Friday, October 15, 2010

Culminating Project Ideas

Alright my Happiness Project Writers and Bloggers - Gimme your tired, your weak - oh wait, that was something else. Hang on . . .

Friends, Dixians, Countrymen and women, Lend me your ears - Nope, that's for third trimester.

Ah yes, now I remember.

Okay folks, so here's your chance to put your .02 in before I throw the hammer down and lay down the edicts for your final projects.

Tell me, though I won't guarantee anything, what is it that you think would be a good culiminating adventure for your hero? Convince me. Persuade me that your idea is the best.

On your mark; Get set; Go . . .

Sunday, October 10, 2010

To Tell the Truth

"There's a very positive relationship
between people's ability to
accomplish any task and the time
they're willing to spend on it."
- Joyce Brothers

Monday's goal will be to reveal what this project is really about - the work, the indivudual attention, the revelations I have learned about who will be successful in the future and who will probably not show up.

I'm actually looking forward to getting back to teaching my way and not doing this whole free-flowing thing anymore. Letting go has never been one of my strong points and while I've probably been succeeding at it this half of the trimester and my students will probably still not get it, I'm glad to have undertaken this particular Buddha-esque project of my own.

We'll see how tomorrow goes. If nothing else, it should be interesting.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Quotation I found reflection-worthy

"What you get by reaching your
destination is not nearly as
important as what you will become
by reaching your destination."
- Zig Ziglar

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Share the enthusiasm - Epic Fail

Wow.

Today's goal was very quickly deflated. I supposed it's true what Elphaba says, "No good deed goes unpunished." Today's goal was to take the newfound enthusiasm from the day of "spreading the happy" and channel it into the classroom today. Well, that didn't quite work. Frankly, it slammed right up against a gigantic Great Wall of China.

I teach my students to reflect on each experience and I'm the model here so here goes for a reflection.

When I came into class, I had expected to find my students equally inspired and thrilled by the prospect of sharing what they had learned through this process with someone who had no vested interest in their grade. I thought the idea of sharing what they'd learned with a perfect stranger, face to face, would show them the confidence they had accrued during their 15 day trek.

Instead, the concept and my enthusiasm were met with hostility and fear. I supposed I expected them to have seen the confidence and the growth that I saw. Maybe they don't know how much they've grown in just these last 13 days. Maybe they don't think they can do it. Maybe they are just afraid.

I'm still going to push them to share this with someone they don't know - tell the world how much they've learned and how much they've grown. Who knows - maybe that's really what they're asking me for by being so hostile and afraid.

Perhaps beneath that anger is the tiniest of voices whispering, "push me."

Monday, October 4, 2010

Spread the "Happiness" and see what happens

Today's goal was the discuss the Happiness Project with as many people as I could and get new and amazing ideas for doing this again next time.

I spoke about the project to one friend who worried that the project needed narrowing - I should dictate the 15 days (or perhaps shorten it to 7 days - after all the world was created in less time) and monitor specifics a bit better - daily check-ins instead of the twice a week or weekly I've been doing.

Another friend told me I should expand the project for an all year thing and allow my students to take on one of Gretchen Rubin's tasks a month, following more closely in her footsteps.

A few were really positive and thought that the project had a great amount of merit; one or two thought I was way in over my head and should abandon the assignment right now before any more damage is done.
I wonder what my students would think?

The most positive thing that came out of this was the idea to include a culminating project - something to bookend the declaration day - a way to culiminate the project and present it. She wants to hear some of them, so I offered to send her 10 or so students who would present their projects to her. Other ideas I had for culminating project were a scrapbook, a gallery showing in my hallway, presentation of a final video, a collage of pictures, an art diary, etc. - obviously since it's a VPAM class, I want to keep it artistic.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Family Time

I purposefully pushed my Friday goal to Saturday so that I could focus on spending time with my daughter. With the daily barrage of people, there are many nights I get to spend only 30 to 40 minutes actually playing with her. It seems I fall into the trap of putting everyone else first and I decided that my daughter needed to come first today.

We traveled to the Brown County Fair with every intention of showing her the real cows, pigs, chickens and such from Old MacDonald's Farm. After dodging the rain for most of the day and introducing Jenny to several of the fair foods, we returned home - having introduced Jenny to none of the live animals in the entire place. Oh well, there will always be next year.

I can reflect on how simple her joy was in this day - the balloon that cost us nothing and the corn cake she ate from my annual corn dog - all simple and all so absolute. It made me miss the simple things about being young again.

This is my favorite time of year - the wind that crisps the leaves through my back yard and the mysterious sound of a bonfire. I love that musty and sacramental scent of burning leaves; the tender prickliness of fleece blankets; the biting nip of the barest frost on the tip of my nose.

This time of year yearns for snuggling and time with family. I can only hope that my daughter will let me have more great days like Saturday at the county fair.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

blah

"Most of our obstacles would melt away
if, instead of cowering before them,
we should make up our minds
to walk boldly through them."
- Orison Swett Marden

There are moments when we cower before the Great Wall of China that sits in our kitchen sink. We think to ourselves - My God in Heaven, how can I possibly tackle this insurmountable challenge and actually have any hope to take it on. The answer is to look and pray and sometimes even ask for help.

And when the great swell of pride seems like an ocean that separates us from our Motherland, we must set sail, not knowing if we are following the right star, but believing that it is possible to take on the entire ocean - sharks and guppies all and face the fact that even Columbus messed up several times before he "discovered" America.

And then there are the times we must swallow our pride, taste the bitterness of the salt water and the tears and realize that we must ask for help - help will not magically come to us - but actually ask for help when the waves become too large for us or the guppies frighten us with their sheer multitude and ability multiply.

So today, I realize that diffidence will get us nowhere but deeper seated in melancholy and that the bold really do win the spoils of war.

So with confidence and a new-found resolve to kick some "cabooty" I'm going to take on tomorrow full speed ahead, icebergs be warned!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Good Evening and Good Night

Did you ever have the feeling that you won the war but lost key battles? I did not get to bed early last night because of the lure of NCIS and NCIS Los Angeles. Despite the fact that I DVR'ed both of them, I did not manage to get to bed before 10:00 - stinks to be me.

Facing a battle without first preparing for it by getting sleep can cause you to do lots of things you don't expect to happen. I expected to breeze through today, on my measly 6.5 hours of sleep - not at all being phased by the chunk of concentration that was missing from my mind today or that fact that patience was at an all time low today. Fake it 'til you make it, my mother always says and hope you don't make any mistakes.

Despite saying too much at times and embarassing a few of my students (I apologize to you - truly, I'm sorry), It was a great night. I talked to some really great parents and guardians and learned a lot about my students that I didn't know before. I can only wish that I'd had more time to talk and get to know them better.

A few apologies are in order and I can only hope to accomplish those tomorrow and in the next few days. I hope that a hug or two and a good old chuck on the shoulder will help mend the few cracked egoes that were damaged this evening.

Until then, Good Night.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Preparing for War

When facing an incredibly difficult time, it is important to make sure one gets enough sleep, plenty of water, and eats well.

On that note, I'm going to bed early tonight, cutting this blog incredibly short and cutting myself much slack for tonight and for today.

I'm forgiving myself for the bad decisions I made today, for eating too many porcupines at dinner and for not drinking enough water today.

As for tonight, I pray for a good night's sleep without leg cramps, low blood sugars, nightmares, or worries about my students.

Good night and wish me luck!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Tackling the pile

Tackling my load of papers has never been an easy task - let me clear that up right away. In the past, it has been made less difficult with the aid of my family members taking on small and easy projects like multiple-choice tests and easy to grade papers where they must just check off names. As well, I've had peer tutors and teachers to help me in years past to avoid the massive back-up of grades that always seems to accumulate right before the first parent-teacher conferences. This year, I had no one to help with the grading.

Well, it's not fair to say I had no one. My wonderful husband, who right now is chasing our daughter around the living room has been an absolutel angel this week helping me get ahead of things. Further, my mother spent the day with my girl yesterday so her mom and dad could get things done around the house.

What I learn from this experience is that I should never let the pile back-up again- procrastination is not the answer. Also, that I still have some great people willing to help when I need it with what they can help with.

And lastly - after being a teacher for 13 years, you will never find anyone to help you grade papers. Simply because you've burnt them out on it for the previous 13 years.

Ah well - the pile is much more manageable now and though it is still there, I should be able to be finished by the Tuesday deadline. Thank God.

Pray for me.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Compose a To-Do List (Add to and Cross off as Necessary)

Today's goal was to make a list of every last thing that needed to get done and publish it. So here goes:
  1. Get the summer reading projects finished - I'm down to seven now.
  2. Make an appointment to see Dr. Cathy for my adjustment.
  3. Empty the mail bucket.
  4. Do the dishes.
  5. Go to the Renaissance Festival with H & G.
  6. Mop the kitchen floor
  7. Water the plants
  8. Finish unpacking my classroom (this includes printing out Perseus pictures and hanging 3rd period's collages)
  9. Write up a seating chart for 3rd period and probably 4th period too - they both need one.
  10. Thank Debbie for her help today; Also say a big thank you to Hystri & Lexxay for their quick thinking. And apologize for yelling at Nick.
  11. Watch the movie that Hallie gave me.
  12. Finish reading the book for Accelerated English 3rd trimester
  13. Choose a play for the after school play
  14. Order the scripts for the current play in production
  15. Call Samuel French and change our contract to 2 plays instead of 1
  16. Write two letters of recommendation for Anna and Savannah - just realized that rhymes
  17. Write up lesson plans for the A&H scrapbook
  18. Write up the new calendar for Reg English
  19. Dust the living room
  20. Finish all grades - must be done by Tuesday
  21. Read and comment on all blogs from the accelerated class
  22. Take both Eng classes to computer lab to do ILP stuff
  23. Get the dates of shows to Mr. Richards for the poster thing
  24. Put my laundry away
  25. Go to the Brown County Fair
  26. Make up a pop quiz for Drama I class - we'll do it on Monday, so they will actually be surprised.
  27. Find a speaker for the November Pathways - Maybe Patrick, maybe Shawnie - I don't know
  28. Be a good mom, a good wife, a good friend, a good daughter, a good teacher . . .

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Accepting what I cannot do (a lesson from Alice)

Today was all about accepting the things that I cannot do. I hadn't intended on taking on this particular goal this week, or in fact today, but it seemed the goal chose to take me on today. At every turn, Karma or God or Fate was trying to teach me that I cannot control or organize or reign in everything in my life.

I cannot control the teacher whose class made him late to relieve me from my proctoring assignment that thus made me late for my second period class. Nor can I control the child who wants to fail my class. And sometimes things are bigger than me, bigger than I expect them to be, or even bigger than I ever wanted them to be.

Sometimes, I am Alice - the small - standing so diffidently in front of the gigantic door wondering if I will ever figure out how to reach the knob to turn it and get out of here. To where? I do not know, perhaps to another meadow with greener grass. I do not know what lies beyond this oversized door and yet something tells me I should go through it; I'm supposed to go through it because I chose to follow the white rabbit and I fell down this deep dark hole in my world.

Perhaps I could choose to forget the white rabbit and all his promises of adventure and go back to my books, climb back up the rabbit hole and return to the sunlight. The choice is mine after all.

Do I accept the things that I cannot do and leave the gigantic door for someone else who may or may not lead the adventure the way I would've? Do I climb out of the rabbit hole and back to the world I know, back into the sunlight and away from the exhaustion and the sorrows and the confusion and the bumfuzzlement that the rabbit hole has brought me?

I have taken the first step and passed the first test as Alice. I've admitted that in my current size I cannot reach the door knob and that without a little bottle or cake, I cannot hope to change my situation.

Without changing who I am, I cannot go through that door. So I sit here and gather strength for the journey back home.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Evaluating the problem areas

Today's goal was to take time to discover where my time and energy are being unfairly absorbed.

A few problem areas rose immediately to view. Cleaning up the small things - bits of trash, rehanging up Jenny's towel where it belongs, shifting the piles around on the kitchen table - stole precious moments from my day. Moments I can no longer get back. Moments I wasn't spending with my family. Moments that weren't making me happy.

The things that stole away my energy were more difficult to diagnose. The student who threatened to misbehave if I called her mother about her grades - as if it were my fault that she wasn't doing her work and that I should further pay for her lack of motivation. I allowed this student to completely ruin my day, steal my energy, and wick away any enthusiasm I had for teaching that day. It took a lot to finish the school day.

But then I saw my daughter and I remembered that life does get better; that energy and enthusiasm are renewable sources of energy; and that her smile, laughter, and love can erase the dread and dreariness of almost any day.

So after a day of looking at the problems, I look forward to finding solutions tomorrow and beginning to implement them a day at a time.

Wish me luck.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Declaration of Goals

So today's declaration of goals went well - fast, but good. As each student stood up to declare what he/she was taking on for the 15 days, I found myself intrigued by the things they were choosing. Many chose to better themselves, some chose to make their lives happier, and a few took on singular goals that were more personal and challenging for them. I'm looking forward to seeing what they will produce in the weeks ahead.

As for myself, I'm taking on the challenge of putting my house in order, physically and emotionally. There was a great quote from an NCIS episode I recently saw (again - I'm addicted) that said something like - "order on the outside, equals order on the inside". Further, there was an article about how orderly the home of Jamie Lee Curtis is and how she must keep order in her home in order to give her time to spend on the things that are important to her. I like that.

I tend to spend so much time - waste so much time - tidying up my everyday life and not enough time actually living it. So I'm taking on this task for the next 15 days - to tidy up my life, trim out the things that expend so much of my energy and find the formula for creating time.

Wish me luck!

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Welcome my students and fellow bloggers

Inspired by Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project, the students of my sophomore English class are launching their own mini version: 15 days to Enlightenment.

In 3 weeks, with a goal for each day, my students will aim to better themselves or their world. At the end of their short quest, they can decide to continue moving forward or leave their blog for greener pastures.

Either way, they will culimate the project with a personal refective piece about what they have learned in their 15 day trek.

Good luck to us all!