Navigation Through Education

Going on Hiatus

2009-03-30T07:51:00.001-05:00

Thanks out there to everyone who read this blog. Currently I do not feel moved to post on this topic any longer. I will still however continue to post on my other blog, One Soul's Journey.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-03-22T20:02:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful for:

India Spice tea

Emmeril's Essence

When my dogs smile

Mowing the lawn

A Course in Miracles

Languages

Paper and pens

Sunscreen

Amber

Trilobites

Life.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-03-15T18:11:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful for:

Food Blogs

Good Friends

The Office

New leaves' shades of light green

Crochet

Warm weather

Volcanos

Lavender

Cilantro pesto.

Spring Break!

2009-03-13T18:45:00.003-05:00

Yippee! It's spring break time! I'm excited to have a chance to relax and just do some housework that I haven't done in a long time. Also, I got a small grill and a friend gave me some pecan and hickory wood, so I am going to experiment. I love BBQ and the closest GOOD place is about 25 miles from our house and in a not so great neighborhood. I'm also trying to use up some massages from Massage Envy by the end of the month, so I've got a massage scheduled every day next week as well. I'm looking forward to a great week!

Morning

2009-03-11T08:13:00.017-05:00

Since the weather has warmed up, I am able to do a couple of miles on my bicycle before class starts. The azaeleas are blooming right now and I was inspired to deploy my very amateur camera skills.

Pollen in the sidewalk cracks

Really cool squirrel nest

Honeybee on my Satsuma Orange tree.

Not azaleas, but really cool

Little strawberries

This stump in front of the azaleas is a tree that was uprooted by the hurricane in September

Roses in the garden

The Meyer Lemon in the yard has lemons!

These are the azaleas in front of my house

Here's who was waiting when I got back.

My rant

2009-03-10T17:07:00.002-05:00

At the end of 5th period today after attempting to help some students with a lab, I was told to "shut up" by a student as he was leaving. This made me very angry. Of course, I spoke to the other teacher and she gave him an office referral. So his punishment will either be detention (stay after school and goof off), In School Suspension (sit in another classroom all day and goof off), or suspension (vacation day). Isn't the idea to correct the behavior, not reward it? If the tables were turned and I told a student to shut up, I could be fired, or at the least severely reprimanded. Such double standards.

Open House

2009-03-09T19:21:00.004-05:00

Well tonight is open house at my school. Since I teach online, I am currently relaxing in my poofy chair with my laptop. Here's a pic of Mr. Brady and me during the open house. Normally, I sit in my office to teach so it was a nice change being in my chair with the dogs. Here's the interesting thing...I am usually pretty good about learning the kids names. But I greatly overestimated my skills for learning names online. I do know a few students names. But not that many. Mainly because I don't see every kid every day and when I do see them it's on a rather fuzzy camera screen. So tonight I am "pretending" that I know names. So I've already had several parents ask me about how their child is doing in the class. But ooops I really couldn't remember their names. So to each parent I am saying, "He/she is doing great!" I believe this is a good thing! Because parents of many of these kids expect the teachers to tell them about all of the bad behavior and bad grades. So to have one teacher say the kid is doing well in a class can really bolster that students confidence, plus it can build a stronger relationship between myself and that student and between them and their parents.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-03-08T18:10:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful for:

Me

My place in the universe

Every "bad" thing that has ever happened to me

Every "good" thing that has ever happened to me

Understanding how to not lose another moment of life to unconsciousness

Everyone who has ever judged me

Every time I've felt fear, sadness and anger

Eight years of togetherness with a very loving, patient and kind husband.

Brain Food

2009-03-04T11:42:00.002-06:00

As a teacher, there is not much time to eat. Or to eat healthy. With only 30 minutes for lunch (that includes preparing it), you tend to eat unhealthy foods and/or scarf down your food. Fortunately teaching science has its perks, which include having a fridge near your room, if not in it. So you have a place to bring something quasi healthy to eat.

If you're not too busy at night and have time to do a little food prep, you can make a quick and delicious sandwich. A bento box works well for packing it, or you could just have several separate small containers. I'm not a huge meat person, so my sandwich doesn't include meat, but it easily could. I start with two pieces of whole grain bread, mustard (love it, can't get enough, leave it in the fridge at school), a piece of cheese and then a series of veggies. Whatever you like. I used swiss cheese, alfalfa sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes,and red onions. Everything is separate (you can put the cheese on the bread) and then when it's time to eat you just assemble it. Another quick side dish I liked to eat at school was a sweet potato. Just a few minutes, depending on the microwave, delivers an extremely nutritious and delicious meal.

Now that I get to teach from home, I can quickly prepare my ultimate favorite sandwich. You need bread (any kind is fine, but jalepeno cheese bread is the best!), and then you combine in a hot skillet, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers (from a jar) and red onions. I warm the bread in the pan too. Top it off with a little mayo, swiss or havarti cheese and some guacamole. It's REALLY good!

I've been following about a dozen food blogs lately, so as you can see they are starting to rub off on me!!

Lack of Posts

2009-03-01T16:34:00.001-06:00

I've been busy and I just haven't been feeling the whole blog thing lately. I've had a lot of poems in my head lately...about school...so I plan on posting some of those soon. Thank you to everyone that stops by to read!!

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-03-01T16:31:00.002-06:00

Today I am grateful for:

Life

Gyros

Fajitas

Peanut butter

Azaelas in bloom

Singing birds

Meditation

Books

Lord of the Rings movies

Fried cheese ( a lot of food on today's list!)

Sweat

Tiny baby fingernails

Love.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-02-22T19:43:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

Herbs

Good friends

Vitamin C

Sunscreen

Vaseline

Seth Rogan movies

Squirrel nests

Family

And of course...my worms!

Guest Blog

2009-02-20T11:52:00.003-06:00

Recently I was asked to be a guest blogger by Small Footprints of the Reduce Footprints blog. I am so honored to be asked to write for such a great blog! My first article is on vermiculture (I've mentioned my worm farm before) and I'll be writing a couple of others later on square foot gardening. You can link to the article HERE. Please check out Small Footprints' great blog!

Embracing Diversity

2009-02-19T19:48:00.006-06:00

I feel that nature is my greatest teacher and as I was riding through my neighborhood, I asked nature to guide me to a topic for my blog and then I saw these trees. As I rode by on my bike, I couldn't resist snapping some pictures.

I was taken with their beauty and vigor and the fact that two trees so different had grown up so close together, yet they were so healthy and alive.

Of course the pictures, taken by my cellphone, don't really do those beautiful trees justice, but I immediately realized they were a lesson in embracing diversity. They made me think about the ethnic mix of students in my classroom. Students that may appear different on the outside, but on the inside are so alike. Students that have grown up together. As in many schools in TX, the greatest percentage of students are Hispanic, followed by African American and the minority is Caucasian. Of course there are a lot of ethnic rifts at the school and in the classroom. Discrimination against someone else starts at an early age it seems. I remember in my first year of teaching, I had an American History class of about 15. They came in and I let them sit wherever they wanted. After they were seated and roll was taken, I realized that in the front half of the room were all of the Hispanic students and the back half were African American students. They had segregated themselves! I promptly made a seating chart to mix things up. There are so many other stories about kids discriminating against each other...and even against me! In my classroom I had pictures of my dogs hanging up. Whenever a student asked if I had kids, I would show them the pictures of my dogs and say "These are my kids". One day an African American student commented to other students (after my comment) "Yeah they think their animals are their kids". I asked her what she meant and she said that she was referring to the fact that white people treat pets like kids! haha okay.

I do believe that children's opinions about other cultures are formed early on mainly by their parents. So once again, by the time they get to high school, it's pretty ingrained in. A lot of people nowadays complain about all of the Hispanic immigrants in the US, but I really see it as a good thing. And on many levels, but for the sake of this blog entry, I will limit it to just one reason. And that is to provide more diversity in our schools. When I went to school in a small town in MO, there was NO diversity in the school. It wasn't until I went off to college that I even knew anyone of a different ethnicity, let alone was friends with someone. So the kids in school have a great opportunity now to learn about other cultures.

As a teacher I cannot change prejudices ingrained in these kids. But I can challenge them by being fair and compassionate to all students. As one of my fellow teachers used to say, "I wish we would all wake up one morning with orange skin and purple hair. Then there would be no such thing as racial discrimination."

Relationships

2009-02-17T19:28:00.002-06:00

At first tonight, I really didn't know what to write about. Then I was posting an entry on my other blog and it occurred to me that I wanted to write about relationships. Specifically love relationships. Of course, this isn't a part of the curriculum at school, but if you've ever been a teacher, or been around children, you will soon see that their behaviour is shaped a lot by their parent's relationships with each other.

If you are married, I would like to ask you; "Why did you get married?". In the beginning, I got married for reasons like "I'm in love" and "I want security", "He completes me" and "I want to grow old with someone". They all seemed pretty valid and natural reasons to me at the time. After being married for close to five years now and together with my spouse for a total of eight years, I really began to realize that all of those reasons I just listed, however natural and normal in our society are all the wrong reasons to get married. In most marriages, even the best of marriages, eventually you are going to get mad at your spouse and start "pushing each other's buttons". So in spiritual terms, your relationship is all ego. Many relationships now end in divorce. Of course constant fighting between the parents and strained relationships have a negative effect on their children. Hence, the behavior that we teachers see in the classroom. The issue is, that people do not get married for the right reasons. In my own relationship I finally really get that I am with my spouse for really one main reason and that is for spiritual growth. I am ready to grow now. When I get my "buttons pushed" by him now, I do my best to remain present. I understand now that when I feel a strong emotion from something he says or does, I understand that he's bringing something out of me that needs healing. And instead of getting angry because he "made me" feel this way, I accept it. And honestly I actually enjoy it now because I know I'm getting rid of some baggage that no longer serves me.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-02-15T09:45:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

Cary Grant movies

Time to relax

Handmade quilts

Crochet

Houseplants

Bread pudding

Valentines

Musical instruments

Ancestry.com

Peace.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-02-08T15:50:00.003-06:00

Today I am grateful for:

My new worm farm

Stones

Gardening

A new flower bed

Environmentally friendly vacuums (he's cute too)

Hard work and sweat

James Bond movies

Marigolds

Sunblock

Homemade coleslaw

Water

Babies

Date nights

Love.

Just Another Day

2009-02-02T18:44:00.004-06:00

Today was just another ordinary day at school. One of my colleages was a little upset though. Apparently last week (I don't recall all the details), she saw a student sitting outside one of her fellow teacher's room. I believe he had gotten in some type of trouble which was why he was outside. There was also another student who made some comment about the previous student "being stupid". So my colleague said something to that student that was sitting outside and she basically paraphrased the "stupid" comment... Then today she was summoned to the principal's office. The student had went home last week and told his parents that she called him stupid and told him to shut up. She hadn't actually directly told him that, but rather just referred to the words of the other student, but nonetheless she was reprimanded.

I believe this happens in schools all over the US, not just on a daily basis, but on an hourly basis. Teaching today's students is a strain on your patience, good humor and emotions in general. I don't know any teachers that after a hard day and faced with more uncontrollable students hasn't yelled "Shut UP!" to the class. I know I have been driven to those words. It's hard to explain what it's like being a teacher. As close as I can come is possibly comparing it to being the only adult at children's birthday party with 35 five year olds. There is laughing, there is complaining, there is cussing, there is teasing, there is flirting and sometimes even fighting. Even when you have a good rapport with your class, it's sometimes difficult to command attention. Especially if there is some juicy gossip flying around the school, or it's right before Christmas vacation or the dreaded pep rally (dreaded by teachers' only). There is always a fight or some type of drama on pep rally day.

So to my friend and colleague, I say, take this experience for what it was...just an experience to take away the message for which it was intended. Remember that this one incident does not make you any less of a teacher. Don't let this one moment redefine how you view yourself as a teacher. Move on.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-02-01T17:09:00.004-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

My personal chef

My Eco-friendly vacuum

Superbowl Festivities

My new worm farm

Hyper doggies

Jewelry from my grandmother

Good friends

Good co-workers

Worm farms (did I say that already? hehe)

Microphones

Mud

The sun

Jennifer Hudson singing the Star Spangled banner

Vitamin C

Golf

Me.

"Heated" Debate Update

2009-01-30T20:20:00.002-06:00

The heated debate was a success!! The kids had a really great time, or as my husband who is from MA would say, Wicked Cool!! About 15 students attended and of course anytime you have 15 Freshman with pizza, it's chaos, but in the midst of the chaos they were actually thinking about the debate questions which was great! It seems as though many students have lost that natural curiosity of children in ages past. So, in general it's pretty hard to get them interested in anything, but this really worked. Happy TGIF!!

Change the station...change your mind

2009-01-27T13:12:00.002-06:00

As I was driving this morning, I was changing the radio stations. I have probably 12 different stations programmed into the radio. I never use the "scan" button to change the stations. And then a thought occurred to me...what if I got so busy changing the preset stations, that I never realized a brand new station had started broadcasting. Maybe one that I would really like. And then I realized this was like an analogy for life in general. Doing the same old thing day after day can get old. You accept it because it is familiar, even though it may not be the best fit for you. All the while you're accepting less, there may be something out there just waiting for you to grab it. Something that's a great fit. Something that you love. Something that speaks to you on a deep level. But you never will really know about it because of your tendancy to resist change. In many ways, I'm scared of change. But I have found that the classroom is my space to try new ideas. The lessons change every day, the methods that I present them change also. Some of my ideas work, some don't. But to me it's all okay because I know that different methods reach different kids. So maybe on that day when things didn't work just right for the majority of the class, I reached that one student who has never been reached before.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-01-25T19:25:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

Life

Love

Chocolate

James Bond movies

My students

Ancestors

Old photographs

Animals

Orange

Cold water

Fuzzy socks

Fuzzy dogs

Procrastination

Satsuma Orange trees

Glass.

A "Heated" Debate

2009-01-23T19:51:00.003-06:00

I spent a couple hours after school today planning with my co-teacher and we've come up with what has the potential to be a really cool assignment. Currently, we are studying thermal energy, in particular radiation, convection and conduction. So inspired by a Bill Nye video, we've come up with the idea to have a "Heated" debate in the classroom. We'll be splitting the class in half and then each half will be split into three subgroups. Each sub group will each receive either radiation, convection or conduction. They will be able to use the internet, textbooks, etc to obtain information about each one. Then I will be the facilitator of one group, my fellow teacher of the other and we will ask them application questions and they will debate about which method of heat transfer (radiation, convection, conduction) would be best. At the end of each debate we'll select six outstanding debaters and present them with a "Golden Ticket" which is actually an invitation to debate after school with pizza, sodas and also dropping of their lowest test grade as an incentive to participate. We're planning on inviting the principal, APs (assistant principal) and some other science teachers to come watch. Anyway, we're both really excited about it. If all goes well, the debate will be this Thursday afternoon!! To me, this is a great example of how to incorporate cross curriculum activities into the classroom. I'll write an update on how it goes!!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find Out What it Means to Me

2009-01-22T16:12:00.002-06:00

After just typing my title I realized how many different things I can talk about that deal with respect. It also made me realize just how far we have slipped and wonder if it's possible to get on track.

I started my school career in 1980 as a Kindergartener. I could hardly wait to get into a classroom. I graduated from high school in 1993 and during all of those 13 years, I never saw a student talk back to a teacher and never witnessed a fight. After becoming a teacher in 2006, after TWO DAYS I witnessed a fight, with a knife and I was screamed at by a student because I wasn't showing her respect. haha Needless to say things have changed a LOT in just the 13 years that I've been out of school. I just so happen to work at a school in a large urban area, but small town schools are not much different. To me one of the major issues that needs some attention and work is RESPECT.

Since those first two days as a teacher, I have been accused of not showing respect more than just that one time. The comical thing about it is that the person doing the accusing is actually yelling, so it's clear they know nothing about respect in the first place. Anyway, in my day it wasn't okay to yell at your teacher. In my book it's still not okay. As I tell my students, to earn respect, you have to show respect. Respect is a two way street as far as I'm concerned. When I first started teaching I just really despised the kids that were disrespectful. Now though, I understand that the real problem is not that they are not showing respect, but rather the fact that they don't show respect because they don't know the first thing about it. They do not know how to respect others because they do not know how to respect themselves. Many of them have never been shown respect from their parents. It's very hard to learn how to love and respect yourself if you are constantly being put down and/or you watch your parents/guardians disrespecting themselves. I've also observed that children who are very spoiled by their parents also have an issue respecting themselves and others.

As a high school teacher, teaching kids about respect is not an easy thing to do. Old habits are hard to break. All I can do once again is to lead by example.

Something New...beyond the Sardine Can

2009-01-21T19:39:00.003-06:00

I have the distinct pleasure of "team" teaching this year, which basically means I am in the classroom with another teacher. So not only am I team teaching, but I am a virtual teacher so the kids see me on the screen in the room. My fellow teacher is physically in the classroom. So far, this set-up has been totally awesome. I love working from home, and the other teacher loves the help. She is especially cool, because she is open to trying new things and utilizing my suggestions and I hers. So far we've worked very well together. This is truly a beautiful thing because in the world of teaching, it seems that many teacher can be very hard to work with.

I love that we are teaching together because we can get much more accomplished, and mainly we can work with smaller groups of students and sometimes even work one-on-one with students. Most schools have anywhere from 20 students upwards to 35 or 40 students in one class, hence my sardine can analogy. So being able to split a class of that size up leaves each teacher with a managable number of students.

I also love all the different teaching techniques we've tried. Sometimes I give the lecture, sometimes she does. Sometimes I take half of the class and go over practice problems while she goes over different problems with the other half of the class. We've also conducted a really successful test review where the other teacher and I split up the test objectives and created two "stations" in the classroom. We split the class up and each did about 20 minutes with those students at our respective stations. Then we switched students. It was really great.

I'm sure that many schools would love to have two teachers in every classroom, but due to budget constraints it's probably not an option.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-01-18T16:49:00.004-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

Warm weather

Fruit trees

Earthworms

Sixteen Candles

Heavy whipping cream

Sun

One-year guarantees on plants from Lowes

Aloe vera

Heartbeats

Washing machines

White beans

Brownies

Friends and Family

Me.

Also I'm even thankful for this...stinkhorn fungus...It is cool looking although it stinks.

A Teenager's Greatest Fear

2009-01-16T12:28:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I was talking to one of my fellow teachers over Yahoo messenger. She stated that one of her students saw her typing a message and said, "Miss, you need to add more friends to your messenger...people will think you're a loser with just one friend." I could tell she was really embarrassed by this. And then it kind of hit me that this was really about the student. So I told the other teacher, "Well, I guess now we know what he's scared of." After considering it some more, I realized that having no friends or very few friends and/or being a loner is a teenager's greatest fear. I remember as a kid spending a lot of time wondering why a certain friend never called me any more, or why I wasn't invited to parties, etc. I know that teenagers nowadays do the same thing. It's amazing to me to watch high school students, many from poor economic backgrounds, prance into class with manicured nails, Coach purses and clothes by Sean Jean, Baby Phat, etc. I always wondered, how can they afford that stuff? But what I came to understand was that they really couldn't afford those items, but instead it was more about how they positioned their priorities. To them, looking cool, having friends and being popular meant more to them than even eating I believe. Most teenagers go through this stage. Some move out of the stage to become self-sufficient adults with a healthy self esteem. Others never quite move out of this stage. They purchase things they can't afford to impress others, they are dependent upon others approval for their own self worth and subsequently their self esteem suffers. So as a teacher how can I just send the message that it's okay to be different? Well, for me, first of all I like acting silly in the classroom,telling corny jokes, like:
Two hydrogen atoms started talking.

1st atom: "You look a little down today. Is everything okay?"

2nd atom: "Yes, I've lost an electron."

1st atom: "Are you sure?"

2nd atom: "I'm positive."

haha Okay for you nerdy science people I'm sure you'll get this. Even if you don't my point is that I make it okay to do the unpopular thing, because I do it. I demonstrate by example for the kids that it's okay to be different. It's okay to not have 500 friends. Those things don't really matter much. It's okay to just be you.

Accountability

2009-01-14T19:59:00.003-06:00

Semester exams are this week at my school. Besides, of course, spending the entire semester teaching concepts that will be on the exam, we have spent the last 3 days of intensive review. And STILL kids do not know it! They don't seem to care that this exam is worth 25% of their grade. This type of situation is what makes it so hard to be a teacher. You know you've done your best trying to prepare the kids for the exams. If you're lucky and managed to snag a copy of the semester exam early, you will probably even use questions right from the test for the review. And still many kids will fail. So the question is, who is accountable for this situation? Although the teachers understand that each student must accept accountability for his/her own grade, unfortunately the administration sees differently. In many many cases it's the teachers themselves that are held accountable for their students' lack of progress. I know there are some teachers out there that probably do not do their due dilligence in teaching the students, but there are many more that do everything in their power to help the students and still can't live up to the administration's standards. This puts teachers in quite a quandry and starts a very negative feedback loop. Most new teachers stay with teaching for five years or less nowadays. It's no wonder when they're being held accountable and the students are not.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-01-11T16:04:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

ME

My family and friends

Goat cheese enchalidas

Eucalyptus soap

Orange (the color)

Cherry wood

Fuzzy blankets

Long-sleeved t-shirts

Water

Love

Sunlight

Tree pollen

Neti pots

Dogs.

A Word about ADHD

2009-01-08T08:22:00.001-06:00

Well today will complete my first week at my new teaching gig! What a week. We finished up a chapter on electricity by focusing on circuits this week. Flashcards, drills, games, review sheets, etc. After all that, many kids still didn't get it. I believe that's because even though their bodies are in the classroom their minds are not. Their minds are scattered about thinking about some past fear or joy or some future condundrum that could ambush them. I've learned with my elementary age piano students that there is really no limit to what they can learn, so what happens between grade school and high school that turns an A student into a D student? I believe a lot of it is about losing touch with their sense of being. As a teenager it seems like your ego starts to grow and your being gets very hidden by that. As the ego starts to grow kids become more focused on how they look, who their friends are, what kind of car they drive and their parent's net worth. If you believed all these things are really you, and they do, and you had to think about them all the time to keep the illusion going, which they do, I can actually see how they do not have time to listen in class. Particularly challenging kids among this malestrom of humanity are the ADHD kids. These kids really cannot sit still. I've sat through various lectures and read literature explaining how these kids bodies actually work slower than an average kid and the hyper child you see is their bodies trying to over compensate for the slower body mechanism. This is quite possible. However, I believe that by teaching ADHD children the art of mindfulness, in essence teaching them how to pay attention to paying attention can help tremendously. As a teacher, if you can spend extra time one on one with ADHD students it can also be a big help. Giving the students special jobs to do in class can also assist them with their focus as well. If an ADHD child can find a special interest, like Michael Phelps and swimming, they can actually bring a very intense focus into what they are doing and excel greatly at it. As a teacher it's my challenge while they are in my classroom to guide them and allow them to best utilize their talents.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2009-01-04T16:48:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

Me, my family and friends

Jazz flute

Yoga

Meditation

700 thread count sheets

Fresh fruit

Vicks Vaporub

Old photographs

Handmade quilts

Real feather pillows

Good Movies

Love.

Excited for School

2009-01-02T17:59:00.003-06:00

I wish all students were as excited about going to school as I was in high school. Having a snow day or a sick day were necessary evils for me. Completely ruined my week. Yes I am a huge nerd when it comes to school.

That's me on my first day of Kindergarten.

And now as a teacher I get excited about planning lessons for the students. Starting on Monday I will be teaching a class called IPC. It's a Texas thing. IPC stands for Integrated Physics and Chemistry. I'll be teaching Freshmen, so it should be interesting. I've been working on some lesson plans for series and parallel circuits..oh joy! But it is fun! Technology has certainly made teaching much more fun for both students and teachers. I'm not sure what I would do without PowerPoint presentations and those little Discovery School movies. The first few days back should be very chaotic and interesting. It usually takes a bit for the kids to settle back into their routines after two weeks of freedom. I'm looking forward to what the new semester will bring. Good and Bad...really what's the difference between the two anyway?

Update

2008-12-31T16:15:00.002-06:00

Happy New Years!! I am SO looking forward to the new year. The beginning of a new year for me is about a fresh start. For me 2008 was a year of change and practice. I've been busy breaking down old habits and beginning new ones. For me 2008 was the year of my spiritual realization. With the help of much suffering, a friend/spiritual mentor from Indonesia and a book called The Power of NOW by Eckhart Tolle, I remembered who I really am. Life for me has been transformed from a world of worry and despair to one of freshness, aliveness and love. There is a much deeper richness now that was not there just one year ago and I am humble and grateful for this change.

It occurred to me a few days ago that I should begin writing a second blog, so I'm going with the flow and I've created a new blog http://universalrichness.blogspot.com/
I will have a theme for that blog as well and a daily post and practice. I hope that you'll want to read my new blog as well and even participate in it, if you feel moved to do so.

I'm also going to continue this education blog as well. Next Monday the 5th I will be starting a new school. I'll be teaching online at a high school here in TX. I'm looking forward to the lessons my students have prepared for me this year.

I wanted to share this story with you today:

New Year's Resolutions: The Two Lists
A Message from DailyOM Co-Founder Scott Blum
I was fortunate to spend time with an enigmatic man named Robert during a very special period of my life. Robert taught me many things during our days together, and this time of year reminds me of one particular interaction we had.

"Now that you are becoming more aware," Robert said, "you need to begin to set goals for yourself so you don't lose the momentum you have built."

"Like New Year's resolutions?" I asked.

"That's an interesting idea," he smirked. "Let's do that."

By then I was used to his cryptic responses, so I knew something was up because of the way his eyes sparkled as he let out an impish laugh.

"Tonight's assignment is to make two lists," Robert continued. "The first is a list of all the New Year's resolutions you WANT to keep, and the second is a list of all the New Year's resolutions you WILL keep. Write the WANT List first, and when you have exhausted all of your ideas, then write the second list on another sheet of paper."

That night I went home and spent several hours working on the two lists. The WANT List felt overwhelming at first, but after a while I got into writing all the things I had always wanted to do if the burdens of life hadn't gotten in the way. After nearly an hour, the list swelled to fill the entire page and contained nearly all of my ideas of an ideal life. The second list was much easier, and I was able to quickly commit ten practical resolutions that I felt would be both realistic and helpful.

The next day, I met Robert in front of the local food Co-op, where we seemed to have most of our enlightening conversations. "Tell me about your two lists," Robert said as the familiar smirk crept onto his face.

"The first list contains all the things I SHOULD do if I completely changed my life to be the person I always wanted to be. And the second list contains all the things I COULD do by accepting my current life, and taking realistic steps towards the life I want to lead."

"Let me see the second list," he said.

I handed him the second list, and without even looking at it, he ripped the paper into tiny pieces and threw it in the nearby garbage can. His disregard for the effort I had put into the list annoyed me at first, but after I calmed down I began to think about the first list in a different light. In my heart, I knew the second list was a cop out, and the first list was the only one that really mattered.

"And now, the first list." Robert bowed his head and held out both of his hands.

I purposefully handed him the first list and held his gaze for several seconds, waiting for him to begin reading the page. After an unusually long silence, he began to crumple the paper into a ball and once again tossed it into the can without looking at it.

"What did you do that for?!" I couldn't hide my anger any longer.

Robert began to speak in a quiet and assured voice. "What you SHOULD or COULD do with your life no longer matters. The only thing that matters, from this day forward, is what you MUST do."

He then drew a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to me.

I opened it carefully, and found a single word floating in the middle of the white page:

"Love."

I received this in a email today from the DailyOM.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2008-12-28T16:48:00.003-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

Me

Eckhart Tolle

The Universe

Clouds

Other countries

Football

Good food

Men

My family and friends

My new job

Everyone that reads this post

Massages

The United States

Sweet Gum Trees.

Saturday Recipe...Just one day late!

2008-12-28T10:59:00.002-06:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging lately...'tis the season. Here's a recipe I wanted to share. It's definitely not that health conscious, however, compared to the fast food alternative it is!

I saw this recipe prepared on a cooking show. For those of you that enjoy Big Mac's, but want a little healthier version, your prayers have been answered!

HEALTHY MACS

Make hamburger patties on an indoor grill or pan. Patties are thin, about 3 oz each. When patties are cooked, place a slice of cheese on one and melt in the pan. Toast the buns.

To make the special sauce:

I don't have a specific measurement, I just eyeball this. Mix together mayo, ketsup and mustard. The main component is the mayo, next the ketsup and then a little mustard to taste. Also then add some sweet relish and a few finely diced onions.

To assemble the burgers:

Place special sauce on bottom bun and add pattie with cheese on it, cheese side down. Place a little more special sauce on top of this pattie. If you want the middle bun like a regular Big Mac, add that now and place a little more special sauce on top of it. Then add the second pattie, yep and more special sauce on top of that. Top with a few diced onions and lettuce if you like. Then finish with a sesame seed bun.

These are really good! Great for watching football, which I'll be doing today! GO PATS!!

Why I'm a teacher

2008-12-15T19:04:00.005-06:00

Today I was surprised by two of my piano students with this Christmas gift:

I'm not a great photographer, but it says my name, piano and then other things like, soul, teacher, emotions,faith, hope etc.

When I teach I work on making sure I am in the present moment, attentive to my students needs and listening to them. I feel so honored to have received this.

I do believe this is the best Christmas present I have ever received.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2008-12-14T19:33:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

A great kitchen

Christmas cookies

A great husband

Great friends and family

Good neighbors

Bike rides

Great photography

Messages from nature

Yahoo messenger

Quiet time

me.

Twelve Days of Cookies

2008-12-14T19:17:00.005-06:00

I didn't get around to posting my recipe yesterday, so here goes! Every Christmas, I enjoy making a lot of different cookies. I absolutely love the food network and this year I decided to make some of their cookies and give to friends. Here's a link to their website:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/12-days-of-cookies-2008/pictures/index.html

I made the macaroons, gingerbread cookies and Hazelnut tea cookies. I also made my old standby, pretzels dipped in white chocolate. I also made Winter Bark, which I found the recipe for in Martha Stewart's magazine. It was the easiest to make and also to me was the best tasting one as well.

Update on Circles

2008-12-10T17:50:00.000-06:00

Wow, I was just rereading my post on circles and I reread my definition of circles and I suddenly became acutely that I have no beginning and no end. I am the circle!

Circles

2008-12-10T17:36:00.002-06:00

Yesterday after my ride through the neighborhood, I was inspired to write a post about mirrors. I also noticed something else during my outing which I decided to save and blog about today, so here goes. Actually after "mirrors" came into my awareness, I became acutely aware of circles. Circles were everywhere. The mulch rings around trees, windows, tires, signs, the shape of the street, the iris of my eye and even the tiny holes in the colander as I was cooking. Well after saying yesterday that everything is your mirror, I believe yesterday that circles were my mirror. I looked up the spiritual significance of mirrors and found the following:

"The Circle is the most common and universal signs, found in all cultures. It is the symbol of the sun in its limitless or boundless aspect. It has no beginning or end, and no divisions, making it the perfect symbol of completeness, eternity, and the soul. The circle is also the symbol of boundary and enclosure, of completion, and returning cycles. The circle most familiar to us is that of the wedding ring which encircles the finger associated in ancient times with the heart. The wedding ring symbolizes not just a pledge of eternal love, but the enclosure of the heart- a pledge of fidelity.

The circle reflected represents the dyad, the introduction of duality, and represents creation and manifestation."

So to me, seeing circle after circle like that was me seeing my own soul in the universe. Very cool. Today it was WAY to cold to ride my bike, but I'm hoping to get out again tomorrow. I can't wait to see what nature's lesson will be.

Mirrors

2008-12-09T15:30:00.003-06:00

Yeah! I took a bike ride in my neighborhood today! The last few days had been too cold for me to ride. Coincidentally, I had terrible writer's block for my blog. After riding today, I realized that nature is a big part of my inspiration for writing.

When I went riding today, it was after a large rainstorm. As I rode on the trails, there were large areas where the water had pooled. Some of the areas were between the trees or along the trails. The water in the small pools was so still and so silent. As I began looking at them, "mirrors" came into my awareness. Mirrors is something that comes into my awareness a lot now. Not the kind of mirror you look into while you're brushing your teeth or combing your hair. The idea behind it is the same though...mirrors give you a reflection of yourself. In our lives, everything that surrounds you is your mirror; that guy at work you don't like, that beautiful tree in your yard, a mischievous little child...all mirrors. When we understand this, we can learn much more about ourselves. For example, this week I was lamenting over my very untidy house. I have great intentions, I clean everything and then in less than a day it's messy again. The message that I got from that was that I am cleaning out the negative thoughts, breathing new life into myself, but it's hard to maintain. So, for me, my house is my mirror also. So next time you see that person you really don't like or you do a job that you just can't stand, cherish it instead of hate it, for it may be your greatest teacher yet!

Sunday Gratitude Times

2008-12-07T19:08:00.005-06:00

Today I am thankful for so many things, but here are a few:

My family and friends

My dogs

Harry Potter Movies

Honeybees

Powerpoint

Fireworks

Facebook

My next door neighbors

Laughter

Tears

Fear

The sound of rain on the roof while I'm in bed

This Amazing Universe

Coucous Stuffing

2008-12-06T18:09:00.002-06:00

This is one of my favorites during the holidays. It's a lot lighter than the traditional bread stuffing.

1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, minced (1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon
ground ginger
1 cup plain couscous
1 1/3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped fine (8 to 9 whole)
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon juice from a small lemon
Salt and ground black pepper

1. Heat butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add onions, cinnamon, ginger; sauté until onions soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add couscous; stir until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, bring to simmer, remove from heat, cover, and let stand until couscous has fully rehydrated, about 5 minutes.
3. Fluff couscous with fork; stir in dried fruit, nuts, and parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.
~adapted from The Joy of Cooking

An Ute Prayer

2008-12-04T19:12:00.005-06:00

I first read this poem in a Wayne Dyer book and it means so much more to me now than it did then. This is a Native American Prayer. It's extremely beautiful.

Earth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring
as the mother who secures her young.
Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom
as the eagle which soars in the sky.
Earth teach me resignation
as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me
to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me
to remember kindness as dry fields weep in the rain.

Home

2008-12-02T18:55:00.003-06:00

This is a verse from the Tao Te Ching. I love this one because sometimes to get to where you want to go, you have to do the opposite of what you THINK is right. This verse also reminds me of the power of acceptance. So often we struggle and fight against ourselves when all we really need to do is accept. When you can accept the moment just as it is, you can be at peace.

Accept and you become whole,
Bend and you straighten,
Empty and you fill,
Decay and you renew,
Want and you acquire,
Fulfill and you become confused.

The sage accepts the world
As the world accepts the Way;
He does not display himself, so is clearly seen,
Does not justify himself, so is recognized,
Does not boast, so is credited,
Does not pride himself, so endures,
Does not contend, so none contend against him.

The ancients said, "Accept and you become whole",
Once whole, the world is as your home.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2008-11-30T17:08:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful for:

All of my blog followers

Summer breezes

Clear Skies

Cloudy Skies

Football

Windows Movie Maker

My Ancestors

Air Conditioning

Rosemary, thyme and sage

Good neighbors

10 fingers

Good eyesight

Cold weather

My friends and family

Me.

Nature's Message

2008-11-29T09:34:00.003-06:00

Today is a departure from my Saturday recipe. I felt compelled to write about something else today. The last few weeks I have been asking the Universe how to best deal with some resistance to letting go of a problem. So before my bicycle ride this morning I asked again. During my ride, I stopped at a little lake here in my subdivision and sat on a park bench. I declared that I was going to relinquish my resistance to the Universe. I asked the Universe to take it from me. At that point, the wind picked up and this enormous leaf blew off a tree and floated into the lake. I observed the effortlessness of it all. The tree released the leaf, and the universe carried it away. There was no resistance from the tree to keep the leaf. The tree knows that the leaf no longer serves a purpose. And even without that leaf, the tree is still a tree. Losing a leaf did not change it's identity. So even though we build an identity of sorts out of our problems (see my post Changes), this reinforced to me that problems/resistance is not me. I can shed those just as easily as that tree shed it's leaf. Just by letting go. By dropping it.

Yeah! I was tagged.

2008-11-28T18:49:00.004-06:00

1. Where is your cell phone? floor
2. Where is your significant other? Gaming
3. Your hair color? brown
4. Your mother? librarian
5. Your father? confused
6. Your favorite thing? nature
7. Your dream last night? flying
8. Your dream/goal? writer
9. The room you’re in? Bedroom
11. Your fear? freedom
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? everywhere
13. Where were you last night? Texas
14. What you’re not? disillusioned
15. One of your wish-list items? rollerblades
16. Where you grew up? Missouri
17. The last thing you did? printed
18. What are you wearing? shorts
19. Your TV? on
20. Your pet? alongside
21. Your computer? laptop
22. Your mood? peace
23. Missing someone? no
24. Your car? Toyota
25. Something you’re not wearing? ring
26. Favorite store? HEB
27. Your summer? HUMID
28. Love someone? forever
29. Your favorite color? Spruce
30. When is the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? Sunday

Changes

2008-11-25T18:37:00.004-06:00

A few days ago I wrote about a student who had been making me so frustrated, I knew he was teaching me something big. After writing that post I had a few days of chaos. Chaos is not fun when it's happening, but I know that chaos always brings a new revelation which in turn leads to a new peace in my life. And this time was no exception.

It finally hit me yesterday that I am not my problems. I mean really hit me. I really knew it, I felt it, I completely understood what it means to not be your problems. Nearly everyone defines themselves in relation to their problems - MY arthritis, MY anxiety, MY alcoholism, MY migrane headaches, etc. And I was no different. For me, I finally really realized that I am just passing through this problem. I'm not here to stay. There's no way I could stay because I know that's not Who I Really Am. At that moment I knew that I could see things in a whole new way. At that moment an old, ingrained belief had changed. I CHANGED a belief. I'm still amazed and excited about it. It's not like this happened overnight...it's been a long time in the making. But all that really matters is that it's here now.

I've read many spiritual articles over the years and they all say that all suffering is just an illusion. I would read that and believe it, but my subconscious never believed it. Now I really understand how it is all an illusion.

What an amazing day. I'm so glad I could share it with you. Thanks for reading.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2008-11-23T18:11:00.005-06:00

Today I am grateful for:

Old movies

Fall leaf color

Kid's birthday parties

The camel that the parent's rented for the kid's birthday

My doggies

The Power of NOW

The Universe

The Earth

Roller blades

Morning rain

The scent of purple lilacs

My family

ME.

From the recipe files...

2008-11-22T16:51:00.002-06:00

Here's one that I just improvised based on recipes that I've made before.

Baked Apples

Core apples (as many as you like)

Place in a baking dish.

Spoon in mixture of brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg into center of each apple. Pack tightly.

Put a small dab of butter on top of each apple.

Bake covered at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until apples are very soft.

Enjoy!

Sick Day Revelation

2008-11-21T15:38:00.003-06:00

Well, yesterday for me was a sick day. In many ways, it was nice. I spent most of the day in bed and watched WAY too many shows on the Hallmark Channel. I believe that the Universe sends many messages to everyone, everyday and yesterday for me it was about death. At first, I checked one of my favorite blogs, The Zen in You and Caroline was talking about getting comfortable with dying. Then one of my Hallmark Channel shows started talking about dying too. For me, this wasn't as much a message about my physical body, but rather about my past. Over the last year or so I have become increasingly aware of my thoughts. It's interesting to notice how many of them are about the past, or many times it's something about the future but it's clear that it is based on the past. Why should we worry and continually think about our past? What's done is done. It is what it is. We can't go back and change things now. The past has only one function. And that function is to keep us from enjoying the Present moment.

I see this a lot with students. Most of my teaching career has been teaching at an alternative school for students with "discipline" problems. Personally, I don't see it as a discipline problem as much as I see it as a "past" problem. Once a student enters into an alternative school, they know they're bad. They've been told they're bad. Many of them have police records that prove they're bad. They can't seem to escape their past. As a teacher, I don't care about their past. Why should I judge them on their past? Would I want them to judge me on mine? So during my "speech" on the first day of classes I tell them very directly that I'm aware they all may have done something they're not proud of in the past. And I tell them I don't care. I tell them the story of my favorite student who came to my class barely able to read, very few high school credits, and as I later found out, an assault charge. He had assaulted a teacher at his previous school. I didn't allow these things to cloud my opinion of him. Within only two years, he could read, loved school, passed all of his state tests and last May he graduated. He told me that he couldn't have done it without me. As far as I'm concerned he taught me much more than I ever taught him. If I would have judged him on his past things might have gone much differently.

So for me I choose to DIE to the past in every moment.

Everyone is a Teacher

2008-11-19T20:41:00.003-06:00

What started out to be a very frustrating day, ended up being fabulous. I have a student in my history class and he is a handful to say the least. He doesn't listen, plagerizes internet sites for his essays and just downright lies. Then he expects for me to also believe his tall tales. Well after dealing with this for several weeks, today I just wanted to completely give up. I believe that you can't help someone who doesn't want help or who isn't ready for help. So I was telling all this to a friend tonight and I was/am very emotional about it. She started laughing and she asked if I was ready to hear her comment. Of course, I'm always ready to hear what she has to say! She said "Children are our best teacher, including this child. He is your Guru. Yes, he may not be ready to be helped, but if you give up on him then you've given up on yourself. Possibly he's teaching you something awesome." My humble thanks to her for reminding me that everyone and everything is our teacher. She is right, the strong emotional charge that I have when dealing with this child means that what I am learning is big and will be an important part of my journey. As a general rule, the bigger the emotional response you have, the bigger lesson to be learned. Now I will be able to respond to him from a different perspective. I encourage everyone to reflect on current situations in your lives that you are emotionally attached too and see what you can learn from them.

Our Roles

2008-11-18T10:47:00.005-06:00

Many times in life we assume roles such as wife, mother, father, son, daughter, etc. even though we may not be directly related to that person. The universe tends to bring us who and what we need in life. My reason for writing today is a tribute to a man that I considered to be a father to me during my high school years. His body recently succumbed to Lou Gherig's disease and even though I know that his spirit is still with us and free from a worn-out body, I still feel sadness. He was a beautiful and perfect example of a true loving human being. I met his daughter when we were both about 15 years old and I was welcomed with loving arms into their family. I spent many days after school, weekends, snow days and holidays with their family. He and his wife provided me with a lot of love and support that my parents weren't able to provide me with at that time. Their family made my life wonderful and fun and although I did not do a job job of keeping in contact after graduating from high school, I will never forget what they did for me.

As I've gotten older I realize that I play a lot of different roles other than just wife to my husband and daughter to my parents. I have several older friends that consider me to be a daughter. I know I am a mother figure to my own mother-in-law and now as my relationship has grown with my own earthly father, I have taken on a mothering role to him as well. Before I even realized the universe had assigned these roles to me, I felt a lot of unease being all these things to all of these people. With a lot of patience and learning the art of detachment, I have learned how to fufill these roles with ease now.

Think about the roles you play in your life today. Don't underestimate the power of love and kindness you give to those people in your lives.

Mindful Eating

2008-11-17T19:14:00.003-06:00

Tonight while eating dinner I practiced Mindful Eating. Mindful eating is easy...but yet it's hard because we are not used to it. Many times when we eat we are rushing to go somewhere afterwards, or sometimes we're even in the car while eating. Mindful eating certainly takes longer than our "regular" way of eating. Tonight I practiced mindful eating after a pretty frustrating day of teaching. It's a way to appreciate the little things. So how do you mindfully eat? Easy. Just focus all of your attention on the food and the process of eating. First, "feel" the soul of the food on your plate. For me tonight it was green beans and rice. Feel the texture of the food. Don't "think" about it. As I bit into the crisp green bean it was so juicy and I could just taste and feel the life in it. As you chew the food, chew it completely until the bits are so small they just slide down your throat. Then feel the food as it travels into your stomach. When food is hot, like my rice was, it is easy to feel it move down the esophagus. Once the food reaches the stomach, then you can take the next bite. For dessert I had a nice ripe pear. It was sweet and juicy with that gritty pear texture and the best part is that to me pears smell like tiny flowers in the spring. Even though that was all that I ate, it was the best meal I'd had in awhile. Enjoying your food through mindful eating will bring more love and gratitude into your life.

Sunday Gratitude Times

2008-11-16T12:23:00.004-06:00

Today I'm thankful for:

My friends and family

My dogs

The cold clear weather

Coincidences

Crochet and the warm sweater I made for my sweet doggie

My students

Oreo blizzards

bicycles

Recycling

Safe air travel

begonias

this blog

everyone that reads this blog

ME.

This is a good one!

2008-11-15T18:47:00.003-06:00

Here's a great and easy recipe. For those of you that are carb or cholesterol conscious...INDULGE!

Fettuccine Alfredo

Boil 1 lb fettuccine noodles

Drain water from noodles. Add noodles back to empty pot.

Add 1 stick butter and melt

Add in 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream (eyeball it)

Add in Parmesan cheese

Add salt and pepper

Enjoy!!

You're Not Who You Think You Are

2008-11-13T19:04:00.003-06:00

Last night I had an interesting dream which prompted this post. Without getting into a lot of detail, in my dream the Earth was being repopulated by these tiny creatures. Just by touching you, they would kill you. So for most of the dream my friends (Jerry & Elaine from Seinfield) and I were trying to find a solution. Eventually we were the only three people still living and the culmination of my dream took place at a beautiful reflecting pool. Just as these little creatures were about to touch us, they yelled surprise and to our surprise they hadn't killed anyone at all. As it turned out, all the other people just BELIEVED that they were being killed and passed out instead.

Okay, well this wasn't a violent or scary dream for me at all. I choose to look upon my dreams as a soul experience and as something the universe would like me to know. The irony of this dream was that people literally became what other people told them, which in this case was no longer living. And then it made me aware of how many times someone labels you as something and you believe it.

It all starts with our parents. They are the first to label us. Smart,challenged, lazy, hyper, etc. If you notice, these are all dyads. They come in groups of two and usually we define ourselves as either one or the other...ugly, pretty; short, tall; fat, skinny, etc. So after hearing all of these labels from parents, teachers, friends, etc., we allow those labels to take root in our own lives and then we start believing them. In fact eventually you will realize that you are none of that. Every morning look yourself in the mirror and pose the question to yourself: "Who am I?" Eventually you will get an answer.

You are a Marvel

2008-11-12T17:51:00.003-06:00

Today was just one of those days. So I decided to break out my Chicken Soup for the Soul book. I read several inspirational stories about teachers and I found one quote by Pablo Casals that I would like to share.

"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work - we must all work - to make the world worthy of its children."

To read or not to read

2008-11-10T17:47:00.004-06:00

During one of my history classes today I became very frustrated with a student. I would go over answers, then ask him the questions again only for him to declare that he didn't know the answer! Some of it is probably due to laziness or him not paying attention, but I couldn't help but wonder how much of it had to do with his reading skills. It's surprising that something we take for granted like reading and writing could be in such short supply, but it's true.

Off and on during the last six years I've been a volunteer adult literacy tutor for the local library. During that time I've met the most fabulous, yet broken individuals. I learned from them that not being able to read is not only stressful, but downright humiliating as well. It's a dark secret that they do their best to keep hidden. So why are they not able to read? Most of their stories had a common denominator, usually having something to do with their home life that prevented them from concentrating at school. For example, one woman told me she was being abused at home during the evenings and she was wrenched with fear during school in anticipation to going home that evening.

Since becoming a literacy tutor, it's made it easier for me to recognize the signs of someone who can't read. Not being able to "see" the menu, being to busy to write a written response or forgetting glasses are a few of the responses you might hear from a non-reader. It's easy to brush these excuses off and not recognize the real reason behind the comment.

It's just been recently with teaching piano to elementary students that I realized that each child starts out his/her life with a brilliant, sharp mind. It's what happens after, that determines everything else. Kids are being left behind in our school systems, be it from classroom overcrowding, to uninvolved parents to just bad teachers (I hate to say that). As a high school teacher in an urban area I see lots of kids that have made it to be seniors without being able to read much more than their names. The opportunity is there for me to help them, but are they willing to accept the help that I offer? I always tell my students if you don't want to help yourself, I can't help you.

On a grander scale, can our country afford to have one more illerate person?

Sunday Gratitude Times

2008-11-09T10:24:00.002-06:00

Today I am grateful for:

Me

My family

Good friends

My students

My dogs

My bicycle

The cold morning (45 degrees F)

Dewdrops on pine needles

This blog

the wind

Blowing leaves

Lizards

Peanut butter and apples

Puppy kisses

Dirty Harry movies

Flannel Sheets

Life.

Let's Cook!

2008-11-08T07:37:00.002-06:00

Well, it's Saturday once again and for this week's recipe, I'd like to recommend the following recipe. Desserts are so delicious and I particulary fancy this one due to it's tartness. I hope you enjoy.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

Topping:
3/4 cup of flour
1 tsp cinnamon
12 tbs butter
1/2 cup regular sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup quick cooking oats (add these by hand after blending the preceding ingredients)

Cranberry Filling:
1/2 cup regular sugar
1/2 cup water
1 bag frozen or fresh cranberries
Cook together until it is the consistency of jam

Apple Filling:
5 lbs apples, peeled and cored (honeycrisp, braeburn or granny smith mixture)
1/2 cup regular sugar
1 cup dried cranberries
Cook this mixture for about 5 min. There should be water in the pan from the apples, so you can add in up to 3 tsp of tapioca to help soak it up

Mix the Cranberry and Apple fillings together. And place in a greased baking dish. Spread on the topping mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 min or until crust is golden brown and filing is bubbly along the edges.

Enjoy!

Emotions

2008-11-07T10:37:00.002-06:00

Today in health class we talked about our emotions. In today's society it seems like we are taught to NOT honor our emotions. Men are typically taught not to cry, women are taught to always be a lady and not get angry. Well, guess what? That doesn't work. Our emotions are energy and each time we fail to honor it, it becomes a part of us, or I guess you could say it gets "stuck". After years of doing this, we all end up with these unwanted energies inside of us. The good news is, is that there is a way to release them.

I am so blessed with the opportunity to teach health this year. Over the last year I myself have just learned and started practicing releasing these old emotions I have been storing. And now, I can pass this information on to my classes. It's actually very easy to do and with some practice you can become quite good at it. All you have to do is FEEL it. Many times when we have a strong emotion, it starts affecting our thinking. For example if you are driving and someone cuts you off, you've probably thought, "Who do they think they are?", "What a crazy driver.", etc. This is your anger affecting your thinking. Instead of this scenario, as soon as you feel the anger (or whatever emotion it is), just feel it. Usually there is a place in your body that will start hurting or feel tight. Like this morning one of my students felt sad and she said her chest/heart area was hurting. If you focus on that feeling, it will dissapate faster and it won't start ruling your thinking.

Good luck with this technique and if you try it, I would love to hear of your experience with it. I know for me this has certainly changed my life for the better.

A Teachable Moment

2008-11-05T15:20:00.004-06:00

Yesterday's election has forever changed the landscape of America; a truly historic election that no doubt will bring changes (hopefully for the better) to our country. This morning in history class I decided to put aside the lecture I had planned (European colonization of the Americas) and instead talk about the President and our government. Firstly we discussed the basics like the three branches of government and the names of the two houses of Congress. Next up was determining the number of Senators and Representatives which proved to be a fairly lengthy discussion, mostly stemming from determining how many states are in the United States (Yes, someone thought there were 52). We continued on with how the electoral college works and then I decided to check out Mr. Obama's website with the students. All of the students (though they are non-voters) were firmly backing Mr. Obama. It is interesting to note though, only one student had ever looked at his website or was familiar with the issues. Their assignment for the next class is to pick an issue and write a short essay analyzing Mr. Obama's proposed plan. All in all it was a great class. Sometimes it's great to scrap your original lesson plan when a great teachable moment like this one presents itself.

My New Friend

2008-11-03T18:36:00.005-06:00

I have a bird feeder hanging on a tree right outside the window in my home office. I've been enjoying seeing all the different birds feeding and then today I found this little guy. In fact, at first I just thought he was actually a falling leaf that became stuck in the feeder. The fact that he looked like a falling leaf reminds me how nature is so intelligent and subtle.

Nature is all around us and it's here for us to watch and enjoy.

Have a great day!

Sunday Gratitude Times

2008-11-02T08:16:00.003-06:00

I felt like it would be a cool idea every Sunday to post a thanks to all the blessings in my life.

I am grateful for:

My family

My friends

My home

My students

The thick blanket of fog this morning

Trees showing their fall colors

Birds enjoying a meal at my feeder

Texas

All the men and women who make it possible for us to live safely in the USA

My mother-in-law was able to get a reliable car

The Patriots football game tonight

Okay this could go on forever!

Have a great day!

Bonding and Food

2008-11-01T12:35:00.009-05:00

Cooking is a favorite hobby of mine and it can be such a great experience if the whole family cooks together! Here's one of my favorite recipes for carnivores or vegans!

Roasted Red Pepper and Herb Goat Cheese Lasagna

1 jar roasted red peppers (cut in strips)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Tomato sauce:

Brown 1 lb of ground beef (leave out for vegetarian)
add 1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic finally minced

Add:
1 can whole tomatoes (break up tomatoes)
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

Combine in a food processor:
1 clove garlic
3 scallions
1/4 fresh herbs like basil and parsley or 1 Tbs dried oregano and parsley
Two 10 oz logs fresh goat cheese
Up to 1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Process until creamy and smooth. The filling should be easy to spread, if it's too stiff add more cream until it is smooth.

Bring to a boil in a large pot:
8 qts of water
2 Tbs salt

Add and cook until barely tender:
1 lb of fresh lasagna or 1 lb dried

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a 13 x 9 x 3 inch pan, spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce with a layer of pasta, overlapping the noodles by 1/2 inch. Spread with one-quarter of the cheese filling and top with one-quarter of the red peppers. Ladle enough tomato sauce to just barely cover the layer and sprinkle with one-quarter of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers 3 more times until all the ingredients are used, finishing with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese (4 layers total). Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until bubbly on top, 20 to 30 minutes for fresh pasta, 45-50 minutes for dried pasta. Remove the foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. ~ adapted from the Joy of Cooking

If you haven't had goat cheese before, it does have a strong flavor, but once you try this lasagna you will be hooked.

This recipe is a lot of work, but it's a great experience for the whole family!

Enjoy!

Communication

2008-10-31T17:08:00.007-05:00

Today's topic in health class was communication. Many people never stop to consider the quality of their communication skills. I know I never did, until a few years ago. After long days of teaching I just needed to vent and unfortunately my poor husband would get the brunt of it. I remember going on and on to him about my day and watching as his brow would furrow and his facial expressions would become very serious and angry. Then of course I would get upset because I felt as though he wasn't interested in my story. We would both walk away frustrated and upset. Then I realized that what I was watching unfold on his face wasn't him dismissing my story, but rather he was upset and frustrated because he didn't know how to fix my problem.

While women enjoy venting their frustrations to a willing recipient, men don't do that. Men are hardwired to solve problems (especially if they are engineers like my husband). Once I realized our disconnect, we solved the problem by first communicating the purpose of what we were saying, i.e. "I just want to vent" which was his cue to just listen and not worry about fixing the problem. If I did have a problem, I would say, "I need some advice" and then he knew I would welcome a solution.

I know that this realization probably saved our marriage, or at the very least prevented a lot of unnecessary heartache.

Self Esteem

2008-10-30T19:19:00.000-05:00

Today’s topic in my health class was self esteem. Is everyone born with it? How do you keep it? What if you have too much? Too little? Many of the kids I meet these days in my classes don’t have a great concept of self esteem. That’s mostly because they don’t have a very healthy amount of it themselves. Lack of self esteem has become an epidemic. Schools are full of physical fighting and verbal bashing because of it. Students do not respect their teachers, mainly because they don’t respect themselves. As we learned today in health class, lack of respect for yourself and others is indicative of low self esteem. Low self esteem can create a vicious cycle of hate and animosity. As students show an extreme lack of respect to the teachers and to their peers they are only perpetuating their own world of self hatred. A solution for this will take a group effort. As parents and teachers it’s important when you view your students to focus on the good and not the bad. Whether we’re aware of it or not, we are constantly labeling everything in our world, hot – cold, right-left, up-down, and also we are labeling our children/students. The problem is how we are labeling them. Most of the time we label children by what they do incorrectly as opposed to what they do correctly. So instead of “Tommy is such a great artist.” We instead say “Tommy is so hyper/unfocused/mean/silly”, etc. When we label the children in our lives, they start to believe our labels and live up to our expectations. When we expect more out of our children and emphasize what they can do well, they rise to the level of our expectations. Focusing on and acknowledging the goodness and talents in children is the best way to build a healthy self esteem.