Frogland

For grades 1 - 4 art class we made 'Frogland'. Some cute little frogs were made today. Oh yeah, even the kindergartener who joins them in the afternoons did really well. Thier teacher wants to make them all F.R.O.G.S. this year. Friendly, Responsible, Organized, Growing Students. They've got frogs all over thier classroom, it's very cute. Even the stair case going up to the class room has these little frog feet flip-flops. Thier teacher will be quite pleased with thier cute little frogland pictures.

Drama, Drama, Drama . . .

When you start teaching drama to grade 5 - 9, it is quite the experiance. Some are such naturals and others give you a look that seems to say, "huh?" and absolutely no other thoughts. I've a few very talented young actors in this class, and they are going to do marvelously. I've one in the class, because he doesn't want to be in band or choir, so drama is his selected extra-curricular class. He's not much of a participator, unless you tell him he must, and even then, he barely does. Yet at the same time, he's so funny and polite, that you can't scold him. HMPH! Then there is the hyperactive one, who can hardly catch on what he is to do, because his mind is everywhere. You have to get in his face to get his attention to do it. He's really a nice kid too. Just well, has difficulty with personal space and social intellect. The rest are girls. OIY! What am I to do for plays that I was planning for this year. I've 10 in the class, and only 2 are boys. Hmm, well I can still do some of the ones, others, well, in Shakespear's era men portrayed women, and my girls can certainly act the boy parts.

What a funny day that is going to be, when I give a girly girl the part of a guy! Pre-teens and teens are sooo amusing when it comes to appearances. This is going to be a blast!

I've already talked with the pastor at one of the two churches, and he seems excited about the kids performing for church to help enhance the worship service. And Vespers! And Christmas, yikes, christmas. I've got to incorporate choir and band and the lower grades and kindergarten for christmas . . . ok, calm down, I've got a month to plan that one out!

YIKES!!! BAND! I can't believe I agreed to direct band. I was in band from 5th grade to my senior year. I'm nooooo expert on any one instrument. LOL, looks like though, band is of all flutes and clarinets, and one trumpet player! I think I'll call it Ensemble, and not band. LOL, what are we going to play with such a combination? Music searching is going to have to be even more specific now. Maybe I can convince some kids to join band that were in band last year (guess it was a scary and bad experiance) to play other instruments. :)

Prejudice Pride on a Monday, Monday

English for my 9th graders we are reading Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. It is entertaining to see them go from not really understanding the language used, to "I can't wait till English" "I'm sooo excited, I read up to Chapter 21! I'm sooooo glad she turned down Mr. Collins" I can't wait to see thier reactions to Mr. Collins and Charlotte, as well as what happens next. They are taking ownership in thier reading, and we will be able to have some awesome discussions about the book relating to today and history!!!

I find myself now relating to each of the characters in a little differant way then I had years ago when I first read the book. Experiances in life, and my current age and single life really puts a new look at my views of life and . . . teaching upper grades. Junior High - High School, is an intellectually stimulating experiance. Not that the lower grades aren't, but with older kids, they start to get more interested in indepth discussions about God, relationships (not just boy and girl ones, but relationships with families and friends as well). The students here are also a little more informed as well. They think for themselves!!! and for the most part try to express it as well.

As I'm writing this, my girls (for that is all I have in my 9th grade class, girls) are journaling. As am I ;) and they are getting so excited about learning to use the computer more. These girls just seem excited to learn. Of course they do get a little 'bored' with topics, but they have such great attitudes and are easy going. What a relief, with all girls. :)

It is about time for the fifth through eighth graders to come for social studies, so I must bring all our journaling to a close. Ah, it is Monday, but it is a good one. :) I can enjoy Mondays like this.

rest oh weary

It's lovely to sleep in a real bed! Air mattresses are ok on occation, but two weeks of pumping the bed up almost nightly, and then, getting out of "bed" in the mornings! Tonight is going to be wonderful. We're crowded in the house, two households in one tiny house . . .We've rented a storage unit until either the house in Wisconsin sells or we find a larger house to rent until the house sells. Or you never know what might happen in my life. HaHa!!

Exaughsting doesn't quite fully discribe how this day has been. First with rising early, after a late night, and all that benadryl from yesterday. Second, trying to find items that my dad packed, and make certain that some things came to the house for either my room or my classroom, and that he didn't use my clothes for packing around things. Clothing I must say is great for packing around breakables, but not when the breakables are going in storage and the clothes are not. OH well, how was he to know I guess. My dad was trying to protect my dishes. :)

Now the screen is weaving and my eyelids are drooping. I should go to my lovely bed. I'm sooo happy it is Sabbath!

Hahaha!
I was really a little drugged up when I typed that earlier . . . so many errors. LOL! my students would get a kick out of this, especially since we were all "journaling" at the time. and I was doing my level best to stay awake.

Praise God I'm doing better!

I'm a Cooked Lobster!

I woke up this morning, normal, nothing out of ordinary. Took a shower, prepared for school, made breakfast, put together a lunch, and headed out the door to work. As soon as I walked in the door I knew something was wrong.

My eyes were warm, and getting warmer. My mother, the principal at the school looked at me when I mentioned this to her. "Your face is red." As she said that, I my whole face began to slowly burn. I wasen't sure what was going on, but figured, oh it will go away in a minute or too, no worries.

Was I ever misguided. As we started staff worship, my face felt hotter and hotter, and my skin started to feel tight. Maybe it was the lotion I put on this morning had gone bad or something, it was old, I thought. So I got up, went to the restrooms and began washing my face. My skin got tighter and tighter, and it felt a little lumpy. Looking in the mirror, my face was swollen and looked, well, horrid! Then I felt my knees begin to feel warm. Looking down at them I saw red spreading and my knees and face felt slightly bumpy. "I'm having an allergic reaction!"

Walking rather quickly, with a wet paper towel dabbing my face, I went back to the staff worship and showed my mom and the other teacher my problem. Thankfully we had 15 minutes before school started, and my mom was able to run back to the house and bring me some benadryl. I took two, and hour later, the heat started to cool, the bumbs were gone, and the redness was mostly gone. Two hours later, all clear! Woohoo!

What happened? I don't know. But I'm not going to take that vitamen mom gave me this morning. :)

Just one of the lovely scenery I saw as I drove from the Airport to where I now live in NM.

All the colors! Some places there was purples, and yellows as well as the greens and reds . . . some awesome landscapes

A New Place to Call Home

So I've moved . . . errr, yeah I know, long time since the last post. I KNOW!!! but hey what can I say, I had no internet access since the last post, up until just a couple of days ago. Which also brings me to the point, NEW JOB!!! NEW PLACE!!!

New Mexico is amazing . . . it's soooo differant then anywhere I've ever lived. A unique beauty, not quite stark, but more of an unfinished beauty. So far the people here have been very accepting and open. I'm looking forward to this school year.

Teaching music, art, pe, social studies, and 9 and 10 homeroom . . . phew! I'm gonna be busy! But hey, it's some of my favorite subjects. OOOOHHH, and I get to teach Drama as a class too! OH dear, I've got to get a move on the lesson plans, school starts MONDAY!!!

It was sooo good to see my lovely Boyd friends as I traveled through Tenn . . . wish I could have gone back through there on my way out here. Ah well . . . AHHHH!!!! Lesson Plans!!!