The state of mind which enables a man to do work of this kind is akin to that of the religious worshipper or lover. The daily effort comes from no deliberate intention or program, but straight from the heart.

Albert Einstein

Happy First Day of School!

Random Thoughts

The one thing I like abt my cycle is how my cup size goes up. I'm like a good A.5 right now. Looks hot in the v-necks. Too bad I don't feel that way.

While on the topic, is it safe to leave "artillery" (what I call fem products) in the car? The heat won't denature anything? I don't want asbestosis on my lady parts.

And STILL on the topic, why did I go to the master bathroom and find a box of liners from 1982!?!?!?! Kanye said it best, "put that p^$$* in a sarcophagus"

So one of my fave homies works for NAS.CAR and got me and Drew access to the last race in the series (Homestead). I have no idea what we got ourselves into. I do want to go and check it off my hypothetical list of things done in life. (Attend a NASCAR race). I do wonder what Craig Mack would do in my case...

The commericals with a random man (dos xx and oldspi.ce) are too funny! We need more anonymous people.

My class makes me want to have children. Seriously, when I work one-on-one with the babes, I marvel at their little brains working and making connections. the lightbulb makes everything worth it :-)

Guess who's the sponsor of the new and improved Cooking Club??? Yeah, another teacher pestered the hell out of the principal and she brought them back. Yesterday, we made carrot-banana bread. Yep, me and 24 2nd-5th graders! Nope, I've never made it before that day. They came out ok!! Possibly too much stirring but you can't ask children not to stir!

I had a talk with Lyds. I think everything should... *fingers crossed* be ok planning wise. All my favorite girls are on board and I'm chipping away at ceremony/reception sites! I's getting excited! Esp when Jam decides to come down! Aaaaaaaah!

Drew said his parents will prob be at our wedding. You have no idea how happy I was when he said that! Now let's schedule a meeting between now and June... Baby steps?

My hair has lost its mind. But, it's getting done tomorrow. I can't wait. No more depending on bobby pins to hold together my self esteem.

Yo, that dress I wore this past Saturday? Straight up disrespectful. It mocked me. I felt like sophomore year after spring break when ALL my jeans and underwear happened to shrink in the dryer... bastards. I swore up and down it was the super hot dryers fault... till my roomie pointed out my face did the opposite of shrink, Texas bitch. I'm kidding (abt calling her a b!. She was one of the nicest people at HU!)

Football was good to me this week. Cowboys won, Giants lost, steelers lost, Vick/Eagles (mostly Vick) won. Dude straight up solo gang banged the Skins. How do you want it? I'll run it, I'll pass it, I'll hail mary it, how you want it? I got it. Gimme dat.

Even though I have two different dress styles in mind, I'm going for the fun party look. Sheath says, "demure". It doesn't say "fun". My brother likes the one I like too! He's so cute, he told me about a nice wedding he saw where I'm thinking of wedding... awwww!

Whyyyyyyy, is there a lady at school who prints out everything she's doing for her daughter's wedding (april 2011) for me? And she asked what size I am in case I was close in size to her daughter who got married last October. Ummmm, thanks but no thanks?!

Who can't wait for Thanksgiving break??? I can't wait for T-Break! even though I know it's going to be some madness...

I'm out!

Guess What?

I've been hired by DCPS!

WOO HOO!!!!!!

Keep praying for me, I need to find a school who is in dire need of a kindergarten teacher!

and I know beggars can't be choosers, but I want a school that's predominantly "minority". Like, 70% black, 20% hispanic, 10% other.

what?

At a Loss

I have nothing profound to say. I sometimes feel like I'll be wasting your time if I come on here with ramblings but sometimes, that's all you got!

- I am quietly excited my sister is coming home for thxgiving. We haven't talked since labor day but when I found out she was in daytona, at the SAME HOTEL we were in a couple weeks ago, we both got over it and chatted up her pageant, Miss Black FL. She made Top 5.

- my hair is not the beat. this bad ass length makes me want to cut it but I need to get over that. I miss my length. At the very least, I miss the roller wrap bob I had last year at this time

- my students are off the chain. one of them was drawing a picture of himself and used a yellow crayon. "Antwone, you are NOT yellow!" "I know, I'm milk chocolate but I'll just use brown."

*DIED*

and there's a girl in my class who my mom ADORES. my kinder reminds Mommy of me when I was 5 AND reminds her of herself when she was little. AWWWWWWWW!

-I'm teaching my students dictionary skills right now. They know better that to ask me how to spell a word. First I tell them to use their environment. If it's not ANYWHERE in my print-rich room, then I direct them to the dictionary in our classroom library. They love it! Phonetic spelling is only cute when the word is 'whale' and you forgot the 'h' ("I can arch like a wale").

- I need some new music in my life. Hook a sister up. I am DEF feeling Breezy's latest but I've gotten over getting a whole album based on one hot track. I hear that new Ri is that fire. tell me about Drizzy. and I think I will backtrack and get all of Jay's stuff. and his wife.

- wow, I just remembered, not even remembered but was alerted, (via twitter) that me and Drew have been an official couple for 2 years and 11 months today. i am so embarrassed right now cause he called me but I didn't answer cause the phone was "too far". it was in the next room :-(

- dani mentioned a day trip to NYC...there is a $160 plane ticket to LGA for dec 8... who wants to go? leave on a tuesday and come back on thursday? yes? let me know! GIRLS TRIP!! IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK!!! why not? we def can't wait till we're married with children! OMG, I almost shuddered at how life changes DRASTICALLY when there's a mini you.

- I have way too many pairs of shades. I get it from my daddy. they are such an awesome accessory! now if only my hair will be my awesome accessory...

- I'm obsessed with jeans again. before I went off to college, I realized it gets cold where I was going and so I bought a whole bunch of jeans. back in those days, they were odd numbered. LOL. Anyway, have bought SEVEN pairs of jeans in the past 6 weeks. and one pair looks denim but they are more like dark chambray.

- is there a certain shirt that's hot? the last time I really bought shirts was when I wrecked shop in forever twentee one in Pittsburgh. oh, and the box sale at xpress 3 years ago. and I barely wear any of those shirts cause I don't want to look like a "24 y.o. who just graduated from college and got her a little money", you know? I'd really like some cashmere mini pocket tees from xpress... do they still make those? a much better look for the same comfort as a tee shirt!

- and speaking of same comfort, Jameil said something that has stuck with me. I think we were watching what not to wear together when she asked, "Why dress raggedy? It takes the SAME energy to put on homely sweatpants and an ugly tee!"

So deep. Yo, when it rains, ninjas get wet.

OH! Another one of my kinder gems!!

"If you only have one leg, you have to hop"

LMAO!! I LOVE THEM!!

on that note, i'm out.

Clip Post

April 2008- 1st year teaching

I have 4 kids who get speech therapy twice a week. Today, my favorite girl took her mini reader we've been working on to speech to read to the therapist. Why did the therapist come back crying with joy? she interrupted my whole group reading to tell me that my heart (D.Jones), is pronouncing so well; reading with fluency, intonation and prosody, she's doing a WONDERFUL job, and she kept on going on and on. then she started welling up again and added, "you are such a marvelous teacher, oh my gosh the growth in your students! please always send the mini readers with them cause its literally bring tears to my eyes to see and hear the product of your awesome work!! I am so proud! Ms. Kutieboots you are doing an awesome job!"

*batting eyelashes* who me??? lil ole newbie me?? AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! SHUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wait. I have one more reason to be excited. technically, two.

So i volunteered to do after-school tutoring with kinders who are on the bubble of promotion. All of us submitted names to the reading coach of children who need an extra boost in reading and reading skills and therefore will move on to 1st grade. Mind you, I volunteered. I went to pick up my students (who come from the 5 other teachers, we don't get our own students) and why did they cheer cause I was their tutor?? Who was feeling her head inflate a little bit?

me.

Get back to my classroom and I outline how our 1 hour sessions will be. Time really does fly when you're having fun! I wanted just 15 more minutes!!! Oh well, we did 3 out of the 4 12-minute activities I had planned but I was able to get in my read-aloud. Dr. Se.uss is an AWESOME man. Pure genius. I need allllll his books in my life. Him and eric ca.rle. Anyway, I read I Can Read with My Ey.es Shut and emphasized the part, "the more you read, the more you know". Its so true!!!! reading is the best thing you can do for a child. Even if its a book they already know, read it over and over again for fluency which is a GINORMOUS deal!

damn! in my excitement, i need to digress!!

So about tutoring that i volunteered for. Why did I find out that we get paid for this?

who's too happy to do what she loves and get paid for it? Oh my gosh, God is so good!

one last thing that is tied to this. another teacher had one of my babies. another one of my cuties who I adore. mad rapper from boston who loves to play basketball... anyhoo, she said my student was a delight and the most well mannered child in her group. so excited and driven to do well!!

guess who was beaming from ear to ear??

me.

*sigh* I love my job.

May 2008- 1st year teaching

there are 19 days of school left. i've lost a student (she moved) and gained a student (today was his 1st day) in the past 14 days.

i'm retaining 3, two of them are ESOL (eng speakers of other languages). ESOL retention is one of the hardest things you have to do. so much red tape! the school and the coordinator have to CTA (think crypogram, T=Y) and make sure its not cause of the language difference this child didn't make gains... blah blah blah. NO, THE CHILD STILL CAN'T WRITE THEIR NAME! THE CHILD KNOWS 10 capital letters and 6 lower case letters! no letter sounds, no numbers, can't give me ONE sight word, doesn't know the front cover from the back, cannot even copy a sentence of the board, NOTHING!

See, the problem with America is that they worry about being soooo P.C., that's it not P.C. I remember there was some BS about not using red pens or markers cause that would offend Asian students. I would bet my next paycheck it wasn't an Asian parent coming in complaining about that, but a cauc thinking too hard!

Whatever the case, I can't believe I'm sending my babies to 1st grade! I look at them and can't believe where they came from! I look at pics I took along the school year and see all the teeth that have come and gone, the coloring and play-doh activities that have turned into independent writing, books with 4 big words on a page that have been replaced with 3 or four sentences with size 14 font...

we're doing addition now and my heart SWELLS with joy at how fast they are absorbing this concept. to think that most could only count to 10 and they were showing off if they could count to 20 when I first got them. They can count by 2s, 5s and 10s now.

One of my darlings has a pet hamster. He named it Ms. Kutieboots

My babies aren't that anymore.

hey bush, can I have just ONE child left behind??

Fine.
Happy Belated Mother's Day to me.

*

April 2009- 2nd year of teaching

Yo, there are some 50 school days left in the year! I can't wrap my mind around that... I basically have two months to get my kinders even tighter than they are! OMG, my students have BLOSSOMED in the last few weeks!! There was a point where we were all on the up and up and then it seemed like they plateau-ed. I was worried. Oh no, these children are pulling tricks out their bags and are quite frankly, STUNNING me! For example, writing.

Writing has always been my least fave subject to teach. Its so subjective and there is no "right" way to teach kinders how to write. Math is cut and dry. Reading is letters, then sounds, then blending. Writing? *exasperated sigh*

I tried to do what other teachers have been successful with but it wasn't working for my class. Just this Monday, we put together a paper flower in science and I used it as a independent prompt for writing. I said, "Write about your flower" and let them do whatever comes to mind. Can I share the work I got?

"I like my flower. My flower is blue. I can plant seeds. My flower have a stem. The flower have a leaf."

Ummmm, that's 5 sentences. FIVE sentences!! Can I tell you how these children came in barely knowing how to hold a pencil and write their own names?!?!!!?!?!?!!?!? I asked my stellar writer, "Who taught you how to write so well!??!" and he replied,

"I just know."

Word???????? Ummm, don't make me pull out the paper when your name was a whole bunch of wingdings!!!!! Talking bout, "I just know.."

lol

June 2009- 2nd year of teaching

school is over in EXACTLY one week.

that's 5 school days.

I can't believe it.

As of now, I'm not sad yet. Watch out for a mopey Monday post about my babies going on to 1st grade.

Awwwww! That's what I do!! I send children on to 1st grade!!! Hopefully, I've done my job and they flourish the rest of their academic careers!!!

I know my students love coming to school! Parents tell me they have to beg their children to stay home AFTER BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL!!! True story, my little Dani woke up from emergency surgery and asked, "Can I go to school now?" AWWWWWWWW!! MELTED MY HEART!!!!

But yeah, this year, so different from last year. the children came in lower (see: not as bright) and as usual, I was worried I wouldn't be able to handle it. Maaaaaaan, I'm sending this class on better than the last! I worked harder this year, had a bit more swag with mine, and I have writers!! I think that is my biggest accomplishment this year... serious writers.

Anyhoo, as you may or may not have heard via tweeter, I have the best kindergarten class at school. I can't wait for next school year :-)

Life

I hung up on my mom the other day. She was hollering about her plane ticket and I told her to stop yelling. She said she wasn't yelling so I told her to stop talking loud. She calmed down for a second but got excited all over again. No ma'am. End call.

My principal is trying to play me and the other patrol sponsor. We jumped on every fundraiser we could (gormay lollipops, chocklate, scented pencils, car washes, etc) and were able to raise about $200 for each patrol!! That is AWESOME! Whatever the case, all our bills have been paid so whatever merchandise is left is for the patrols to go on another trip after FCAT. Why is she telling us, "go ahead and bring everything to the front office and we'll take care of it" THE HELL YOU WILL! WE'LL take care of it! Not finna be using our money to have Christmas parties at your house...

My Ghanian godfather passed away. Just found out my American godfather is deathly ill. Went to see him today and I just can't believe the shadow of a man that sits where my pillar of a Godfather used to stand. With his baritone voice, not quite as bari as it used to be, we talked about the school district. He's General Counsel for PBCSD and offered some inside info on our new CAO (chief academic officer). I suddenly don't hate him anymore. And dislike my principal even more.

Drew is here. We played wee at best by and it was great. Oh yeah, I can watch TV now!!! So EXCITED!! It pays to have a guy around. They really do earn their keep.

Funny how I got excited but I don't really watch TV... at least I have the option to watch basic programming on the networks.

My children are too smart for me. I'm kidding. They are challenging me to challenge them more than the previous years have. I'm going to have some superstars in 1st grade next year! Things are snapping and trapping in their little brains now. They have schemata to fall upon and we both LOVE it when something from their past comes into their present and it makes sense to them. For example, I read a book titled Mouse-Mess. Talked about different foods, etc, etc. Just yesterday, during the phonics lesson, we talked about things that start with O and I introduced 'olives'. Okay. When centers rolled around and a group was at Big Books, Shy said, "Ms. von K! Olives! I know that that word is! I looked at the picture and sounded out the 1st letter!"

*TEAR*

My reading strategies are working!!

Anyhoo, that's where I am today.

Happy Veterans' Day. My paternal grandfather fought in WWII for the BEF.

Mean Teacher

Sidebar- We know I got a new phone... why did I get it on the day tee-mobile's network goes down? Not just the cydekick server but the entire TEE-MOBILE network?? Why won't the devil leave me and my phones alone?!?!

Is it a sidebar if I haven't even started the post???

Mean Teacher

I have to tell my students I am bringing her out. I write Mean Teacher on the board and I draw a mean face. Them being 'Hater Class, 2023', said,

"Is that your sad face?"

I snapped back, "NO! It's a mad face!! To go with the Mean Teacher you guys are getting tomorrow!!"

We'll see how it goes. I think I might stick with her today. Usually, they behave themselves I don't even get a chance to change colors but today? IT'S ON!

On another note... patrols.

that's that bull isht.

We got played from Day 1. I've said for, going on 3 years, "I got to get out of this place!" This is my 3rd year so I'm good! Holla at your girl! Matter of fact, don't.

Now on to that goal list I said I'd update.

pledge grad chapter

(and I forgot the last one that was on my mind...)

Yeah, it's really a big deal to me. Still.

Monday Mindspacing

But it's Tuesday!!!!

Live on the edge a little, guys.

1. As you may or may not know, I'm at my brother's place somewhere in the central part of southern florida. Like, right under Lake Okeecho.bee. If you imagined there are mosquitos galore, you are absolutely correct!!

2. His place is awesome. I really wish I could bring people here. It's like a country inn resort. Maybe I'll take pix and upload them via twits.

3. I've never been a fan of the Atlanta Classic but considering my affinity for that southern piece of HEAVEN grows with each visit, I think I will go this year!! And I know how to use the TARMA? Oh, it is ON!!

4. I really want to wear smocked dresses for a looooooooooong time. Stank actually made a comment abt them the other day, "How many of those do you have? I guess they are the perfect dress, huh?" They sure are!

5. I am kiiiiinda looking forward to the school year starting.

*cringe*

I feel like my remaining 2 weeks are going to go by a warp speed now that I've put that in the universe...

6. There are 4 celebs that I follow on Twitr. I had to remove E.Dabu cause something is going on in that brain of hers and I didn't want to and couldn't stand to be privy to it. I removed Talib cause I remembered I liked Mos more. Lastly, I removed Joel McHail cause he's so much funnier on TV. All that's left is Ghostface (my boo!) Estelle (my british boo!) Johnny Boy, and Steven Colbert (huh-larious!).

7. I have a sudden LOVE for soft tacos. I mean, I've always liked them but now I want them ALL THE TIME!! I think I will make them tonight. I blame Jameil. She made some the last night we were in ATL and they were AWESOME. Quite simply, awesome.

8. Everyone wants to know where I'm going before school starts. I've been away more than home this summer and the question I get from Pops, Stank, Mini Me, other relatives and even some teachers is,"So where's the next place you're going? You still have time!" Word?! Don't let me find a cheap ticket to the Queen City cause it'll be on like popcorn! If I planned properly, I'd be there now. Then again, it's more fun to be spontaneous in the summer! Who knows where I'll be before Aug 6

9. Would you be offended if someone asked you to be a hostess at their wedding?? That question as be PLAGUING me the past couple of days!! I guess I need to know what role the hostess plays... what does she do, guys?

10. There are TWO wedding invites I haven't recieved yet and I'm not too happy about it. One of them is for a wedding in August and the other is for September. I'll be VERY hurt abt the August one. The September one, not so much. I know I'm going to that with or without an invite.

11. One for the road: In J-Hud's latest song, who is that guy HOLLERING "Worldwide" (or whatever he says) in the beginning?! OMG, he IRKS me!! I HATE that part! What does it do for the song?! Absolutely NOTHING! And then the ATL "oh!" thruout the chorus?? Sooooooooooo not a fan. The song is wack and I kinda think she is too. yeah, I'm talking about a pregnant woman.

12. speaking of preg chicks, WHYYYYYY do celebs deny being pregnant??? Is it to build more intrigue? Have people wondering about you? To keep your name in peoples' mouths?? It took her Dreamgurls co-star (A. Rose)to put it out there! Maybe they are afraid of losing the baby? I know when J-Lope FINALLY announced she was expecting it was like, "in other news, Tupac Shakr has been shot". Whatever.

It's the Most...

wonderful tiiiiiiiime of the year!!!!

It is Thursday.  Yes, I have work in the morning but, guess what?

NO KIDS!!

UGH, these last days of school worked my NERVE!!  and the amount of money spent!!!!  Well, I made sure not to spend too much; I bought some Dora popsicles (instead of publicks) so I blew a whole $4.25... them joints are BANGIN!!  Somethings I just can't buy store brand... like feminine products and salsa.

Any hoo, I thought about having a end of the year party but that costs money!!!  I just played it off as a pajama jam.  We relaxed in our jammies with popcorn and popsicles. HOLLA!!!

Summertime is here, Dei, what's on your agenda?  

Well... I plan on cleaning my classroom, going out to lunch with the K-Block (kindergarten team), and listening to MY CDs (not kidz bop or anything rated G) really loud for the first time in a long time!!!! and then

nothing.  I plan on doing nothing.  Office Space?  Meet Teacher Stace.

I'm lying.  

Thrusday afternoon, I get the hair done...

Friday, I meet with the principal who is TOOOOO geeked I volunteered to be the patrol sponsor, then I attend the faculty luncheon, 

Saturday, I'm going to a sorority brunch with guest speaker DONNA*BRAZILE (YES!!!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET HER!!!!!!! I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!)

Sunday, I hope I can make it to church

and the rest is in the air, just like I LOVE it.  Maybe I'll go to Hollywood, maybe I'll go to the beach, maybe I'll watch movies, maybe do an SVU marathon...

THANK-YOU, LORD!!! FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR!!!

Ummm...

school is over in EXACTLY one week.

that's 5 school days.

I can't believe it.

As of now, I'm not sad yet.  Watch out for a mopey Monday post about my babies going on to 1st grade.

Awwwww!  That's what I do!!  I send children on to 1st grade!!!  Hopefully, I've done my job and they flourish the rest of their academic careers!!!

I know my students love coming to school!  Parents tell me they have to beg their children to stay home AFTER BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL!!! True story, my little Dani woke up from emergency surgery and asked, "Can I go to school now?"  AWWWWWWWW!! MELTED MY HEART!!!!

But yeah, this year, so different from last year.  the children came in lower (see: not as bright) and as usual, I was worried I wouldn't be able to handle it.  Maaaaaaan, I'm sending this class on better than the last!  I worked harder this year, had a bit more swag with mine, and I have writers!! I think that is my biggest accomplishment this year... serious writers.

Anyhoo, as you may or may not have heard via tweeter, I have the best kindergarten class at school.  I can't wait for next school year :-)

Wow

Have I really let so many days go by without posting?? I kinda forgot. I'm so enthralled by tweets and FB (of course) that I forgot to post!

While in undergrad, I could post everyday, twice a day. Now, I have nothing intersting to share. Sorry.

27 school days left. twenty-seven. My class and I are on a mission. After Spring Break, I get them into promotion mode. All you children on the bubble, get on it!!

on Friday, I had them trace their hands and write, 'PUSH FOR PROMOTION' on some construction paper. I told them to put that paper on their fridge at home and work it out. Today, I let them pick their favorite color paint, got their hands all colored and let them "push" a banner I have titled, "PUSH FOR PROMOTION"

It's not a game. If you aren't reading a level B independently, writing at least 2 sentences, and recognizing your 25 sight words, you better get on it! I have no problem keeping children back. You will NOT go to 1st grade and disgrace me!

I met Desy!! We had sushi at a restaurant near downtown. City Place! Then we went to Narnes and Boble and talked about how expensive books are, what we have and want to read and knitting. In the crafts and hobbies section, there are books and books about knitting. French Chic knitting to be exact (I think). Yeah, I need a productive hobby. One that would yield something tangible.

Wednesday is picture day. I soooo cancelled my orthodontist appointment made 8 weeks ago for a hair appt made today. It's not a game. I wonder what I'll wear. I'm thinking a zebra wrap dress with a fuschia satin sash belt. Also, I need her hair


we shall what happens tomorrow

I need a break

I should've taken a break from my break. Can we talk about tired!? that's what I am! I literally did a tour of florida. Well, minus the west coast but honestly, not really the biggest fan of west-side "beaches". When you live on the east coast, why would you drive to swim in gulf water? No thanks, I like my ocean to be Atlantic sized.

So, I left here for the 'ville and hung out with Jam Rock. We ate WELL and made cool things for our siblings. We were supposed to go to Tally but Kitty got back to me too late and Jam already re-arranged her week. I got there a day later than planned, handed in my app and hung around longer than planned. I wanted to be back in SoFla by Thursday so I can defrost for a day before heading further south. Yeah no. I left Saturday, stopped by the crib for a change of clothes and kept it moving to Hollywood. We had fantabulous sushi and I crashed. Being on the road for 6+ hours will do that. At least I didn't get lost this time.

Sunday, 8am service that was much longer than planned cause of the Passion reading. Yeah, I don't really like yelling, "Crucify him!" cause that's not what I would've said if I was around back then, you know?

Got my church in, picked up my pictures and some dental floss cause my teeth/gums have been hurting. Have you ever flossed with braces? Do you know how time consuming that is?! OMG, I spent half car ride to Big Pine Key flossing my teeth!? They did feel much better though :-)

So if you tweet, you'd know I was at a reggae fest yesterday. It was so cool! Lots of hippies of course but they are a loving, peaceful people. I saw old men with sun bleached blond hair down their back vibing. Chicks with tiny locs and Loving Day babies all over. So cool! In my haste to get further south, I didn't pack a bathing suit. Oh well, I got in to my knees then splashed water all over myself and let it sun dry. I don't think I got the tan black I was yearning for... I think its so cool when you can tell someone had a serious vacation by their tans. A couple of my kids came back ruddy faced and bronze. So cute!

I decided I was going to be "mean teacher" while Drew and I were coming back to Hollywood. The kids didn't even let me be her, they were so good! I even gave them a star *tear*. 10 stars and they get a themed party. If the prin gives them a compliment, that's 3 stars. AP, 2. An adult, 1. Or, if everyone stays on green all day. Yeah, my class was so focused today, I was impressed and gave them a star myself!

So excited this is a 4-day work week! Thinking about doing Maundy Thursday vigil and I'm def doing Good Friday's Stations of the Cross even though it usually makes me cry... Holy Saturday and EASTER SUNDAY!! YAAAAY!


Wait. I don't have a dress.


T o be continued...

Doh!

I deleted the pics of the kindergarten field trip before I uploaded them to my mac and on the various websites... luckily, I printed them out the same day but still :-(

I have pics of the projects we did for Spring Break. We made a Lion-Lamb out of paper plates because....

"March comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb!"

My students were so cute when they read that :-)


We also made a wind sock out of pretty printer paper and tissue paper. Both projects came out MUCH better than I expected!

*

I'm off to Hollywood for the day. Drew and I are going to See E. Badu, Common, Ath Hamilton, Roy A, and Will Down. Yazz in the Gardens 2009. Then tomorrow, my Spring Break road trips begin!! State of Florida, here I come!!

March drives me MAD!

The month started FREEZING cold.

Then it was BLAZING, Africa hot.

Today, I woke up and it was POURING.
Like, "everyday in the summertime between 1-2:25pm anywhere in Florida" raining. You better ask somebody who knows about Florida summers.... hurricane season as we like to call it cause its pretty much summertime year-round. The house we built in Tallahsse was pushed back several weeks cause of raining and subsequent flooding.

*

In March, some over 100 days of school into the year, TWO of my children were full out crying. As if it was the 1st day of school and they had separation anxiety. To their young defense, we had our award assembly and they saw their parents in the audience. Still, act like you know we have snack and reading at this time! This is not a new day!

*

Yo, there are some 50 school days left in the year! I can't wrap my mind around that... I basically have two months to get my kinders even tighter than they are! OMG, my students have BLOSSOMED in the last few weeks!! There was a point where we were all on the up and up and then it seemed like they plateau-ed. I was worried. Oh no, these children are pulling tricks out their bags and are quite frankly, STUNNING me! For example, writing.

Writing has always been my least fave subject to teach. Its so subjective and there is no "right" way to teach kinders how to write. Math is cut and dry. Reading is letters, then sounds, then blending. Writing? *exasperated sigh*

I tried to do what other teachers have been successful with but it wasn't working for my class. Just this Monday, we put together a paper flower in science and I used it as a independent prompt for writing. I said, "Write about your flower" and let them do whatever comes to mind. Can I share the work I got?

"I like my flower. My flower is blue. I can plant seeds. My flower have a stem. The flower have a leaf."

Ummmm, that's 5 sentences. FIVE sentences!! Can I tell you how these children came in barely knowing how to hold a pencil and write their own names?!?!!!?!?!?!!?!? I asked my stellar writer, "Who taught you how to write so well!??!" and he replied,

"I just know."

Word???????? Ummm, don't make me pull out the paper when your name was a whole bunch of wingdings!!!!! Talking bout, "I just know.."

lol

*

So next week, we have a field trip on Wednesday...

Regular day Thursday...

NO SCHOOL FRIDAY!!!

SPRING BREAK IS HERE!!

You know once SB gets here, its a FOR REAL countdown to the end of the school year!

All I know, is that March better get right by next week!

Oh, Kids

In honor of Black History Month, my class made a mini book of May Jemeson. Four little pages that are appropriate for their age:

"Mae was the first black woman in space." and they color a space shuttle in space
"She is a doctor too." they color a picture of Mae with a stethescope and a patient
"Mae won lots of awards" they show trophies and certificates

In hindsight,


I really should've put her picture up on the presentation station while I was talking about her, kinders need visuals.








Guess how many children colored Dr. Jem BLACK? Like, the actual color BLACK? She looked like a halloween costume in her orange NASA suit!

One kid exclaimed, "Oh! She's not black! She's brown! Like me!"

Oh, the simpler days.

He's Got a Point...

In class, we are doing a unit on weather and seasons. During science, I ask the class to give me different kinds of weather:

"Rainy!" "Cloudy!"

"Partly Cloudy!" "Sunny!"

"Foggy!" "Windy!"

"Snowy!" "It doesn't snow in Florida!!"

"It snows in Georgia!" "And Virginia!"

Okay, they know what they're talking about! Granted, we choose the weather for day during calendar so it was just a matter of remembering what weathers they've seen. Learning at its finest.

We talked about how sky looks during each weather, what it feels like, something we can do, etc.

"You can fly a kite when it's windy"
"You can go to the beach when it's sunny!"
"You can play four corners when it's rainy!"

Okay, y'all know a lil sum'!! Now its time for seasons which is a harder concept to grasp.

"Who can name the seasons? There are only four of them."

"Winter"

then silence so I gave them a hint

"When its really hot outside, and you don't have school, its...

"Summer!"

This next answer came from my favorite boy.

Jordan, you have your hand up. What's another season?

"Basketball"

"Basketball seas-? You know what? You are so right"

You know I had to!

I celebrate EVERYTHING in my classroom!

What Can the Sun Do?

Change paper

They thought it will get "sunburned"

"Too sunny Ms Kutieboots!"

Once inside,

The sun also melts ice! we "settled" for popsicles :-)

Long, fun day

Silly girls worse than the boys!

Forbidden Fruit

seeing how i don't have a certain letter, this might be a bit difficult to read. well, A is for what? its a fruit, usually eaten in one of 4 varieties (gala, granny smith, golden delicious, red delicious)... anyway, this is the mania that was last week!

we made alesauce!! we did johnny aleseed aers






nevermind.

*smile*

So you know I'm a teacher and I've been out of school since June 5th...

WHY AM I TOO GLAD THAT SCHOOL HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR TOMORROW!?!?!

I was upset that broward and dade counties closed today and tomorrow and I know the only reason why palm beach closed was b/c the two counties NORTH of us cancelled!! But guess what!?!?


I DON'T CARE!!!

Now on the flip side, I do feel bad that a hurricane is the reason why school is out. I know they leave nothing but devastation wherever they hit; I personally think one can NEVER be fully prepared for a hurricane... you can have all the water and batteries in the world...

damn, now I'm sad.

while on the sad note, I called drew around midnight. I was dead ass asleep and something came over me. I felt like I was wasting my youth and God-given talent. we always talk about making a change and I KNOW I am but I want to do it on a more meaningful level. I feel the need to leave the country and go to where destitution is a way of life, not a part of town. I did apply to Teach For Africa last year and chickened out at the last minute. I never sent the completed app in. So blessed/spoiled, I couldn't imagine being in Africa for more than a month. Then it hit me as I was crying on the phone that if I don't do it now, when will I ever do it? Not when I've put in 10 years and have been settled in my position. Not when I'm a mom of an elementary school aged child. When? I need to do it now while I'm unmarried and have no kids, just started my career and I'm young and resilient enough to handle what may come my way.

just a thought.

also, it makes me "hate" angie jolie even more. freaking ambassador.