Operation Motivation

 This past week I thought of one last chance to encourage my 8th graders as they prepare for the FL writes. I had my 6th and 7th graders create encouraging cards for them. I really believe in the power and influence of encouraging words.

This idea came to me in the middle of a lesson where we were learning about using different resources//dictionaries, magazines and thesaruses\\. Usually when I have ideas like this I wait until the next day, but I quickly ended our conversation on newspapers and started mission encouraging letters! The letters/cards turned out really cute! They went above and beyond what I was expecting. I love how some of them used the state of FL and a pencil to stand for FL writes...so CREATIVE!!

My wonderful teacher aide delivered the cards to them this morning! They were a HUGE hit! One of my 8th graders asked for two cards because he believed he needed all the encouragement he could get!

Please pray for all FL 8th graders as they write their essays tomorrow! Pray that they retain all that they have learned and perform to their true potential.

NBC's Parenthood

I have been watching Parenthood this season on NBC. The only reason why I tuned into this show was because one of the characters has asperger. I have seen other shows where they try to depict an individual with a disability and they play the role completely wrong. Fortunately, for Parenthood one of their writer/executive producer,Jason Katims, has a 13 year old son with autism. 

When the show started one of the families featured, the Bravermens, had no idea that the reason for their son's quirky behavior was due to aspergers. Viewers of Parenthood get a glimpse into the process of diagnosing, dealing and treating an individual with asperger.

This week on Parenthood Max, the character who has asperger, accidentally finds out that he has aspergers. I am excited to see how Max's parents handle telling their son about his diagnosis.

You're invited

To go bare foot on April 5th to bring awareness to those who do not have shoes. TOMS shoes designates a day each year for you to take off your shoes and tell others how never having shoes affects individuals each year.

Did you know that in developing countries, children must walk barefoot for miles to school, clean water & medical help.

Hundreds of millions of children are at risk of injury, infection & soil-transmitted diseases that most can't afford to prevent and treat.

In certain regions of Ethiopia, wearing shoes and practicing good hygiene can prevent podoconiosis, a disease that causes swelling of the feet and legs due to prolonged exposure to irritant soil.

All of these issues would be non-existent if they had shoes!

Last year I participated in One Day without Shoes and had little issues; however this year I will be teaching...some what of a problem, but shoe less I will teach to bring awareness to those who do not have shoes.
//VIA\\

Reason #76 why I am not a vet

During the fall I visited my old roomate who attends UFs vet school. We went on a six mile hike, attended a Gator football game and then she showed me around UFs vet school. I always knew I would never work in the medical field and this little tour confirmed my reasonings.

We went through one of their labs and this is what I came face to face with. Multiple dead dogs in plastic lying on tables. You should be grateful that there is no smell button for blogs because the stench from the various dead animals was not pleasant! I asked C what the requirements for a dog to end up in a plastic bag on top of a lab table//In hopes that little Ruth would advance vet science once she has passed\\ and unfortunately there is a certain weight a dog has to be...so sorry Rue no break though for you!

 I did not have the courage to nudge any of the puppys, but from the looks of them I assume they would be pretty hard. Some of the dogs had they limbs wrapped in material.

 Last, but not least we went through a walk in freezer where the ice cream had been replaced with dead frozen horses. These horses were held up with chains that were connected to the ceiling. The chains were used to push/drag the horse to their designated lab station to be worked on. C said that the day where horses are worked on is even better than dogs; I however do not see how this scenerio would be better. I saved you from the picture of a dead horses' head just lying on the floor for all to see...not a nice picture!!

One of the lab had a nice illustration on the chalk board

It is not about me

http://www.studentsfirst.org/

Our mission is to build a national movement to defend the interests of children in public education and pursue transformative reform, so that America has the best education system in the world.

FEED Alert

Another store, American Eagle, has partnered with FEED projects to stop malnutrition. Every day 22,000 children under the age of five die of a preventable cause. Thankfully,  FEED with support of UNICEF'S nutrition program provides children with essential vitamins and mineral supplements they need to survive and thrive.

100% of the profit from this bag will go to feed a child that is suffering from malnutrition. Not only are these bags supporting children it is also providing women artisans in Guetemala with an income. These bags are handmade in Guatemala by using traditional Ikat fabrics in a variety of colors and woven patterns that reflect the vibrant Guatemalan culture.

If you are looking for a unique gift for someone I suggest you pick up a bag that supports a wonderful cause. You can find FEED bags at American Eagle or GAP...although if you ask me the bags at American Eagle are ten times cuter!

"You never gave me a referral but...

You did call my MOM"...this is exactly what I heard from one of my students on Thursday. Apparently, my phone call resulted in him not getting the touch screen phone that he wanted. In response to his comment I told him that I love his mom. In fact, I love all parents that are active in their children's life...it makes my job much easier!

Then On Tuesday morning I received a call from a concerned parent whose child misplaced his planner on the bus. She was worried that he was going to lose his homework assignments from that week. Unfortunately, phone calls like this are extremely rare, in fact it was the first one I had ever received of this kind. What makes this call so unusual is: A. a parent called B. a student was using his planner C. he was worried about missing homework...which means this student does his homework D. the parent and student are communicating about school work and E. the parent gave me a work number to call when the situation//new planner// was resolved.

The truth of the matter is that parents play such a vital role in their children's lives. I know being a parent is a challenge, but unfortunately there is no substitute for this role. If you are a parent I applaud you for what you are doing in raising your children; it is one of the most challenging yet rewarding jobs!

WATER.

When was the last time you could not find clean water to drink for yourself? For me, there has not been a day in my life that I was not able to drink clean, cool and refreshing water. Unfortunately, around nine billion people do not have the opportunity to drink clean water. The water they are able to drink looks similar to the picture on the right------->  While we can drink water that is flavored or has added vitamins in it; this water carries something that you will never find in Evian bottle...e.coli, salmonella typhi, schistomsoma, choleravibrios and hepatitis A.

Thankfully there is an organization called Charity: water that is providing developing nations with clean, safe drinking water through the use of a well. Charity: water is a non-profit organization that uses 100% of public donations to directly fund sustainable water to villages.

Water is essential to life

Be a life changer and donate

http://www.charitywater.org/

The time has come

For my little 8th graders to spread their wings and fly on their own! FL writes is only a few short days away (March 1st). I feel like we have learned and practiced all we can in preparing for this test. At this point in the game I am polishing their skills and reviewing what they have learned this year. I see them three more times until they must fly on their own!

Fishes

I resisted the urge to buy a fish this weekend while waiting to check out in Wal-Mart. They looked so sad just swimming around in their cup waiting for someone to take them home. Luckily for them I did not take them home because I have a bad track history with fishes. Lets just say one time I gave my fish fresh water from the fridge and he did not take it well.                         

Week overview:

Three IEPs done...Thank you FTE

Parents showed up for ALL IEPs

Was told that I was a students favorite white teacher

Ended up having 1 planning instead of three

A student who usually does not do well on vocabulary tests only missed 2

Progress reports FINALLY finished



Hearts of Thanks

 Last package of thank you notes are being shipped to Donors Choose tomorrow. Students wrote thank you notes in little heart note books for each of our wonderful donors.

For those of you who are unaware as to who and what Donor Choose is...

Who and What: Public school teachers post a project for learning supplies that will enhance students learning and growth in the classroom. Donors, YOU, go on Donors Choose website browse all the different projects and then you have the opportunity to give any amount of money you want towards that project. Once a teachers project is funded Donors Choose will go ahead and purchase and ship the supplies to the teachers classroom. Then the donor will receive pictures and letters of learning in action because of your donation!!

Here is another project from my school that needs your support!

Radical Readers

A call for teachers

Here is a little re-cap on what Obama had to say during last nights State of the Union Address:

"In fact, to every young person listening tonight who's contemplating their career choice: If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child - become a teacher. Your country needs you."

"Let's also remember that after parents, the biggest impact on a child's success comes from the man or woman at the front of the classroom. In South Korea, teachers are known as 'nation builders.' Here in America, it's time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect. We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones."

"On many issues, Democrats and Republicans agree, starting with the fact that no one likes how NCLB labels schools as failures, even when they are making broad gains. Parents, teachers, and lawmakers want a system that measures not just an arbitrary level of proficiency, but student growth and school progress in ways that better reflect the impact of a school and its teachers on student learning."

"The future is ours to win. But to get there, we can't just stand still. As Robert Kennedy told us, "The future is not a gift. It is an achievement." Sustaining the American Dream has never been about standing pat. It has required each generation to sacrifice, and struggle, and meet the demands of a new age."

"We do big things.

From the earliest days of our founding, America has been the story of ordinary people who dare to dream. That's how we win the future."

//VIA\\

FEED

I love when an item comes with an added bonus. Forever 21 has partnered with FEED projects to sell bracelets with a purpose. The FEED bracelet comes in 6 different colors that represents different countries.

SILVER = Pakistan

BLACK = Kenya

RED = Swaziland

YELLOW = Sri Lanka

BLUE = Hati

GOLD = Honduras

Each bracelet you purchase provides two school meals to a child in that country. I know that two meals does not sound like much, but if you are constantly mealess 2 meals may feel like 22!

Did you know

That every 5 seconds a child dies from hunger, and over 350 million children go to bed hungry each night.

By the time you read this an average of 8 children have died of hunger. Hunger is such a simple solution, but we need to start now to end child hunger!

 For more information on FEED visit:

http://www.feedprojects.com/

A glimmer of hope

Have you ever had a day of gloom and then just at the end there is a spark of hope? Well today was one of those days...

The day was coming to an end//for the students\\and I decided to check grades to see how they ended their semester. They all managed to get As, Bs and Cs which is wonderful, but this is not the glimmer of hope...

One of my students has been placed out of two ESE (special education) classes and into general education. His end of the semester grades for those two classes were an A- and a B+!! His reaction to these grades was pure joy! When he saw his grades his hands automatically flew into the air clapping and he had the biggest smile on his face with gleaming eyes! I was beyond over joyed for this student and for the hope that he gave me that students with disabilities can be successful in general education classrooms!!

F is for FRUSTRATION and N is for NEVER GIVING UP

//FRUSTRATION\\

when you get nothing done

take one step forward and two back

when blank stares are looking at you

when a label and a number is more important than a person

when focus is lost

//NEVER GIVING UP\\

they are worth fighting for

its a cause not a career

IEPs do serve a purpose

growth happens

tomorrow is a new day