Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Today...in bullets

* Woke up later than I should have at 6:45.
* Entered a few grades in the gradebook which always gives me an accomplished feeling.
* Finished a chapter book with my students that we've been reading for over a month now. Another feeling of accomplishment.
* Told my students I wasn't there to babysit them, that I'm a teacher and I'm not babysitting toddlers. How effective that statement was to them will remain unknown. Ha!
* Left for a Lesson Study meeting at 12:00 and was there until 4:00.
* Put some stuff together to be laminated.
* Left work finally at 5:15.
* Stopped to get boiled peanuts and a pepsi on the way home.
* Took a 45 minute nap when I got home. It was much needed!
* Went to Wal-Mart to get some groceries.
* Found yellow banana twin popsicles at Wal-Mart that I love. So I bought them. Of course.
* Went to Walgreens to pick up printer ink cartridges that I guess they couldn't fill because they were too big. Bummer.
* Printed some pictures from my camera at Walgreens. I'll get them tomorrow.
* Banged my elbow super hard on the door (on accident) and have a big welt and bruise to show for it.
* Ate a grilled cheese for dinner.
* Watched American Idol. I really like Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts.
* Caught up on my daily dose of blogging and facebook. Checked e-mail, too.
* Decided on some plans to wrap up the chapter books my students finished reading.
* Had oreos with milk for dessert.
* Showered and picked out clothes for tomorrow.
* Helped Dayna with some of her graduation requirements because tomorrow is her sign-off day before her graduation this Saturday!
* Went to bed too late.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Top 2 Tuesday

I found a new blog carnival to join for Tuesday called "Top 2 Tuesday." I figure blog carnivals allow more for me to blog about, you know, since I'm single with no children and I don't have much to talk about! Someday, though. Someday. And, I'm really not in a rush. I will be writing a post soon about my weekend in Virginia, including some beautiful pictures of mountains and Spring. Oh, I can't wait to move up north. Again, someday. :)

So, here we go. Top 2 Tuesday. The topic is 2 favorite things you love about summer.




One of my most favorite things about summer is that it stays light outside 'til around 8:00. I love that. It just makes it feel like summer for some reason. It's also fun to get cold treats from the Ice Cream Man. Yes, even in my 20s I find pleasure in getting ice cream/junk from the Ice Cream Man. Who woulda thought? Me? Junk? Never!

(That is not me in the ice cream truck, I got it off of Google images.)

Another thing I love about summer is getting and keeping a tan for approximately 3 months. I love adding to my tan. Not unhealthily, but just a nice tan look. I have been burnt red a couple of times, but luckily it always ends in a tan, somewhat like the one you see below of me and my sister.

I really enjoy going to the beach or laying out by the pool just relaxing!

My summer begins June 10th-the last day of school! Can't wait!

What are your "Top 2 for summer?"

Friday, April 23, 2010

A Full Day (and week)

I should be in bed. Actually, I should have been in bed a few hours ago.

I've been exhausted this week. Today has been a full day, a long day, but a good one! I began this morning with a stomachache and feeling lightheaded, wondering how I was going to teach feeling that way. Surely I wasn't going to get to work and ask to leave when I'm taking a half day tomorrow and full day on Monday to go to Virginia. So, I borrowed a stool from another teach so that I could at least sit while I began the day. As I was standing at the door greeting my students, I told the teacher across the hall that I was going to sit down-if she didn't mind monitoring the hall, I felt weak. So she told me to go to another teacher who is like a walking pharmacy, and she hooked me up with some Pepcid or something like that and within 30 minutes I was fine. I was glad for that. :)

I had planned on leaving work right at 3:45 so that I could get to Warner (my Alma Mater)for Dayna's Intern EXPO and see her and all of the other interns' displays. I was looking forward to it. It feels like my expo was just yesterday (it was in December.) Dayna's unit was for 1st graders and she did a unit on measurement. Her display was really awesome! Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of her display, I totally forgot. I really need to get better at remembering for blogging purposes. Ha! I thought I could at least share some photos from my expo so that you get the idea.

5th grade unit on matter; solids, liquids, and gases


Ms. Kaliher with her display :) 4 straight hours of standing!

While I was there, I got to see some of my professors. It's really cool, I think, to be able to talk to my professors from a professional standpoint now...they taught me what I need to know to be able to do what I'm doing now [teaching]. I truly feel that my university gave me great preparation to be a teacher. There was a small cake reception for a professor who was the director of the intern class who is retiring at the end of this semester. Teacher Ed at WU will miss her!

After the expo, Dayna and I headed to Manny's to "celebrate". Unless you're a teacher education major, especially at WU, you don't know the feeling of satisfaction that comes from completing the internship and the expo. It's so much work. SO. MUCH. WORK. Dinner was good-Manny's has the best salad and bread with cinnamon butter! So good!

Tomorrow I'm taking a half day at work and then my flight leaves for Virginia around 4. I'm so excited to head up north during the Spring. I've never been at this time of year. I'm looking forward to a change of scenery-like mountains. :) I'm also looking forward to seeing my family and celebrating with Chloe as she makes her 1st Communion on Sunday!

If you happen to see any of my students while I'm out Friday and Monday, tell them they best behave! ;)

P.S. I had a lot more in mind for this post, but I think sleep is now taking the priority! Goodnight!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Friday Fives!

I found another blog carnival to join in on this week from:
Just Me and My Life
The theme is 5 things you don't know about me! I may have a similar post to this already-but I'll try and make sure these are ones you haven't seen before.

Here we go!

1. I enjoy laundry. There is such a feeling of accomplishment when I do my laundry each week-no matter how messed up that sounds! Haha! I have been doing my own laundry since I was in 8th grade when I gave my mom an attitude for having to sort the clothes or something and from that point forward-as per her punishment, I've been doing my own laundry...and I want to be the only one who does my laundry! I'm very particular about it!

2. My mom found out she was pregnant with me on Valentine's Day in 1986. I have always thought that was so cool! Ha!

3. I don't prefer alcohol and I have never been drunk. More than just saying that I have my own reasons as to why I choose not to drink is the fact that I really, honestly, and truly don't even like the taste of alcohol. Out of the two, maybe 3 drinks I've had since turning 21, I have never finished the drink. I'd prefer coke 1,000 times more than an alcoholic drink and I don't ever see that changing.

4. I am not an animal person. I'd just like a house full of children someday. Well, house full as in like 3-4 children. :) I didn't grow up with animals (except for the 10 hamsters my sisters had which I NEVER liked) and was scared by a huge dog when I was a year old, thus having an effect (or so I think)! I have taken a sincere liking to my family's dog Jack(which is surprising in and of itself), but that's about the extent of it. I can't stand dogs that jump and lick and smell nasty...oh it's just the worst!

5. I liked being dressed up in work clothes/church clothes/dress clothes more than being just casual. I think my dress clothes are cuter than just my casual stuff. This doesn't mean I don't dress casual because I certainly do on the weekends!

Well, there are my Friday Fives! Looking forward to seeing what next week's five things are. Speaking of next Friday-I will be going to Virginia then and I'm so excited!!!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Show Us Your Life-Teacher Gifts

I'm participating in Kelly's Korner "Show Us Your Life" this week and the theme is teacher gifts.
Show Us Your Life with Kelly's Korner
However, I am adding a different perspective than most probably are because I teach at a very low-economic school...in which teachers aren't normally given gifts due to the nature of the school's low-economic population.

With this in mind, I feel like sometimes gifts from these students and/or their parents are normally not tangible gifts. A gift from these children might be considered as a parent working with you to help the student be successful in behavior and/or academics. Maybe the sweet and thoughtful notes students write to you telling you you're the "best teacher they've ever had" even if you know they have said that to every teacher they've had. (And, you don't ask questions, you just take them at their word and it truly puts a smile on your face!) Their gift might be in the form of setting a good example in your classroom for other students to follow. Or the gift of a child when he asks you if he can be in charge of cleaning up the book corner every afternoon.

Sometimes, it's the little things that make the best gifts. Things that have no monetary value, but a greater reward for both the teacher and student. I have found that to be true in just 4 months of being a teacher. The parent who supports you and agrees to reinforce at home what's going on at school is the parent every teacher loves to have! I also love the sweet notes students write or the kind compliments they give.

I don't expect a great amount of gifts at the end of the year. And that's okay. I may not be told directly, in the form of gifts, that I was appreciated or whatever-but that doesn't mean the appreciation isn't there. It's up to me to see the appreciation in my student's faces when I make learning fun and meaningful for them-or when the knowledge finally "clicks" in their head! I truly believe that is the best teacher gift! Oh, and good FCAT scores are welcomed as gifts, too!

I wanted to share a gift I received recently from one of my volunteers. Seems backwards, right? Volunteer gives the teacher a gift? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Well, yes I suppose. But, I had no idea my volunteer was moving back up to Canada (she's a snowbird) so soon. Anyway, my volunteer was wonderful. She was a retired principal from a reading recovery school up in Canada. Hello wonderful woman with experience!!! I'll take all the advice you want to give!! My students loved her, and so did I. I learned just as much from her as my students did. Last week, I received a very kind note and gift from her. If I can get her address in Canada, I will also write her a thank-you note because I so appreciate what she did for my students and I in the time she was our volunteer. I just wish I knew she was leaving! She got me this pretty candle that is sitting on a bookshelf near my desk at school. It's nice to add things to my desk space that aren't papers, pens, pencils, and books! :) Here it is.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The last week...

I haven't blogged since last Sunday, partly because nothing exciting has really happened. It was somewhat of a stressful week for me because grades were due for the 3rd quarter and I was out one day for a training-and let's be honest here, most teachers don't enjoy having substitutes in their rooms because they're afraid of what they're going back to when they return. I'm one of those teachers. My experiences with substitutes so far haven't been wonderful. It's not all their fault, I know my students can be difficult, too. Anyway, it just seems like there's even more to do during the week when I'm out for a day. But this week we have our first field trip of the year! We are going to the Polk Museum of Art on Tuesday so that should be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to it and I know the kids are too.

On Monday, I booked my flight to VA for Chloe's 1st Communion. I am her godmother, so I wouldn't miss this important step in her religious education. I'll be taking 1/2 day off work Friday the 23rd and then a full day that Monday the 26th. The flight on Allegiant Air was $9.99 that Monday...that's just too good to pass up! Plus, I'm entitled to take the personal days I'm given as a teacher, so why not? I'm looking forward to seeing VA in the Spring. I've never been up north during the Spring and I hear it's beautiful. But aren't all seasons beautiful up north? Someday I'll live there... ;)

Dayna and I have safely made it through our first week back at our apartment, without any tire slashing or any other suspicious activity, thank goodness. I'm not gonna lie, for once in the 4+ years I've lived away from my parents, I wasn't wanting to come back last weekend. I was scared to come back for fear of what would happen next. I know that might make me sound like a wimp, but seriously-this is not the greatest area and I have my suspicions about it, even more so now. Thankfully, while I was on Spring Break, I found out that my application was approved at the new apartment complex Dayna and I are moving to in Lakeland which is MUCH nicer than where we are now, and safer, too. Unfortunately, we aren't moving until June 30th and it seems so far away! Especially since I want to get out of here even more now since I don't feel that safe here. Soon enough, soon enough.

This weekend wasn't too eventful. Friday night I came home and was in the mood to clean which was good because this place needed a cleaning. Papers, bills, receipts, etc. were beginning to take over the kitchen table and coffee table and it was looking quite ridiculous. So I was able to fill up 2 Walmart bags full of paper that needed to become one with the trash. I'm trying, really hard, to get organized with my bills and budgeting since it's all on me now. I've also recently received all of my medical benefits/insurance stuff and I need to keep track of that. Once school is out, my plan is to go through all of my college binders and folders and get rid of what I don't need anymore. There is a ton of stuff I need to get rid of and donate somewhere.

Saturday I helped Dayna finish some of her assignments for her internship and then when she was done we headed to Lakeland for Moe's-her request to "celebrate" her big project being turned in! We went to Target and did small shopping and then today we went to church and Chili's for lunch-yum! I've been putting off doing my lesson plans all day/weekend (although I did grade some papers!) so I'm gonna go work on them now! Have a great week!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!!!


"Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him!"

As I sat in church this morning, I was so touched just thinking about the great sacrifice that Jesus made for me. And you. And for the rest of mankind. He suffered such great pain and hurt as he was flogged, beaten, and bruised-all for the petty "crap" I'm guilty of. He didn't have to, but yet he was obedient-just so that I could spend eternity with Him! I'm so grateful that HE saved ME!

"And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" Phillipians 2:8

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Bored

Remind me to book a trip somewhere for my next spring break. There have been a lot of "bored" moments this Spring Break and so next year-I will be traveling, somewhere.

As part of being bored, I have decided to share with you some of my favorite pictures. You're probably thinking, she really is that bored? On Spring Break? Yes, it's true. Enjoy this picture parade, inspired by my bored self. Ha! I sound pitiful!

Chloe, a few years ago! She's so adorable!


My dad, pretending to be intellectual. I'm not saying he's not smart-but this picture is totally staged and fake! He's not a reader!


Sunset on Siesta Key Beach


Dayna and I at a Camarada banquet my junior year of college


My cousin, Katrina and I being random.


Jack, my family's dog.


My brother and I with Chloe, our godchild :)


My friend, Mandi and I from back when we were both in Collegiate Chorale-good times!


My sister and I climbing a wall at our church that we always dreamed of climbing as little kids. Sure it's unladylike to be climbing this in our skirts, but no one saw!


I like this picture of my siblings and I, just wish my brother's sunglasses were off.


My friend Tressie's wedding, I was one of her Maid-of-Honors. This was during a "fatter" stage in my life, but it still is a fun memory!


Good friends!!


Flea market trash!


The day Warner Southern College became Warner University!


My brother and I noticed our boxers were basically the same, just different styles and lengths, of course!


The night we went to ICE!


A street sign in VA with my name spelled the "right" way! :) It's always been hard to find things with my spelling of Kaitlin...most of them are Kaitlyn or Caitlin.

Well, I'll be sure to showcase some more of my favorite pictures again-I have a ton of them on my computer! This was just a way to buy some time, ya know? Ha! Hope you enjoyed!