I love Christmas, too!

This video made my day!


Copy, Paste, and Check it out!

Sorry, I can't figure out how to hyperlink it...



http://vimeo.com/17609348



Best lines:
"Mall Santas, I like whispering what I want, while chillin' on his thigh"
"I like my cookies like I like my panes... Frosted!"

I'm pretty sure its been too long.

But school's been busy.

Whatever, its Christmas! I get to go see my mom and daddy tomorrow. I leave in the early AM. And I have a 14 hour drive. It'll be lovely.

I'll get a white Christmas!

The kids are playing LIFE the game in class today.

It's mine. I asked for the game two years ago for Christmas... and I GOT IT!

It's soo fun, and the kids are having so much fun with it. Some are crying because of all their debt. Some are rejoicing and having twins... (I always ask for the kids' names... Makes them use their brains, and its more fun that way!)

Whatever, I leave tomorrow!

An Invasion of Memories...

An invasion of Memories...

How Powerful is that statement?

I read it, and was immediately struck by the sheer tactileness of the phrase.

(Is tactileness a word???)

And as I read it, I was immediatel assaulted by an onslaught of memories.

It was literally like an "invasion."

There's a 'trend' on facebook right now to change your profile pic to a cartoon pic from your childhood...

The point...

to raise awareness to violence against children of any sort.

I think the point is to take people back to the time in their lives when they were children. To reset that mindset. To remember what it was like to be a child.

To encourage empathy.

Because if we are empathetic, it should discourage violence.

I believe that is also the purpose behind such an aggressive word like "invasion."

As a teacher, I am constantly on the look out for any sort of child neglect, abuse or violence of any kind.

So, go ahead, take a moment to find a picture of a childhood cartoon.

I bet looking through all the images will quickly have your saying...

"Oh My Gosh! I remember watching this! This was my favorite! AND so was this! OooH yeah!"

Have a little fun, and catch that childlike spirit again. I bet will make your day a little brighter.

It may even help bring you back to a better holiday spirit, too. Remember how MERRY Christmas used to really be? Back when you had no worries, stress, bills, or anything else? and ALL you had to look forward to was a "Frosty" Christmas morning in snuggly PJ's and bright colored presents under the tree?

Childhood memories..

Merry Christmas!

First day back.
Our new Technology is not up and running yet, as was promised.
That's a little disappointing. Oh well.
But, my nutrition classes are cooking this week.
I have to make up their 'kitchen partner' contracts.
I should be writing that. Not this.
I suppose I'll come back.

Break's over baby.
Back to the grind... I mean grading papers.
Because I REALLY need to do that, too.
The end of the 3 weeks quickly approaches (next Friday).
And I think I only have one grade in for each class.
How does that happen?
Sometimes I have soo many grades, I can't keep track of it, then its' like the kids haven't been doing anything, when in reality I've been working thier little finger bones to death.
It probably has more to do with the fact that I don't want to grade.

Coffee

"I often deny my chemical dependence on caffiene." ~ Coffee cup Ben bought me.

And sadly, it's true. Except for the denying part. I openly admit and embrace my coffee love.

I don't think I could make it through the day without my two cups of coffee in the morning.

Which is really good, because I'm down from 3-4 cups.

I recently bought new creamer. It's pumpkin spice creamer. That is my absolute favorite. In fact, someitme I love it so much I will use just pumpkin spice (the actual spice) in my ground coffee. It makes it taste soo good.

Which reminds me... did you know that adding cinnamon to food or coffee helps curb your appetite? At least, that's what I have heard.

I hear peppermint does this, too. I love mocha peppermint creamer, too!

I love coffee.

(I bet he knows how many stripes are on the flag.)

Questions from students I refuse to answer.

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*How many stripes does the American flag have?

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*Does my butt look good?

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*How old are you miss? 20? 19?

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* What are a type of people other than Americans?

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* Why does your class go so slow? (rude)

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*Can we nap today?

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* How many questions is on this quiz?

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*Why do we have to do this?

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The final question, I HATE answering because no matter how much fun I try to make something the students complain and whine. So, it's sad to say, but lately I have not been putting much effort into making my lessons.

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A question that I should probably answer for my self...

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Why should I put effort into things that no one will appreciate?

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I think that's called integrity. I need to jump back on that boat, and get out of this sea of lazziness and irritation. I have a job to do, and I have to just do it (like Nike has said so many, many times).

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Which leads me to another thought... I really love my students and I show them all kinds of mercy. My name could have been Mercy, I've been so merciful. But my pastor last night said something that really makes me say "hmmm."

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He said so many people today have confused Love with Human Mercy. We say we love someone so we give them soo many chances. But is that love or mercy? Isn't real love sometimes being tough? Doesn't real Love sometimes hurt? Not physically but maybe pride? or freedom? or grades? maybe even your feelings for a little bit until you realize what it is?

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The church shows mercy through saying everything is ok. People are showing mercy when they lie to save your feelings. If someone really loves you, they'll tell the truth.

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Do I really Love my students if I'm willing to let them get off the hook? Am I truly creating and shaping good citizens like my resume says is my mission?

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Have our veterans fought wars in order for our future leaders to ask these questions? Is this why our soldiers Love our nation? Is our nation showing Love to our future by socially passing them through school? Are we educators showing love by passing a student "because they tried really hard?"

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Don't get me wrong, I understand that not everyone is going to go to college, but isn't the goal of, at least our district, to shape and mold contributing citizens to society? Should not we direct our students to other areas of expertise? We need construction workers with know how. We need people to run our restuarants. We also need teachers, lawyers, doctors, and other academic minded career people.

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No, I'm not saying that school subjects are unimportant, that is completely the opposite of what I'm saying. I'm saying that we need to insure our students have the skills to manage in life. I'm saying that before we move them to the fourth grade, they should know how to use a ruler. Before the students gets to highschoo, the students should know how to read both digital AND analogue clocks. Students should know how to do simple math problems. They should know how to use fractions. Students should know how many stripes are on our flag. They should know what those stripes stand for. They should not to end a sentence with a preposition like I just did. They should know that an essay and an outline are NOT the same thing. They should know that "they're, their, and there" can NOT be used interchangeably. They should know how to use proper English not just the the text jargon they use daily.

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NO, I am not denying that this is the culture they are being raised in. I am not denying that we should support differences in culture and religion. I am simply saying that if we truly LOVED our students, and LOVED our future leaders, we would ALL (not just educators and politicians, but parents, grandparents, friends, leaders, EVERYONE) take a little more notice of the fact that the next generation is missing some knowledge. We would ALL check ourselves. Are we loving them? or are we just showing them MERCY?

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Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space, said "I touch the future. I teach."

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"Love is to will and to act to the highest good of the other."

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As teachers, we may touch the future, but do we LOVE our future?

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Names

So. I'm grading tests.

I was at the school til 6 last night gradeing tests. These tests are awful.

I EVEN let them use their notes. I'm pretty sure that the average for my first block is a 76.

Lame.

Annoying.

These students are usually my favorite class. I'm a little upset. Not going to lie.

Names I won't be using for my children.

Chris, Whitney, Jada, Nicole, Colin, Darion...

It's like this episode of "How I Met Your Mother." Lilly has certain names that she refuses to use for her children because of their crazy antics in class.

I refuse to use these names because they make me want to pull my hair out.

That's the life of a teacher.

On Kidd Kraddick this morning, they've been talking about names.

I LOVE NAMES! I love knowing the meaning of names.

I have a baby girl name picked out. I HOPE I never meet a student with this name.

Check out www.NameBerry.com.. It has a fun blog on it.

I like it.

I like it alot.

Also, by the name that people call you, it changes your personality. Its not astrology. It Nameology. It's like the power of confession.

By what you are called daily, creates who you are.

That is why our family chose not to call my adopted brother Rueben. It means "My Misery."

No, thank you.

This is the website to find out what your name means about your personality.

www.kabalarians.com

I'm going to take a break and check out my name.

Post me yours!

It's supposed to be eerily true!

......................................................................................

Your first name, Faith, creates an independent, forthright, practical nature.

You desire to work on your own or to occupy positions of authority where you have opportunities to organize an area of interest and where your decisions are heeded.

You want to be successful financially and have an interest in investments and stocks.
Being consistent and stable in your nature, you are decisive, capable, and efficient, though not always tactful in expressing your opinions.

Your appreciation of art and music is focused around how to make these activities into viable financial opportunities.

At times, you create misunderstandings with others as it is not easy for you to be diplomatic.
Although the name Faith creates the urge to be creative, independent, and self-sufficient, we point out that it causes a materialistic, somewhat self-opinionated approach that frustrates higher humanitarian qualities.

........................................................................................

What do you think? Is this me?

What or Who are you?

Mondays

Sometimes, Mondays are not so awful.

When I start off with such an awesome class. I love my 5th block.

There are some attitudes, but for the most part they're all sweethearts. Nothing that wearing a great pair of shoes can't fix.

Test days are a great way to start and end the week. They're just so easy. I monitor. And when the students are finished they put they're heads down. Or just talk to their friends. Its simply wonderful.

Last week, one student put his head down after the test and fell asleep. That's normally ok. Except that he started snoring. Loudly. It was funny. He is such a sweetie though that we just poked him and woke him up... He started snoring again 5 minutes later. He had a stuffy nose. He wasn't feeling well.

I hope he did well on the test.

That's the only thing I dislike about testing days. Grading. I get soo much done while they're testing, but then I have so much more to do.

Grades are due this next Monday. I'm suddenly feeling awfully behind.

I love my friends. I'm so thankful for them. Many of them are teachers and they understand exactly how I feel. That's such a good feeling.

Even though Boyfriend doesn't always get it, he at least listens and tries to fix it.

It's nice having people beside you to hold your hand through the tough stuff.

Brittanys

I've noticed that most Brittanys I know are rather outspoken. They often just say what's on their mind. I know its wrong to stereotype, but when it's true.. it's true.

Growing up, my sister's best friend was named Brittany. Britt would say whatever came to her mind. I can't even count the amount of time we had to stop her from going off on someone just becuase they had upset her. She still does this. When she was pregnant it was like she was a teenager with no filter again. Once at church she called her husband over to her, she then proceded to tell someone that they way they were talking about her behind her back was gossip and that they needed to stop. She told them that her husband was the biblical witness that she was handling the situation correctly. He later told her she needed to tell him before she pulled a stunt like that again.

But like I said she speaks her her mind.

Now, I have two students named Brittany and holy moley! Brittany 1 is just mouthy. I had to step in the middle of her and another student. She is maybe 5'2" and the other student is a 6'3" boy! But she wasn't stopping. She felt he was wrong and he needed to know it. I felt like she was about to be squashed like a bug. She is a self proclaimed B*#ch.

Finally, there is Brittany2. She is GT (gifted and talented) which really means, genuinely tiring. She always asks 'out of the box' questions which are actually just stupid questions. It's annoying. But yesterday, she had her own life lessons with Brittany session.

Someone in class said tampon, and all the boys potested the use of the word. Brittany spoke up.. no worries. "All you boys who think they want to be married one day need to grow up. Tampons, period, blood, and hormones will be a part of your monthly life. Grow up. At least tampons are better than pads. Pads are just bloody diapers."

Thanks Brittany. I wanted my class to end with the picture of bloody diapers in the head's of my students.

But still.

It's true.

Perks

Teacher Perks. Sometimes teachers get "Hometown Hero" discounts. Alot of times they don't.

Also. Kinder Teachers get all kinds of COOL things! Like candles, body wash, cookies, gift cards. As a highschool teacher, I'm not sure I'm getting anything.

Is it sad.. that I am trying to be THE favorite teacher.. sooo my students give me things?

I just want GREAT teacher presents. I want GREAT presents.

My cheerleaders irritate me. Because they don't try. They could be so good and they don't try.

Life Lessons

I've started having to deal with things in the class.

Things unrelated to Interior Design or Nutrition.

When this happens, I call their attention and tell them

"Life Lessons with Coach Collins."

Some of them?

"Life is a competition. Sometimes you do lose. In fact, You will often lose because there can only be one winner. Try harder."

"Life Lesson. There are dumb questions in life, and you are asking them right now."

"Life Lesson. Dogs go back to their vomit and eat it. After you dump a guy, don't go back out with him. Same thing."

Teaching is fun, I relearn new things all the time.

Time

I've noticed that alot of teachers have large bottoms.

I've figured out why.

In the month that I have taught, I have gained 4 pounds.

If I continue on this road, I will have gained 36 pounds in one school year! NOT taking Christmas and Thanksgiving into account..

That is LARGE.

But it's not from overeating. I rarely have time to eat.

5:30 am breakfasts are not what they're cracked up to be.

11:00 am lunches are too long after breakfast, but not close enough to dinner.

I think I am constantly hungry.

You would think I would lose weight.

But instead I gain 4. gross.

I just need to get back to my work out regime.

When I get my new place (October 2nd!) I will have more time. It will eliminate an hour or so of drive time. That's an hour that I can be moving my muscles.

When I say the words muscle and scissors, I pronounce the C. I know its silent, but I like to add the C C C (cat) sound to the words. It's silly.

I may be too silly.

It happens.

I had to tell my cheerleaders that I may be their friend off the court, but when we are in the gym or at a game... I'm the boss. I am the coach. Do NOT talk back to me. If I say something, it is not to be questioned.

I hate that. It's back to the whole grown up thing. It sucks. BUT its Grrrreat too!

Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs

I'm pretty sure I learned this in every class that I ever took with Dr. Horner.

I was SO sure I would never ACTUALLY need this.

I taught it to my students today.

We actually had a pretty good time with it.

I think.

They will probably never use it again...

unless they are in an FCS or pychology class again.

In other news, I have my awesome class again tomorrow.
Choose to call them awesome.
Power of Positive thinking.
I have to come up with extra work for them everyday, because they act like kinderkids.
It's ok. We'll fix it. :)

I also have my first JV football games tomorrow.

yes.

Games.

Two games. Back to back.

Don't let my enthusiasm fool you.

I'm excited.

It's 5:00 pm.
I've been here since 6:45 am
I'm going home.

My need right now is sleep and food.

That's level one.

Basic Needs.

Physiological Needs.

I think I will go home and work out instead.

Grown Ups

This past week has been ridiculously crazy. I haven't even had time to type it all. All last week, I was in new teacher training. It was information OVERLOAD! I'm not sure I remember it all. I DO know that I need to sign up for all my health care stuff though. But even that is a big WHAT? on my radar right now.

It's strange going from a part time job with no healthcare, to an adult job that has all these things that are provided. I guess that's a perk of being a grown up.

I'm not sure I'm really a grown up, yet.

At least not in my heart.

But have new grown up choices to make.

And they keep coming.

Sometimes I wish they would stop...

But then I remember that with being a grown up.. comes salary = money = more freedom. But it also bring responsibility = not as much freedom.

Being a grown up is an oxymoron.

Not sure I like it... at least not all of it.

I wanna be a Toys R Us Kid.

But the kids have so far been great. I mean I have a small classroom with 34 desks in it.

My largest class is 37 students. One of those students has his own aid.

That's 38 people.

Not including me. I gave up my chair yesterday.

I also made a young man give his up for a girl.

He sat on the floor.

I will FORCE chivarly on these students.

I have a LARGE cupcake on my wall. I think my interior design students are more excited about it than my nutrition kids. Ha.

I eat breakfast at 5:30 in the morning.

I don't have lunch til 11.

I starve myself at work.

I was told to pack snacks.

It doesn't work.

Grown ups don't eat correctly or at the right times.

As a grown up, I will also have to live alone = eat alone = watch the bachelor pad alone = alone.

:(

Why do we move so quickly and hungrily towards being a grown up.. only to realize it's not what we really want?

I went to the school the other day. To pick up my text books.

I walked to the text book AP's office and strode in.

He told me he would be with me in 'just a moment.'

When he came back out of his office, he asked me "So, what are we doing today?"

I answered him, "Well, I'm the new FCS teacher, and I need to pick up my books, so I can get a head start."

"OOH! You're a teacher?! I'm Mr. G-. I thought you were a student here for text book duty."

Mr. G- then proceeded to introduce me to the other AP Mrs. R-.

"This is our new FCS teacher. See why I thought she was a student?"

This is going to be a great year.

The administration thinks I'm a student, and I think there are WAY too many AP's.

How many assistant principals do we need?

Will I EVER get them all straight?

I had my new teacher training today.

ALOT of information, in 4 hours.

I hope I don't screw any of it up.

I learned that I have to be VERY careful about the information I put out in the cyber world.

Good thing no one follows me.

I saw my classroom for the first time yesterday. Somone else inhabits it still... Coach Johnson. But it's ok. I found the correct people, and got everything figured out.

He'll be moving out...

I already brought my first box of things in...

The principal's secretary told me she has a dolly for me to bring everything in on...

I think I only have That one box of things...

Maybe I should buy some more... just so I don't look like a complete newbie..

I DO have a whole list of things to buy... and I only JUST started the list.

Teaching is expensive.

I also met my cheer squad for the first time yesterday!

I walked up, and the 10th grade girls yelled all at once...

"Oh! She's Cute!"

"She's our size!"

"Is that your twin?" (My sister was there.)

I was a little apprehensive at first...

So, I made them goodie bags. Just to butter them up and let them know I'm cool.

ha.

They loved the bags!

I showed them where my room will be, they said.

"This is where we can hide during the year when we need to get away."

Not sure why I came across as the easy cheer coach/teacher.

Oh, well.

I'm excited!