When I got home from work yesterday afternoon, I had a game plan for what I wanted to accomplish.
It wasn’t going to be grading, and it wasn’t going to be cleaning the house.
I wanted to finish reading a book I’d recently started, The Wedding Dress, by Rachel Hauck.
After reading an endless assortment of dystopian young adult books, the break from that genre was a welcome one.
This book quickly drew me in, let me tell you.
It grabbed hold of my heart, and I.
Could.
Not.
Put.
It.
Down.
It was all I could do to teach on Friday because I wanted to keep reading it!
Conveniently, my students read between 20 and 25 minutes, silently, each day.
I’m supposed to set a good example by reading too (I don’t most days because I’m busy meeting with them one-on-one).
So, like a good teacher, I read while my first and second classes read.
I read through my lunch break.
Sixth period came, and I rolled my chair to the front of the room, propped up my feet on my tall stool, and read. I’m sure I was quite the sight…knit socks propped up.
My students, at first, giggled before settling down to their own books.
Thus, when I got home, I was two-thirds of the way through the book.
I.
Had.
To.
Finish.
I had to find out if Charlotte would come to her senses about Tim.
I had to find out if the mystery man clad in purple really was.
I was drawn in by Emily’s desire to conform to her family’s expectations yet stay true to the convictions that resided within her heart.
The addition of two other women, Hillary and Mary Grace, added even more sentimentality and heartache to the mix.
Oh word, but as I traveled back and forth between the here-and-now and 1912, I literally wanted to jump inside the book.
All of these emotions ran through me as I tried to discover the mystery of the wedding gown that linked everyone together.
It was truly a wonderful read that found me both joyful and sad when it ended.
THIS is good reading, my friends.
I’d originally spied the book on a shelf in a bookstore several months ago.
Later, I’d read a review about it somewhere online.
I finally got around to purchasing my own copy, and I am so glad!
It’s a book that I’m proud to recommend to my high school girls.
They need to know what true love looks like…how to wait for it while staying true to a moral compass.
If you haven’t read it, I strongly urge you to. It’s a magical story that will capture your heart as it did mine.
I recently finished reading Bruiser, by Neal Shusterman.
This is the tenth book that I’ve read by Shusterman. His books are chock-full of deep meaning and heart-wrenching themes.
Bruiser is no exception.
This book tells the story of a young man named Brewster who has a unique ability. When a girl named Bronte befriends Brewster, strange things begin to happen.
Brewster’s relationship with Bronte and her twin brother, Tennyson, changes all of their lives in unexpected ways.
This book is told from the perspectives of each main character, as well as Brewster’s younger brother.
Oh word, but I rode a roller coaster of emotions with this book.
My heart broke for Brewster, as I saw the pain he allowed himself to go through because of his love for his brother and friends.
I grew angry at Bronte for trying to mold him into the person she wanted him to be.
Tennyson’s selfishness made me want to knock some sense into him!
What was most frustrating was Bronte and Tennyson’s inability to see what was clearly before them. Grrrr!
As I think about how this book’s themes apply to real life, I’m surprised to find that most people are just like the twins. We settle ourselves into our cozy lives, happy when we find things that satisfy us.
We foolishly allow ourselves to use things in our lives to mask the pain and heartache we face each day when, in reality, we need that pain to find our way through the difficult circumstances.
Ultimately, I saw a correlation between Brewster’s selfless sacrifice to that of Christ’s. If you read the book, you’ll understand what I mean. Shustermann never mentions Christianity, but one can’t help but think of it as this book reaches its climax.
I will probably do this book as a Read Aloud next fall. The messages about not judging people by their reputation and not jumping on the bandwagon ‘just because” will ring true to my high school kids.
It rang true to this almost-44 year old gal, that’s for sure.
Brrr…it’s chilly outside…even down here in Florida! Yesterday, when I left for work, it was 21 degrees!!! That’s crazy! My school district allowed students to be called in absent due to the weather, and many took advantage! I had between eight and ten students out per class. I really enjoyed working with the few who showed up! Can we please change the class size amendment? Every student got one-on-one help yesterday, and they thrived!
Anyhoo…you’re really here to read my answer’s to Joyce’s questions, so let’s get moving!
1. Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they’d like to see banished from the Queen’s English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse or just general uselessness (go here to read more about how the words were chosen). Here are the words/phrases they’d like to see banished in 2014-
selfie, twerk/twerking, hashtag, Twittersphere, Mr. Mom, T-bone, ____on steroids, the suffixes-ageddon, and -pocalypse added to anything and everything, from the world of politics the words-intellectually/morally bankrupt and Obamacare, and from the world of sports the words-adversity and fan base
Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you’d like to add?
Ohhhh…I would choose twerking!!!!! Can we also erase the stupid dance too? The kids look gross doing it, and adults who try to imitate it are even more disgusting. They make Elvis look mild! Everything from the name AND the dance disgusts me!
2. What one unfinished project nags at you begging to be completed in this new year?
I can’t really say that I have unfinished projects. I’m pretty much a see-it-through-until-it’s-done kind of person. If I had to select a task that I’d like to do this year, it would be to clean up the spare bedroom. It’s gotten a bit out of hand. I’ll do that this summer after school lets out.
3. When did you last have a bowl of soup? What kind? Homemade or from a can? What’s your favorite soup?
I last had a bowl of soup a couple of days ago. I’m finishing up a large pot of the Black Bean Soup that I make. I posted it here, with the permission of the Daniel Fast‘s author. It is homemade. I do use beans from a can, but the other veggies are fresh. This happens to be my favorite soup. Yum!
4. Snowed in, snowed under, snow job…which one most applies to your life in recent days, figuratively speaking.
I’m feeling a bit snowed under right now. Next week, we have semester exams. It’s a stressful time because I am trying to prep my students for that as well as get in more writing practice. We have FCAT writes in about a month. My focus is shifting, though, to focusing solely on reading skills, which students MUST have to pass FCAT and, thus, fulfill their graduation requirement. I’m not saying that writing skills aren’t important; however, when I weigh graduating versus writing for one test, graduating comes out the winner. After exams, I have to finalize grades and set up for the second semester. This, in actuality, won’t be a big deal. I’ll keep my same students, and we’ll just continue with our next unit.
5. What’s the funniest movie you’ve ever seen, or at least one of the funniest?
The movie that keeps me laughing the whole way through is Thirteen Going on Thirty, with Jennifer Garner. She was perfectly cast for the lead role, and her innocent expressions crack me up! My favorite scene is the Thriller dance, which I’ve shared on my blog before but happily do so again.
I am very clumsy! Grace definitely isn’t my middle name! I constantly have bruises on my body from running into furniture. I suspect that I live life too fast…always dashing from one thing to another. It’s another reason for me to learn to slow down.
7. Elvis Presley was born on Hodgepodge Day (January 8th) back in 1935. Are you an Elvis fan? What’s your favorite Elvis tune? If that’s too hard, which Elvis tune do you dislike the least? Click here for a list of his songs.
What a tough question! I’ve loved Elvis from the time I was a wee thing. There is a picture in my baby book of me dancing to one of his records.
My favorite song would have to be Always on My Mind. What an achingly beautiful song.
8. My Random Thought
Every time I get paid, I spend about $30 dollars on new books for my classroom.
The Mr. has often complained; however, I’m still a fairly new teacher trying to build up my library.
People who don’t work in the education field often think teenagers are not appreciative. That is often true.
I’ve seen something magical happen, though.
My students are reading…
Without complaining.
They’ve learned that they can put a book on the wish list I have posted in my room, and I will eventually buy it.
When a student begins reading a new series…one in which I only own the first book…I will often order the second…and the third…and on and on until I have the entire series purchased.
While I was on Christmas break, I received another shipment of books. Inside was the second book in the Lorien Series. The first book is I am Number 4, which you may have heard of.
One of my boys read it and wanted to start on the second one, which I didn’t have at the time…hence the order I placed.
When he walked into my classroom on Monday, I proudly held up the book.
You should have seen the smile on his face!
What shocked me, though, was watching him pull two books out of his backpack. He had borrowed them from me before we went on break.
I asked if he had read them, and he assured me that he had! He told me that he loves to read but that he doesn’t have many books at home. He loves that I have a lot of books to choose from.
That, my friends, is why I buy books every time I get paid.
The kids do appreciate it.
They love having books that have been recently published. They love books with relevant themes. They yearn for them.
I’ve got kids reading everyone from John Green to Rick Riordan. They are reading James Frey and Neal Shusterman (I’m not a stalker, but I have a grand plan to purchase every single one of this gifted author’s books).
It is such a privilege to watch my students develop a fondness for certain authors or series.
I was excited to receive the book, Promise to Return, by Elizabeth Byler Younts, free from the publisher (shout-out to Linda for putting me in touch with the author)!
I can honestly say that I was drawn into the story from the very first page. The story line intrigued me…an Amish couple struggling to live out their convictions regarding war, religion, and family.
Miriam is an obedient young woman…the youngest in a large family…left to shoulder the responsibility of caring for her aging parents. Henry, her true love, has been drafted but feels a strong leading by the Lord to take his calling to serve a bit further from his initial assignment to a Civilian Public Service camp. His decision throws a monkey wrench into the life Miriam had planned out for the two of them, and the result is a string of events and heart introspection that changes the lives of nearly everyone in the community.
I didn’t know much about the Amish way of life and was surprised by the personal struggles the characters faced. I don’t know why, but I always thought the Amish life was uncomplicated. This book removed that misconception, and I have a healthy appreciation for how similar the Amish are to other groups of people.
I like Joyce’s questions this week. They aren’t too taxing on the brain, which I really appreciate given that we are now very much into the routine at school, and I am feeling, oftentimes, overwhelmed.
Let’s cut to the chase and begin!
1. When it comes to good manners, what two top your list of most important?
Being a Southern girl, I really like when people say “Ma’am” and “Sir.” Teenagers, especially, melt my heart when they inject a ma’am into a conversation, and I find myself less likely to write someone up if that person has said this one simple word.
Another manner I think is important is not talking when there’s a meeting going on. I’m shocked when people sit and have small conversations during faculty meetings! Trying to teach in a classroom when children are talking is distracting. Sitting in a meeting trying to hear what my administrators are saying is equally difficult.
2. Let’s open a proverbial can of worms…Common Core. Are you familiar with the term (talking education reform in the USA)? If so, care to share your thoughts? In your opinion, what is one of the biggest issues schools (in your home country) face today?
Ahhh…you just had to go there, didn’t you, Joyce? I think that the intent of Common Core is good…to toughen up the standards and make them the same across the country. What I disagree with is the testing. Our children are tested every time they turn around, and it’s ridiculous. Teachers (myself included) have our instruction frequently interrupted by said tests…to the point where we can’t even teach what they are being tested on! Do I think there should be standards and accountability? Absolutely. I went to school with kids who would not have graduated, and probably rightly so, if such things had been in place. They would have been identified as having learning problems and helped, I hope.
I think our schools are facing a problem with micromanagement. Let the teachers teach without nearly so much oversight, paperwork, and meetings. It’s a very overwhelming job as it is. Those things make it even harder.
3. Name a celebrity whose fashion sense you admire and share why.
Honestly, I don’t follow celebrity fashion, so I have no answer for this one. I wear what I want and don’t pay much attention to what others are wearing.
4. How are you affected by the changing seasons?
I’m not really affected at all. I layer up as it gets colder, but I’m usually wearing a sweater anyhow because I’m cold-natured, so the weather changes don’t affect me too much. I will say that my hair is easier to straighten during the winter because a lot of the humidity is gone.
5. Scariest book you’ve ever read?
I once tried to read Pet Cemetery, by Stephen King. I was much younger…barely a teenager. I don’t think I made it past the first two chapters. I’ve never tried to read it since.
6. What time of day are you most hungry? What’s your go-to snack?
I don’t get hungry too often. I don’t eat breakfast nor lunch. Food is such an inconvenience to me, and I love it when I fast. Yes, I realize that I have food issues.
If I’m going to snack, I’d prefer to have chips and salsa.
7. Do you lean more towards being too needy or too independent? Which do you find harder to deal with in others?
I am fiercely independent, which puts me at odds with people because I do not like to get help. Now, I will ask for help, when I’m teaching, but really, I like to work on my own. I think it’s my desire for full control of my life (and God laughed).
I find needy people to be extremely annoying. I don’t mind helping, but please at least try to learn while I teach you and then let’s move on.
Yes, I’m a bit impatient too. 🙂
8. My Random Thought
During the past seven days, I have received two new books…both third installments in their respective series. I am one happy girl!!!!
It’s hard to believe that it’s the second day of October! Wow! The temperature is starting to cool down a little, and there’s a crispness in the air when I leave each morning. Along with the lovely weather, we have fun questions to answer on the Hodgepodge. Join in by playing along on your own blog and linking up with Joyce!
1. What’s one thing you learned in September?
In September, I re-learned that God’s plans are not my own. Chicky’s knee injury was a painful reminder that God’s plans trump ours, and that we can choose to accept or resent those plans. Fortunately, we have chosen to trust Him.
2. Acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, yellow squash, zucchini squash, or blech! hold the squash… what’s your favorite squash? What’s your favorite way to prepare your favorite squash?
I love squash, thanks to my country upbringing. A few years ago, I discovered spaghetti squash, and what a delightful vegetable indeed! I love the texture and the flavor, which is very mild. Ultimately, though, cutting up squash, dicing an onion, and steaming the pot works fine with me.
3. The older I get the_______________________________.
The older I get, the less patience I have for drama…especially in regard to adults. I absolutely cannot stand to see adults engaging in drama…especially at work. It’s so petty and undermines what we are there for.
4. What’s your favorite television theme song ever?
I had to do a bit of googling for this one and found one I love…The Addams Family…classic!!
5. What do you wish you’d spent more time doing five years ago?
Five years ago, I wish I’d spent more time sleeping. This is my fourth year teaching, and I’m constantly sleep deprived in a way that no amount of sleep during the school year will replenish. It is only during the stress-free, no-lesson-planning time of summer that I feel completely refreshed.
6. What item do you most need (or want) to add to your wardrobe this fall?
I really need some closed-toe shoes that I can wear with dress pants. I live in flip flops and sandals most of the year, so the transition to covering up my tootsies is tough.
7. On October 2, 1950 the Peanuts cartoon was introduced to the world. What was your favorite cartoon when you were a kid?
When I was a child, I lived for Saturday mornings and my Justice League cartoons! I loved the Wonder Twins, Batman and Robin, and everyone else.
8. My Random Thought
Last week, teachers in my district received lead money…money to help us purchase supplies for our classroom.
Technically, I should have paid myself back for what I’ve already purchased this year; however, since I’m not feeling the pinch anymore, I figured I would just buy more stuff.
Take a look at what’s been arriving in the mail the last few days…
I feel the need to explain that I am not stalking Neal Shusterman. Really. I’m not. I just love his writing…and his creativity…and his wicked use of twisted plots. Seriously.
I bought the following book to replace the one that someone removed without my permission last year…
Oh, how I love buying books for my students to read. They appreciate having new, relevant books, and I love that they are begging for more time to read during class. It’s a win-win for everyone!
On the first day of school, I had my students complete a profile page as a way to get to know them. I used a template I found on the Internet and changed it to read “Englishbook” instead of “Facebook.”
I tweaked some of the questions and let my kids have a go at them.
When I sat down late that evening to read them, I was often surprised by what I found.
Take a look at one student’s response to the prompt, “To me, Reading is…”
I completely agreed with this tenth grader’s answer, and I identified with it wholeheartedly.
I spent my childhood with my nose in a book. Even during high school, I was rarely without one.
I read my way through John Jakes’ Kent Family Chronicles series, a fantastic collection of historical fiction, along with most of his other books that had been written at the time.
I read espionage novels penned by Tom Clancy. Sure, I didn’t always understand the submarine terminology and such, but the whole idea of the government being behind the bad things that happened in the country sent my mind reeling and gave me a lot of knowledge to build from years later when I returned to college as an adult and studied history as my minor.
I read froo-froo books as well. The Sweet Valley High series had me stalking the bookstore, eagerly awaiting the next installment of Jessica and Elizabeth’s drama-filled lives, and I shared books with the other girls in class.
The books I read took me away from the dysfunctional home I lived in.
They helped me believe that everything would work out in the end, because most of the books ended with all loose ends wrapped up with a pretty little bow.
I honestly believe that although my students always start out complaining about having to read silently during my class, they grow to love it because it does, in fact, become the escape they so desperately need to cope with the real lives that surround them.
Such wisdom was revealed through one simple prompt on a form.
Saturday evening, I completed a quest I’d been on for the last fifteen months.
I finally finished reading all of the books in the Harry Potter series.
I read the seventh book in under a week.
On Saturday, I read the final 250 pages.
I read everywhere that day…the bathroom (TMI), the car on the way to the beach, the beach, back in the car to go home, the ride back to the beach to see a movie, the way home.
This final book had so much action packed into it that I could not turn the pages fast enough!
I got mad several times as important characters died.
When you’ve invested so much time into reading these books, you develop relationships with the people in them, and your heart breaks when they don’t survive their circumstances.
I needed to find out if Harry successfully finished his quest.
It may be hard for you to believe, but I’d never watched the movies nor read the books previous to this time, so I had NO IDEA how the story would end.
I can honestly report, without spoiling the surprise for anyone, that I am happy with the ending.
This series is deep on so many levels and provides lessons that we can apply to everyday life…love overcoming evil…the ramifications of judging others based on external appearances or circumstantial evidence…loyalty…bravery…daring to go against popular opinion…believing in the underdog…untapped potential.
The characters were so unique and gifted with special talents that, when put together with the other characters’ talents, made for breathtaking scenes in the books.
Professor McGonagall is a wonderful role model for me…a blend of strictness balanced with tenderness and courage.
Mrs. Weasley reminded me of my best friend’s mom when I was growing up. She took me under her wing, prepared my favorite food when I stayed over, and always had a warm hug ready for me. As Harry found the unconditional love and acceptance that he had missed out on for the first eleven years of his life, my heart soared. Throughout the books, his relationship with Mrs. Weasley evolved to the point where he was treated like a son. This is what I think we humans are called to do…love each other with the same kind of abandon and acceptance.
I so appreciated how seemingly minor characters eventually played very important roles.
For the record, Neville Longbottom will forever be one of my favorite characters ever…such a sweet boy who only needed a bit of encouragement to blossom.
My vocabulary will never be the same. It now includes words such as muggles, lumos, and patronus. I am giving serious thought to teaching my students roots/prefixes/suffixes using the names of the spells cast in these books.
I would kind of like to say that I’m sad I didn’t read these books sooner; however, I don’t know that I would have fully appreciated them had I done so.
Now that I am older and a teensy bit wiser, I can see the multiple layers of storytelling that occurs in each book.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Sirius, and the rest of the gang will live on in the part of my heart reserved for those special characters in literature who do more than occupy pages in a book. They will continue to challenge me to be a better friend, not take the easy way out, and not judge circumstances according to what my eyes see.
A few days ago, I finished my 32nd book of 2013…The Fault in our Stars, by John Green…
The book tells the story of Hazel, a young woman who, although holding the tumors in her lungs at bay thanks to experimental drugs, still fights the complications from the cancer, such as fluid buildup and labored breathing.
She meets Augustus at a cancer support group. He is a cancer survivor. The attraction is immediate; however, she fights herself and worries about how her illness might leave others to deal with her loss one day, so she can’t fully give herself over to the affection she feels for Augustus.
She has a wonderful set of parents who you just can’t help but love. Her mother needs to win Mom of the Year. She is so patient and attentive to Hazel’s needs. Their relationship is tight; however, Hazel fears leaving her parents should she one day pass away.
This book is not one filled with trite sayings…the stuff you’d find embroidered and hung up on the wall so you’ll find inspiration.
Hazel, Augustus, and their friends are very blunt about their cancer. Their witty comments leave you chuckling at various points throughout the book.
However, it is their brutal honesty and raw emotions that leave you in tears at various points throughout the book. Somehow, it feels wrong to laugh, but you can’t help yourself, and those moments are very fitting.
I didn’t want to read this book, I’ll admit it. I don’t like to cry when I read.
However, as a teacher, and this is Young Adult fiction, it really is my duty to read what’s out there.
I’ve got to find books that will touch my students’ hearts, and this certainly is one of them.
It was incredibly poignant and smartly written with references to Shakespeare and other great literary works sprinkled throughout.
I highly recommend this book, both for teenagers and adults. These are characters you will not soon forget, and you won’t help but think of them when you encounter a friend or loved one who is battling this tragic disease as well.
In Sunday’s wee hours of the morning, I finally finished reading The Kill Order by James Dashner.
It is billed as the prequel to the series; it was published after the other three books. Thus, I read it last.
If you read my blog regularly, you’ll know that I have not enjoyed Dashner’s other books in this Maze Runner series. The concept was actually quite good; however, it was not executed well, in my opinion.
Sure, there were characters that I actually liked, but they were far and few between.
In this final installment, readers learn what led to the maze being created in the first place.
I actually enjoyed this book most out of all four. The dialogue was not as juvenile. This could be due to one of the main characters being an older teen.
I liked the characters in this book as well and rooted for them to survive.
However, I still had trouble getting through this book simply because I had nothing pulling me back to it, unlike the scores of other Young Adult fiction books I’ve read over the last two years.
The fighting scenes in this book dragged on forever. Perhaps young men reading these scenes will appreciate them, given the virtual reality games they like to play.
I am a female, which sounds stereotypical, but I just didn’t enjoy them.
The positives that I can say about this series is that I think it does appeal to young men who crave action when they read. The text is not high complexity, and the chapters are short, which makes the books perfect for struggling readers who cannot seem to get past two or three pages in one sitting.
With all of that said, I am glad to have finally closed the back cover of this series.
I’m already nearly finished with a book a began immediately afterward. I’ll be back with another review shortly!
AuburnChick's Adventures 