New Year

Even though my Christmas stuff is STILL up...that's tomorrows project, I have been thinking about New Years and New Years resolutions. A couple of years back Dad encouraged us to pick a scripture for a New Years resolution, or sort of a motto for the year. I have decided to do this rather than the usual making of resolutions and goals. Mainly, because I am sick of them. I am sick of starting to think about what I should focus on through out the year and quickly coming up with a list that could be a book, then trying to pick one or two from the list/book. Another reason is that setting yearly goals, or resolutions usually just makes me grumpy, for me the list/book quickly turns into a list/book of everything I don't like about myself. It makes me wonder if the world would be better off focusing on what makes them happy and doing those things rather than making goals to change everything they don't like about themselves. Wouldn't we all be more likely to exercise if we found a way to stay active that we enjoyed rather than the painful dragging ourselves to the gym or onto the treadmill? The change would still be there, the weight would be lost, but we wouldn't hate ourselves doing it. Going to the gym because you're fat or out of shape is miserable, if you like the gym, great... if not find something else. Too often my life motto, is life is hard, and its because I make it harder than it needs to be. Constantly worrying about and focusing on everything that is not perfect about me or my life is exhausting. So, while I want to constantly be growing and changing and getting better, life and the experiences and trials it brings seems to have a way of making that happen on its own. This year I am going to focus on 1 thing: "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy"- 2nd Nephi 2:25. I am going to do more of the things that make me happy, spend time with people that make me happy and stop stressing about everything else, because I already have enough gray hairs...

Tis' The Season...Maybe

It is December 17th, Christmas is in about a week and yet I am just not in the Christmas mood. We put up our Christmas Tree, stockings and nativity set, there are ornaments hanging from the ceiling in my classroom, we made Christmas cards, we read Christmas stories, I have planned our Christmas party, I have been Christmas shopping, and went to Forgotten Carols. BUT I am just not in a Christmas-y mood. Perhaps its because I am working until Wednesday the 22nd, or maybe its because I HATE the cold, snowy weather. But I am just not feeling very Christmas like. To me it seems like the older I am the more rushed Christmas is.

Blog Much?

I have completly gotten out of the groove of blogging. I still try to read peoples blogs and keep up to with them but I don't ever blog. Im sure it has something to do with moving up to Salt Lake, getting a teaching job, having 2 weeks to get a classroom ready, teaching, going on a much needed vacation (I love year round schools) and more teaching. Right now as I type this I should be doing report cards for the dreaded Parent Teacher Conferences on Wed. and Thurs this week, but I am not. I love my job and I do manage to get down time Im just not always awake for the down time. Really though I think part of why I haven't blogged in forever is that I now live closer to most of my family than I have in 4 years and get to see and talk with them alot. Blogging seems sort of repetitive. On a random side note, Jordan District has this evaluation called JPASS where the principal has to come watch 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year teachers teach. It is a stupid hoop to jump through and is ridiculous. I met with my principal today to go over the results. She hands me the paper and says. "you passed." (The score you have to get to pass is ridiculous a monkey could pass it). Then reminds me that she has to come again in January. The End. Seriously, no how are things going, no this is what I saw you could work on, nothing. I think it is very odd to go from student teaching where everything you do is graded and evaluated to not ever having feed back from anyone. Very odd... and now I really have to go do report cards.

Alot has happened since I last posted. Most recently we moved. The original plan was to move at the end of the month into Brian's parents' basement. We had decided that even without a teaching job I could do more subbing up in the Salt Lake area than in Cedar. What was supposed to be 2 weeks to move turned into 3 days and we are now officiallly in Kaysville. Jobless but in Kaysville. As I drove out of Cedar last Saturday with my car full of stuff I realized that I had lived in Cedar for 4 years and despite knowing that it was time to be out of Cedar and that going up north was the best decision, I was a little sad leaving Cedar. It holds lots of memories. Some of my favorites are:
1: My apartment flooding freshman year
2: Walking to Ihop and eating a ton of food
3: Pastry Pub
4: Ballroom (I could list a ton but I'll just say Ballroom)
5: An orange stuffed frog and falling over from laughing
6: Alternative Spring Breaks
7: Dating and marrying Brian
8: Our first apartment with orange counters
9: Going into old houses
10: The Block
11: Sleeping in the student center, the library, the science building, pretty much everywhere
12: Student teaching
13: Working for the Family Support Center
14: The sheep tunnels
15: Cheesecake and diet coke at Denny's.

Not a Good Blogger

Not having internet at my house sucks! I am currently sitting at the library on campus using the internet because I was running errands and thought to stop and check the bank account. As I logged into the computer I thought... one of these days this log in isn't going to work anymore since I am no longer an SUU student. BUT let me tell you the 2 days of summer vacation so far have been very nice. I was able to apply for 13 teaching jobs yesterday. I was able to clean my house. (I ignored the laundry). I am sure sometime in the near future I will get bored but for now between job hunting, cleaning/organizing and weddings I am very okay with life being low-key. Let me tell you ending a school year while I am sure it is great for the kids as things start to "wind-down" is very hectic for a teacher. Not wanting to throw academics out the window for the last 2 weeks but being met with rebellion at trying to force the kids to do the "same stuff" they've done all year is difficult. The last week I felt like I had to trick the kids into academics. We played many math and reading games. But let me tell you most teachers seem to hate the last day of school. I loved it. Maybe it was because for once I didn't panic that I had kids standing on the counters (they were cleaning), or that we had to get something done, it was very nice to just have a low key day. Well maybe low key isn't the right word between taking their desks out in the hall, cleaning everything in the classroom, and an ice cream party with 19 different topping choices most of which were candy the classroom was actually pretty loud but we had a good time. Maybe that's were all the problems in the 3rd grade came from... the fact that I think doing the same centers week after week is boring, and that some days I don't want to grade a math worksheet, I have come to the conclusion that my medication induced ADHD causes me to HATE making the kids sit and work silently. Its like when I told the 3rd graders I knew they hated end-of-year testing, and that everyone hated testing but it was important and we needed to get it done, according to the other 3rd grade teachers, I shouldn't have told them that. I don't see why not. I explained why the tests are important I didn't say the tests were bad just that I knew they didn't like them and that grown-ups don't like taking tests either. Im not going to lie to the kids...I told them part of life was doing things we don't like but are important like going to the Dr. ANYWAY, this has been one rambling post, I apologize for those of you that have sat and read the whole thing. I promise better ones in the future.

Not a Good Start

I woke up TODAY to snow. That's right, snow, not a lot of snow but there was slushy snow on my car this morning. It is cloudy and rainy and cold. Not how I wanted my birthday to start out... I'm hoping the weather does not reflect the day.

Web 2.0 (This is for CSIS.. the rest of the world can just skip it)

Web 2.0 is all about the idea that originally the internet was used by people but controlled by companies and web-experts, then with the introduction of message boards, social networks and (drum roll please) BLOGGING, the internet became more shall we say.. democratic-"by the people, for the people". Which is great, I think its awesome the internet allows people a forum to get their ideas out and connect with the world. For example the sites such as the dietcokediet.com started as blogs, they are people writing to help out their friends and neighbors in cyberspace. So now a YouTube video link about Web 2.0

Bad Night

For those of you who haven't heard, on Saturday evening Brian and I were walking Bella and she got hit by a truck. We rushed her to the vet, but as he started to look her over we realized that there was nothing we could do, her back right leg was completely shattered and would need to be amputated. Her lungs had blood in them, and when she breathed it sounded as if air was going where it shouldn't. The vet gave her a 30% chance to live, if he could get her stabilized and to St. George, the odds of her surviving the trip were worse. Also, the cost (with not payment plans available) was creeping towards the $3,000 mark. Brian and I decided that it would be best to put her down, and not make her continue to suffer.
We have only been able to find 1 picture of her. If anyone has any from Christmas or anything like that we would love a copy.

Interviewing is stupid!

I am not a good "butt-kisser", I am not a good here is the "right" answer for an interview person. Because I think interviewing, as with all other shmoozing (spelling?!?!?!) is STUPID. If you really want to get to know someone, maybe you shouldn't try to trick them, that is how I feel about questions such as, "What is your weakness?" Really? Lets hire someone based on how well they LIE! That is what we are asking, don't really admit you are human and sometimes screw up, and have weaknesses but make one up so it can sound like a strength.Im pretty sure an interviewer doesn't want to hear that I accidentally threw away the 3rd graders ungraded pre-test for Spelling and so canceled the final spelling test this week. Because, I struggle with staying organized. In the education world, they always ask, "What is your favorite (strongest) grade to work with? This again is a trap rather than admitting and saying I love ___ grade because. Oh no that's not okay because then you aren't flexible. So you have to Miss America it. "Oh i love every grade, they all are fun and unique..." If you say, "I really HATE kindergarten.." That is the WRONG answer. How can there be a WRONG answer when you are asking for an opinion... don't we teach kids an opinion can't be wrong?. Do people who are interviewing actually expect you off the top of your head to be able to give EXAMPLES of something. When they ask, give us an example of a time you were proactive, what did you do? Why? How did it work? And I'm supposed to just PULL something out of my butt? You want to know what happens 99% of the time.. people MAKE stuff up. Again with the LIES. Having done 2 Target interviews which are all "give me an example of a time"questions. Let me tell you, "This one time at Odyssey.... BS, BS, BS. I usually don't completely make up a story but I do combine them and like I can remember details. But we have not yet come to by LEAST favorite, biggest pet peeve question. What unique qualities can you bring to this job?... Well since
A) I don't know the people who work for you all that well, how am I supposed to know if it is a unique quality?
B) The shear fact that I am ME. Its not 1 quality that makes a person unique, it is their life experiences and their personality. No matter who you hire you're getting someone unique.
C) I have no idea what the hell would be the "right answer"
I am going to babble out some B.S. that isn't really a unique quality.
When I am a principal and get to interview people, I am going to take them to lunch. We are just going to talk, no trick questions, no 1 person vs. 6. Then I am going to actually watch them teach. Watch them interact with students. Seriously, I challenge any principal, teacher, person in this world to come watch me teach, and then to just sit down and talk with me about teaching what happened that day, what I did etc; Get me started on education, behavior management whatever, in an actually conversation (not a LIE) and not hire me. Seriously, that sounds terrible, I know I haven't been teaching for 30 years or whatever, and have a lot to learn but I feel like I can hold my own with any other teacher...BUT instead they'd rather have me BS my way through an interview.
The End

Just kidding: I'd like to pass a note on to a certain parent who sits on a certain board of directors at a certain charter school.
I understand that you have an inferiority complex because you run and are "the boss" of people who have more experience than you in the education world, I know that a part of you knows this and in order to make yourself secure and validated you want to hire someone who LOVES parents and their input. However, asking the same question twice is stupid. Asking, "Give us an example of how you deal with parents." and "How do involve parents in the classroom. Is the SAME question.

Keys

Today was my first day as a long-term sub in the 3rd grade. Stacia (the 3rd grade teacher) had her baby lasy night! Today I was on my own. It wasn't bad at all, it helps that I have been in there for six weeks and basically on my own. But it is nice to not have to run plans or what I think we should do by another teacher. Also, I have my own keys to the school and classroom, and today when the office buzzed our room they asked for Mrs. Harris not Mrs. Leugers. Overall, though the day was pretty typical. Not fist fits, or parts grabbing. Just talkative 3rd graders as alway. Oh I guess on weird thing is that it snowed toay. Really hard. The class has indoor recess for lunch. Whew, its a good thing they get an hour of PE on Monday afternooons to give them a break. Stqacia was really great and got a lot of the year all ready to go, All I have to do is pull out the files and teach the lessons. I am very excited though to be on my own and to get PAID for teaching. WAHOO. And because I am nerdy I lock the classroom door a ton, 1)because it makes me feel cool, to have keys and 2) there is a cleptomanica in the 4th grade... literally its part of her IEP/health plam. Hopefully the rest of the year goes smoothly!

Things I Secretly Love...

We all have those things that it seems like EVERYONE around us hates or maybe we say we hate ... but we secretly love them. I have decided to confess to those secret loves.
1: The Disney Channel-, yes this includes Hannah Montana and therefore Miley Cyrus.
2: Trashy magazines- Cosmo, People, US, you name it I love it.
3: Being sick- I know this one is weird, but every once in a while it is nice to have a day to moan and groan and watch seasons of The Office. Not a fake sick day, a real one. (And not in a creepy, psychological disorder. Just once a year)
4: Grading papers- Gives me something to do while I watch TV, which in turns keeps me awake during said TV. And I just think its fun.
5: Cleaning- I am not good at maintaining clean and organized but I love to get clean and organized. I love waking up on a Saturday after not doing any cleaning ALL week and spending all day cleaning up.
6: Speaking in Sacrament Meeting- I don't know why but I love writing talks, I love giving talks.

That's it for this addition of Confessions of a Mouse.

Some Days...

Some days I miss my cute, non-attitude giving, 1st graders. One of these days happened last Thursday when during our prep hour the office buzzes the room to tell the teacher and I that 3 students are being sent back from Music... Sigh. I go to meet these students coming back from Music. 3 boys were being brought back by a very upset, very angry, very frazzled music teacher. The only words out of her mouth were, "I don't know what has gotten in to your class today, I wish I could send them all back." I told her, "I'll come get them." Apparently in 20 min of a 30 min music class NOTHING had been able to happen because students were talking, calling out, arguing, rolling their eyes, throwing things, etc. I tried VERY hard to not yell, or scream. I told them to get out their notebooks, and write an apology letter to our dear music teacher. I did not want to hear about how they did nothing, EVERYONE was writing a letter. Or else they would not be going home (there were 10 min of school left). Needless to say we made the next day of school very painful for 30 3rd graders.
Another one of these days happened yesterday. The class was in Centers, I had just finished with a reading group and a girl comes up to me and says, "Mrs. Harris, Frank (name has been changed) is rolling on the ground holding his privates... He agonized and hunched over when he walked for the next 30 min moaning and groaning, he told me he hadn't been kicked or hit, but this had happened on Saturday. 10 min before lunch recess (after telling him he would have to go lay down during recess if he wasn't better), he is better, walking, smiling. He goes to recess, then lunch. As the class comes back from lunch, Frank is missing. I am told he is in the lunch room crying. APPARENTLY, he wasn't faking, a janitor had to carrying him to the office, and once laid down and stretched out it wasn't his privates that hurt but his lower abdomen. His mom cam and got him. He was not in school today... we are worried it is his appendix. OOPS!

How to Guarantee Craziness in a Classroom

If you have ever thought, "Hey I think it would be really fun to make 30 3rd grades have a crazy, bouncy, non-productive day", the following steps will make your dream come true.

1: Drastically change the weather. Pick a day where it starts out with snow and cold (perhaps it snowed that very morning) and by 10:15 it is pushing 50 degrees with promises to reach 65.
2: The day will need to be either the day before a "holiday" or the day of. (Really anything the kids are looking forward too will work)
3: Have a fire drill
4: Have a girl punch a boy twice in the nose, causing him to gush blood.
5: As the story of the punch comes out, it must involve 5-6 students "playing" (i.e. holding said girl down and rolling a giant snow ball over her).
6: Said girl must decide she doesn't want to "play" only after the snowball has been rolled on her.
7: When said boy is punched the first time he must retaliate by pushing said girl.
8: Said girl then punches said boy for the second time causing a bloody nose.
9: Have a spelling pre-test, and a math test back to back.
10: As the adult, insure that you start the day with little patience and tired (i.e. a headache, and 4-5 hours of sleep, after working until 12:30 the night before.)

You now have a way to cause craziness! It has already been through a trial run so I guarantee 100% success.

The odds and ends.

I will start this post with complaining about the state of Utah. I just did my taxes and we own Utah 4.00. Seriously? I think this is a little silly. I would like to propose a compromise. Since ideally this next year my paychecks will come from the taxpayers. I as a teacher will buy 1 package of paper. This way the $4.00 of Utah tax money I would have used to buy paper will not be used and we'll call it even? Along those lines, I think it is silly that I don't get a tax break for being a teacher it seems as though I am almost paying part of my own salary... Just a thought. 3rd grade is going well. They like to push buttons and boundaries a bit more than 1st graders do but I like it. Im looking forward to long term subbing because the tests will be over and we can do science and other fun things that we dont do now. Currently we spend ALL day in literacy, math and 1 special (art, music, pe, etc). But I must go now. I have to run to Wal-mart and get things to be a pirate in tomorrows Character Education play. The theme is self-disciple. The counselor thought I was crazy when I told her the pirates (who are lazy and procrastinate) should sing We are the pirates who don't do anything...

Hash House A Go Go

Last night Morgan and Derek took Alice and I to Hash House a Go Go. I got a stuffed burger. 2 patties of meat with mashed potatoes and bacon in between them. It was the size of my head and I ate the WHOLE thing. Thats right! And I have pictures to prove it....

BEFORE DINNER

AFTER DINNER!!!

The food was amazing! Whoever thought to put REAL mashed potatoes in a burger was a genius.

I guess I should Blog...

Its been about month since I blogged. But recently I am not sure what to blog about. I live life by a routine currently. Wake up, go to school, go to work 2 days a week, or go home and ignore everything you could be doing like the dishes or laundry or homework, sleep, watch TV or Buffy. Answer my phone when it rings. Go hang out with people when they invite me (Id hate to seem anti-social even though I sort of want to be). Take the dog for a walk. Move from the couch to the bed about 1030. Sleep, repeat the next day.

The First Week of 1st Grade

Let me begin this post by saying while 1st grade is not as bad as I thought 6th graders are way better. Moving on, I have survived the 1st week of student teaching. I have a very laid back teacher which is nice. I do not really like having an aid in the room all morning, she could actually go away and I would be alright with that. And while I was frustrated because I felt like my teacher didn't want me to do much, I learned on Friday that she didn't want to just make me do things I wasn't comfortable with. She had to take care of a parent issue after lunch, which left me to read Junie B Jones out loud to the the class, she apologized no less than 15 times for just making me do it. Also, who knew that telling 1st graders to put their math manipulatives under their chairs so they wouldn't play with them was "genius" and qualified a math lesson to be "amazing". Overall, it was a good first week. Only 5 more to go than I go to 3rd grade. The 3rd grade teacher is having baby the last week of my student teaching so I get to go from student teacher to long term sub through the end of May. Also, I have successfully completed the first 2 assignments for the computer class that I have registered for 4 times before this but have never actually finished. I have not eaten out once this week, I went to the gym 3 times this week (I worked the other two nights). Take that New Years Resolutions!

Sometimes Life's Just Hard

Like when your car dies on Christmas Eve and the cost to fix it is 2,500 dollars. You learn to live with one car. Or when the day after Christmas a grandparent dies (at least it wasn't Christmas Day...which happened last year). Sometimes your "vacation" makes you more tired than real life, and you come home and are looking forward to normal every day life. Somewhere along the way, between the swearing, the crying, and asking are we going to be okay? how are we going to make this work, you think,"Welcome to life". Has there ever been a year when something hard or bad didn't happen? If it hadn't been the car, it would have been something else. At least you and your spouse are healthy. You're not homeless, or hungry. You're both employed, you have one car that runs. You have TV and movies to watch, a dog. Shoot you went on a 10 day cruise in May. Family who is helping you out. Sure I could make a list just as long of the not so good stuff. But who couldn't? I know plenty of people whose list would be longer. I know lots of people I wouldn't trade places with. So yeah, sometimes life is hard. But it could always be harder.