RELAXING
Today is a better day. Still sad about my last grand passing (grandmother) and am getting adjusted to the idea that all I have left are my aunts and parents in the grand scheme of family order and such. Looking for ways to stay connected to that part of the world since it is such a big part of my existence and who I am. Sure, never lived there yet there is a strong connection.

Trying to find ways to get students inspired about learning in general. So many seem genuinely disinterested in anything having to do with finding out about things that they haven't gotten to see/understand. Wondering where is the sense of adventure that comes from just listening to something and then allowing it time to percolate and develop into a new sense of the world. For instance, watched a Discovery Channel show about water -- would have been great to have that clip to show to students -- really very interesting to see what water goes through before ending up in your water from the tap.

Where is that sense of adventure and desire to learn in our students? Maybe we need to look at different ways of getting the material across - hard to cheat if you are doing an experiment and presenting the results to a national and or local regulatory agency or presenting in front of the board of directors. Hard to get a "cheat list" for something like that... Just ideas.

MICHIGAN MEMORIES
Central Michigan University is the closest major landmark to where my Grandmother and Grandfather made their lives together. It is also the place that I go to find my center -- my connection to the grander scheme of things beyond the cars, the concrete, and the hustle and bustle that is the norm in Southern California.

Why Michigan? It provides a release from the ever pounding need to answer cell phones (no and/or limited reception), needlessly staring at TV for hours (only three stations since my grandma's house never had cable and was ruled by the antennae box that literally moved the antennae on the top of the house -- advanced rabbit ears), and no internet access (she still had a pulse phone line the one that makes the sound like it used to when they still had phones that truly DIALED numbers).

Literally connecting with the earth and watching the cycle of life, especially the crops literally growing in front of your eyes -- my version of paradise! To hear the birds, sit in front of the fan and read, ponder, write, play solitaire and do the daily routine of common meals and washing and putting away dishes -- heaven.

I wonder where I will find that now that the center is gone. Sure, I still have relatives in Michigan, but not a place near the lands that created me and has given me my main roots. When I am back in the places where the elders still pretty much refer to the plots of land with the original land deed owners (aka the Smith Place, the Getchell Farm) and where people still bring food when someone is sick and/or in the hospital, and they listen to scanners so they know how to help their neighbors --- I feel a sense of belonging that I get no where else. It is a connection stronger than even family -- it is where I began and when I am there, both physically and mentally (I have learned how to leave the stress at the last big airport before the smaller one that usually is accessed by a 30 seater plane), and where I know what makes sense.

It is not a place to hide -- you face who you are, what you are, and how you live your live in a much more forthright manner. No hiding behind facades, phone calls, schedules -- just you and mortality. How you live your life is reflected back in how you are when you are there. I have a place up in Ossineke as well, but somehow, it is not going to be the same...

Where will my heart be? In the woods and the home that came to symbolize universal, unconditional love and acceptance. Come as you are and you will be loved -- that was the motto. Check your hubris at the door and get your hands dirty doing what needs to be done. No lallygagging allowed...

Week #24 MAKING CONNECTIONS
7th Grade = incessant (non-stop).

The incessant crying of the baby indicated that the child had a severe and on-going sickness.

8th Grade = didactic (intending to teach)

The didactic teacher intended to teach the students what would be on the test.

WEDNESDAY WRITING PROMPT:
"Be kind. For everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."

Describe what this means. Give an example of how this may be true. How would this quote change the way you interact with others. Explain.



Good work on your PBJ and Presentations (so far). We will be starting a new unit next week.

PAVE Map - Sorry no definitions on this one! You have to predict with a prediction sentence first, then figure out the definition of the word based on the sample sentence.

7th Grade = IMMUTABLE
ex. The immutable program remained the same for over 20 years.

8th Grade = CONTRITE
The contrite child apologized for kicking his mother.

WEDNESDAY WRITING PROMPT:
How do you think life would be different as the opposite sex?
How are boys treated differently than girl and vice versa?
Is this fair or not?
Why or why not?

REMEMBER - Write until 9:25 then check grades and the bulletin on PowerSchool.

Working my way Back to You!
On a later flight tonight, but weather permitting should be back in class tomorrow (Wednesday). The funeral for my grandma was held on the 22nd and the internment at the cemetery was mercifully brief as the Michigan winds were kicking up. We had a lunch afterwards with about 100 people in attendance - most were family. Been helping box and ship and clear out the house the past few days.

Weather is open for today, but another strong storm is expected later tomorrow and hoping to get the next connection before any more delays. It's a balmy 35 degrees or so today and although my grandma's rented house got lots of snow, the roads were clear today. We'll see! Weather around here changes often.

Get your WIKIS updated and Period 2 take the background off from the front page that was added please :). Hope to see you soon. Have pictures of the snow to show you!

It's been snowing all day to day off and on. About 4 inches or so -- hard to measure from the window! Looking forward to catching a plane and making all the connections to get home. Look forward to seeing all the progress made on your projects and stories while I have been gone. Be sure to update your WIKIs -- look forward to the presentations when I return.

BRRRR.. It's cold and sunny here. A balmy 13 degrees with a slight wind chill. Yesterday at the internment at the cemetary it was about 0 degrees with the wind chill. Hope all is going well with your guest teacher and I look forward to seeing you next Wednesday. Send me some messages through your WIKI's so I have something nice to read! Thanks for being so understanding and working so hard to impress our guest teachers with your incredible ability to adjust and adapt. If you want to check the weather where I am look for Saginaw - Sheperd- Mt Pleasant areas. The only other big city close is Lansing and/or Midland, Michigan.

The land of the tundra -- high yesterday was 32 Degrees. Be good for the guest teacher. Will send more news when I have it and thanks for all your wishes and support. You all are wonderful and I will see you when I return.

WAVE - Week of Feb. 19 - Feb. 23

Tuesday - VOCAB for Week #21 - WORD UNDERSTANDING RECORD ( do both grade levels to fill in both halves of the sheet).

7th Grade = cacophonous (harsh sounding)
The cacophonous clatter coming from the kitchen was harsh to the ears.

8th Grade = profuse (very abundant; flowing)
Her friends gave many profuse compliments after her amazing performance.

WEDNESDAY WRITING
How is it possible to meet someone new and not judge them? Why or why not? Give examples. Remember writing until 9:25 THEN check grades, bulletin.

WEDNESDAY WRITING for Feb. 14th

Read the Prompt and you have until 9:25 to complete your writing then work on checking your grades from 9:25 am until the WAVE bell rings.

We all want to be treated fairly.

Write about what you feel is fair and unfair in your home, your school, or your life in general. . Use details to support your reasons why or why not.

Would others consider your opinion to be fair or unfair? Explain who would or would not and why.

TECHNO WOES

When things go wrong with tech, life can be very frustrating. Like needing to unplug an overhead projector because somehow it interferes with a grading program? Very odd. I like logic. If A is not working, it's because of B, C, or D. However lately, that has not been the case.

Grading program won't boot up? Check to see if you used blue fonts last! Have to reset a password once every 45 days? Just do it daily and it seems to work. Technology frustrations abound... and when it doesn't make sense, it's that much more irritating.

Cannot get hi-speed modem to connect even though it's one, plugged in, and the lights are blinking? Then just unplug everything reboot! If only life were that way... cluttered house? Just have the magic people take everything out and only put back in what is necessary. Scrap your car on a metal pole? Just have someone re-finish and re-paint it for you. The problem with all these little tasks is that they take TIME.

Sure, most people think teachers have all this "free time". This includes meetings before and after school, grading and responding to over 150 papers-- over 200 for some and this is supposed to be informative comments so that the students can improve-- not just a score. Then entering the grades, updating the homework site, sitting on at least one or two committees, responding to parent/teacher/staff emails (preferred), phone calls and notes. Differentiated instruction for EVERYONE in class above those who have formal plans and accommodations in place, managing the classroom network (for techies) and that FREE TIME for organizing? There are only 24 hours in the day. There is not a teacher I know who does not bring papers home (or stays very late to get them done the next day).

Do I love my job? Absolutely...is it very misunderstood by the public as to what the responsibilities of teachers are in this day and age? ABSOLUTELY!!! Higher pay is one aspect that would be helpful and I would love to have an expense account so that I could have things that personally help me be more organized. Give me Paris Hilton's or another high-paid athlete, or personalities income for a week and I would probably make more than two or three years' work of salary.

The incredible amount of time that is required to prepare, reflect on the day, then adapt for additional learning experiences is phenomenal. It's a great job... just some days the technology that we have to make life "easier" ends up making it that much more difficult and cumbersome. There are days I enjoy just unplugging and reading a book. Anything without wires.

TECHNO WOES

When things go wrong with tech, life can be very frustrating. Like needing to unplug an overhead projector because somehow it interferes with a grading program? Very odd. I like logic. If A is not working, it's because of B, C, or D. However lately, that has not been the case.

Grading program won't boot up? Check to see if you used blue fonts last! Have to reset a password once every 45 days? Just do it daily and it seems to work. Technology frustrations abound... and when it doesn't make sense, it's that much more irritating.

Cannot get hi-speed modem to connect even though it's one, plugged in, and the lights are blinking? Then just unplug everything reboot! If only life were that way... cluttered house? Just have the magic people take everything out and only put back in what is necessary. Scrap your car on a metal pole? Just have someone re-finish and re-paint it for you. The problem with all these little tasks is that they take TIME.

Sure, most people think teachers have all this "free time". This includes meetings before and after school, grading and responding to over 150 papers-- over 200 for some and this is supposed to be informative comments so that the students can improve-- not just a score. Then entering the grades, updating the homework site, sitting on at least one or two committees, responding to parent/teacher/staff emails (preferred), phone calls and notes. Differentiated instruction for EVERYONE in class above those who have formal plans and accommodations in place, managing the classroom network (for techies) and that FREE TIME for organizing? There are only 24 hours in the day. There is not a teacher I know who does not bring papers home (or stays very late to get them done the next day).

Do I love my job? Absolutely...is it very misunderstood by the public as to what the responsibilities of teachers are in this day and age? ABSOLUTELY!!! Higher pay is one aspect that would be helpful and I would love to have an expense account so that I could have things that personally help me be more organized. Give me Paris Hilton's or another high-paid athlete, or personalities income for a week and I would probably make more than two or three years' work of salary.

The incredible amount of time that is required to prepare, reflect on the day, then adapt for additional learning experiences is phenomenal. It's a great job... just some days the technology that we have to make life "easier" ends up making it that much more difficult and cumbersome. There are days I enjoy just unplugging and reading a book. Anything without wires.

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.

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.

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.
  

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.

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.

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!

"Character is what you are in the dark" - UNKNOWN

What does this mean to you? How do you act when no one is watching? How do you act when your parents, teachers, or friends aren't watching? Explain.

What happens when you get home and reflect on the day? Do you remembe the kind words that encouraged a person in need of some uplifting or were you trying to impress your friends with words that damage the spirit, but made your clique of friends laugh? Each day, I try and take some time to reflect on the person I was during the day -- am I proud of every action, word, and deed? If I find myself lacking in some way, I work to make amends immediately and to change my path the next day to improve on who I am and how I am everyday.

It's hard to be the best person I can be on a daily basis. It takes constant reflection, monitoring and focus. In the dark, when I am alone with just my thoughts and the silence of the night, I hope that I act as I believe and make mental notes of how to change something that doesn't sit right with who I am, and what I believe in.

It is a never-ending process. I have seen people who, alone, are caring, protective, and supportive turn into angry, hurtful people trying to impress. I wonder how much damage is done by not following and acting in a manner that is consistent with who you really are when the silence of the night envelopes you and you are face to face with the power that is in charge of the universe.