…introducing QAR…
…and giving my adopted football players their treat bags…
I don’t know about you, but I love Fridays!!!
Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: QAR, teaching | Leave a comment »
New Books, New iPad, and Power Thinking
Posted on September 6, 2012 by auburnchick
I’m composing this post from my iPad. It’s the first time I’ve done so, hence, I beg your forgiveness for typos.
I’ve been such a busy girl of late and am finding it a little difficult to stay on top of things.
I read the blogs I, subscribed to…a couple of times a week.
Other things I enjoy doing are getting left by the wayside, unfortunately.
One of the things I’ll have to make time for is reading…especially after receiving these in the mail today…
I just finished reading the first thirty pages of Every Day, and WOW am I hooked!!!!! I have a feeling it won’t take me long to finish this book!!
I have already read Keeper. It’s an excellent book with a neat surprise at the end. I bought it with one of my students in mind.
Besides ordering books and learning how to use my iPad, I’ve also been doing some hard-core teaching. My mentor came in and modeled Power Thinking. It’s a new-fangled way of outlining that is much easier to understand and follows textbook mapping quite well.
The photo below is what my mentor showed my students. Power 1 is the dumbbell, and all of the following powers support the weight.
We practiced with non-academic content first, and my students had a blast!! Just as with textbook mapping, I was able to walk around and gauge understanding while spending extra time with the students who needed the most help.
You can see from the pictures below that the students had a lot of fun with the topics they chose. For the record, I’m tying this strategy to academics next.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of what my life has been like this week. Both of my children may be away at college, but I feel as if I’m running just as hard as I ever did!!!
Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: Power Thinking, reading, teaching | 2 Comments »
Happiness is the Weekly Hodgepodge!
Posted on September 5, 2012 by auburnchick
I don’t know about you, but I do think that Joyce hit the nail on the head when she asked for confirmation that it is, in fact, Wednesday. I totally got my days mixed up and had, on my Smartboard, that we were having a test on Tuesday. The kids laughed and tried to get out of their test which is, in fact, scheduled for today. My poor brain couldn’t comprehend the short week, although my body will be enjoying it!! Join up with Joyce to play along!
1. In your opinion what’s the most important job in the world? Oh, and parenting is a given so besides parenting, what’s the most important job in the world?
Well, why don’t we just start with an easy question.
😀
Hmmm…most important job…that pays or not? Rather than go with an obvious choice (teacher), I think I’ll say that being a Christian and sharing the Gospel is the most important job in the world. Why? Because if we don’t share, others won’t hear and might not learn of the saving work that Jesus did on the cross. To spend eternity in hell because someone didn’t share the Gospel? Well, that is just really sad and truly breaks my heart.
2. Share a favorite or not so favorite memory from a childhood birthday.
Bet you think I’m going to share a sad story, eh? Nope. This was easy for me.
My 16th birthday…my mom surprised me with a surprise sweet 16 birthday party. I had gone to a friend’s house after school (a rare event, mind you, so I should have known something was up), where she and her sister cut my hair (we won’t go there…that was a sad affair), and when I returned home, the house was filled with friends. She even gave me a really pretty ring with sixteen small diamonds.
3. Peanut butter-crunchy or smooth?
Crunchy…and of the organic kind with nothing but salt and peanuts (no added sugar, thank you very much).
4. William Butler Yeats is credited as saying, “Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that but simply growth, We are happy when we are growing.” Your thoughts?
Hmmm…I don’t know if growth necessarily equates to happiness. Growth can be a very painful and tiring process. HOWEVER, there is joy and satisfaction when you look back and see that you’ve grown, so ultimately, one could argue that the statement is true.
5. What’s something that makes you cringe?
I can think of two things off the top of my head that make me cringe. 1) Listening as a mother chews out her child in front of teachers during a parent/teacher conference. This happened recently, and I was mortified for the child. I wanted to crawl under the table and disappear. 2) Foul language. Now, I’m not going to say that I haven’t said my share over the years, but not usually in front of groups of people (only in front of a good friend or the hubster, who’s been in the path of my fury a time or two — not the friend but the hubby, I mean), but I’ve mellowed out in that regard…hardly ever say anything bad anymore, and detest when I hear people spout potty words left and right.
6. Name a song that always puts you in a good mood?
I love ZOEgirl’s song, You Get Me. It is soooo MY song. I don’t think people really “get” me sometimes. I can come across as stuck up, because I’m shy, and a bit “odd” because of my convictions about healthy eating and such. Thankfully God “gets” me.
When I hear this song, I kind of shout it out…maybe in a bit of a rebellious way…but it feels soooo good!!
You should see me rocking out to it in my classroom at the end of the day after students have left. 😀
7. The answer is yes. What’s the question?
Would you, AuburnChick, accept this check for $1 million dollars, retire, and live out the rest of your days knitting pretty socks, shawls, and whatever else strikes your fancy?
😀
8. My Random Thought
I’m going to share the link to another YouTube video, but before I do, let me explain why.
Last week…on Friday, I think…I was teaching my second class of the day and asked one of my female students to take a bag to another student in another classroom during the break between our sessions.
She looked down at the bag, which contained Gatorade and snacks, and asked, “Mrs. AuburnChick, is that for a football player?”
I told her that yes, it was, and that I had adopted two players this year. My school has a program where staff members adopt football players during the season and provide bags of treats on game days. It’s a great way to show these guys that we care.
Then, my student told me the most amazing thing.
She said, “Mrs. AuburnChick, you remind us (her table) of Mrs. Tuohy from the movie The Blind Side.”
When I asked why, she listed three reasons: “You hate Alabama, you adopted a football player, and you love kids.”
Did you tear up?
I know I did. It was one of the kindest things a student has ever said to me.
If ever I was looking for confirmation that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, this would have to be it.
We are only two weeks into school, and these kids know that I’m there for them…that they are cared for…both as students and people.
Teaching is so much more than imparting academic knowledge. It’s forming relationships with those who cross your path.
As Steven Curtis Chapman says, “You were meant to be touching the lives that you touch…You were meant to be bringing the gifts that you bring, singing the songs you’ve been given to sing…You are perfectly, wonderfully, beautifully meant to be…You were meant to be.”
This is how I feel about me and teaching. God has given me gifts, and my songs are those of academia, positivity, and acceptance. I am one blessed woman to have this assurance.
Enjoy the song and video!
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Wednesday Hodgepodge | 7 Comments »
Digging In
Posted on September 4, 2012 by auburnchick
Look who got a little something something…
I bought it on Monday. Knowing myself all too well, I decided that I better work on lesson plans before opening up the box.
Well, lesson planning took ALL night because I’d spent the better part of the weekend visiting with Rooster.
By the time I stopped working, it was 11:30pm and past my bedtime.
I stayed late after school (as usual) and finished this week’s lesson plans.
When I got home, I vacuumed and fed the dogs.
It was time to reward myself…
I’m digging in.
Don’t be surprised if I don’t surface for awhile.
😁
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: iPad | 1 Comment »
Quiet Moments
Posted on September 3, 2012 by auburnchick
It’s quiet in the house right now, but it will only be a few short hours before the house is abuzz with the flurry of activity that accompanies the last-minute packing of a child about to return to college.
This thought makes me sad…tear up in fact…for I’ve had one of the best weekends in a long time, and I don’t want to see it end.
To find Rooster’s car in the garage on Friday afternoon was a moment that brought such joy to my heart.
Eating dinner with him that evening and listening as he described the activities he’d been participating in at school made me smile.
Waiting up for him to return…or rather trying to wait up for him (I hit the bed around midnight with an ear tuned to the garage door opener) reminded me of the summer, when he stayed out late at friends’ houses or was out longboarding with those same friends. Hearing him tell me goodnight as he headed to bed was the lullaby I needed to lull me into a contented sleep.
Even though we did our own thing Saturday morning and afternoon…he visited with friends and I got a pedicure and ran errands…he returned home early that evening to watch the Auburn game with us. Seven of his friends joined us, and the house was filled with loud laughter, soft giggles, and many overlapping conversations.
Boy, how I’d missed this!
Sleep came easily once again as I knew that my baby was tucked into bed under my roof for another night.
Sunday was a time of worship, and I saw Rooster’s smile and happiness…stemming from him being around friends he genuinely cares about…doing things he loves to do…helping run the sound board and words (for the screen) during the service.
He was in his element once again.
Getting a hug before the service and after it was just what I needed to start my day off right and just what I’d been missing the previous two Sundays that he had not been home.
As we went to lunch after church…a visit to my newly-favorite restaurant Red Brick Pizza way out on the beach…and watching while Rooster interacted with the group of friends that came with us…my heart overflowed once again.
This is my comfort zone…having my child nearby with other wonderful young people close at hand as well.
We returned home and spent a few low-key hours there.
Rooster was in his room when I popped my head in and decided to stay and chat…
He was most accommodating, and thus began an hour and a half of soft spoken conversations that ventured into the realms of politics, music, and fraternity rush week.
My boy has a lot of opinions and can back them up with solid arguments. He’s quite the interesting young man to talk to…solid in his convictions without being judgmental.
Sitting there in that room with my boy, I realized that though he’s in college and will be gone more than he is at home, I don’t have to worry about us losing our close bond.
I’ve spent the last eighteen years nurturing him, encouraging him to think on his own, while loving him the best I can despite tons of mistakes on my part.
That comfort level that we have…even when words aren’t spoken and we’re just in the room together…well, it can and still WILL be there no matter how much time elapses between face-to-face together time.
It’s going to be difficult to watch him drive away later, and I’m already crying as I think about it, wiping my tears as I type this.
This house is so much more alive when my children are in it, and having Rooster home for a few days was a tangible reminder of that.
But, I am storing up the memories of our quiet moments together and will return to them when my heart is missing him.
Though I’m shedding a few tears now and will when he leaves, I have joy in my heart for the man I see Rooster becoming and the way that God is using Rooster’s time in Auburn to groom him into the man that God knows he will become.
Filed under: children | Tagged: childrearing, children | 2 Comments »
Reflections from the Second Week of School
Posted on September 2, 2012 by auburnchick
The second week of the 2012/2013 school year was quite interesting, let me tell you.
First of all, the kids arrived on Monday already exhausted.
The happy feelings and excitement about a new year had worn off.
As we began our unit on Author’s Craft/Textbook Mapping/Text Features, Hurricane Isaac brewed in the Gulf of Mexico.
During second period, we received word that there would be no school the next day.
Well, let me tell you that the kids pretty much checked out mentally after that announcement.
Still, I had lesson plans to execute, so I kept my students occupied.
Tuesday was such a blessing in disguise. I took advantage of the day and created lesson plans for the rest of the week.
I cannot tell you what a relief it was to have that done and not have to completely stress out the next two evenings.
Lesson planning is very difficult for me. It’s both tedious and time-consuming.
This is probably because I am such a perfectionist and especially hard on myself.
On Wednesday, I did whole-group instruction/modeling on how to map a chapter of text. I used a ninth grade physical science text book and helped students break it down into sections, headings, and subheadings.
Struggling readers just cannot take too much text at one time!!!
This was a fun activity for me because I had the kids interacting with the text…constantly walking past it (I’d taped the chapter’s pages to my wall, looking at the text, and touching the text (counting the pages as we broke the text down).
They were not amused at having to walk so much.
😀
On Thursday, I had a student removed from my class because of misbehavior and followed it up with an official discipline referral.
This was not fun and a huge disappointment.
I am determined to run a tight ship from the beginning so I don’t have a mutiny in the end.
It was amazing to watch my chatty class fall into line after the student was removed. They completed their group project without giving me any problems.
😀
On Friday, we worked on the THIEVES strategy that I posted pictures of in a previous post.
My students created posters with the acronym and cut an example of each item from the magazines I provided.
I really loved this activity as well as the one from the day before (students had to map a different chapter I’d provided, using the previous day’s modeling as their example).
These activities kept my students engaged for thirty minutes!! I was able to walk around the classroom, help students stay focused on the assignments, and provide additional assistance and clarification.
I got more small-group instructional time with my students, and students who needed the most help got it!!
One small issue arose on Friday as I saw a new student walk into one of my classes. He’s in my homeroom, so I knew who he was. The guidance counselor mentioned that he might be switching to my class.
This child has quite the personality, let me tell you. He’s been placed in my most “vocal” class.
The child made his appearance known.
Thus, I’ll be doing some thinking over the weekend…planning for how to handle his random comments and questions. The class already has an issue focusing…hence their chattiness.
He’s a nice young man, though, with a charming personality and a quick smile.
I’ve got my work cut out for me.
Sigh.
LOL
My week certainly had some highlights.
On Thursday, one group of students had finished their project early. I’d been incorporating team cheers to build classroom morale, so I started to ask this group to give each other a fist explosion (a Kagan cheer).
I changed my mind halfway into the sentence and decided to allow the group to pick their own cheer.
But I went a step further.
I gave them my Kagan book, turned to the Team Cheers page, and allowed them to read over the cheers and select their own.
Then, I walked around class, helping other groups that weren’t finished.
I turned back to this group, though, when I heard them clapping, laughing, and making a “Wooo” sound.
They were doing a firecracker cheer and having a great time!
I filmed them and then asked them to demonstrate for the entire class.
During the next class period, I repeated myself, gave the first group that finished the book, and allowed them to write in the book, making notes of the cheers they had not enjoyed thus far.
That group had two boys, and I watched, surprised, as they practiced the cheers with the girls.
Quite funny!!
The other highlight that stands out in my mind was the student who allowed me to take her picture in the cap and gown in my room.
The first day of school, she’d refused, and though I’d been able to talk others into the picture, I could not convince this young lady. I let it go.
On Friday, I was catching up on the people I’d missed the first day (due to absences or schedule changes), and when I asked if she’d let me take her picture, she agreed!!!!
This was evidence of trust growing between us.
Trust is incredibly important when you teach. It’s difficult to reach kids if they don’t trust you.
So, what did I learn about teaching and myself this week?
Well, I learned that if I work hard on the back end…planning engaging lessons…the teaching in the classroom part is FUN!!!!
And it doesn’t feel like work!!!!!
The tiring part is handling behavior, and I have a class that is toeing the line.
I see that so clearly, so I’m going to have to do a gut check, suck in my breath, and put my foot down.
I will not let the chattiness get out of hand.
I will start conferencing with students and calling parents.
Still, though, the week was FANTASTIC!!!!
I am in my comfort zone, and the students are teaching me so much!
Teenagers are so vocal and so honest, and I do take a lot of their comments to heart.
I think we’re off to a great start, and I’m praying that this continues.
Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: teaching | 1 Comment »
Game Day!
Posted on September 1, 2012 by auburnchick
Today is Auburn’s first game of the 2012 season, and we are raring to go here at Chez AuburnChick.
I made a visit to a new-to-me nail salon yesterday and had my nails done. I knew I wanted Auburn colors but couldn’t find quite what I wanted as far as polish went.
The nail tech pulled the following bottles out of her drawer…
She has a customer who keeps the polish at the salon but allows the tech to use them on customers who want the colors (quite generous, eh?).
It looks like you can buy the polish through various sellers. Here’s one place I found.
The tech did such a wonderful job on my nails that I returned today to have my toes painted while Rooster went to a friend’s daughter’s first birthday party.
Rooster and the Mr. picked up a party platter from Chick-fil-A. They do like their chicken!
The party is on at Chez AuburnChick.
Bring on the college football!
We are ready!
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: auburn university, college football | Leave a comment »
AuburnChick's Adventures 