Orpah's Lifeclass #5 - Joy Rising

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Class is in session!  Come on down!  Get a good seat and enjoy!


What brings you joy?
What steals your joy?*

Your joy rising.

I have a LOT to be joyful.  
A lot.
Seriously.
In the middle of the worst year ever, and starting to see the light on the other side of my life - I find I have more joy then ever before.

Oprah's episodes are absolutely a part of joy rising.

However, there are a lot of different things that bring me joy.

Here are just a few:
  1. Fall
  2. Fall rain
  3. Falling in the bathroom
  4. Mr. Belding
  5. Nieces and Nephews
  6. Crafting
  7. Learning
  8. Running
  9. Friends
  10. Laughter
  11. Endless Smiles
  12. Miss Witherell
  13. Thank Yous
  14. Your Welcomes
  15. Realizing you matter
  16. Love
  17. Inspiration
  18. Baking
  19. Birthdays
  20. Halloween.
Joy.
Joy.
Joy.

I've also been reading blogs, 2 in particular about young women's journey through IVF.
They fill me with a respect for these women and a prayer for them and them families.

My joy...err...their joy is THEY'RE PREGNANT.  
Two posts side by side in my little blog roll.

That folks, that's a lot of joy. 

It's a beautiful day. 

Please, let your joy rise.

Pumpkin Praline Goodness

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It's OCTOBER.

It's pumpkin season.

When I was teaching, we would have brainstormed a list of things writers write about.
Then each student would have decorated an orange pumpkin with their own ideas or personal ideas about what to write about.
Then we'd hang them up and make A PATCH OF GOOD IDEAS and leave them up for writing.  

It looks something like this, only the pumpkins are cut out.  
My 2nd graders did this activity while I was away attending a conference.
This is what my aids put together :).  
27 pumpkins is...a lot.


Anyhoozle.  I'm  not teaching.  
And boy howdy, does that leave time to try some new goodness.
Get a pan.

Get a plate.
Get your mmmmmmm... ready.

What's pictured here is the back of the box of PILLSBURY PUMPKIN COOKIES.  That's where all this goodness started.
Can you read the recipe here?
I hope so.
I didn't have Dark Corn Syrup, I didn't even think I had any corn syrup.
But I did.
Just the light kind.
Didn't change the flavor a bit...I guess.
I sprinkled her with a little bit of powered sugar before I cut into squares of unholy goodness.
Pumpkintasticness.

Rainforest Behavior Chart

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While I was teaching third grade, I did a rainforest theme to go with State Standards.

During my student teaching we used Red, Yellow, and Green lights.
And something about that style wasn't me.

So.
 I fished around online to find something that was gellin'.

Before I settled on layers of the rainforest, I read a blog about adding a 4th color to create a paradigm shift. If students start their day on green, and can only get worse, where is the incentive to do better. 

Sort of that GOOD, BETTER, BEST mantra was living by.

I didn't want my students to just be good.
I wanted them to be their best.
This particular teacher added PURPLE at the top.

Everyone started out on green.
If they needed to be redirected they'e go down to orange.

If they did something above and beyond, say for example, give up their spot in the front row of a class show for a fellow student or sharpen pencils during recess or my personal favorite purple moment, tell an teaching aid how lucky they were to have them as a teacher, then they move to purple.

Purple is reserved.
Not everyone gets to purple.
Purple days aren't every day.
Green becomes GREAT.
Purples because EXTRAORDINARY.
See what happens there.
Suddenly, yellow, is less "you need to work on it" and more "hey, pretty good, you can do better." 

Anyhoozle, stepping off my soapbox, this system doesn't work for all.

I used rainforest to reinforce learning.
When you move over to the EMERGENT LAYER...you were being EXTRAORDINARY. 

EXTRAORDINARY EMERGENT layer was heard a lot in our room.
That and, "Can I get off the floor?"

Bahaha, oh 3rd grade.
I used magnetic snakes with the kids #'s on them on our chalkboard for this chart.
Behavior Management

Explorer of the Week!

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My love for Beth Newingham is ENDless. 
Seriously, just when I'm done finding things I want to try, there are 15 new things.

Here's an easy one that is often over looked.  
Recognizing your students in different ways.

In my class, we called them our EXPLORER of the WEEK...here you can see Beth's AMAZING version of Star of the Week.
Star of the Week

I pretty much did all the things talked about on her website.

Instead of Rockstar Recognition, I created a blank poster with the Explorer of the Week's photos, and as a part of morning work, every student signed the poster.

Obviously, their spelling and intended written proposal were evaluated by the three teachers BEFORE they wrote.

Kids are so honest, it warms my heart.

"We don't play together a lot, but I think you are nice."
"We've been to school since kindergarten!"
"I count you in my friends."
"You are really funny.  That's all I know."

Here's my banner for the bulletin board.
I know I have a parent letter hanging around here somewhere.

ANNNNNND....that's not the banner, huh?
Though it did look similar, I'll find it. :)
Explore 2010 Found it :) Explorer of the Week 2010

Mystery Reader?

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Have you ever been here: Beth Newingham's 3rd Grade Site?

Who hasn't really?

I j'adore her.

I should warn you that once you go, you never quite stop feeling like you can do more.

It's not a bad feeling, but just a heads up.

Beth is INCREDIBLE.

I'd say 99% of the things I tried from her site worked like WHOA.

Probably my favorite is Mystery Reader.
You can read about it here: Mystery Reader Info

And, connect to some of her editable printables.

I think it created critical thinkers who at 2nd and 3rd grade asked INCREDIBLE questions.

I remember one of the clues was from a mother in our class and that she'd traveled to every continent.  Her son "knew" her, but never guessed it was her.  She came on Friday and read during lunch, at the end of the lunch they have a few minutes for Q and A while we take a class photo.  Her son climbed into her lap and looked at her like he'd never really SEEN her before.  She smiled at him.  As an observer, I watched mystery reader connect adult readers with students learning to reader.  As THEIR teacher, I watched it perform magic.

I had a small part of a bulletin board I used to post clues.
We read one new clue at Morning Meeting and talked about who it could be.
Each child kept a Mystery Reader journal and was required to write the new clue as a part of morning work.

Here are some of the pieces of their bulletin board.

Mystery Reader 2010 Mystery Reader 2010 Clues As a side note, one of my 2nd grade mothers died in January, very suddenly and without much warning. She had already been mystery reader and her son had the opportunity to view her through a different lens. It wasn't lost on ANY of us, that power Mystery Reader can carry.

Oprah's Lifeclass #4 - The Truth WILL Set You Free

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Coming to class?  Tonight's question is particularly relevant:

What secret are you sick of keeping?
When are you going to free yourself by telling it?*

I'm slowly coming out of the "Fall" from this morning, and am looking forward to going to bed for real in a bit.  

However, tonight's topic is too good to not blog.

Secrets.

We all got 'em.

We all keep 'em.

So what are yours?

Mine?

Mine are hard.  Aren't they all?

Ya'll know I'm adopted.  
I secretly wish I wasn't.
But.
Not for the reasons you think.

I was adopted by a closeted lesbian who, along with my other mother, her partner of 10 years, raised me in an accepting and open home while NEVER being open and honest with me.

When they separated, I blamed myself. 

Not till a few years later did I realize that the reason for their "divorce" was my "Auntie Donna" wanting to be out.  
After their separation she was/is and moved away with her partner.

I resented her leaving and more than ANYTHING: MORE.  THEN.  ANYTHING...I wanted to live with her.  

I was left with the closeted mom.  
The mother who could not be her authentic self.

I resented, no, I resent her.  Her dishonesty.  Her shame.  Her hurt.

It's funny because in my own heterosexual life I've become an ally for GLBT friend and youth.  
I never want anyone to feel the way that my parents felt.  
I never want anyone to feel the way their LIFE impacted me.

I realize their secrets are not mine, but they build my secret of wishing I were never adopted.

When my biological mother found me on Facebook, the first thing I looked for in her writing was was she like me?  Did we share the same heart of openness and kindness towards others.

One of her first emails was, "I hope you can forgive me for being honest that I couldn't take care of you.  God knows I loved you.
I told him everyday to make sure your heart was open and that you were given every thing you needed."

I sat at my computer and bawled.
The woman who gave me life, and gave me up, also never lied to me.
Her honesty envelopes me to this day.
Her honesty has healed me on some level because biologically there is a part of me that allows me to live openly, even if my "mothers" could never do that for themselves.

The truth inevitably sets you free.

One day, my mother will be honest too.
  • You will not have the life you deserve if you are not honest with who you are.
  • Shame is a very isolating emotion.
  • When we hold secrets, you build shame.
  • Audre Lorde - "The more I use my strength my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."

Classroom Graphing Question of the Day

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There was a great poster set at the local teacher's store for $14.99.
It'd stare...STARE at me every time I walked in.
I knew it would be a great tool for teaching bar graphing with those tiny post it notes.

And it was.

Just, my free version, not the $14.99.

Each student wrote their name on the post it and hung it up.
My 3rd and 5th graders used their initials.
You could also do a weather graph.
I laminated mine, but you could color yours and change it every day.
After laminating you can use dry erase markers. :)
Enjoy.
Graphing 2010 Graphing Question

Falling into Fall

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Today was...

An Epic Fail.

It started with a delicious breakfast.

In the middle there was some laughter.

At the end, I am writing to you from bed...at four o'clock in the afternoon.


Mr. Belding and I have been "seeing" each other for a little over 6 months, and truth be told, things are good.  Slow, but good.  Slow, and that's the way I like it.

The Accountant and I dated for 11 and half years and I never married him.

Slow is the new good.

Anyhoozle.

We've started the occasional spending the nights.

Mr. Belding is a Middle School principal, and don't worry, we didn't meet at school or with anything related to school.
Mutual friends.

Because he's a principal, we try not to do sleep overs during the week.
Work and everything such as.
Last night being an exception because we'd gone to see 50/50 after the School Committee Meeting and by the time we got back to his place, it was tired o'clock pm.

So I crashed.

Good house guest me got up early, made coffee and some sticky buns and got him up.

MMMmmm...
Mr. Belding was downstairs when the sounds from the upstairs bathroom were a significant crash and then raucous laughter.

I could hear him bolting upstairs and doing what I would later describe as bounding two steps at a time upstairs.

From above I was laughing so hard I nearly peed my pants.
Seriously.
A little pee came out :).

I had just slipped on THAT spot in his bathroom that is always slippery.
I ALWAYS slip there and think, someday, I'll really get hurt.

Today.
Today, was that day.

"I'm glad you're laughing," Mr. Belding says, "at least you're still alive, it sounded like - cheese and biscuits!"

Mr. Belding did curse.

I was raised by two women and never had a dad.
I imagine the look on his face as one your dad makes when your current situation breaks his heart.

"I know, I know, I'm an idiot."

He approached so quickly I thought he was going to attempt an evacuation.
Suddenly, there was a warm compress on my head and he was asking me to look at him.

Trying to swat his concern away, I told him I was fine and he was being a little too cautious.
People fall.
People like me fall a lot.

Seconds before he said it, I started to feel liquid, hot liquid, trickling down my face.

Then he said it.
Then I looked down and realized he could have cared less about the fall and was far more concerned with the amount of blood I was sitting in.

"You're bleeding!
What did you cut?
An artery?
Cheese and Biscuts!"

He cursed again and I assured him I was alright, albeit starting to get a little lightheaded.

He assured me, it was far worse then I could see.

The next couple of hours are so fast.
We dressed, he called out.
We got in the car, we went to the ER.
They stitched me up.

And they kept me for observation since I was little out of it.

Best I can tell, I took the corner of his counter top on the way down.  It won.

8 stitches later, I look like a fighter.

Who lost.

Baby stitches are cuter than mind, but the location is spot on.
I'm in bed, but can't sleep for a little bit.
Mostly because I have a head ache and also because Mr. Belding has orders to keep me awake until I eat something.

Another sleep over.

Who knew, Mr. Belding?
Of all people.
Excellent care taker.
Superb mind keeper off-er-er.
Silly man.
Silly, silly, man.

I'm no Kelly Kapowski,  but, you know something, I'm falling.

Classroom Theme - Monuments

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*Soapbox Moment :)
I truly believe that every great teacher has their own "BEST practices".
Lots of great teachers do themes.  Lots of great teachers do not.
Lots of great teachers do themes well, lots of great teachers do not.

You don't have to theme.
I always loved it because it was just another way to teach my kids.

The only "must have" from theming for me is that it's a theme that teaches my kids.
Meaning: you'll never see me do a "hollywood theme".

If you're going to hang something up in you room, let it teach your kids.
Don't make a banner or sign because it's cute.

Case in point.

My first ever classroom was third grade.  I went to the Social Studies and Science curriculum and looked for a theme.  I chose Oceans and then Rainforests.  My behavior chart was the layers of the Rainforest or the World's Ocean, sorry Indian Ocean, when they were having a bad day, they went to you.  By the end of the year, my kids knew all of those levels.

When I taught 5th grade math we did an Airport theme.
I stretched it here because I didn't really want to teach 5th grade math, and Math was everywhere anyways.

We had arrival/departure board, cargo bings, suitcases, flight plans, and we learned about math around the world.

In 2nd grade, we went with monuments since one of the standards is that the students will know all the important DC memorials by the end of 2nd grade.  Massachusetts.  You're ridiculous.

I had these on various bulletin boards and the students enjoyed looking at the pictures and quizzing each other.  By the end of SEPTEMBER everyone could name all the monuments.  Pretty sweet.

Enjoy.

Presidential Word Wall 2010
Lincoln's 2010 Mt. Math 2010 Daily Schedule 2010 Alp Wall of WOrk 2010

Good, Better, Best!

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"Good, better, best, never let it rest, until your GOOD, is better than your best."

We chanted this EVERY MORNING at morning meeting and at the end of day.

My.   Kids.  Loved it.

I loved Loved LOVED listening to them talk about their good, better, best moments.

Particular favorites were:

  • 2nd grade soccer and feeling like it was hard and then it got gooder and gooder.
  • 3rd graders who couldn't read and then you could and you did it, a lot.
  • 4th graders who hated writing and then you keep writing and writing and you realize, you're a writer, already.
  • 2nd graders who were nervous about presenting.  And then it was like, I'm Barack Obama.:)
Use it in your classroom.

Love it.

Enjoy.
Bonus Points for you if you remember the ORIGINAL ROAD RULES episode where I first heart this. :)
Class Cheer 2010

You're a sharp one!

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When I was teaching we had communal pencils and everyone, and boy do I mean EVERYONE had to share.

I encouraged kids to bring in pencils, but known that'd we'd all be using them.
Some kids had a hard time adjusting but in the end the pencil sharpener got their money's worth for sure for all their hard work at the end of the day.

I made these signs for the two buckets.
If I had to do it again, I'd us chalkboard paint for each of my buckets.


Pencils 2010

Oprah's Lifeclass #3 - What you believe about yourself?

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Going to class?

How would you fill in these blanks?
The one thing I wished I had become is ____.
The one thing I will become is ____.*

^These statements are blowing my mind.  
BLOWING my mind.  
Tonight is starting right out of the gate where I feel like I am in my life.

Choosing to walk a way from a career I was uncertain about to find out what I'm really passionate about has opened a floodgate of being able to visualize my own success and then wiling it to happen.

  • Visualize your success and then make it happen.
  • If you can see it and BELIEVE it, it is a lot easier to achieve it.
  • If you wake up every day and ask yourself what you believe to be true about yourself and go forward through the 
It's never too late to become who you were meant to be.
Seriously.

Shut.
The.
Front.
Door.

The belief can not come from your ego self.  A lot of people of ideas or beliefs about themselves that have formed about you from others.

Your heart song is only yours.  That can only be expressed through you.

Hold onto your beliefs.

It's really important to know what you believe in YOURSELF.
Really, really, ego free, anger free, hurt free, BEST DAY you, what do you believe in yourself?


So much of wanting is living with the belief you never can, or never will.

YOU ALREADY have, you already are, HOW CAN YOU ACCESS that?

Daily Schedule

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I wanted my daily schedule to be magnetic, since we had a magnetic white board.
I wanted my daily schedule to be readable even by kindergarteners.
I wanted my daily schedule to last more then one year.

Hence the pictures and the color coding,

I printed these out, backed them with card stock, hard laminate them, and hot glued round magnets on the back.

These worked really well and when I left teaching, I gifted them to a preschool teacher who loves them.

Enjoy.


Schedule 2010 -1 Schedule 2010 -3 Schedule 2010 -4 Schedule 2010 -2

Oprah's Life Class #2 - Anger

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She's super fierce.


Super.


Fierce.


And so relevant.


Ms Iyanla Vanzant was on the webcast.  


J'adore.  


As I'm working on her workbooks, I realize the progress I've made in my own life just in the past two months.  


I'm proud of who I am now that I have the time to be able to work on me and not be so angry that things (I wrote rings here first....freudian slip?) weren't going my way.
  • Forgiveness is not being okay that it happened, but rather, acknowledging that it happened and being able to move past that.
  • Forgiveness is a gift you give to yourself.  Letting go of the anger so that you can be free, so that you can accept the power that is in you.
You can allow yourself to be complete by letting go of the part that was hurt.


You have no control over what happens to anyone else, other than yourself.


We're never angry for the reason we think we are.


Angry is the easy way out.  
When I'm angry, I am in control of that anger.


So many good morsels last night, I just kept furiously trying to fit the pieces together.
Pardon the disjointedness.  
It's all good.


Go.  
To.  
The.  
Hurt.


Stop thinking about what you feel.  
Feel it.


Until you heal the wounds of your past, you are going to bleed.
You must find the strength, to open the wound, pull out the core of the problem, and deal with it.


Look for your hurt.
Then invite the hurt forward.
Stay out of your mind.


I love you.
You didn't do anything wrong.
The best students get the hardest tests.


I use it as an excuse to not live up to my own brilliance.
Keep ourselves small?

Shrek The Musical

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I'm letting my freak flag fly.


I'm a Shrek Junkie.
I saw the musical 3 times.

I saw Wicked 12 times.
But. Who is counting?

I sing along with every musical I've ever attended.
That list is loooooong. However, all three times for this musical...I waved my arms around like they were my freak flag.

If the touring production makes it to your area...go.

Between Sutton Foster and John Tartaglia who is not to love?

Between you and me...Gingy and Pinocchio steal the show.

And, of course, the Big, Bad Wolf....miss thing you work it out!
 

Classroom Jobs

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These were jobs that I created in PRINT SHOP <--- a little obsessed.

I printed them out on card stock, glued them to $1 Store pockets and laminated.

Since the "pockets" are not themed, you can use them over and over and OVER. 

I did my airport theme, where the students' names were on "pilot wings" and stuck those onto card stock to easily move in and out of the pockets.

The rainforest theme, where the students names were on toucans.

The explorer theme, where the students names were on safari hats.

The pockets...stayed the same.

Enjoy!
Class Jobs 2010 One Class Jobs Class Jobs 3 Class Jobs 4


Class Jobs 5 2010 Class Jobs 6 2010

Welcome

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Welcome 2010
I created a bunch of my "own" (read: borrowed, redesigned, stolen, thrifted, crafted, recreated, re-purposed) things for my classroom and I really feel like instead of just being saved on my computer SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE should get some use out of them.

So.
We'll have a bunch of posts here.
You'll tell me if you're able to download anything.

If I'm being ridiculous.

Then, I'll link all the posts to the Classroom Ideas Page.

I'm certainly not as cool as Beth Newingham.
89.98% of my ideas are from Beth.

But teachers Share.  Right?

Enjoy.

Oprah's Lifeclass / Happy Book

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I want you to take this class too. 
Even if you don't get her network, which I just signed up for...sign into her website and watch there: Oprah's Lifeclass


Last night was her premiere episode and to say I was riveted doesn't even come close to the glazed look I had on my face the entire hour.  
I didn't move and cataloged everything as she said it.

I closed my eyes when she asked.

I evaluated my ego.

I think a part of my ego comes out on the blog. 
I allow it to be more me than I actually am myself.

There was so much I took away, but the salient thing I felt throughout the hour was:
You DEFINE yourself.
You are ALLOWED to define yourself.
And the POWER you FEEL others have over you (your thoughts/your choices/your growth)...is...GIVEN TO THEM BY YOUR EGO.

Sorry if that looks like I'm yelling.  It was all said with enthusiasm.  Her webcast after was just as good.

I'm trying to cut back on TV, as in cut it out completely, but I continue to need to make time for Rosie and Oprah.

And, apparently...myself.

Which, made me think of the gift my girls gave me at the end of my 8th summer at the Boston Ballet.

I've been doing that job for 8 years.  
I've LOVED doing it.
It's watched me grow.
Helped me grow.
It's ego aside some of the best work I've allowed myself to do.
With some of the greatest people I've ever worked with.
People that challenge me, question me, laugh and cry with me and make every day JOYFUL.

I do it for no other reason than I love it.  
It's as pure as a non-ego job as I can get.
I give it my all and I get that joy in return.

This summer, I also got this journal.

I sat outside my room on duty...it was the last night.

And cried.

Cried because I do my job there because I love it.  For no reward from anyone other than I just get to do my job.  BEST JOB EVER.

And here, on the floor of the 4th floor, outside the elevator, I was surrounded by a love I knew was there, I felt it EVERY DAY...but now was sitting around me in the form of gifts.

I didn't need it.

But, I accepted it.

This journal.  

As a thanks for the nightly notes I left my girls, my girls left me a summer note.

And I wept in their thoughtfulness, in their appreciation.  Mostly because I didn't need it.  There is no EGO involved in that job.  Just a shear love for the City of Boston, Boston Ballet, and my ladies.






Deliciousness

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Links for the idea and recipe: Whatever which will link you to Crockpot BBQ Chicken recipe.

In LOVE.

Now that I am home, not working, crafty, enjoying the fall and the outdoors, walking, running, blogging, and simply enjoying a life I haven't enjoyed for quite a while; I'm also finding small ways to say thank you to my Neurotic Mother for letting me stay awhile, for virtually free..believe me, virtually free is better than the $600 she was going to charge me a couple of years ago.

Thanks mom.

So, NOW all I have to do is pay my bills.  That's pretty sweet.

So I cook/bake a lot.

A

lot.

Since I'm rocking' the gluten free/dairy free/tomatoe/citrus fruit/pepper/egg free life...I'm usually eating edemame or gluten free chicken soup or fruit smoothies from Jamba Juice (obviously I pick out the yogurt pieces) :)



My Neurotic Mother is adorable about all the restrictions.  
She thinks it's all in my head.  
That stress caused my psoriasis flare-up.  
Yesterday, about 2 months after starting the restrictions she mentioned that my skin looked like it was clearing up and what was I doing.  
I looked at her. 
Blinked twice and munched on some edemame.

Anyhoozle.

I made that chicken with some rice for her and gram the other day and they LOVED it.  
I keep thinking about Gram's 90th Birthay (May 2012) and I think this will absolutely make the short list of deliciousness we'll serve.  

Go try it tonight - it will not disappoint.


Pinterest Challenge #6 - Gold Thumbtack Wreath

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Link to the instructional: Gold Thumbtack Wreath Tutorial

Another super easy tutorial and another beauty from Gold Thumbtacks.

I really liked the idea of the wreath and changing the ribbon or each season.  I didn't glue my ribbon on there, just tied it, so red and gold ribbon for christmas, white and gold for January, hearts and gold...you get the idea.


Once again I say, it didn't take me that long.  One...yes ONE episode of the The Sing Off on NBC...2 hours.  And she was done.  That was fun.  It did take 8 boxes of thumbtacks and was an 8 inch wreath instead of a 6 inch.

I'm giving this one away as a part of a Random Acts of Kindness.  I just have to pick the doorstep and deliver with a note that says...

"I had the extra time, and you can always use a gold wreath."


There she is, all ready to surprise :)!


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