7th grade

I really enjoy the 7th graders, individually. As a whole they drive me nuts but make me giggle. One of the 7th graders has celiac's disease, he can't eat anything with gluten in it. I discussed it with him and he is completely okay with the class making pancakes and he not getting to eat them because he doesn't even like pancakes.

I went over proper procedures on how to measure and use utensils today and told the students that once they use a utensil it goes in the sink.

When a student asked me why they needed to do this the student with celiac's disease spoke up and said "Because of me!" When questioned further the student said in a talk-too-fast-because-you-are-sooooooo-excited-voice (this is not a direct quote) "Well, it's like this. One time my brother made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and after he rubbed the knife with peanut butter on the bread he decided to get some more and stuck the knife back in the jar. I went to use some peanut butter later and in 10 minutes I got hives because the jar was contaminated. It was so awesome I got to go in the ambulance and was in the hospital overnight and my brother had to do my chores for a week!" The other students then proceded to ohh and ahh over this and told him how lucky he was.

Then one student said " Mrs. Taylor, can we make PB and J's so we can call an ambulance to school. That would be awesome!" I didn't know what to say so I just said no real fast and finished the demo.

I still don't know how to respond. It was like they all thought his potential hospitalization was hilarious and a cool food science experiment!

Oh deer!

Yep, deer with 2 e's. I crunched one yesterday morning, airbags deflated, broke out the headlights, pushed the radiator back and bent the radiator brackets..the best part was that I was driving the new red school van! YAY! I am ok, van is not. Not totaled but it will be pricey to fix. Luckily the school is not mad. I feel pretty crappy though considering it was the new van and most small school's can't afford to get new anything very often.

Germany Pictures

Fun with the family

As you all know my family is super close. Thankfully my aunts and cousins accept all of you as 'extra' family members. Especially Kel. This weekend I went to see 'the aunts' at aunt susans and of course...they asked when Kel and Stephy were showing up. (Stephy-they miss you!) Kel joined us on the pontoon around the lake and helped me get the courage up to go off the tree swing. We came back to the house and had some wine and snacks and stayed up late talking. Saturday we ate late, did a bit of shopping and went to The Proposal. They aunts cried. I come by it naturally! Kel went home after a bit of snacking. We stayed up late watching The Notebook on HBO and crying. Today we ate (common theme?!?) breakfast and read the funnies and now we are getting massages! Kel shoulda stuck around, aunt susan asked her massage therapist to come over and she is giving 30 minute massages. YAY!!!

I am so excited to see you all soon. School is starting and thus the adventures. I will update about my foods juding experiance soon. As well as post the germany pictures...promise.

P.S. who knows how to make a slide show on this thing??

Audio CD's

Around December I found something "new" and exciting. Audio CD's...I feel like I waste 90 minutes a day going to and from school. (It was great last year-student teaching-when I could read on the way to FRMS or JC most days. ) So I decided to get an audio CD from the local library, thought I would hate it and it has been AMAZING. I have listend to 4 or 5 books so far and I am in the middle of Wicked right now. It has been really nice to put in my computer at school and listen to when I was organizing and doing inventory.

I have been released from skoo jail for a month or so. Will go back for a day or two the beginning of July and then hit it hard begining in August.

Miss you all, hope to see you soon.

Summer Break ?

I am not sure if it is really considered a summer break if I am still at school, is it? I have been doing inventory for what seems like two weeks but really it's only been like 4 days. My summer is going to consist of the following:

June 5-7: Canoeing with the gridley bunch in MO.

June 8-17: Skoo, mowing cemetaries and cleaning my house.

June 18-26: Germany (I will upload pictures if I have a chance)

July is a bunch of not fun cleaning and mowing and stuff.


Hope to see you all soon - it was fun to see Genna, TJ, Mandy, Whitney, Abby and Dan W.

3.5 days left

There are 3.5 days left (including today). My 'real' life will resume then. Until Friday at noon I will be in skoo and mowing jail.

p.s. they found a new ag teacher. I am sad.

The wal-mart Card

I don't like wal-mart, and i don't like the wal-mart card. I don't even like to capitalize the w on wal-mart because I don't think it should be a proper noun!

When I go shopping for school I go to Country Mart or wal-mart in Iola. Or I go to Hoovers in Burlington...depends on what I am getting and who is having the best sales. The wal-mart cards don't work and I am never buying for just one thing. I always have to may like 3 transactions and the CSM (which I think stands for Crabby Service Manager) always has to key in the credit card number and doesn't want to do it. IT IS THEIR JOB! Not all parts of a job are great fun, there are lots of parts of my job I would rather not do, like go to wal-mart at 5:00 on a Wednesday but I don't really have a choice - it's my job.

In 8 minutes I am going to go to wal-mart, spend 1.5 hours, use three carts to make 4 transactions and spend about $250. And the second I walk in the CSM will walk away and turn her pager off, what a coincidence! Dumb card!

Complicated

Why do things need to be so complicated...or rather why should I have a need to be so complicated. I am debating my future: to master in education or to master in human development, that is the question!

There are many pros and cons of each...this is a work in progress.

Masters in Education (Curriculum and Instruction)

Pros
It is logical...why would a teacher NOT want to be better at instructing and curriculuming.
Lots of places to get it that are close: Emporia, Pittsburg.
Most programs are all or partially on line

Cons
Everybody is doing it.
Not very specific to my career goals.
Teacher specific-hard to use a M in C and I in another career field. Not that I plan on switching but if it happens I would want something with more transferability (is this a word?)


Masters in Human Development

Pros
More specific to my career goals.
Can be used if I ever wanted to change jobs, as long as it has something to do with humans, and thier development.
Mostly on-line.

Cons
Only offered at KSU.
Hardcore program that is hard to get into (should have studied more in the last 4 years!)

As I discover more pros and cons I will add them...let me know your opinions.

32.5

This number represents the amount of days left in school. Technically it is 33.5 if you count the last professional development day, but I am just counting student-contact hours. The 1/2 comes from the last day, kids get out at noonish. Like Krista I will soon be starting my masters. I have talked to several people at several colleges and ESU has an early childhood program that would be a good fit considering the types of classes I teach and those I will be teaching in the future AND if I ever wanted to (gulp) I could even teach the youngsters...nah, leave that to Krista, Kelly and Abby. Takes a special kind of person to do that.

Plus I really like the bakery class. The following picture is of the cake that my bakery students made. We were comissioned to make a 40th birthday cake for the high school secretary. I could not have made it this year with out her. She is so kind and helpful and she answers my endless parade of questions and outloud wonderings.

In real life the cake did not look that green, it was more of a grey/green..must be my shoddy photography skills.

SLACKERS!

Friends-I miss you, lots...no TONS! Quit being slackers and post! We all need a little procrastination time, here is your chance.

Spring Break

I did not appreciate spring break enough until this year. Those five days really hit the spot-not that they were leasurly by any means but I feel like a terrible person when things in my life get ignored like hair cuts and oil changes and the laundry...especially the mopping! So I am including a little smidgen of my new do! I think it looks just like when I cut my hair for Locks O Love. I am not a photographer!



Also included are some pictures of my classroom I took today from my desk. Do not be fooled-objects in blog are smaller than they appear. My room is about as wide as a double wide and half as long. TINY! And notice those great washer and dryers in the middle of my room. AWESOME - not.

Redarndiculous

Remember when we were in high school and the whole school got out for state b-ball if the team went? I do and it was great....no school YAY! Our team is going to state and I am stuck in class with four students this hour, none last and even fewer all day. There are 22 teachers in this school. 11 of which took a personal day today and for the professional development day tomorrow to go to the games. That means 11 subs at $90 a piece. That's a lot of money! If the team wins today then I plan on leaving tomorrow evening and going up if the boys win that game, I will get in late at Stephy and Ryans and then go to the Saturday game. If they win we celebrate, if they don't, we celebrate a good season. Either way we celebrate!

I have been reading other blogs lately and one of interest is Frugal Coupon Mom, she has links listed for coupons, freebies, mail in rebate offers and lots of other things as well as money saving tips that are realistic for busy people like us. She uses lots of different stores including some we do not have here but those out of state, or moving out of state ( :( Whit and maybe Genna), can shop at like Albertsons and stores only in big cities like CVS and Walgreens. She is a smart lady but her site is hard to navigate. She is changing the site soon so it is more user friendly.

It is exciting and scary to say that after Friday there is only one more nine week period before school is out. I am crossing my fingers that I will be re-contracted for another year, they are supposed to give us at least a month to look over the contracts and decide if we want to sign. We should know by April 10 if we will be offered a contract for next year!

Had a great time at Fake Patty's day, hope to see you all soon!

We have lift off!

It is official, Cody and I are leaving for Germany on June 18th at 10:15 in the morning. He is a little nervous because he has never flown before but I keep telling him that he will be fine. The take off is okay, but the landing is what makes me uncomfortable.

Necesito recetas para mi clase! (I need recipes for my class!)

I know we are all fans of being fatties* and eating delicious foods, however; (is that backwards....is it semicolon however comma?? ) most of us also revil in finding a great tasting recipe that is low-cal., low-fat, big-nutrition. So I am asking for these type of recipes...delicious desserty type foods that are nutritious and can be made and cleaned up in 56 minutes.

The bakery class used to make cookies and bar cookies and more cookies....however I would like to put a nutritious spin on these dessert items because I think these kids eat WAY too much unhealthy foods the way it is.

Bakery class is a school based business. We bake and then sell our goods during DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) time on Fridays to the students. It is sort of like a snack time on Friday. My ultimate goal is to make healthful foods then try to get some extra funding from the state (long shot right now...stupid economy) if we can show that our bakery class is creating healthful snacks and providing healthful snacking education to our student body in an effort to "retrain" our students into making healthy choices.

If you have any ideas, send them my way...I would love to hear them!

These are some of our latest creations, double chip chocolate cookies!

Pizza cookie, yummm...except for the part where it overflowed onto the bottom of the oven.

*In our spanish class the students found out that it is okay, and even a term of endearment in the latino culture to call someone gorda or gordo (fat or large) so they have been calling each other "gordy" in spanish class. Makes me giggle because it is similar to us.....miss you all.

Thursday is the new Wednesday

All of my teachery friends agree....Wednesday is horrible. I don't know if it is the fact that the students can see the "light at the end of the tunnel", they are dreading the last two days after they just completed two days. Remember how we felt when we were 1/2 done with spring semester of senior year.......just one year ago......stir crazy and wanting to be done but not yet ready to leave.

Anyways, today the munchkins have been bad. It may also have to do with it being Spirit Week! Super fun! Or maybe it is because they had a sub yesterday, or maybe because we have been working really hard, or maybe because it is supposed to be like 65 degrees tomorrow....whatever the reason, I want my kids to be good today.

Bakery is getting a little overwhelming, we have 5 dozen decorated cookies and 1 iced pizza cookie due by next Friday as well as two decorated cakes due by the 23rd and one cupcake-cake...the cup cakes are all pushed together and iced as if they were one cake. The students are excited so I can't complain about that.

Miss you all...Krista and I are going to see Jana tomorrow after homecoming. My sister is a candidate.

I like the name Ralph, but Cody likes the name Mickey

No...no babies, a mouse....in my classroom. While not as gross as the sheep's cockroaches, still ewwy.

Tuesday in Bakery my kids were finishing up thier project and I knew I had between 1 and 1.5 minutes before they would ask a question so I wanted to check my e-mail. So I sat down to check my e-mail and was trying to make sense of it when I see something move from the corner of my eye. I look to my left and sitting on top (ON TOP) of my khaki messenger bag is a mouse. I naturally jumped up and yelled "oh shit a mouse" to which my kids giggled from my curse then screamed because of the mouse part. M. grabbed a bowl out of the cupboard next to her seat and ran over yelling "I wanna catch it, if I catch it do I get extra credit, can I have it on my Spanish grade" as she ran back and forth behind my desk and the file cabinets looking for it.

Silly girl, of course I would give her extra credit if she caught the mouse!

The custodian gave me 2 sticky traps (can't use snap traps...bodily fluids) and some Decon....hope we get him soon.

Daily Commute

When someone from the C High School area asks me where I live they are usually surprised because it is a 45 minute commute...31.3 miles...to and from school. Usually there is some sort of appologetic empathy or yucky face. But I enjoy it, when you get to look at these sunrises for 45 minutes each morning it is a nice start to your day.

Snake

I was driving to school one morning before school was in session this fall, and noticed that the electric poles switched sides of the road but didn't think much more of it. Then a day or two later I was driving again and noticed something hanging from one of those power lines but couldn't get a good look at it. On the way home I slowed down so I could see what it was...a big black snake. I assume a hawk dropped it and it landed there since snakes can't fly.

Over the past 5ish months I look for that snake and marvel at the other things I am noticing around me.The new barn put up near where the snake hangs. The cute puppy that I know to slow down for if I leave school around 4:00. The little old lady that likes to walk facing the sun set. The corner where I hit the deer (with my mother-in-law's van...that was a fun phone call).

A gross decaying snake skeleton isn't something most people look forward to seeing and it's not like I want to call Lyon Coffey Electric to come cut it off so I can take it home but it's a symbol to me. Each day the snake weathers a storm and hangs by a thread but it is always there. I go to school everyday and each day there is a new challenge and a different student who is nervin' me, I may cry myself home some nights but I show up the next day, bright eyed and bushy tailed. My skin is not decaying but growing thicker and I am learning how to balance on that thin piece of wire.

Hey Fatty!

I was digging in a closet at the back of my classroom today and found a big blue trunk that I thought had an old embroidery machine in it. My my surpise (and excitement) it was not an embroidery machine but a fat belly. We have all see the pregnancy bellies...this is different. It is in a harness like the pregnancy bellies only the fat part in the front is that gross yellowish orange stuff they use to make pretend fat that Extension Agent presentations use or we used for FACS judging in 4-H.

I got it out today in the big blue trunk when we were discussing how much food you REALLY need to eat in one day..did a simulation then asked how much they would gain if they ate 500 more calories each day - 1 lb per week. If this continued for 6 months how much would they gain -about 25 pounds. Then I pulled out the belly in all it's disgusting glory and had the students put it on. They were grossed out. Another mission accomplished!

Back to skoo jail

Happy new year, now back to skoo jail. Yes, it is that time of year, I have procrastinated all break and now have two days (plus the other days I worked from home grading finals and such) to accomplish what took me all summer. I am super glad for MLK Day in a few weeks! Extra day to plan my heart away - boo to that idea! I love teaching but really dislike planning and this is going to be even worse than last semester because spring goes by SO FAST and is SO BUSY! I guess I will have to stay on my toes and use my personal days wisely!

I am quite excited that Jana will be in Joplin. There are a few cute craft shops and a nice quilting shop there that I am excited to see. Krista and I have thrown around the idea of taking a weekend (or two) and going that direction to visit so I am looking forward to our mini friend trips.

I am also excited about Nutrition and Wellness. I have been told that it is important each semester to pick a class and make sure you do "A" work preparing for it so you can feel like one class is a success and that you have done your absolute best because if you try to perfect ALL of your classes that you get run down and it becomes no fun to teach anymore. So...last semester I taught Balancing Career and Family as my "A" class and Science of Food as my "B" class. The rest got "B" and "C" level work. I think Science of Food will still be my "B" class - I enjoy it. We blew up marshmallows in the microwave - it was AWESOME!!!!!