Never Eat Soggy Waffles

There are many ways to remember the cardinal directions.  Me, personally, grew up with the sentence 'Never Eat Soggy Waffles' (North, East, South, West).  I am well aware that nowadays there are many more options such as: Never Eat Sour Watermelon, Now Edward Screams Wildly, etc.  The list could go on and on.  I, however, choose to teach my students in the way that is familiar to me.  Because lets just be honest, they learn better in the way that I learn best.  Maybe that's a selfish way to think...  Promise I'm just trying to make them successful though!

Anyways, we covered the unit on Maps & Globes back in the first week of school.  Yep 16 weeks ago.  Not to mention 14 years ago when I learned this in school the first go around.  What I'm getting at here is that my kids know their cardinal directions.  And today, in front of all 30 plus my co-teacher, I made it clear to all of them that I have yet to catch on.

We are now studying the Explorers, specifically Henry Hudson.  We were reading this AWESOME book as I tried to be the proactive, effective and engaging teacher that I am...  I pulled down the world map and directed all eyes to me.  I placed my finger on England and as my co-teacher reread the directions taken I traced my finger up to Greenland.  As she said "But their voyage began to take a turn toward the North East", I moved my finger in that direction.  

Or what I thought.

As I confidently showed the class the direction in which Hudson sailed I heard eruptions of my students saying things like: "EAT." and "Wrong way." as well as "North East, Ms. Peters".  

I looked at what I was doing and sadly, could not figure out what they heck they were talking about!  I turned around and looked at my co-teacher and she said, "North East" with her sweet smile she often gives me that is overflowing with compassion and understanding- I know it far too well.  I turned to my eager students and simply said:

"Just wanted to make sure you guys knew which way to go."

And turned back towards the world map to hide my bright red face.

Top 10 For December

Back when I was in the prime of my blogging career the posts I looked the most forward to were the ones I would do at the beginning of each month.  I created lists for each month of things I was looking forward to.  See here for the first one ever.  And another one, if you're interested.  I'll stop now... You get the point.  

Now for this month's list; Drum Roll, Please........

1.  Going to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens for the walking Garden Lights, Holiday Nights tour!
2.  'Winter Holiday Break'- aka Christmas Break as I use to be able to refer to it as.  2 whole weeks of nothing but sleeping in, bundling up and no work.
3.  A sweet sorority sister/great friend's Winter Wedding!
4. For my girl MoBat to be back in the good ole States!  She married herself a Man of Honor and is now stationed across the pond in Germany but is coming home for the holidays!  Basically, I can't wait to be able to talk to her at any given time for 13 days straight.
5.  Meeting Samuel Wesley Hunt.
6.  The smell of Christmas trees, the magic of white lights and sitting fireside at N. Holly Lane, again and again. 
7.  Trip to Birmingham.  Where my heart still resides. 
8.  Sipping on my Big Train Vanilla Chi Tea that is on the way to me.  Every two months.  Thank you, amazon.com Subscribe & Save AND to my wonderful co-worker/great friend for introducing me to this sweet nectar. 
9.  Attending the Hope 4 Christmas Party and visiting Brensha at her new work!
10.  Time well spent with family from here, Charleston, Conyers, Indiana and Kentucky; with friends both old (gotta love holiday time simply for reunions) and new; and loved ones on a daily basis.


What are you looking forward to this December?

Stand, Salute, Pledge

Every day, every school in America (or at least I hope so) participates in the same ritual.  A ritual that is cemented with truth and grounded in honor.  

We all say The Pledge of Allegiance.

At my school, we not only participate in that ritual but we have the same ritual each day as to how it is presented.  We are asked, via a newscast (how legit are we?!) to Stand, Salute, Pledge; then we immediately begin the sacred pledge that my 4th graders have now been doing almost daily for 5 years now.  You're familiar with it too, I just know it.  

You'd also be familiar enough to know that when asked to Stand, you would stand.  When prompted to Salute, you would put your hand over your heart.  And you'd pledge your allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, upon hearing the words Pledge. 

Today, on the 71st day of school, I caught one of my sweet, sweet students Standing and Pledging however, he was saluting in the literal act, the one meant to show respect. With his fingers on his forehead, palms down.  Much like he was a member of the Army, reporting for duty.  

Just to paint a picture for you.... Not my student, but certainty what he looked like this morning.

Just another day.  No big deal. 

Got My Groove Back

I've been in a new job for awhile now enjoying many things anew.  I often think about my sweet blog because Beauty in the World shows itself to me in many ways every day.  However, much like Stella, I got my groove back today!

I am ready to rededicate myself to this blog.  To share the ebb and flow of my life.  To paint a picture with words of what my day to day journey looks like with all 7 of my followers.  

To catch you up on me:

I am a teacher.  A proud teacher of 30 4th graders who drive me up the wall but at the same time remain the driving force to help me continue what I'm doing.  They are my inspiration, my joy and are working on my everlasting nerve.  

And they make for good stories.

Not to mention, I'm now engaged to a wonderful man.  He is completely Rad (as I will refer to him on this blog)- better than any of my dreams could have ever dreamed of.  So there's some inspiration in there too.  

And of course, there is now Pinterest.  Enough inspiration to make me a virtuous woman that can cook, clean and iron.  

_________________________________________________________

Now, to the incident that led me to my Groove.  Today during Writer's Workshop time block,  sweet Hudson the young, athletic, caring and popular 10 year old asked me how to spell 'obnoxious'.  My sass overcame me and blasted sweet Hudson smack in the face.  

"H, U, D, S, O, N".

He looked at me and blinked.  And said, "H?"  Blinked again.  And I just sat there with a smirk slowly creeping up my face.

Hudson then said, 'Oh.  H, U, D, S, O, N.  Hudson.  HAHA."

I'm still laughing, needless to say. 

I proceeded to spell out obnoxious for him and we moved on to bigger and better things regarding our Realistic Fiction writing.  

And if you're curious to know, I just asked him if he liked what I did earlier.  He said, 'Yeah, Ms. Peters.'  I then granted him permission to use my joke whenever he'd like and he quickly responded with, 

"Oh I am.  I'm using it on my mom as soon as I get home."

Yep- I'm molding American's youth.

Reflections

I have occasionally been guilty of using this blog as a tool to write about my job.  Yes, I've told stories that are easy to laugh out and stories that make my job seem almost unbearable.  If I'm honest though, I don't write enough about the things I like about my job.  And now is the best time to do it.

I like-

• The times when my students recognize how legit I am. Not in the, 'She's a legit teacher' sort of way.  More like the, 'She's legit all around' sort of way.  Like in this scenario:

During an Algebra I test, these freshman guys decided they wanted to discard their work.  So, the shoot it into my basket.  And miss.  Just like every single male figure that has ever tried to make a trash basket shot in my room.  I swear, never seen more poor hoop skills before.  Anyways, I see this as a prime opportunity to prove to them how legit I am and say, "Go pick it up and bring it here."

Them: "There ain't no way you can shoot in dat basket."

Me: "Oh yeah I can.  I'll show you up.  I showed Willie up.  Ask Willie!" (Willie was also in my room because he hangs out in my room pretty much all day... I don't mind it though for this reason- this said scenario had happened before in my room but I proved my legit-ness to Willie then)

Willie: "No, She can hoop.  She can hoop cud!  I ain't playin'."

I'll sum up this story real quick- I shot.  I made it.  They shut up.  I am legit.

I like-

• 
  Walking through the hallway in the morning in between all the students as they wait for the bell to ring and I ascend the stairs.  This has given me ample amount of time to work on smiling with my eyes, which is a personal goal for me.  I really enjoy this time because I get to see students that aren't in Special Education nor on the soccer or volleyball teams.  And, it's my time to impress these students by giving them my smile eyes, making them wish the were in Special Education or a member of either the soccer or volleyball teams so they could be graced with smiling eyes every day.  **Side note- that whole smiling with the eye thing isn't me claiming me to have the power to make people wish they could be around me, promise.  It's me just telling you to notice my kind eyes when I smile.  Seriously- it's been a personal goal for a long while and I would LIKE someone to notice!  Ahem, Nicole!**

I like-

• That I have met some pretty good friends here at school.  Being a first year teacher at a school where you know nobody or nothing about the city pretty much made me feel like I was a new kid at high school.  I never actually got to experience how that feels but if its even a tenth of what I felt like the beginning days here my parents will receive a hand written thank you card from me tomorrow.  I would consider a few of the other first year teachers here some of my dearest friends because they have been through this year with me.  I will never be blessed to work with 2 different departments again (Math & Special Ed) where the members are so flexible, accommodating and understanding of my severe lack of knowledge sometimes.  I ate lunch in the company of 3 chicks that I affectionately refer to as my "Lunch Bunch" that have me counting down the minutes to 12:22 every day.  I coached with some of the most fun and laid back partners ever, and will always keep in contact with them.  I attended a wedding of a friend and hosted a baby shower of another friend.  I am looking forward to more memories with the people my friends here for many, MANY, years to come.

I like-

• Being asked multiple times a day if I am going to be here, in this room, as their Math teacher next year.  Seriously- I don't know if these kids ask all their teachers if they will be returning next year but if not, something is in the air in Room 313.  Because I am asked, time and time again.  Particularly this week.  Even by the administration, three times this week.  Although it is potentially awkward, I try to void that and feel loved instead.  Because they are asking because they want reassurance.  And hey, I know how loving the grips of reassurance feel so I'd love to be able to grant them that security....

I like-

• Relationships I have built with my students.  In any interview I have ever been on it has never failed that I am asked the question, "What would you consider a strength of yours as a teacher?".  In order to avoid sounding cocky and run the risk of me thinking they aren't going to hire me because I made it sound like I was the bomb.com, I 100% of the time answer with something along the lines of this: 

What is a strength for me as a teacher is probably not your typical 'strength' but for me it works and it is important.  As a teacher, I work really hard to get to know my students on a personal level so that they view me as more than just a teacher.  That when they look at me, they want to succeed and meet my expectations because they don't just associate me with academics.  I know it may sound crazy but I work really hard to build personal relationships that are founded in trust because kids need that in a teacher.

That was a crazy tangent but now you know my philosophy on teaching.  And how my interviewing skills go... Pretty much just tangents after tangents.  Anyways, this year some of my favorite memories have been with my students.  Awhile ago I had to call a parent about a meeting she couldn't make and within our 1 minute conversation, she said maybe 3 words to me regarding the meeting.  What she did say more than 3 words about is something I will never forget.

She said to me: "You're new this year, right?"

me: "Yes ma'am." (fear was in my voice because I thought she was about to say something along the lines of 'It's obvious.' 'Clearly.', etc.)

Her: "My son has told me a lot about you.  He talks about you all the time.  It really seems like you are doing good things over there.  So I hope you keep it up.  It's just your first year but you're doing it.  So thank you, thanks for what you're doing for him."

All in all, there is so much more that I like about this job than what I don't.  And I hope that even through my complaining and my ridiculous stories you can see that I am thankful, grateful and glad to be at my current job.

Let's Say....

In the middle of his Algebra II final, one of my students turns to me and says:

"Let's say you're my friend.  But not really my friend, cause I mean like, we see each other in the hall but we don't really text no mo'.  Like you're my friend in the hallway but that's about it."

Me: "Okay....."

Him: "Okay.  So you're my friend.  And even though we don't text no mo' you give my number to another friend.  Now why would you get mad at me?!"

Me: "Um... Because I didn't want to talk to that person.  They probably annoy me."

Him: "No!  You gave them my number.  Now why would be mad at me?!"

Me: "Oh!  I like you.  I obviously like you."

Him:  Blank stares and nervous blinks.

Me: "I mean!!!  This friend is a chick, right!?  She, this friends, likes you."

Him: "Oh.... Yeah, she's a girl.  Thanks Ms. Peters."

Me:  "Yeah, anytime."

This is the day to day in Room 313.

I Passed.

I know I complain a lot and fail to mention the good things about my job....  But I went into education because I am people person and never wanted to sit at a desk all day.  I wanted to be in the lives of my students and I wanted to help the ones that sometimes have it hard, in regards to their peers or learning.  I went into Special Education because I 100% believe every student can learn and because I enjoy and truly love when I am able to help prove to a student that they can learn.

I just 'took' a math test with 3 seniors.  It was the HARDEST math test I have taken to date... Yes, I had the answers but was not provided with formulas or examples and I'm not about cheating because its ugly and an unattractive quality.  Each of the 3 seniors had to pass this test in order to graduate this Thursday.  At one point, we were all looking in the book for formulas and plugging in numbers to find anything but nothing was really working out to the answers.  We spent the entire hour and a half on that test.  They left and I felt defeated. 

One student, who has been in high school for 5 years now, is a straight up G, never smiles and is just one of those guys who looks real cool just came by my door with a smirk on and said:

"I passed."

I obnoxiously said, "You did!? Yay!" and started to cheer/clap for him.

He said: "I did."  (with an increasingly bigger smile)

I being to put two and two together and ask: "Wait... Passed the test or you know you passed the class....?"

"I passed the class.  I'm graduating."

Me: "AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!!  You. Are. GRADUATING!!!!" with obsessive claps.

And he smiled, gave me a nod and walked away.  Walked like he was practicing in his cap and gown, across the stage to receive his high school diploma.

Today I love my job.  Today I am celebrating with my 3 seniors who are graduating.  Today I am proud.  Today I am doing what I wanted to do as a teacher.  Today is a good day.