resemble a Weird Al Yankovic song or more of a Barry Manilow melody? Regardless of the memories, I'm sure we can all agree on one term to describe Middle School, "Awkward!"

Why then, out of all the professions in the world, did I choose to be a middle school teacher? You would be assuming, of course, that I chose it, but you'd be wrong. No one chooses to be a middle school teacher, silly. It chose me!

2011 will begin my 17th year in the classroom. Back in 1995, I was living in South Carolina, but I applied in Hillsborough County, FL and was hired to teach 6th grade with my best friend, Dorothy. Ideally, Dorothy and I would teach by the beach and grade papers with our feet in the sand. Neither happened. Dorothy chickened out. I moved to FL by myself, and instead of getting a position by the beach, I was 45 minutes away from the coast and placed in Plant City, FL.

Plant City is a migrant community where strawberries are the bomb! Migrant workers and their children arrive in October and leave late March. Originally, I'm from a small town in SC called Bamberg. I'm not sure I ever went to school with Hispanic people. We didn't even have a Spanish teacher until my senior year. Parle vous Francais?...and that's about all I can ask. The Hispanic culture was about as far from my thought process as the east is from the west.

I thought those Hispanic children were going to tie me up by my ankles and cuss me out in Spanish every day! Now, those of you that know the truth are laughing or smiling right now. Culture is a powerful thing! Their culture is sugar and spice and everything nice. They have a work ethic that makes American children look like couch potatoes.

I learned because they taught me.