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Another Milestone

Posted on April 15, 2013 by auburnchick

Yesterday, I woke up with a small migraine.

The weather had turned a bit nasty, and the barometric change wreaked havoc with the capillaries in my brain.

BUT…

The migraine became much easier to bear when I opened up my email to find the following message awaiting me…

Greetings AuburnChick:

Congratulations on completing the following Beacon online course:

Reading 5:  Demonstration of Accomplishment (NEW)
February 18, 2013 – May 19, 2013

Ahhh…

What joy!

I had finished filming my final lesson last week and had nervously taken the video I’d burned to the post office Thursday afternoon after work.

I’d submitted the Vocabulary/Comprehension lesson…no surprise to those who know me best because I LOVE vocabulary.  I think my love for it can be infectious (or annoying, depending on your perspective).

Then, I waited.

I’d figured that I’d have to wait until sometime this week to hear back.

Apparently the mail travels quickly between Podunk, USA and BIGGER CITY, Florida.

My instructor was quick on the ball, as she had been during the course, and watched the video over the weekend.

How typical…teachers working during their “off” hours.

After reading the email, which is generated after the final class assignment is approved, I eagerly signed onto the site that houses the certification classes and pulled up the course log, where feedback for assignments gets posted.

The following are the comments my instructor provided.

April 14, 2013
Nathalie,
This was a well-taught lesson. You introduced the lesson by telling students what you and they would be doing and why it was important. Your explanation was clear and concise.

I was so glad to see you walking around the room, checking in with student groups as they were sharing and then writing. This is an important way both to provide feedback and to maintain student engagement and on-task behavior.

The picture was an excellent way to keep the students interested and to help them understand how to look for “clues” as they revised their thoughts. Having them write down their thoughts was important rather than just having a discussion.

I can tell that you thought carefully about the amount of “teacher talk” you were using and tried to give just the necessary amount of information. The only time that this seemed to need revising was when you were explaining the context clues chart. It might have helped to ask volunteers to explain parts of the chart…the use of dashes, etc…. to involve them more with this part of the lesson.

Congratulations on completing the course! I hope that the process of developing these explicit plans, engaging in the self-reflections and watching the videos will all be useful as you continue to provide targeted, explicit instruction to all of your students.

Best wishes,
Lynn

A good teacher will provide positive feedback as well as snippets on how to improve learning goals.

I love that the instructors I’ve had during this certification process have modeled what I, as a teacher, should do for my own students.

So now my Reading Endorsement process is finished.

What remains is for the “powers that be” (i.e., the District office) to submit information to my state’s Department of Education so that Reading will be added to my teaching license.

I’ve also heard tell that there is a stipend that is paid to teachers who complete the program.

I’m seeing some bling in my future as well as dog neutering (poor Gambit) and a bit of debt payoff.

Woo hoo!

Oh, and there WILL be a bit of celebratory dancing to Katy Perry’s Firework, via the Wii Just Dance game, as is my custom after completing intense certification programs.

I can’t end this post without thanking my mentors, Cinda and Barb, who epitomize what a dedicated teacher looks and sounds like.

I have to thank my friend, Lisa, who filmed two of the lessons…one of which was the one I submitted for the video requirement.  She gave up three planning periods to help me.

I have to thank my coworkers…especially those who have already completed this coursework…for encouraging me along the way.  Although the program itself is not especially difficult…until you get to writing the hefty lesson plans at the end…it can seem endless.

Without a doubt, my students receive the biggest thanks in all of this.  Without them, there would be no Reading Endorsement.  THEY are the reason why I do what I do.  Their cooperation and eagerness to learn is what drives me, especially on the tough days.  They were patient.  They willingly accepted the altered class routines on the days we filmed and went with the flow.  They also eagerly ate up the cupcakes they’d earned as a reward.

😀

Last but not least are my friends and family who watched me struggle in this journey.

They listened to endless conversations that contained the words “Reading Endorsement.”

The Mr. provided so much support on the longgggg days when I sat for hours upon hours completing lengthy assignments.

He listened as I cried my way through a couple of them.

He brought in countless meals as I couldn’t bear to tear myself away when inspiration struck.

Working my way through Reading Endorsement taught that each lesson must be very well thought out.  It must include learners of all types, abilities, and interests.  It must include feedback from everyone (i.e., teachers should NEVER close their classroom doors and hibernate).

Teaching is a creative process where “thinking outside of the box” is a MUST if a teacher wants to fully engage the students in the room.

One of my friends commented, after I posted the good news on Facebook, that she knew I could do this “with ease…with [my] determination.”

One thing I am is very determined.  I’ve always set goals for myself, such as finishing college…finding a teaching position…etc.  However, it’s one thing to set a goal; it’s quite another to reach it.

I could not have done this without the help of so many but most of all my heavenly Father, who has given me a passion for my students and a passion to excel.

Reading Endorsement is another milestone in a long list.  It is a milestone I will look back on as a time of much growth and maturity in this profession I’ve chosen to dedicate myself to.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Posted on April 14, 2013 by auburnchick

Friday night, I stayed up until 1am.

The reason?

Lesson plans.

I had succeeded in completing my plans early the previous weekend, and I had really enjoyed having the rest of the weekend off, so I forced myself to repeat the routine.

I am so glad I did, for I woke up to this…

20130414-000911.jpg

The Mr. and I headed out early to attend a pancake breakfast…a fundraiser for a local traveling basketball team.

Then we ran to Office Depot for a couple of boxes of glue sticks for a project my classes will be working on.

Before we headed home, we stopped at Kohl’s, one of my favorite stores, where I picked up this pair of shoes…

20130414-001155.jpg

The Mr. also bought me a blouse that had caught my eye.

We made it home for lunch, and then I left again…this time for an afternoon of pampering.

I had spent some time on Pinterest…planning the next method of torture for my nail tech. She’s not fond of the designs I beg her to add each time I visit her.

She left after filling in my nails, and another girl painted them.,,

20130414-001502.jpg

20130414-001519.jpg

Does they look Spring/Summery to you?

Of course, I had to get my feet done too…

20130414-001614.jpg

I was so relaxed.

I didn’t think much about work. In fact, I didn’t think much about anything but simply let my brain zone out.

I feel rejuvenated.

It was definitely a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

A New Meaning of the Phrase Cloud 9

Posted on April 13, 2013 by auburnchick

Oh, the joys of teaching.

You never know what you’re going to hear.

Such was the case this past week as my students delved into figurative language.

One thing that those who do not teach struggling readers may not understand is how superficial the knowledge is about language.

Take idioms, for instance.

Before I started teaching Intensive Reading, I took it for granted that my students knew the meaning of such phrases as “cat got your tongue” and “let the cat out of the bag.”

Not so, my friends!

We played a Kagan game called Fan and Pick where the kids take turns holding out pre-printed/cut/folded cards to people at their table.  The kids take turns reading the questions on the cards (“What is the meaning of the idiom ‘nose to the grindstone?'”).  Another person tries to answer and the fourth person gives a response to the answer once it has either been supplied.  The roles rotate, so everyone has time to fan the cards, ask the questions, answer, and provide feedback.

I had enough cards for each table to have an ample supply, and I was actually surprised, in a pleasant way, when the kids enjoyed this game.

I walked around and listened as they tried to coach each other with clues.

It was interesting to hear them try to justify why a saying didn’t make sense as they tried to connect the literal and figurative meanings of the words.

So, with all of that said, we had an interesting discussion in one of my classes when they asked about the meaning to the phrase “On cloud 9.”

After I explained the meaning, the kids said, “No, that ain’t the meaning, Mrs. AuburnChick.”

So I, being the great teacher facilitator that I am (insert rolled eyes here), asked, “Please explain what you mean.”

One student told me that it meant that you were high on drugs.

My jaw dropped.

I looked around, and most of the students in the class were nodding their heads.

I kid you not.

I’ve gotta tell you that in some ways, I led a sheltered life when I was growing up.

This doesn’t mean that I did not go through some things that nobody should ever go through, but those things did not involve knowing people who drank excessively or did drugs.  If anyone did, I was oblivious, which probably wouldn’t surprise those who know me best.

😉

I don’t know if I’ll be able to use this phrase without thinking of the new meaning my students imparted upon my innocent mind that day.

What about you?  Have you ever heard the phrase used in this context?

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

The Great Awakening

Posted on April 11, 2013 by auburnchick

One might think it strange to read that, despite the looming FCAT test dates for 9th and 10th graders (most of my students), I would find myself feeling as though I am awakening from a fog that can only be likened to the kind one feels after having slept for a long period of time.

When I decided to become a teacher, all I envisioned were the 7am – 3pm days…happy smiles on the faces of children who enjoyed learning and did quite well at it.

Nobody ever told me that this profession is, perhaps, one of the most time-intensive and mentally grueling of any that I could have chosen.

As a mother, I had no idea that learning did not come easily to children.  My own babies were in advanced programs and seemed to struggle very little with academia.  I couldn’t understand the hullabaloo about FCAT because my children easily scored 4’s and 5’s each year.

And then I became a teacher…

Of struggling readers…

Who are also at-risk students…

Who come from unstable homes.

That’s when reality set in.

Teaching is a profession that calls for 12-16 hour days.

It is a profession in which your mind never turns itself off, and you find yourself thinking about a lesson plan when you hear a line in a sermon (my pastor compared the show Once Upon a Time to a Christian’s complacency in the church…even using the word metaphor).

It is a profession in which you write down ideas by the light of your cell phone during movie previews in a crowded theater all because you saw a trailer that sparked your imagination.

I just completed a survey put out by my state’s department of education.  It asked participants to rate the effectiveness of the educator preparatory institute the participants had attended enroute to certification.

The survey left off a question…that is, “How well did the program prepare you for the percentage of your heart that you would give away?”

There’s no way any program or even another educator can effectively do this.

The more I’ve learned about teaching these past three years, the more I’ve grown to accept that between the months of August through May, my brain will stay mushy, and my head will live in a fog that consists of swirling thoughts of learning styles, personalities, assessment results, and learning benchmarks.

It is only toward the end of the school year when a teacher finds him/herself coming out of that fog, awakening, if you will, and discovering that a non-teaching world exists and that yes, there is a semblance of a “regular” life that can be led in the after-hours of a school day.

That is the point where I am currently residing, and please forgive me for saying this, but I am LOVING it.

I know that I’ve given every effort to prepare my students for FCAT.

I know that I have much to learn and will certainly improve over the years; however, I can sleep soundly knowing that I did things better than the year before.

This great awakening is good for me and my students.

They get to see a side of me that is a bit less stressed…a bit more go-with-the-flow.

This does not mean that we will be watching movies until the end of the year, for Mrs. Auburnchick does not run her classroom this way.

My classroom will instead be transformed into one that is not dictated by a government-mandated pacing guide or a VAM (a teacher’s performance rating based on student achievement).

That, my friends, is something to celebrate.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

Sisterly Hodgepodge

Posted on April 10, 2013 by auburnchick

Joyce is back from her Spring Break-induced hiatus.  Yay!  Hope you feel rested, Joyce!  Welcome back!  I’m just going to jump right into the questions without any further adieu!

1.  Share one fun thing you did last week, while the Hodgepodge was on ‘spring break.’

I know this will seem bad, but I don’t remember what I did last week, other than work, work, work!  I did get all of this week’s lesson plans finished by 2am Saturday, leaving the weekend a bit stress free.  Lame, I know, but that’s my idea of fun these days.

2.  April 10th is National Sibling Day…do you have siblings, and if so are you close? Share a favorite story featuring one or all of your siblings. If you don’t have siblings, did you ever wish you did?

I do have a sibling…Super Sis…and she’s every bit as fabulous as her moniker implies.  She is three years younger than me, and we are close.  She’s a strong Christian woman who lives out the faith she professes.  She’s as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.

So…a favorite story of us…hmmm…

It’s hard to pick one.  When I think about our growing up years, I remember taking care of her…taking her out on the town for “Sister Day.”  This would be a day in the summer when we’d get up, drive to a bigger Podunk City an hour away, and I’d treat her to donut holes and goodies such as a new pair of shoes or some other splurge.

I love having a sister who I can call when I’m having a bad day, and she’ll fill in the blanks when I’m too upset to talk.

I like that one of us can be talking about a favorite product, and the other person will have an “Aha” moment and say, “Me too!”

Most of all, I am thankful that I have her because she is the only person who knows exactly what makes my heart tick…where some of my intense insecurities stem from…after watching what I had to deal with growing up and into adulthood.

I love her to pieces.

3.  Is it important to you to ‘buy American’? Why or why not? How much of an effort do you make to ‘buy American’? If you’re not American, insert your own country in the blank.

I think it is important to support local businesses that sell American-made products.  I can’t say I go out of my way to buy American, nor do I boycott foreign-made products, but if given the choice, I will buy American.

4.  Besides The Bible, what book has impacted your spirituality in some way?

I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again.  Corrie ten Boom’s book The Hiding Place greatly impacted my life when I read it when I was younger.  Her faith, in action, in the most difficult of times, has continued to inspire me.  When I compare my life’s circumstances, I don’t feel justified in complaining much.  The thing that Corrie did was to look for God’s hand in each circumstance she faced.

She is the first person, after Jesus, who I want to see when I go to heaven.  I want her grandmotherly arms around me, and I want her to be proud of the way I lived my life.

5.  April showers bring May flowers or so the saying goes.  Do you find rainy days calming or depressing?  When were you last caught in a rainstorm? What’s blooming in your neck of the woods today?

I love rainy days…more so when I’m able to enjoy them from inside my home and don’t have to mess up my hair.  The sound of the rain hitting the roof is very soothing.

Things that are blooming are my rose bushes.  My grass is turning greener and greener thanks to the expert care of the lawn service I hired last July.

6.  What’s your favorite yellow food?

Can you believe that I actually had to google “yellow fruit”?  Seriously.  My brain is fried.

My favorite yellow food is pineapple.  Oh the sweet yumminess!!

7.  April is National Poetry Month…what’s a poem that holds special meaning for you, and why is it special?

My mind drew a complete blank when I read this question!

Until I thought about a poem that my students and I analyzed last week…

The Man In The Glass

Peter “Dale” Winbrow Sr

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts most in you life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

You may be like Jack Horner and chisel a plum
And think you’re a wonderful guy.
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

He’s the fellow to please-never mind all the rest,
For he’s with you clear to the end.
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

You can find more information about the poem here.

I love this poem because it reminds me that accolades may only serve to delude me into thinking I’m better than I really am.  What counts most, according to the poem, is being able to live with myself at the end of the day.

I’d go even further by saying that what really matters is being judged by God as worthy.  My own opinion about myself might still be skewed.

Holding myself up to God’s measuring stick is the ONLY way to live a life that is satisfactory in the end.

8.  My Random Thought

Our fight to keep Aubie going is proving difficult of late.

She’ll have a couple of good days followed by a few bad days.

We’re at a low point right now, and we are so disheartened.

Please continue praying for us.  She doesn’t want to give up on life, but then again, she’s looking more and more tired.

We continue to hold out hope, yet we know that things are looking very bleak.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: | 6 Comments »

Be Glad You’re Cute

Posted on April 8, 2013 by auburnchick

Dear Fur Babies,

You better be doggone (pun intended) glad that you are cute because otherwise I would probably wring your necks.

Your latest adventure involved a whole lot of napkins and a family that was attending church.

As a result, I am resorting to covering my napkins with a plastic bag because I am, after all, a Redneck and think it’s way too practical to move the napkins up to a higher shelf.

Be warned!

Your little shenanigans better stop.

ASAP.

Or else you better grow cuter by the day.

Someone will pay…eventually.

Love,

Your uber-patient but about to draw a line in the sand Mama

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Vegan Chocolate Cake!

Posted on April 7, 2013 by auburnchick

A couple of weeks ago, Christina posted a link on my Facebook wall.

The link took me to a recipe for a Vegan Chocolate Cake.

The recipe didn’t call for many ingredients.  The only thing I was lacking was the time to make it.

I found that time today.

After sending the Mr. after the ingredients I didn’t already have in the house, I got busy.

Prep time was about ten minutes, tops.

I poured the batter into a 9″ round pan, adding parchment paper and a sprinkling of flour to prevent sticking.

Per a comment I had read below the recipe, I set the timer for 35 minutes.

Here’s what it looked like when I pulled it out of the oven…

The Mr. came in for a taste.

He’s a picky sort of fellow.  Cake is important to him.

Even he had to agree that the cake was moist.

He also agreed that nobody would EVER guess that this cake could be given the “vegan” label, which typically makes people turn their noses up at things.

Oh word, but this cake is tres delicious!

I’m ecstatic because I can FINALLY eat dessert!!!

I highly recommend this recipe!

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

“Walter”

Posted on April 5, 2013 by auburnchick

Yesterday while I was out and about during my planning period, my friend, Barb, saw me and said, “Come here.  I want to show you something.”

Curious, I followed.  You never know what you’re going to see when it’s Barbara leading the way.

😀

She opened the door to the assistant principal’s office, and oh my word.

Look at what jumped into my arms…

This cute little fellow showed up on campus…without a collar.

Now you know that a school is comprised mostly of female employees, so there was no lack of mamas fretting about, pouring love upon this cute ball of fur.

Of course, you also know that I have a special place in my heart for furry creatures.

Oh word, but this little guy was just adorable!

Somehow, he acquired the name of “Walter,” so that’s what we began calling him.

I went back during lunch to get my fill of puppy love, and the poor little guy was so exhausted that he nearly fell asleep on my lap.

Meanwhile, there were plans in the works to find him a foster home.

An email was sent, and my friend, Maegan, quickly responded.

I’m sure you’re surprised that I didn’t volunteer; however, I knew that I would be dead meat if I brought Walter home.

Maegan was the perfect person to claim him for she’s a gentle soul whose heart overflows with love for everyone and everything around her.

I talked to Maegan on my way home, and I offered to loan her my crate.  I even told her that I would deliver it.

Don’t tell her this, but it was the perfect excuse to love on that fur ball again.

😀

I don’t know what the future holds for Walter.

Maegan has an older dog, so she’s going to see how the two get along.

Attempts will be made to locate the owner; however, the AP and an office assistant rode around the surrounding neighborhood and knocked on doors asking if anyone was missing the dog.  Nobody claimed him.

One thing is certain.

With such an adorable face and a sweet disposition, that baby will have no problems finding a permanent home.

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

There Must Be Something I’m Missing

Posted on April 4, 2013 by auburnchick

Today, as the last bell rang, one of my students stayed behind to gather her things.

She’s a sweet young lady who was in my class last year.  She was moved from one class period to another when her schedule was adjusted multiple times for various reasons.  The one constant for her was keeping me as her reading teacher.

This year, she wound up in my class again.  It’s been an honor to watch her grow in maturity as she’s handled some very difficult situations in her life.

Today, as she was leaving, she apologized for her classmates, many of whom are simply giving me fits.

I have tried so many things with that particular class and just cannot seem to hit on something that works consistently with them.

It has been so frustrating…especially when I see a few students who are focused and working so hard to pass FCAT.

Hearing my little girl apologize made me sad, and I told her that I felt as though there was something I wasn’t doing right.

As a teacher, I have to look at myself because I am, after all, the adult…the one in charge of my classroom.

It’s been difficult, though, because I do not have these behavior problems in my other classes, so I don’t know exactly what I am doing wrong.

Of course, I didn’t say these things to my student, for it would be in appropriate to discuss them with her, but she is a sensitive young woman who has a heart for those who are having a hard time.

My heart warmed as she said, “Mrs. Auburnchick, you have tried EVERYTHING to help us learn.  It’s not your fault if some kids don’t want to.”

Wise words.

Still, I know there’s something I’m missing.

Unfortunately, it’s April.

There’s not much time left in the school year.

I have to try to figure things out, though, so that I won’t feel as though this year has been a waste of time.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Happiness to a Teacher

Posted on April 4, 2013 by auburnchick

Happiness means many things to a teacher.

It can mean a student’s mastery of a much-agonized skill.

It can mean the completion of a week of lesson plans.

It might even mean that the dreaded yearly IPDP process is finally over.

While I, personally, have found happiness in such things recently, I’d like to add one more item to the list.

See if you can figure out what I mean by looking at the following picture…

20130403-232937.jpg

As promised, two people in my district’s Media Services department visited my classroom during first period and switched out the bulb in the projector.

In true Auburnchick fashion, the bulb did not merely blow its fuse (or whatever it is that light bulbs do when they cease to shine).

Oh no.

The bulb, it was discovered, had SHATTERED inside the projector!!

Wow!

The switch only took a few minutes, during which time I continued to teach the lesson I’d been in the middle of.

When we turned on the projector, and the Smartboard lit up, I could have sworn I heard angels singing!

My students gave a round of applause.

One of my guys told the technicians, “You can play a part in our education no matter what you do!”

True statement (not to mention one very happy and grateful teacher)!

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

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