paul, my fabulous brother-friend, over at www.peopleforothers.com blogged all this past week about gratitude, and even busted out the categories. of course, he has way more eyeballs visit his page every day, so i don't even try to compete, however, as always, i thought he did a great job, even if I was NOT specifically mentioned. (an oversight, i am sure)
as usual, i find myself a bit more reflective come november, rather than new year, because advent is beginning and it is time to turn our attention to christmas and the many blessings that this time of year brings.
in so many ways, it has not been an easy year, but i find if i pay attention, i can usually spot the good in a situation...(except when i'm being a lunatic- then all bets are off. i promise i try to avoid lunatic behavior, but i am human and it does happen).
*my kids and my hubby each work so hard every day to do what's right and to reach out to others. they are also good for a laugh, and excellent adventures when we are on the road...
*my sis: always in my corner
*my brothers (including Paul): you each go out of your way to love your pesky little sister
*my folks: it has been a difficult, difficult year, and once again, you have shown me how to handle tough times with dignity and grace.
*my extended family: i am richly blessed with a huge family of aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, nieces and nephews. i am thankful for the times when our lives overlap and we are in each others company. i am also thankful most of you are on facebook, so the gap between visits doesn't seem so long.
*my friends: you push me to be my best self, you hold me close,you look out for me, you inspire me and enlighten me.
b-roll list:
as always i remain grateful for the following: books, going for a run, hot baths, good tunes, cheap wine, and my little laptop.
mary chapin carpenter is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. here is her "thanksgiving song". please ignore the cheesy video that accompanies it...
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
blogging for education reform
i have way more to say on this topic, as regular readers know...but here is where i am today:
-there is no magic bullet
-insisting that a group of kids be taught with only one method is wrong
-dictating to professionals how to do their job, and insisting they march in lock step with other classrooms leads to failure
-claiming that assessments are solely indicative of learning leads to kids who do not think for themselves
-eliminating personal relationships among students and teachers leaves kids feeling further disenfranchised and not engaged
-scapegoating teachers does nothing to make up for an epidemic of bad parenting
-you would not want your own child taught in the manner of which most of the current "ed reformers" are advocating.
-no matter how you try to parse it, every child in this nation will not be at grade level in 2014. that is just ridiculous, so stop it. take it out of NCLB and grow up.
-i am not a failure, neither is my school, neither is my district
-public schools take all comers and everything they bring into the classroom with them.
-teachers unions are not half as bad as you have been led to believe. in fact, without one, i'm pretty sure i wouldn't want to be in a classroom today.
solutions:
-let me do the task I was hired to do
-hold me to high standards and apply them equally to my peers
-don't micromanage my instruction
-stop tying federal dollars up with nonsense designed to co-opt public education and convince parents that charter schools are the only viable option
-recognize that there is more than one meaningful way to assess learning
-hold kids and parents accountable for state test scores
-stop trying to insult me with schemes like merit pay, which do nothing to change anyone's classroom practices, except make it more likely that someone might want to cheat on a test.
the only thing i ever wanted to be was a teacher. i'm proud of that. i could have done anything else, still could, but i don't. i am here for your kids, i bring my best self every day, i demonstrate respect for them by being prepared. prepared to engage them where they are. i build the bridge that gets them from "cat, bat, sat" to discussing a novel.i hold them accountable, correct,praise and motivate. i do it because this democracy needs citizens who can think and reason for themselves.i teach because as much as the kids may learn from me, there isn't a day that goes by that i don't learn from them.
-peace
-there is no magic bullet
-insisting that a group of kids be taught with only one method is wrong
-dictating to professionals how to do their job, and insisting they march in lock step with other classrooms leads to failure
-claiming that assessments are solely indicative of learning leads to kids who do not think for themselves
-eliminating personal relationships among students and teachers leaves kids feeling further disenfranchised and not engaged
-scapegoating teachers does nothing to make up for an epidemic of bad parenting
-you would not want your own child taught in the manner of which most of the current "ed reformers" are advocating.
-no matter how you try to parse it, every child in this nation will not be at grade level in 2014. that is just ridiculous, so stop it. take it out of NCLB and grow up.
-i am not a failure, neither is my school, neither is my district
-public schools take all comers and everything they bring into the classroom with them.
-teachers unions are not half as bad as you have been led to believe. in fact, without one, i'm pretty sure i wouldn't want to be in a classroom today.
solutions:
-let me do the task I was hired to do
-hold me to high standards and apply them equally to my peers
-don't micromanage my instruction
-stop tying federal dollars up with nonsense designed to co-opt public education and convince parents that charter schools are the only viable option
-recognize that there is more than one meaningful way to assess learning
-hold kids and parents accountable for state test scores
-stop trying to insult me with schemes like merit pay, which do nothing to change anyone's classroom practices, except make it more likely that someone might want to cheat on a test.
the only thing i ever wanted to be was a teacher. i'm proud of that. i could have done anything else, still could, but i don't. i am here for your kids, i bring my best self every day, i demonstrate respect for them by being prepared. prepared to engage them where they are. i build the bridge that gets them from "cat, bat, sat" to discussing a novel.i hold them accountable, correct,praise and motivate. i do it because this democracy needs citizens who can think and reason for themselves.i teach because as much as the kids may learn from me, there isn't a day that goes by that i don't learn from them.
-peace
Saturday, November 20, 2010
funeral playlist
hmmm...not sure if I have ever posted on this topic and it bothers some people when i mention it...
i keep a playlist called 'funeral' on my ipod, just for when it is needed, so my kids don't have to quarrel over what music to play, and as a bonus, they could burn a cd for you when you leave...
some songs have been on it from the first time i started it, some get delisted. all of them reflect some aspect of who i am, have been, what i hope for, etc. some are religious, some are standards, some is schlocky pop.
can't decide if i should list the titles. it could be anticlimatic and maybe the actual list isn't important, it is just my little reminder for myself to notice, to remember, to be kind, to work hard, to love completely and to help others.
-peace
i keep a playlist called 'funeral' on my ipod, just for when it is needed, so my kids don't have to quarrel over what music to play, and as a bonus, they could burn a cd for you when you leave...
some songs have been on it from the first time i started it, some get delisted. all of them reflect some aspect of who i am, have been, what i hope for, etc. some are religious, some are standards, some is schlocky pop.
can't decide if i should list the titles. it could be anticlimatic and maybe the actual list isn't important, it is just my little reminder for myself to notice, to remember, to be kind, to work hard, to love completely and to help others.
-peace
Friday, November 19, 2010
aggravation comes before gratitude this week
yes, yes, I'm grateful for all kinds of things, whatever. here's a list of things that aggravate me:
_teens who know everything
-running tights
-allergy induced headaches that make me want to slam my head on my desk
-tests that feel like they are tricking my students instead of just assessing what they can do
-beer that goes skunky
-dinnertimes where we reenact the "airing of the grievances" from seinfeld
-that they only keep 5 episodes of a show online
-editing a kiddo's rough draft, only to have them submit the final draft with all the same mistakes
-people who lie
-clean laundry that gets dumped on the floor, never to be put away
-papercuts
-when the bubbles wear out in my tub
So there, Universe. take that...
_teens who know everything
-running tights
-allergy induced headaches that make me want to slam my head on my desk
-tests that feel like they are tricking my students instead of just assessing what they can do
-beer that goes skunky
-dinnertimes where we reenact the "airing of the grievances" from seinfeld
-that they only keep 5 episodes of a show online
-editing a kiddo's rough draft, only to have them submit the final draft with all the same mistakes
-people who lie
-clean laundry that gets dumped on the floor, never to be put away
-papercuts
-when the bubbles wear out in my tub
So there, Universe. take that...
Thursday, November 18, 2010
november, wow! really?
mooklettes update:
chris and i just got back from an extended weekend in carmel, ca. thanks to lynne we were able to turn off the mom and dad portion of our brains for a few days and enjoy some great runs along the coast, walking around without a schedule or nagging, and meandering wherever the mood took us.
joe is applying to the CSU system for college in the fall, or he may go the JC route. he is interested in becoming a lock smith, which i find to be right up his alley. he also seems to have a burgeoning career as a house/pet sitter. the kids needs dough, so call me. he is happiest about his U18 boys soccer team doing so well, and his leadership role within that team.
kate is a workhorse. she puts a great deal of effort into everything she does. have to say a big highlight was her singing to me at my birthday party. not only was she lovely, it was an unexpected treat from my gorgeous girl. kate is learning to drive and is lobbying hard for a car.
jt is addicted to anything with a screen. we are considering a 12 step program for him. he has also recently been named mayor. of our home! he keeps everything running around here: pets fed, table set, c. out of traffic, you name it and he knows what time it needs to be done and exactly to what specification.
c. is starting to print, but mostly she just wants to dance and sass. she is the champion of sass. (and coming from me? that is really saying something!) current favorite: What kind of girl do you think i am???
chris and i just got back from an extended weekend in carmel, ca. thanks to lynne we were able to turn off the mom and dad portion of our brains for a few days and enjoy some great runs along the coast, walking around without a schedule or nagging, and meandering wherever the mood took us.
joe is applying to the CSU system for college in the fall, or he may go the JC route. he is interested in becoming a lock smith, which i find to be right up his alley. he also seems to have a burgeoning career as a house/pet sitter. the kids needs dough, so call me. he is happiest about his U18 boys soccer team doing so well, and his leadership role within that team.
kate is a workhorse. she puts a great deal of effort into everything she does. have to say a big highlight was her singing to me at my birthday party. not only was she lovely, it was an unexpected treat from my gorgeous girl. kate is learning to drive and is lobbying hard for a car.
jt is addicted to anything with a screen. we are considering a 12 step program for him. he has also recently been named mayor. of our home! he keeps everything running around here: pets fed, table set, c. out of traffic, you name it and he knows what time it needs to be done and exactly to what specification.
c. is starting to print, but mostly she just wants to dance and sass. she is the champion of sass. (and coming from me? that is really saying something!) current favorite: What kind of girl do you think i am???
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
current life advice that i'm embracing
what is the source of your information? if it is only in your head, ignore it.
- mary karr, LIT
- mary karr, LIT
what i've been reading
i have come across some real treasures lately! now that i have a kindle, as well, i am actually able to read even more. no i won't use it exclusively, but i am surprised at how wonderful it is. for those who wonder, it does actually feel like a book and the type resembles a good old-fashioned paperback.
- The Liar's Club:Mary Karr. read this in advance of daughter needing to read it as summer assignment for sophomore english. i really embraced it. this gal takes some really bad situations and mines the humor out of them in order to make herself a better person. also, i was impressed with the bravery displayed by the teachers who assigned this work. surely they got complaints?
-LIT: also by Mary Karr. 3rd in the series of her memoirs. profound, changed my life, left me a different human being.(not engaging in hyperbole)there were lessons she learned that i needed to benefit from and the time was right. plus, that title works in 3 different ways, which is also an indication of the brilliance of the book.
-Particular Sadness of lemon Cake: i wanted to like this book, after all i waited for weeks for my turn at it through the library. in a word, it was awful.
-Star Island: Carl Hiassan this is one of his novels for adults and it is just fun, plain and simple. oh, and it is also filthy.
-The Red Queen and the White Queen: both by Phillipa Gregory. She is really a master of historical fiction and in this duo she backs up a generation or two from Henry the VIII and looks at those involved in the War of the Roses. Both are as wonderful and engaging as her previous works.
-Composed: Rosanne Cash. She is a poet and a true artist with a voice independent from her famous father. i have loved her music for years and this book made me love her more.
True Porn Clerk Stories: Ali Davis Um, really a little nugget of comedic wisdom and a meditation on human sexuality, feminism, and the human condition. Ali succeeds in writing about her experiences in such an arc that each chapter contains a very satisfying pay-off. (wonder how she knew that would work?)still, not for the faint of heart!
- I Remember Nothing: Nora Ephron. If there is a writer who more deserves the mantle of Erma Bombeck for truth-telling disguised with humor, I am not sure who it might be. in this slim-volume, Nora takes on aging and how she sees herself, and others, from the vantage point of 69 years old. the writing is brief, precise, moving and truly funny, no matter what alec baldwin may post on huffpo!
- The Liar's Club:Mary Karr. read this in advance of daughter needing to read it as summer assignment for sophomore english. i really embraced it. this gal takes some really bad situations and mines the humor out of them in order to make herself a better person. also, i was impressed with the bravery displayed by the teachers who assigned this work. surely they got complaints?
-LIT: also by Mary Karr. 3rd in the series of her memoirs. profound, changed my life, left me a different human being.(not engaging in hyperbole)there were lessons she learned that i needed to benefit from and the time was right. plus, that title works in 3 different ways, which is also an indication of the brilliance of the book.
-Particular Sadness of lemon Cake: i wanted to like this book, after all i waited for weeks for my turn at it through the library. in a word, it was awful.
-Star Island: Carl Hiassan this is one of his novels for adults and it is just fun, plain and simple. oh, and it is also filthy.
-The Red Queen and the White Queen: both by Phillipa Gregory. She is really a master of historical fiction and in this duo she backs up a generation or two from Henry the VIII and looks at those involved in the War of the Roses. Both are as wonderful and engaging as her previous works.
-Composed: Rosanne Cash. She is a poet and a true artist with a voice independent from her famous father. i have loved her music for years and this book made me love her more.
True Porn Clerk Stories: Ali Davis Um, really a little nugget of comedic wisdom and a meditation on human sexuality, feminism, and the human condition. Ali succeeds in writing about her experiences in such an arc that each chapter contains a very satisfying pay-off. (wonder how she knew that would work?)still, not for the faint of heart!
- I Remember Nothing: Nora Ephron. If there is a writer who more deserves the mantle of Erma Bombeck for truth-telling disguised with humor, I am not sure who it might be. in this slim-volume, Nora takes on aging and how she sees herself, and others, from the vantage point of 69 years old. the writing is brief, precise, moving and truly funny, no matter what alec baldwin may post on huffpo!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
things that make me go hmmm
i think that people who compromise deeply held beliefs for a short term gain, wind up without either....
the big 4-0
...and the view is quite lovely. last year i talked about how i was going to keep counting the years, and not put a "hold" on myself at 39 and i still feel that way.
my sis went out of her way to surprise me with a very big party. the setting was desert-moonlight-outdoor-under the stars-amazing, and because MA organized it, everything was pitch-perfect, in one of those, *I'll never even hope to have night like THAT* kind of ways. what an evening! lots of wonderful people, whom i love, dancing and fun. it was amazing to be in the company of so many fabulous people who "get" me and love me anyway.
thanks to all of you who lift me up in so many ways!
-peace
my sis went out of her way to surprise me with a very big party. the setting was desert-moonlight-outdoor-under the stars-amazing, and because MA organized it, everything was pitch-perfect, in one of those, *I'll never even hope to have night like THAT* kind of ways. what an evening! lots of wonderful people, whom i love, dancing and fun. it was amazing to be in the company of so many fabulous people who "get" me and love me anyway.
thanks to all of you who lift me up in so many ways!
-peace