Today, we watered our seed. Praying it sprouts.... :)
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Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Awkward much?
I teach sixth grade, and twelve year olds are delightfully entertaining. They are just developing a more adult sense of humor, though they are still, appropriately, immature and prudish. Gotta love em.
So today was marked by not one, not two, but three awkward moments in class....
We began our study of Greek Mythology during Literature, and while we read the story of Father Sky and Mother Earth creating the race of Titans, numerous students had to read the word "Uranus" out loud. Chuckle chuckle, giggle giggle. After the third round of it, I figured I may as well address the problem head on. "Ok, ok. They said anus. Let's all laugh at the butt reference, and move on, shall we?" We did, and we did.
Later during Social Studies, we were coloring and labeling a map of Ancient Greece. The directions on the map said to label far more details than I deemed necessary for our study. So I was instructing students on what not to label, including the cities of Ephesus, and the islands of Ithica and Lesbos. "Lesbos" created quite a murmur of shy giggles around the room. "Ok, ok. I hear you laughing. Look, Lesbos is an island and a woman poet named Sappho came from there. She wrote emotional poems professing her feelings of love for another woman. So....that's where the word you're all thinking of comes from. You learned a little something. Cool? Get over it." And they did....
However, the ultimate in this trilogy of embarrassment happened during Language. Students were working on a brainstorming activity, prewriting for an essay assignment when William raised his hand. I approached him to offer help, when he said, frustrated, "Why is my handwriting so awful?" As a former kindergarten teacher, I was able to explain to him, "Well, it looks like you learned to write using the ball-and-stick method. The problem is your balls are too far from your stick." After a second's shocked pause, the entire class, myself include, busted up laughing. I walked away, wrapped up the lesson, and proceeded to speak as little as possible for the remainder of the day.
I'm kind of afraid to check my school email in the morning. "Dear Ms. M... Could you please explain to me how the topics of lesbians and balls were discussed in your classroom yesterday?!?!?"
So today was marked by not one, not two, but three awkward moments in class....
We began our study of Greek Mythology during Literature, and while we read the story of Father Sky and Mother Earth creating the race of Titans, numerous students had to read the word "Uranus" out loud. Chuckle chuckle, giggle giggle. After the third round of it, I figured I may as well address the problem head on. "Ok, ok. They said anus. Let's all laugh at the butt reference, and move on, shall we?" We did, and we did.
Later during Social Studies, we were coloring and labeling a map of Ancient Greece. The directions on the map said to label far more details than I deemed necessary for our study. So I was instructing students on what not to label, including the cities of Ephesus, and the islands of Ithica and Lesbos. "Lesbos" created quite a murmur of shy giggles around the room. "Ok, ok. I hear you laughing. Look, Lesbos is an island and a woman poet named Sappho came from there. She wrote emotional poems professing her feelings of love for another woman. So....that's where the word you're all thinking of comes from. You learned a little something. Cool? Get over it." And they did....
However, the ultimate in this trilogy of embarrassment happened during Language. Students were working on a brainstorming activity, prewriting for an essay assignment when William raised his hand. I approached him to offer help, when he said, frustrated, "Why is my handwriting so awful?" As a former kindergarten teacher, I was able to explain to him, "Well, it looks like you learned to write using the ball-and-stick method. The problem is your balls are too far from your stick." After a second's shocked pause, the entire class, myself include, busted up laughing. I walked away, wrapped up the lesson, and proceeded to speak as little as possible for the remainder of the day.
I'm kind of afraid to check my school email in the morning. "Dear Ms. M... Could you please explain to me how the topics of lesbians and balls were discussed in your classroom yesterday?!?!?"
Friday, March 19, 2010
Spring Break
It's Friday night, our week off is coming to a close, and I don't want to spend too much time on here right now! :) So here's a quick update.
We spent the first half of the week at Lake of the Woods rustic cabins in Pinetop. Crazy - we ran into not one but two people we know. Small world. Discovered a delightful little scrapbooking store called Embellish, and spent lots of sweet time just resting. Quiet, peaceful, wonderful.
Yesterday we had a doctor's appointment for more family planning, shopped a bit, and CRAFTED. Shannon spent hours wondering through iTunes and finding some fantastic new musicians while I created this. I gotta admit, I LOVE it:
Today was an eye doctor appointment for me, shopping for the parents, cooking a delicious dinner together, and more scrapping. Had to showcase this photo I took up at the cabin.
And tomorrow we'll be on a pontoon boat on Roosevelt Lake celebrating Kori's 40th. I will be at least...Shanni's a bit under the weather.
And that's that. Movie time!
We spent the first half of the week at Lake of the Woods rustic cabins in Pinetop. Crazy - we ran into not one but two people we know. Small world. Discovered a delightful little scrapbooking store called Embellish, and spent lots of sweet time just resting. Quiet, peaceful, wonderful.
Yesterday we had a doctor's appointment for more family planning, shopped a bit, and CRAFTED. Shannon spent hours wondering through iTunes and finding some fantastic new musicians while I created this. I gotta admit, I LOVE it:
And that's that. Movie time!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
How'd that happen?
Spring or not spring, that is the question. Yesterday was a GORGEOUS day spent completely outdoors. The sun was warm and bright, and a refreshing breeze was blowing gently out of the east. I scooped roughly 150lbs of dog poo (perhaps I exaggerate slightly), coated the lawn in weed and feed, pulled and sprayed all the other weeds, swept and washed the patio, potted some new spring plants including calendula and tulips, and sprayed for bugs. When the work was complete, Shannon and I played frisbee in the street with Grace. That same breeze even carried one of our disks up onto Grace's roof. The day looked like this:
Today was a totally different story. About 25 degrees colder than yesterday, dark and rainy all day. Not just rainy...winter-downpour-icy-hail-at-times kind of rainy. We were forced to stay inside, Shannon working while I planned our vacation and crafted some invitations. The heat is on and we're bundled up in sweatshirts. How'd that happen?
We're hoping this storm washed our frisbee off the roof, at least.
We're hoping this storm washed our frisbee off the roof, at least.
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