Wednesday, January 31, 2007


How do the choices you make shape your/our future, fate, or destiny? Why or why not?


Fate or destiny? I am a believer that everyone has a path... if you listen to that little voice inside you when you are still, in nature, away from the din of the electronic, you will hear and know what path and which decisions to make. One can go NUTS analyzing every choice, so the way it works for me is to pause before committing to anything or saying anything that seems out of character for someone who is polished, serene and happy with where they are in life.

If it's not right-- it just doesn't SIT right. I see most people as having spiritual, mental (i.e. business, etc. ), and health aspects. If everything is working and the decisions are honoring all of the three, then you have a sense of peace, accomplishment, and that everything is somehow right with the world. If you make a choice that is not right for you -- you feel it.. It may be a few minutes later (like when you yell at someone and you really didn't mean it -- you were just having an extremely awful day), a week later, or sometimes years later as you look back and reflect.


Sometimes, at least for me, the choices seemed rather inconsequential -- just a computer purchase, a car, etc. and yet those decisions for me ended up making all the difference -- it helped put me on my path and allowed me to become who I am and led me to the things that I love to do. Would one choice along the way have changed all that? Probably not, but it might have changed the level, the depth and the intensity of the shape of my life. If I had moved from this area, who knows? If I had gotten the job with Stars and Stripes in Europe right out of college -- my locale and life experiences would have been different. However, I think I would have always ended up teaching in some fashion.

How have my choices influenced/shaped my future, fate and destiny? They have led me to where I feel I am meant to be. Are there still things that I would change and/or alter? Of course, but those decisions didn't lead me away from my true path-- just took me on some deadends that I had to re-trace my steps to get back. Sometimes they took me through some briar patches and I had to fight to get back on track, but I am where I am supposed to be--- for now.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Thank you for your patience this week. A grandmother of mine passed away on Sunday and I have been trying to help with arrangements and locate a missing item in my house for someone all week on very little sleep.

Thanks for all the kind words and patience. The five week projects require you to read and to be confident in what you are doing. For some of you this is the first time that you have been asked to fly solo and interpret the instructions. It may be a bit stressful for you. Hang in there.

See you on Tuesday when I return.... I will be out on Monday as well for school business (sorry!). Check the website for the lesson plans.

Friday, January 19, 2007

WARMING UP--- The weather has changed, but not that much! Please check the weather reports.

Week #17 WAVE VOCAB
7th Grade
anecdote (a brief, humorous story). The speaker told a short anecdote to make the audience laugh and get them interested in the speech.

8th Grade = protracted (drawn out; lengthy)
The school year seemed long and protracted because of the extended day.


WEDNESDAY WRITING - Week #17
  • Write about a time when you or someone you know was bullied and how it was or could have been better handled.
  • Write about a bullying incident from the video andhow you would have handled the situation if you were the victim or observer
  • Reread the speech (attached-- copy will be made available for everyone in the class) that Bobbie gave for the "No Name Party".
  • Have students write down comments or questions that could be used for discussion - or - develop a prompt for studens from this FRIDAY's DISCUSSION activity.
  • STUDENTS work in small groups to come up with slogans or posters to display in the classroom or school to prevent bullying.
  • Students share a piece of writing, discussion topic, poster, etc., related to NO NAME CALLING week.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

An older sibling or friend, invites you to an "R" reated movie and plans to use a fake ID (to get a ticket). Explain why you would or would not go. Take into consideration the repercussions from the law, your parents, and the theatre employees in your response.

I would wait for the movie to come out on DVD and then ask my parents to pick it up so that they would be able to make the decision. Personally, I would not want to be embarrassed at the ticket counter with someone telling me that I was too young or the possible contact to my parents. Why would I want all that drama?

My parents (when I was a teenager) trusted me to do the right thing and to be responsible so I never did anything to violate that trust. It worked out well for my family. I was usually also just able to set my own bed times (even when I was little) so I never wanted to do anything that would require my parents to be more worried about me and what I was doing. I liked my freedom and wanted to keep it -- going to a movie with somone I knew was going to use a fake ID would not have been something I would have done.

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Enjoy your weekend!

To help get you back into the school groove:
  • WHAT DID YOU DO? If you have a moment, send me a schoolnotes email about what you actually did over the holidays and copy a post to the blackboard account -- it will get you ready for the writing that is coming
  • THINK ABOUT IT - What Do You Believe? As part of our January unit we will be preparing some entries for a National Public Radio program called This I Believe. Start reflecting on what makes you tick!
  • WAKE UP! Start getting up and ready at a slightly earlier time than you normally do. Get that alarm ready and your system back into the swing of things.
  • BAG CHECK- Check through your backpack to make sure that you have everything that you need for Monday! Pencils, pens, paper and especially any reports, papers, etc. that you were given a grace period to complete.
  • LEAVE THE TOYS AT HOME! While all those new gadgets are cool and all, please leave them home and get used to setting your phone to off during school hours. If you received some generous presents, set up a time off campus to share them.
  • BODY BREAKS: Start to each on school schedule and get your body used to taking care of needs according to the school clock.
  • REST - Get some extra sleep and due to the weird weather, drink some additional water and take a walk or two to get back into the swing of things.
Looking forward to getting started on your five-week projects, the yearbook (once we get the necessary CD-rom) and welcoming in the New Year at ESMS.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007


HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Hope you have had a grand vacation and have been enjoying time away from school :)) Looking forward to getting started on our five week projects and for those wondering about your proposals, we will be talking about them on the first day back. Prefer that you only work with one other person and your items will need to be very well defined.

I have been reading, walking, catching up on videos (love the mail in system!) and spending LOTS of time with my family. Found some new technologies that we are going to be using to enhance our journalism department and we will be hitting the yearbook assignments hard to meet our first deadline. So, get your photo and uploading skills ready--- here we go.

Look forward to seeing you when we return -- enjoy your break and welcome to 2007!