Okay, I'm actually jumping back into Poetry Friday once again. I randomly went searching this evening to see if any poetry had ever been written about one of the hobbies I enjoy: geocaching. Read More...

Hip hip hurray for the fact that there is only two and half more days until Thanksgiving break begins! As I wrote last night, I'm sooo looking forward to the break. Of course, I'm looking forward to the fact that tomorrow is Friday too (it's been a long week!), of course, tomorrow brings a bit of fear too. Only 10 left for NaNoWriMo and I'm still horribly behind. I haven't had much time to write today. In fact, with my novel loudly calling my name right now, I think I'm closing this blog entry right here. It's a boring entry, I know, but oh well. I'm determined to make it to at least 25,000 words tonight, so I better get writing!

I've been bad tonight. I have two sets of papers and lesson plans to finalize for tomorrow, and they all are still sitting in my schoolbag untouched. I've gotten stuck working on my NaNoWriMo novel instead. I'm still plugging away even though I'm majorly behind. I've got just over 22,000 words now -- about 8,000 short of where I should be at the end of Nov. 18, but at the same time, I'm just beyond my total number of words achieved last year, which at least guarantees I'm going to write more than I ended up with in 2008. :) Overall, I'm still going one day at a time, barely surviving at school though. I'm just saying a prayer nothing majorly falls apart before Thanksgiving arrives. I'm sooooo looking forward to the break this year! I'm going away, so the amount of work I will be able to do will be limited, but just the time free to get my thoughts back together is going to be highly appreciated. Read More...

I had the portfolio showcase this evening. Took over the library and spread out my students' reading and writing portfolios, and had sent out notices last week inviting parents to come by before the parent association meeting that also happened tonight. Wasn't sure what to expect, but now that it is over, I guess things went fairly well. About 5 or 6 students and their parents came by from the 6th grade (there's 39 students in the 6th grade total) which wasn't a lot, but the ones that came seemed to like what they saw. Yes, I would have loved for more to come, but I also have to be honest and say this showcase was only partly for the parents. Hosting it was also a way to hopefully keep my administration happy (they now can't complain I never showed the portfolios to parents, like they complained last year). Now, that said, I never saw either administrator during our showcase; neither stopped by (even though they were invited). The principal did show up at the very end after all portfolios had been packed up to take back to the classroom, just to ask how things went, but of course, she didn't have a chance to actually see them while they all were spread out and opened up. Read More...

I think I'm drowning! I know I'm drowning. I don't know if I can save myself. Sounds pathetic but when I look to my left and to my right I see that I am not alone in this pool. Actually I'm with many others who are also

drowning... In paperwork! The paperwork seems to consume my thoughts and my time. Time that could better be spent doing what I love...teaching! Yes, I know it sounds like something is wrong here. But I can't find the time or energy to give teaching my best because I am spending precious time with paperwork. RTI.

Personal learning plans for every student. Grading required testing each week--because of RTI. Copies of the actual testing--because we might need it for RTI. Paperwork that is document in many places--all containing the same information--but might be needed for one of those other portions of the same student. I am anxious to hear from you guys. Do you have a safety net to throw me with ideas as to how to meet my ever changing profession of documentarian? Do you have any full proof life vest that will provide me the ability to put teaching at the forefront and not the "left over" time?

According to a local school department it is. Since forever 70 was the goal post for proficiency.Now 60 percent is the cut off. Excuse me a few little questions. 1. I understand the "new rigor" that is the rage now. But

by dropping the bar, what's the point? 2. Do you really think kids are going to try harder when they have an extra 10 point cushion? 3. Will colleges really accept a grade of 60% in core subjects as acceptable? 4. Does a A- really equal an 80 ( if you follow 60 as the new 70)? 5. What does this do to the actual

value of a 4.0 average??? 6. Does a 75 now count as an honor roll grade? My child's school still sees 70 as passing and 69 as failing. ( Thank heaven) Am I overreacting to 60 as passing? Can anyone who works at a school that uses 60 as a cut off point ,please explain??????

I think I'm giving up NaNoBloMo. 1. I have no ideas about what to be writing about. 2. I don't think anyone reads this blog anyways. 3. Due to a splinter under my fingernail that I got this morning, everything

I type is now painful. I've tried every remedy I know of to remove it, but have had no luck. No one around to help remove it (i hate living alone), so I have to wait for it either to work itself out on its own, I suppose, or if doesn't, go see a doctor. But of course with our portfolio showcase tomorrow, I can't

take any time off to do that until Wednesday at the earliest. :( It's slowing down my desire to do any work, and of course, majorly affecting my NaNoWriMo attempt too. :( So needless to say this has not been a good day!

I'm honestly struggling to figure out what this blog should be about. With all the hours I've got already invested in schoolwork, I'm finding that coming home and blogging about how things are going in Readers & Writers

Workshop often isn't something I want to do. In fact, finding the energy to do any schoolwork at home is becoming more and more of struggle (I'm becoming too much of a master procrastinator!) Being a blog hosted here on ProTeacher though, I feel like this should be an education geared blog though. Talking about

other hobbies or how I spent my weekend, just doesn't seem like the kinds of topics that should be the complete focus of posts. Not to mention, blogging about my personal life is something that leaves me feeling a bit unsure most of the time anyways. I don't particularly want the entire world knowing all my business. So, it kind of leaves me feeling stuck. I like the challenge of NaBloPoMo, but I have to admit: most nights when I sit down to write, I have no real clue what to write about. Perhaps I should leave it up to whomever reads this (if anyone): What would you like me most to blog about?? Maybe turning this into a Q&A will help spur some more ideas —

I've fought the hard fight to avoid all the sneezes and coughs that are present in every classroom. I've gone through several canisters of disinfectant wipes, trying to combat germs on commonly used items........but I still was knocked off my feet this past week with laryngitis, ear ache, and fever. Honestly, when a teacher gets sick, it's a triple whammy!Read More...

I'm telling myself I should be doing schoolwork right now, but no, instead I'm browsing the web, currently blogging, and I have a feeling my novel is going to be calling after this. (I'm at 17,000 words now!)Read More...