What's in your bag?

I saw a cute post about what's in your bag? and well... imitation is the sincerity form of flattery?? Here's hoping!

1. 2.3.

4. 5.6.

1. Droid- Duh. I love it. It sometimes loves me? Lately it seems more interested in putting people on mute while I'm talking to them. But does it send me e-mails about when my Faculty Meetings are?? Yes!

2. Highlighter with Tabs- DOUBLE Duh. I like to annotate. I like to mark things. I like to highlight important literature quotes. Esp. from all young adult novels I come across.

3. Moleskin Notebook- I'm a great reader. I'm working on becoming a better writer. I have felt inspired to write stuff down lately- but had no where to do it! I hope the Moleskin solves this problem.

4. Salbito Pens- More or less amazing colorful, fine point pens that my roomie got for me in England. I have to be able to write in that Moleskin right??

5. Koozie- In all honesty, I have two koozie's in my purse. A Deep Eddy Koozie, and a Tito's Koozie. While neither looks like the one in the picture, they both mention Austin.

6. Peace Sign Magnet- Brooke gave me this wonderful magnet that fits me so well and it has been very slowly making it's way to my fridge. That it is even in my house is a miracle!

Education Nation

I have so much to say about how great this year has been. How wonderful it feels to have an idea of what I am doing each day. To understand a few ways to get kids to do actual work. To not be panicked when someone walks into my room to observe me. To have more fun with the kids( who are so, so incredible) then to be stressing over them.

NBC is spending this week discussing Public School systems in our nation, and the things we could improve. I could spend thousands of blog entries talking about what I think is going wrong and how I think we could improve it. But I don't choose to focus my energy just on that. I'd rather focus on the students for right now. I'll tackle all the rest of that stuff later.

Today though, they had a Teacher Town Hall meeting. I watched all of it and agreed and disagreed with everything they talked about. But they also showed this clip of a Dateline from a 2005, that followed a first year teacher.

Check out this great MSN Video: The education of Ms. Groves

(that was the best I could do!)

It was odd to me how quickly I could remember all those horrible feelings. About caring so much, but not really making an impact. Of not knowing what to do or how to get something across in your class. The feeling of having less control, and of being emotional all the time.

Watching the video, was very emotional for me and afterwards the comments from Brian Williams and the other teachers, made me even more emotional.

They focused on the passion they saw from her as a first year teacher and the desire to teach those kids. I often forget that in 2005, when this was made, teaching had never crossed my mind. But in the fall of 2006 and into 2007, teaching became something that weighed heavily on my mind. I was unsure if it was the right path.

Throughout these past 2 years, and even when I began my observations in someone else's class, that doubt has been erased. I feel now that I could never see my life without a career in education in it. Whether it's teaching, or something else- I hope that no day goes by without a student in it (ok.. unless it's summer!)

Sometimes it's hard to think of teaching as a calling, a desire, or a career you are drawn to. But that is 100% how I feel. Whether or not my best is enough is always playing out on my mind. But never once is the idea that I have chosen the wrong path, or that I was not mean to do this, crossed my mind.

What a lucky girl I am.

iPod Serial Killer

I am an iPod serial killer.

iPod serial

killer

1. A person who commits multiple (more than two) iPod murders, especially similar ones with no obvious motive over a period of time

The most important thing I look for in an iPod (or iPods) is a name. It doesn't matter the shape. The size. The amount of music played. The songs on it. All that matters is it has a name.

The first brick of an iPod I had was named Pancho. It was about 3 inches thick and weighed about the same. It lost it's life to one too many skiing trip accidents and a dead battery. It was tough to watch him go, but he lived a long life. The longest of all my iPods. Almost 3 years and I understood that his time was up.

Next was Lefty. Lefty and I never saw eye to eye. In part because he was my mom's old iPod and couldn't understand my style of listening to music and in part because he knew he was Pancho's sloppy second.Lefty resides in Fort Worth with my uncle now. Good riddance, is all I have to say.

Jr. was a present for getting good grades. I worked my butt off studying and he was the sweet surprise at the end of the year. I named him after my year in school. He will always be my favorite iPod, sleek, black and played videos (finally!!). I loved him because of the reward he represented. The constant reminder that I worked hard and deserved nice things. Jr will always have a spot in my heart. I don't even remember how he died. Maybe of overuse and a dead battery. But I blocked the memory out of my mind.

Next came DUKE. I had the hardest time thinking of his name. Duke was bought with my own money online, off of E-Bay. He looked and felt just like Jr. I still get the two of them mixed up in my mind. He lasted a few years but his battery kept going off and on. He was a re-bound iPod. My mind and heart missed Jr. too much to really care about Duke. My dad tried to change out his battery and he reached an untimely death. I wasn't there to see it happen. Or to see him thrown in the trash.

White House came while I still had Duke. White House is like my dysfunctional family member. We have a love and hate relationship. Sometimes it annoys me to no end and I just give up on music for the day. But I always come back to it. White House lives in my car, always plugged in to a charger because it would die otherwise. White House goes to the gym with me and has driven me across Round Rock, Austin and all over Texas. White House keeps me upbeat and energetic, even if his battery dies when I need him most. I can't stay mad for long.

My newest iPod is that perfect, goody two shoes that I get sick of. DARTH VADER.

He's so... dependable. Always there playing what I want to hear. When my alarm goes off at 5:37 AM, there he is, playing John Mayer. When he goes off again at 5:45 he's back playing more soothing wake up music. Just like I asked him to.

I'm over it.

Maybe I'm scared to form any attachment to him because I know he'll end up like the rest- in the trash can. Or at the very least, like White House, dysfunctional and breaking down all the time.

Maybe I'll start to like him, one day. But until then I'll keep thinking of names for iPod Number 7.

My Name is Memory.

I assigned my TAG kids homework for every night of the week. From now until the end of the year.

30 minutes of reading a night, 3 reader responses a week

But I promised I would do it with them.

Here's my first response.

"Who Do you think of when you hear smashing glass and screaming? That's a telling question."

-Ann Brashares

I like the idea that there are certain things that tell you the answers to your personality, to your soul. I wish it was as simple as that. Yes's and No's, and absolutes.

These things are always true- or these things are never true.

Who would I think of? My mom, my dad. The other people in the room?

At school, my students. Past and present. Teaching has put my safety net on high- alert. Being nervous about someone' s well being comes naturally now. Especially a child's safety, even if they aren't mine.

If they let me into part of their life for 50 minutes a day, don't I get to worry about them always?

My Weekend in Pictures

I had a GREAT first week of school and an equally great weekend.

My favorite band, Nelo, came into town.

My best friend, Brooke, came into town.

Another best friend, Adam, is finally moved into town.

And I got to celebrate it all!

At NELO!

West 6th after NELO

Swimming at Deep Eddy.

The Classic Hook Em.

Andrew, Brooke, me and Adam downtown

Lake Austin.

Dancing at Annie's West.

Finally, something that added to my night.. Brooke was involved in a dance off that resulted in this:

She still looks good even though her drink was spilled ALL OVER HER.

P.S. Thanks to the roomie for teaching me how to make my pics look better!

(and for taking this ADORABLE picture with me)

back to school.

it's 1015. and I am in bed. And wish i was sleeping.

But I decided to post instead- however this will be brief.

I am so tired and forgot how draining it is to stand and talk all day.

I had two kids in one of my classes commit some minor classroom problems- that wouldn't bother me that much on any day of the year- but really got under my skin on the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

Because of this it tinted my view of my first day of school. And to not a kind of view I wanted.

HOWEVER... I keep forgetting this one amazing thing about my day that trumps the two beginning trouble makers.

Last Friday, when a bunch of students where picking up their schedules and walking by their teacher's rooms, I met one of my students who actually talked my ear off. He seemed sweet but I was a little busy setting things up and was distracted. We did briefly discuss the Lightning Thief and Percy Jackson series, and I mentioned that I wanted to read the 2nd one but didn't have a copy.

The first thing he does when he walks into my class today? HANDS ME THE 2nd BOOK IN THE SERIES!

That made me beyond happy. I can't wait to start reading!

Where I'm From

I have looked for this EVERYWHERE and finally found it.

I wrote this poem in 7th grade and then updated it in high school. It's still pretty accurate.

Where I’m From

I’m from dance classes

From dancing in any place that had enough room

I’m from swim lessons at the neighborhood pool

From counting the days till summer and swimming would start

I’m from parents who hardly had enough time at one point

And then having too much time later on

I’m from the stories of when Jessie was my age

And her father always telling her, “Jessie Bell, children are seen and not heard.”

From her telling me she always wants to hear what I say

I’m from private schools and uniforms everyday

I’m from church every weekday, but not on Sundays

I’m from the hymns that were my favorites and my mother’s favorites

I’m from stories I don’t even remember

From jumping off the couch just to go to bed

I’m from the song my dad made up just for me

From the words I hoped to hear him sing before I went to sleep