Teach This

Well, we got that big tv! I have to admit, movies look pretty good on it, now I just have to convince Josh that we no longer have to go to the movies–not like we go a lot anyway!

I promise to take Hunter in to see you Jill–just not sure when, you are not usually there when I go!

Okay, I have been looking for fun ideas for school and I found this little fun fact, I just had to put it on here, because it seemed typical of the government–I mean, look at what they waste time, energy and money on instead of educating our children?

KidZone Fun Facts
The Arkansas legislature passed a law that says the Arkansas River can rise no higher than to the Main Street bridge in Little Rock. - I wonder what they’ll do to the river if it breaks the law?

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Well, I haven’t posted in a while, I have been busy with work. Teaching kindergarteners is a lot of fun, but a lot of prep, too. Most of it is stuff that does not require too much thinking, so I can usually do it while we watch TV, but it is still work! I have found a few great teacher websites that have a lot of printables on them.

Enough about that—we are looking at big screen TV’s. My husband thinks we really need one, and he is getting me to buy it–my problem, what do I do with all of my candles that go on the entertainment center? The new big TV’s don’t have tops really, so all of my beautiful things would be displaced–any suggestions -other than getting rid of the candles–I have heard that suggestion . I like my candles and if he gets a big TV, then I get my candles, too!! I think that is only a fair compromise. Of course, we don’t even have standard cable, we have basic, so getting a big TV seems silly–except of course for movies. I guess to a man, a bigger TV is never a bad thing .

Well, I found out how small the world is when you have a blog! I got a message from someone from Ohio–I know, that isn’t another country or anything, but it is far from Oregon. She is going to school to be a teacher, which is what led her to this site–guess Josh picked a good name, huh?

Anyway, I just thought that was interesting–

Well, it has been a while, but life has been pretty crazy around here. First, I was sick, then it was Christmas, then we went on vacation–then, I had to go back to work! So, I haven’t had much time to think about writing on here, but since I have very few readers, that is okay!

I am sitting here listening to it rain–it has done nothing but rain, rain and more rain for the past week or so–it is so loud, which is great unless I am out walking in it. The poor kids at school don’t get to go out for recess, which makes them a little squirrelly, but what can you do? Right now I am busy looking for resources (free) for centers. Since I have never taught kindergarten before, this is all new to me and is quite time consuming. I don’t know about the crafts or anything–we didn’t get to do crafts in reading–but, it is pretty fun to see the kids be creative. Well, I have to get back to the searching and cutting and pasting now and see if I can talk anyone around here into helping me!

Well, being sick sucks! Being sick and being a teacher really sucks. As I was dressing yesterday with a fever and the chills, my husband is telling me I am nuts to go to work. But, he doesn’t realize that I had a specialist coming in that I had been waiting for two months to have assess a kid–and then, today was the last day before break–like I could miss that! I did go to the doctor and I have bronchitis, and have started treatment, so I am finally on the mend. I also do not have to work for two weeks, which is great.

It is however, the 16th of December and I have not wrapped one present or made one card–I have been sick and busy and so many people are getting New Year’s gifts! I am usually completely done by now, but this year has been anything but normal. At least I have gotten the kids’ pictures taken–if I had put that off, I would be in big trouble. Anyway, have a great Christmas if I don’t post anything else before then!

Well–how goes the Christmas shopping? I keep struggling with what to get everyone, because I really do want them to enjoy it, but I am also really cheap! Have you ever noticed that men are quite hard to shop for?

Here’s another issue–holidays at school–wow! There is so much to do and so very little time. I keep needing to teach reading and math, but how do you fit in art with all that extra holiday stuff, too? Any time management suggestions? I only have them for two and a half hours and it goes by really quickly!

Well, Courtney read it and said it sounded just like me, I wonder why–maybe because I am writing it? I sometimes wonder how young people think. I am glad to see how many of you have already posted. I hope that I have some things to say that interest you from time to time, although if you ever talk to me, you probably hear it anyway.

I recieved my official Masters of Science degree in the mail today–just an 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper with the school seal and signatures on it. It seems like that is quite anticlimactic after everything I have done to finish. I didn’t complete it until after summer term, so if I want to walk, which I actually don’t, I would have to do it next June–which seems like a long time to wait. I told Brianna today that I think I need to get my PhD in education–wouldn’t that be great, I would be Dr. Luth. We would be Mr. and Dr. Luth. Unfortunately, it would be tens of thousands of dollars, and my pay increase–get this–would be a one time stipend of $1000. Woohoo! That doesn’t even cover a class, believe it or not. So, maybe I will wait on that, like forever. I sure would like to be Dr. Luth, though!

Well, this is my first post. If what I say is totally boring, oh well, it lets me vent a bit. When you work all day with children and cannot always express yourself as an adult, it is nice to have adult conversations, even if it is via a website.

The thing that has been on my mind the most has been the difference between the schools I have worked at. Last year I was at a very low income school and this year I am in a more upper-middle class neighborhood. The differences are amazing to me. When I need a supply, I actually get it, I don’t have to buy it for myself–either a parent will donate it, or–and this is really weird, the school actually had what I need! I absolutely love it. I even had a grandparent of a student donate $100 to my classroom to do whatever I wish with. I asked my office manager what the heck I was supposed to do with money, since I have never had any besides my own before!

I also have parent volunteers who come into my classroom and help! I have never had help before, but I am quickly finding that I am able to find many things for them to do. Kindergarten involves a lot of prep, so I am asking them to do that, so that I can do the teaching, and they enjoy doing it, which is great.

So, if you have any thoughts on the issue of education, feel free to post a message, I love to gab about the issues!