Quotes On Teaching...

The Good.....

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." ~William Arthur Ward

The Bad.....

"We expect teachers to handle teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and the failings of the family. Then we expect them to educate our children." ~John Sculley

The Ugly.....

"Good teachers are costly, but bad teachers cost more." ~Bob Talbert

The Funny.....

"The only reason I always try to meet and know the parents better is because it helps me to forgive their children." ~Louis Johannot

The Reason I Teach...

Teachers who inspire realize there will always be rocks in the road ahead of us. They will be stumbling blocks or stepping stones; it all depends on how we use them. ~Author Unknown

Is It Over Yet...

The last thing I wanted to find when I woke up this morning was....snow. And quite a bit. I had to work at the Emporium today, and finding snow was making it hard for me to get my day started. Well eventually I got ready and trudged myself out into the bittttteerrr cold, brushed off my car, and headed to work. Work went well. I can honestly say I love my job there 98% of the time. I am now back at home and it is so nice. First, our dish is out because of the crazy wind and snow. Which I totally dont mind, because I feel like that is all Phil does, is watch that damn TV. So it is really nice to just have some chill out kind of music on. Peace and semi-quiet. So as I sit on the couch with Phil, who is playing his PSP, I find it extremely calming to look over at our plasma and see it off. However, I feel like I should be picking up or cleaning something instead of playing around on the computer. Which is new, and I absolutely am addicted to all of the fun new features and details you can do on this laptop. My mom bought me the laptop as a graduation gift. I got one when I graduated HS, but that was 5 years ago! Which is crazy :/ Well, I am starting to think of how I should start being productive. I think thats a big problem for me. I can never just sit and watch a movie or TV. (Thank goodness for Wii)I need to be constantly moving, thinking, cleaning, or doing something. Please tell me I am not the only one who is like this? :D
Me and my Wii character...its almost creepy

This is Life Folks...

I have finally figured out what it means to be exhausted from life. Every morning I wake up at 5:45. I will often wander around the apartment, turning up or down the heat, feeding and watering the cats, checking to see if I have something to wear, all while trying to brush my teeth. What can I say, I like to multi-task? After showering and gathering up my bag full of school materials and graded papers aka basically luggage, I head off for a full day of teaching.

I guess I never realized how much time I put into my job. From the time I get there, til the time I leave, which is about 5ish, I never sit down. Now, as I remember pretty clearly, when I was in 4th grade, my teacher would ocassionally sit down to grade papers or even read! Not now-a-days. I hardly ever get to sit, unless I am reading to my class or its lunch, which I dont eat anyways. I remember sitting quietly, which is possible, (side note to all 4th graders) as my teacher did her own thing for awhile. I swear I am bound to write some sort of thesis paper on why children in today's world have the most difficult time keeping themselves quiet! Its such a mystery. I often crack up to myself when I hear my students talking like 15 year olds. Some times it sounds like a soap opera. "She doesn't like her" "I dont want to be her friend" "s/he's talking about me" I sometimes think they believe the world is coming to an end. So, even though I spend a lot of my life right now planning, grading, assessing, and organizing, I have found that laughter can turn any day around. Here are a few quotes or written messages that have made my day....
(will add on more as they come...)

Journal on persuasive essay:
My brother tried to convince me to lending him 20 bucks, but I said no. I know much better now that I am in the 4th grade."

"Finna=going"

"How old are you Mrs. L? 39 or 40?" WOW!

"You're married! So what is your husbands last name then?"

It'll All Work Out...

Somehow, one way or another, it will all work out. I really try to encourage myself every day to say this to myself. Whether it is to a student, Phil, or about a situation that is out of my control.





Today is yet another Sunday, which also means that the weekend has flown by. I was extremely excited to see the sun shining through my windows yesterday and today. Even though, I know winter isn't through its course yet, it was still nice to have the warmth of the sun inside the apartment. Recently I have found myself being so busy with school, teaching, grading, and organizing my life, I have barely had time for anything else. I know that life is a little hectic right now, but I am sure that it will all work out in the end. It is just going to take some time to get everything settled in and get things going on the right track. Sooo with that thought.......





I feel like posting a large bill board or posting in the newspaper apologizing to all of my former teachers for ever being a pain in their classroom. I have now come to realize how hard of a job teaching can be. It can really wear a girl out, mentally and physically. It has taken some time to understand the kids situations and life styles in 2009. I have become conscious of how different 9 year olds are today compared to when I was that age. So many things have changed, and not for the better. Sometimes I find myself feeling so helpless as a teacher, knowing how little of an impact I may have on their lives. I know that I am doing the best I can teaching my students their academics, but their lives entail so much more now-a-days. My students have gone through many diverse situations that I can not even imagine dealing with at 9 years old. I often find it hard to step away from the "motherly" and compassionate role and know when I need to be firm. I guess this sort of things will come with time and through some serious hands-on experiences. I just never thought that teaching would involve so many different aspects of these students lives on so many different levels. All I can ask for is that I make it through my day doing my job the best way I know how.