A couple of nights ago, I was a terribly bad girl and stayed up until nearly 1am.
Why?
Because I was nearing the end of the final book in The Giver series. Son, by Lois Lowry, ends what began as a haunting story that led readers craving for closure to a somewhat odd, yet deeply touching series.
I’d read The Giver last summer and had been thrilled when I discovered that there were three more books.
I am a gal who likes for her stories to end neatly, and Lowry definitely did that in the final book.
Oh word, but Son touched me in so many ways.
As a mother, I hurt for Claire.
As a child who grew up often feeling devoid of parental love, I hurt for Gabe.
This installment brought together characters from the previous three books, and it was fun to watch the pieces come together.
My mind was taken back to various parts of the previous books, and I marveled at Lowry’s creativity.
This series is perfect for students…especially those who are struggling readers and need to learn how to make connections.
If you are looking for something good to read, hightail it over to your favorite bookstore and BUY THIS SERIES!
You won’t regret it, although you better plan on a few late nights to get them read!
One of my students asked me to teach her to knit earlier in the year, and word spread.
I’ve got an informal knitting group that meets in my classroom during lunch.
There are the regulars, and there are students who pop in every now and then.
My door is always open (unless I’m taking a potty break, in which another student is left in charge).
The girls come in, sit down, eat (shhh…they’re not supposed to, but it happens unawares sometimes).
Sometimes they knit.
Often they chit chat.
It is through my little lunch meetings that I discovered that one of my girls wasn’t eating.
This issue has been corrected.
It is through this group that I learned that one of girls’ mamas is a truck driver who is rarely home (she lives with her grandmother and auntie). This knowledge helped me understand why she broke down in tears in the middle of class one day. She’d observed me asking motherly questions to another student, and it made her ache for her own mom.
One of my girls brought in a young man who passed the ACT this year (I’d taught him last year) and, thus, fulfilled an important graduation requirement.
We did the happy dance together.
It’s a special group that is gaining notoriety, and not just at school.
One of my new KH friends, Roux (aka “knitAbikini”) sent me knitting needles for my group. She also included questionnaires for my girls. We’d “talked” through KH messaging about her blogging about us. We didn’t share students’ names, and she promised to keep my location TOP SECRET.
My girls responded, and I mailed the questionnaires back.
Well, Roux sent me a message yesterday to let me know that she had written the first of several posts about my group.
She then shared one of my girl’s responses to the questions.
Oh.
Wow.
This is something I will treasure as long as I live.
It’s one thing to experience my group first-hand.
They are lovely girls.
It’s another to read about us on the internet.
Roux, thank you so much for what you’re doing for us.
Not only are you bringing smiles to the faces of my girls, but you are providing that extra burst of energy that I desperately need right now as I hit the most arduous part of the school year in anticipation of high stakes testing.
Whew! I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already! These weeks are just flying by! Our State reading assessment (FCAT), to be administered in April, is coming quicker than I can teach everything I need to teach, so the race is ON! Fortunately, Joyce’s questions provide me with an excellent excuse to take a deep breath and step away from the lesson planning…if only for a few minutes.
1. This week marks the beginning of Lent…will you be giving something up or adding anything to your life during this season of the year?
I am not giving up anything for Lent this year. Two years ago, I gave up TV. That was huge! I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve been a bit bad about attending church lately. I’m exhausted by the weekend and use the non-alarm-clock days to catch up on rest. I must rectify this.
2. The day before Lent is Shrove Tuesday… tradition states you eat pancakes on this day. In some parts of the world Shrove Tuesday is actually known as ‘pancake day’. How do you like your pancakes? Or don’t you?
How funny that this question pops up today! Just yesterday, my students were querying me about my vegan diet, and one of the boys asked if I eat pancakes. I replied that I do not. In the past, when I did, I preferred them with syrup and that was it.
3. I’m sure there are many, but what’s one love song you really love?
I’m going with something a little different by posting the following song, which I started singing in church in my early 20’s and taught my Chicky to sing when she was a wee thing. To this day, when I hear this song, I am taken back to the evenings when I rocked her to sleep at night. As we rocked, in her room lit only by a night light, I sang, at first, until she was able to talk. It wasn’t long before she had memorized the words as well. Her sweet, childlike angel voice singing these words will always live in my memory as one of the most special sounds I’ve ever had the honor of listening to.
4. What are some things you do to let others know you love them?
I send texts to my kiddos whenever I see something that makes me think of them. I also post things on their Facebook walls…reminders that I’m thinking of them and love them. For holidays they spend away at school, I like to prepare surprises, which I mail to them. They are never far from my thoughts.
5. Roses…red, pink, or do you prefer another color? Can you recall the last time someone gave you flowers? Given your choice would you like to open the door and see a dozen red roses, a dozen purple tulips, or a dozen pink peonies?
Roses are pretty, I’ll give you that, but quite honestly, I like wildflowers. My favorite flower, though, is the sunflower. Though its aroma is nothing like a rose, its bright, sunny beauty is.
6. President’s Day will be celebrated in America next Monday. Does US Presidential history and trivia interest you? Many Presidential homes are open to the public and offer guided tours…Monticello (Jefferson’s home), Mount Vernon (Washington’s home), Montpelier (James Madison’s home), Hyde Park (FD Roosevelt’s home) and The White House (home to the sitting President) to name just a few. Of those listed which would you be most interested in touring? Why?
I love history, including presidential history. I really enjoy reading biographies and have two at school right now although I can’t say that my students are fighting over the privilege of reading them. LOL
I’ve visited Monticello and Mount Vernon. I did not get to visit the White House during that same trip and wouldn’t mind, maybe, if someone else was president. It would be just my luck to run into him during my tour and be forced to pull out my compare/contrast, problem/solution, and cause/effect graphic organizers to point out some issues I have. (Can you tell I teach reading strategies?) No offense to those who like the guy who’s there now.
What I’m trying to say, in my roundabout way is that I would probably enjoy visiting James Madison’s home more than the White House.
7. Are you good at keeping secrets?
If asked not to repeat something, I don’t.
8. My Random Thought
Last Friday, I got very frustrated. Nearly half of the students in my last class were not wearing clothing that followed the dress code. Sending one person to detention resulted in others complaining about people I’d missed, so I wound up sending two while two other students changed into the shirts that were in their BACKPACKS!
Oy!
It was a huge disruption in my class and resulted in a lot of anger and resentment. Honestly, I lay the blame fully on those kids. We’ve been in school since August. They know the rules. The fact that they bring the correct clothing is evidence of that. I suspect that they leave home with the right clothes and change into something else when they get to school.
To minimize large meltdowns in the future, I created the following form, which my para copied on yellow paper (four of these fit per page). I deleted my school’s name. It would be super easy to insert your own. Click the picture to view a larger version of it.
I like the form because it requires students to take ownership of the infraction. It will also serve as documentation of repeat offenders. I’m hoping it persuades kids to follow the rules, even if they don’t like them.
I just finished another book, #8 for 2013, and all I can say is WOW!
Speak, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a poignant look at a teenager’s life as she deals with her first year in high school and a secret that makes that year a living nightmare.
Her story is told first-person. It is smartly written. In fact, I could easily imagine my own students’ thoughts coming to life on paper.
I’m sure many of you have already read this or seen the movie. Most of the students who saw me reading the book shared their love for both as well.
I, however, have only been teaching Intensive Reading for two years now, so Young Adult Fiction is a genre that is still a bit new for me.
I’m currently enrolled in my first ESOL certification class.
After finishing up my fourth Reading Endorsement class (a humdinger of a course) a couple of weeks ago, I was hoping that the ESOL class would be a walk in the park.
I began the class last Monday (the 4th).
The Endorsement Gods laughed at me.
The class has been a little tougher than I’d anticipated.
Fortunately, I have an instructor who provides immediate feedback. Despite getting the second assignment kicked back for a couple of corrections, things have progressed nicely, and I’m waiting to hear back about the most recent assignment I’ve submitted.
The classes are online and self-paced, with each class being comprised of ten sessions. Those enrolled are “encouraged” to complete one session per week.
I’ve submitted six thus far…in five days.
It’s not because I am an overachiever.
Well, okay. Maybe it is, a little.
What I am more concerned with, other than learning as much as I can…
😉
…is finishing as quickly as I can.
I am hoping to get paired up with an instructor for my final Reading Endorsement class…the practicum…so that I can have that certification added to my teaching certificate and my name removed from the list of “Out of Field” teachers…a list that will be sent to the State.
Although my current class has been a little more challenging than I’d expected, I am praising God for the way He ordains everything, including the order of the classes I’ve taken.
I truly believe that my Reading 4 class prepared me for this ESOL class. I’ve already had to write two lesson plans for it…something I loathe doing. Because I learned how to meticulously scaffold instruction in the previous class, I have been able to complete the required lesson plans with a lot less angst than if I had not gone through that other class.
God truly is good, even in the smallest details of my life.
Last week, we began a new unit – Text Structures. I had my students take notes all week, so planning was a little easier. This week, we’re going to hit it hard, so the lesson planning is a bit more intense. I’ve got to engage my students fully to help them understand the patterns in which authors organize their writing. As a person who loves organization, this is right up my alley. Trying to help students “get it” is another matter altogether!
So, while you’re napping the day away, think of me…and all other teachers out there striving to perfect lessons for the children’s brains we’ve been charged with impacting.
These are two of my babies- Pele (tan guy) and Gambit (always the snuggler).
They can look very sweet…
They kind of look a little lazy too.
They are two of the biggest ACTORS ever.
In fact, if there was an Emmy Award for best doggie actor, they would have to share…
Because this is what I came home to a couple of days ago…
Please note that the trail began at that bed they were so innocently sleeping on.
I turned around and saw this…
I was on the phone with Christina when I saw the mess, and I gasped in shock. In fact, I’m fairly certain that she thought I’d found a dead body in my house.
I could hardly speak, except to say, “Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.”
At first, I didn’t know what they’d torn up.
Then, I looked over to one of my end tables and did not see the Auburn Alumni book that the Mr. had recently purchased, which he’d set on top of that table.
That book was thick.
I had no idea how much it had cost.
All I knew was that it wasn’t there any more.
I bent down and started going through the pieces of paper on the floor and found an advertisement for a store in Auburn.
This definitely wasn’t good.
I kept repeating, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh” while Christina listened.
She’s well versed on animal mishaps. She has a bunch of chickens, a bunch of dogs, and a few cats. Oh yeah. She also has a couple of hamsters or gerbils or something.
I started pacing around the living room.
And then I saw it.
THE BOOK.
Thank heavens!
When the Mr. got home that night, he told me that he’d come out of his bedroom that morning before work and had seen Pele sniffing the book.
He remembered that I’d warned him the night before about putting that book on the table.
He’d made the smart decision and moved the book to the dining room table…where the dogs could not get to it.
Phew! Disaster averted.
Except for my poor magazines.
I know why the dogs are getting into things.
They are ticked off.
They are mad that the kids aren’t home, and they are mad that I spend so much time working.
On Wednesday, high school athletes around the country put pen to paper and signed Letters of Intent.
If you’re not familiar with this event, it is when the kids who have worked their hineys off for years and years sign the dotted line and commit to play their respective sports at two and four-year colleges.
My school was incredibly blessed.
Fourteen of our guys signed letters.
Three more will be attending prep schools for the first semester and transferring to other colleges to begin their playing careers.
Seventeen young men.
Most of them from impoverished homes.
They are going to college.
With much of their schooling paid for.
Some of our boys are going as far as California. Others are staying closer to home.
It was an event that was televised through our school’s TV system. Nearly every class tuned in.
It sent a strong message to the underclassmen.
Work hard.
Study up.
Stay out of trouble.
For me, there was an especially touching moment that day.
A young man I blogged about a few months ago, “T,”…the one who enveloped me in a strong bear hug as I exited a guidance counselor’s office in tears over another student’s situation, signed a football letter.
He will be attending college on a full ride.
This is something that would make anyone’s jaw drop; however, it’s even more incredible when you know the rest of the story.
He will be the first person in his family to graduate from high school.
Yes. You read that right.
High school.
He was the last person called up to sign his letter during the long ceremony.
I think the applause given to him was the loudest.
His story is inspiring.
As soon as the ceremony was over, I was the first to hug him.
He has grown to mean so much to me…always quick with a greeting every time he sees me.
Now, don’t you dare start commenting with words such as, “You touched his life.”
That, in my opinion, isn’t quite true.
HE is the one who has touched MY life…changed it…with his gentleness…his thoughtfulness…his humbleness.
The average person can turn on the television or open a newspaper and read similar stories…students rising above their circumstances to do great things.
I used to be one of those people.
The stories were so remote. They didn’t directly affect me.
And then I started working at my school.
And now I’m in the midst of these stories…watching them unfold before my very eyes.
Tears threatened to spill over as I returned to my classroom after the signing ceremony.
I am constantly reminded what an honor it is to do what I do every day.
Teaching is an AMAZING profession.
It’s not about getting a paycheck.
It’s not about having summers off and “supposedly” going home at 3.
For me, it’s not about what I do for my students.
It’s about what they do for ME.
I am different.
Because they are a part of my life.
I am different because I get to watch as young men like “T” become the first in their families to graduate.
Last Friday, I administered a very difficult test that required students to apply inferencing skills we’d been working on for the past three or four weeks.
Inferencing is a skill that does not come easily to struggling readers because it requires them to read between the lines to discover messages that writers do not explicitly express.
Students have to use clues from the text plus what they already have in their schema (that’s background knowledge for you non-education-industry folks) to reach conclusions.
As a person who often doesn’t “get” jokes, I can certainly empathize with my students’ struggles.
Many of my students did not do well on my exam, and I worried whether I had tested them fairly.
Barb looked over my test and declared it bona-fide FCAT prep material (i.e., an excellent test).
I was hesitant to return the tests to my students, but they weren’t all that surprised about the results.
They knew it had been challenging.
There were surprises, though.
One of my students, who is classified as ELL (English Language Learner – hails from a home where another language besides English is primarily spoken), had made one of the best grades in his class. ELL students usually have a more difficult time with reading comprehension, so success comes in much smaller steps sometimes.
You should have seen the look on his face when he saw his grade.
I do not think I could have wiped that smile off if I’d tried.
Then, he said some of the most powerful words I’ve heard from a student, “Mrs. AuburnChick, I think I’m going to pass FCAT this year. I have the confidence to do it now.”
Did you get tears in your eyes when you read that?
I felt tears form behind my eyes when he spoke those words to me.
This young man has a lot of struggles besides academics.
He’s been in my homeroom for two years, and I cannot say that I was exactly thrilled when he walked through my door this year as a member of one of my ninety-minute classes.
His reputation preceded him, I’m afraid, and his antics in class have been, shall we say, “interesting.”
BUT, and this is a huge word, something is clicking for him.
He has asked to be moved to a seat away from everyone else so he won’t be tempted by the distractions that others cause in that room.
His test score sparked something in him.
It sparked confidence.
This is something that most struggling readers do not possess.
They are used to failing.
The state board of education has repeatedly told them that they miss the mark, so they often give up.
They’ve been carrying around labels such as ESE, ADD, and other three letter acronyms for years, and they feel stigmatized.
My student even said as much to me on Tuesday. He said that he feels dumb because he is classified as ELL. These kids are smart, and they know what IEPs and 504 plans are. They sit in on their own meetings.
My heart went out to him, as it does to every single one of my students. They are all precious to me, and trying to meet their individual needs causes me much angst.
Rebuilding confidence is part of every teacher’s job.
We can only pray that they do experience success so that they can say, with a sure voice, “I think I’m going to pass ___________ this year.”
It’s Wednesday, which means that it’s time for Joyce’s Hodgepodge questions! It’s your opportunity to learn more random facts about Yours Truly. Randomness is something I’m full of…that along with some other not-so-pleasant stuff. 😀
As always, thanks for visiting!
1. Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 10th, and 2013 is the year of the snake. When did you last see a snake? Are you okay around snakes or do they give you the shivers?
I saw a black snake last week in my backyard when I noticed Gambit trying to play with something near the fence. When I saw the snake start slithering toward me, I hightailed it back into the house.
I’m petrified of snakes, even though I held a boa constrictor around my neck when I was in elementary school during one of those programs that kids get to attend.
The most scared I’ve ever been of a snake was after one of the many hurricanes that plagued my part of Florida a few years ago. When I removed the plywood from my screened in porch, I found a red snake, the color of my brick, curled up against the house.
I screamed like a lady. 😀
2. The color red in Chinese culture usually means good luck. Do you believe in luck?
I do not believe in luck. I know that God allows everything, good and bad, into our lives for purposes that we do not always understand.
3. sledding-ice skating-building a snowman…if given a choice, which activity would you choose? Which of the three have you done most recently?
I would love to go ice skating!!! Even though I am not very coordinated, I have always enjoyed (and been decent at) roller skating/rollerblading. I’m fairly certain I could handle a pair of ice skates. I cannot remember the last time I participated in any of the above activities. I’d probably have to go back to my childhood. Living in Florida for the last 20+ years doesn’t lend itself to many opportunities to be around snow.
4. Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited as saying, “The years teach much which the days never knew.” Where have you seen this quote played out in your own life?
It’s all about perspective, isn’t it? That is why teenagers think they know everything and that adults are stupid. They don’t have the perspective of years of experience.
For myself, I think Emerson’s words have played out in my life many, many times. There have been times in my life when I did not understand the “why’s” of the days I was facing. Losing my dad unexpectedly in 2001 comes to mind as I type these words. It was only after months and then years passed that I could see the lessons that God had in store for me. The same holds true every time I begin a new adventure where I’m sure to face challenges. Daily, the stress and struggles seem to overwhelm me. When I look back after time has gone by, I see the growth in my life.
Joyce, thank you for sharing this quote. It just may be one that I post somewhere in my room to remind me to trust and to get my students thinking beyond the current day’s trials.
5. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?
I cannot even remember. Being a vegan has its challenges, some of which I’ve shared with you. One day, I went in search of vegan cupcakes. We have a local place that makes fancy cupcakes like you’d see on Cupcake Wars. When I inquired about vegan-friendly treats, the owner looked at me like I was crazy. Bummer for me but a win for my waistline.
6. What’s something you can’t say no to?
I cannot say no to puppies who need to be adopted. That is why I have four of them. That is also why I am no longer allowed to visit my local humane society. In fact, I haven’t taken a dog for walk since Gambit found me in my neighborhood while out walking Molly.
Sad puppy eyes do me in every time!
Pele
Gambit
Molly
Aubie
7. Are you a doodler?
Doodler…as in drawer? Nope. I’m not artistic…at all…unless you’re talking about DrawSomething, a game that I can doodle with the not-so-best of them.
8. My Random Thought
I, along with the rest of the population in America, am so relieved and grateful that God spared the life of the young boy who was held in an underground bunker in Midland City, Alabama.
I grew up in a very small town less than an hour away from Midland City. I currently live about an hour and a half away from it.
Any time a child is in danger, your heart is grieved.
People in small communities are especially close, and events like this just do not happen very often; thus, the community hurts…badly.
Praise be to God for allowing this situation to turn out well for the young boy and his family, and prayers to the family of the kidnapper. I cannot imagine how lost and confused they must feel right now.
AuburnChick's Adventures 