monday's memory: the one with the return home

ok, it's been awhile. so i'm just jumping back in. and i'm going to use my normal "monday memory" slot to catch up on what's been happening in our lives the past couple of years.

so.

i worked at an amazing inclusive preschool for 4 years. i learned SO.MUCH there about myself, about managing others, about children with needs far beyond what i would have imagined, and about dealing with the drama of working with a staff of 80% females! 

for awhile i could seriously imagine myself doing this forever.

and then it happened.

i realized, as i taught music to the children (ages 6 weeks to 7 years) how much i LOVED and MISSED teaching music.

and so i began daring to dream a little. it was as if God was whispering in my ear to hope.

i had always kept my application current with my former school system, but nothing seemed to materialize. i had applied in other systems as well, but nothing piqued my interest.

and then a friend who taught at the very elementary school i had passed many times on the way to teach piano lessons told me their music teacher was leaving.  it was an elementary school in the one of the most affluent counties, with a great population to work with, unlimited resources and parents who were highly involved.

i interviewed. i realized about midway through the interview that i didn't want to work here. as much as the school was amazing and i would be working with a wonderful group of people...i just did not want that job.

{release}

my current boss called me into her office in the midst of this and told me that i would be able to teach in a classroom in the fall if i wanted.  the open room was the 4 year old room, and i knew it would be challenging but great. and it was what i had truly wanted to do for a couple of years. i accepted, knowing that if i found out anything from the school system i would be able to tell her in plenty of time for her to put a deserving assistant teacher in that role.

{security}

and yet, i felt like i heard the Holy Spirit whispering "keep dreaming..."

in may i attended a conference at a church nearby, and was really encouraged by several of the messages.  but on my way home one night i found myself talking to God...really baring my soul to Him.

i told Him that i knew He placed the desire and talents within me to want to teach middle school, and that He knew my heart was to teach in my former system again. i had been searching daily and there were NO middle school positions, so i was so frustrated so i literally asked Him to release me from this deep desire or to let it materialize.

i wasn't despairing. but i was weary.

and two days later i received a message from a former assistant principal of mine that there was a potential opening in her {middle} school that was 10 minutes away from my house.

through her communication i finally leaped the last hurdle with my application and got the green light for interviews.  the music dept head for the system was incredibly impressed by my credentials and told me that she would be thrilled to have me back.

and i interviewed at the school. and it was fine. and while i was in the interview i got a voice mail from the principal of the school down the road, the one only 3 minutes from my house, the one connected to the greenway that i had literally walked dozens of times and prayed over the school and the people in it.

{talk about sowing into your future!}

and she interviewed me over the phone on a saturday while she was on vacation. and by the end of our conversation she told me i would have an email by day's end on monday with an offer.

i've been there since august.
and no, not every day has been wonderful. not every student has come to me and showered me with praise about what an amazing teacher i am.
[who am i kidding...i teach middle schoolers. they give me major attitude on a daily basis!]

but i am where i belong.
i am doing what i am supposed to be doing.
and i am thrilled.

over a 3 month period, God literally let me have a chance to do the things i thought i wanted. and continued to encourage me to dream bigger.

i'm so glad i took His challenge.

monday's memory: the one that started long before me

the little town i grew up in didn't have much diversity
and so, how this little white girl from farmland, usa
ended up with such a heart for inner city families from seemingly the other end of the spectrum
is truly God at work


but i did
i flirted with working in other much wealthier and prestigious systems
but knew for my teaching career
i would be happiest where i could pour myself into those children


i cried on my way home from work
for the first several weeks
because i could go home
to a cozy apartment on the lake
and these children?
were stuck


they didn't ask to be born into this
and yet...they were in their own way happy


i fell head over heels in love with those kids
and the next group, and the next
students joined my choir and gave me the utmost respect
who were nightmares for every other teacher in the building
they told me it was because i was different


i smiled the only time a student told me i was "racist"
because the rest of the statement was "toward white people!"
(at that point i reminded her that i too was white...
and every other student in that multi-colored beautiful classroom
burst into laughter)


i began to see Martin Luther King in a whole new light
and while so much of his dream, his vision
for equality and harmony
have been realized


so much of it has not


so here's to today
where we stop comparing other social injustices and issues
to the Civil Rights movement
because there is still much to do


most of my friends of every nation and color are in the same socioeconomic class as i am
it just so happens that most of the circles i find myself in these days
don't include the stark poverty that i immersed myself in day after day as a teacher
(and let's get this clear: i taught poor white kids too.  they are included in this
after all, MLK's message of inclusion and equality
wouldn't exclude them either.  right? :-) )


and i have to be honest
that while i know that i'm right where i'm supposed to be
i do miss being able to invest in that community


please don't hear that the other social injustices
the awful problem of homelessness that consistently tugs on my heart strings
the despicable treatment of portions of our population by people bearing the name of Christ
the abuse that spouses and children suffer at the hands of those who claim to love them most


please don't hear me say they don't matter
because they do


but a significant part of my heart is with my former students
and the families and homes they represent
what a beautiful heritage and culture of overcoming
may they truly overcome
the stigma, the poverty, the desperation


may God raise up more people who will invest and nurture these children
their parents and their grandparents
and let them know
that the dream is still alive


i'll dream that dream...
will you?

it's a great day to cook a lot!

today i'm in the kitchen quite a bit
first making a potato salad for a gathering tonight
then putting together my angel food cake for easter tomorrow

before (or between) these two i'm also meeting with a family to discuss a summer position with them.  if it works out i'll be working 33 hours/week spread over 3 days.  between that, the fact that another family has asked about 1 day per week and my piano lessons i can stay pretty busy all summer long!  which is good...because hellooooo wedding money!

speaking of weddings, we've selected our photographer.  i'll post her website here once we've signed the contract...but we're WAY excited about her.  and i'll tell you more about her when the time comes :D

hope you all have a lovely weekend, celebrating God's great LOVE for us.

blessings!

monday's memory: the one with air force one

while i was teaching, the strings teacher next door to me was a pilot in his spare time.
as in, had his own hanger behind his house, his own little plane.
(WAY cool, right?)

one day he came to school and told the band teacher and i that the President was coming into town
AND that since they had temporarily closed a couple of runways, the only flight path he could possibly be flying in came right over our school
our football field, to be exact

so we held class outside that day
and our kids got a kick
(as did we)
of seeing air force one fly over

:)

sometimes the teacher learns...confidence

about 70% of my piano students have special needs
a few of them are autistic
those of you with experience across the spectrum will know that no two of them are alike in their mannerisms and behaviors

however, they can all learn
and most of them thrive when learning piano

one of these students, J, came in today
he is in 7th grade, limited vocabulary, not prone to aggression or acting out
and his "comfort" when he plays is having my hand lightly touching his wrist

this comes from the first few lessons we had together where i would hold his hand and literally show him where to press the keys
he doesn't need it anymore
he reads incredibly well
his ear training is off the charts
(he can transpose flawlessly)
but as much as i've tried to wean him off having my hand touching his
he still insists on it for at least a couple of songs per lesson

today was a little different
after playing over half the lesson with little to no assistance from me
he reached for my hand and i obliged
putting two fingers lightly underneath his wrist as he played the song
and then all of a sudden
he grabbed my hand, placed my finger on the keys and started playing
using my finger

it's a good sign, actually
that he's trying to transfer knowledge
that he's confident in himself
and my heart swelled a little with the realization that he truly gets it

i think i got a teeny tiny glimpse into how God's heart swells
when one of His children gets it

when we stop waiting for a crutch, for a comfort
(although the comfort of God and Holy Spirit is amazing and wonderful and ever-present)
and confidently step out in faith
knowing full well we are doing exactly the right thing

when we stop relying on a feeling
and instead rest in the promise
when we grab God's hand a little tighter
and take off in a sprint

i was SO proud of J today
and i have this feeling that God felt the same thing for me :)

(written on wednesday, 2.2.2011)

it's a great day for a tea...and more!

this week's wordle:

(gee, wonder what time of the year it is!)

and

teaching, tea and making some cash!

that pretty much sums up today.  a piano lesson this morning, a tea party with some girlfriends this afternoon and an evening of babysitting first for all the children of a small group and then for the hosts kids while they attend a work party!

it'll be crazy, but productive and definitely fun :0)  i may even don a cute little dress for the tea! :-)

Thursday's Ten: random things you may not know about ...

me!

(ok that sounds self-centered.  there really IS a reason though...read below :)

please join me for this one!  i think i'm going to make it a once in awhile thing (random things about...potatoes.  or penguins.  or random things that start with the letter "p" since i already have 2 on the list ;)

today i'm combining my thursday's ten with accepting a blog award from the lovely casondra

here's the specifics for this particular award:

Rules for accepting this award are:
1.  Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award

thank you Casondra!

2.  Share 7 things about yourself.
done below.  with 3 bonus things :)

3.  Pass this on to 15 other great bloggers you recently discovered.
15 RECENT?  hmmm...

4.  Contact the selected bloggers and tell them about their awards.

So 7 things about myself...

1. pretty much if you offer me chips i'll take you up on that.  huge weakness of mine is crunchy or savory snacks.

2. i can give myself a mean french manicure if all the elements are right.  but i can't for the life of me paint my toenails without getting polish everywhere.  i'm not sure if it's thinking i don't have to pay attention, or a subconscious way to convince myself i should get a pedicure.

3.  i love, love, love my friends.  they're pretty amazing.  

(casondra, my things are looking an awful lot like yours but i SWEAR i didn't mean them too!)

4.  i own like 2 lamps.  i don't know why -- i MUCH prefer lamplight to overhead.  i should probably fix that and ask for a lamp or two for christmas.

5. i love telling people i teach at a studio on music row.  if you lived in nashville you would know that's not really a HUGE deal, although the studio being there is quite convenient for industry contacts and the like...but it sounds pretty cool to out of towners.  except you, if you are reading this and didn't know that.  now you won't think i'm cool. oops

(please, if you're a regular reader of my blog you know i'm a big dork anyway ;)

6. my girl crush is olivia benson (mariska hargitay's character on law and order: svu)

7. i can take a good shower in 3 minutes flat (which came in handy during our month of water rationing after the floods in may) and can get ready in less than half an hour.  you would think this would make me early to places.  instead, it means that i literally wait until the last.possible.moment to step into the shower, and i'm ALWAYS running out the door.  i'm getting better about being it, but that fast shower and getting ready bit most definitely works against me.

8. *  i'm kind of jazzed about my new tab at the top -- a link to every.single.recipe i've ever posted on the blog.  it's broken into categories in alpha order, naturally.  there will be many more added, and i'm going to definitely keep it up to date.  honestly, this is going to make it a lot easier for me to direct people to recipes they ask for, or for me to find it and copy/paste :)

9. *  i have discovered strawberry milkshake poptarts, and pretty much i love them.

10. *  i can't WAIT to have a few hours in the kitchen this weekend.  how i've missed cooking!

*bonus tracks ;)

mmmkay, 15 new(ish) blogs.  well, in no particular order (except alpha) here they are!

a heart of alabaster (jackie) 

(oh how i love this blog :)  the song that starts when you visit is an old favorite of mine!)

absolute narcissism (sandra)

(funny, funny, funny!  and satire.  and sarcasm.  and funny.)

always on my mind (jamie)

(a fellow nashvillian, and coupon lover.  plus she has a separate blog just for recipes.  do love!)

bare feet on the front porch (stephanie)

(an online friend of mine for ages...military wife and mom doesn't even begin to sum it up!)

beyer beware (leah)

(reading her profile, i can SO see mine reading similarly in a few years.  awesome new blog friend!)

blessed chick (ashlee)

(i'm a sucker for anyone who puts "blessed" in their title and means it, and she is wonderful!)

bossy betty (betty)

(cheeky, fun and smart, this is a woman i could sit around and talk to for hours!)

dilly dally (vanessa)

(i met her through our friend casondra, and she's such a sweet, amazing new friend!)

laundry hurts my feelings (joann)

(don't you love the name?!  and the blog is just as good)

lucky in love (jenny)

(one of those like-minded in so many ways bloggers...and she's expecting her first sweet bebe!)

mrs southern bride (heather)

(i love love stories, especially ones like theirs, which is so marked by the Father)

my alabaster heart (erin)

(ahhh, another crazy liberal christian.  see?  we DO exist!)

teach*tea*travel (nicole) 

(this is one of my oldest and dearest friends...and she has a brand new blog!) 

the human race 600 (lisa)

(fresh perspective, got her stuff together kinda girl :)

the kenningtons (nicki)

(what a fun life they lead!  so full of adventure and inspiration -- she's an awesome runner!)

i'll be notifying my winners as the day goes on...but if you see your name here, consider yourself served.  in a good way, of course!

journey

“It is true that God may have called you to be exactly where you are. But, it is absolutely vital to grasp that he didn’t call you there so you could settle in and live your life in comfort and superficial peace…God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through”

- Francis Chan

bear with me

this is a post that's been knocking around in my head for quite a few days.

you would think that because of that...it would be all smooth and polished.

but it's not.  and i have to believe that i am supposed to write it all out here, in it's raw and unadulterated form.

i've sometimes grown weary of well-meaning people saying to me

"well, God has a plan for your future"

when i fully know that

but i believe that God also has a plan for my right now

as i stated, i know they mean well

but it makes me sad to think

that they think

i've been somehow lost and abandoned in all this

unemployment hasn't done that...nor has foreclosure

and i pray that their spiritual eyes will be open 

to the fingerprints of God that are all.over.everything in my life

you see, the journey to get where i am today began well over 3 years ago.  

God was in the midst of amazingly delivering me from eating disorders

and i was feeling a holy (and i purposefully use that word) discontent

knowing that i loved teaching, i loved my students

but for some reason

i was uneasy staying in the classroom

and so i began to pursue other options

i very clearly heard God saying to do this

and i very clearly knew that the family i eventually left the classroom to work for

(the ones who turned around less than a year later

and fired me

with no good reason)

was exactly where i was supposed to go

could i have had any idea of the path i was stepping onto?

no

and i don't necessarily believe that God ordained the family to go psycho randomly let me go

i believe that there was free will involved

and that free will led them to these decisions

but i do believe

that God sometimes gives prophetic words

to people who don't even believe in prophetic words

(to borrow a phrase from one of my favorite pastors, alyn: He's Jehovah Sneaky)

i remember a friend of mine

who most definitely does not go to a church that believes that God is actively speaking to His people

although they wholeheartedly believe in the love and grace of our God

told me that upon hearing of my situation

of being fired suddenly, of the ridiculous nature of the way i was released from that position

all she could think about 

was the verse about joseph

"they meant it for evil but God meant it for good"

(it's genesis 50.20.  in the NLT it's: you intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.)

i remember taking ahold of that verse

and claiming it

not realizing *literally* until this moment as i sit here typing this

that it was actually a prophetic word over me

that God gifted a woman who may not even acknowledge the reality of that gifting

the exact words i would need for the next 2 years

if i had known the crazy and tumultuous at times path the decision to leave the classroom would lead me on

would i have left?

would i have been obedient?

i have no idea

but i hope so.

because of losing my job at the time i did, i was able to step in and work with a family for a few months who have a child with severe behavioral issues.  those mornings with him were some of the most trying of my life.  i had to keep my cool, use techniques for keeping myself and him safe, and...probably the hardest thing of all, pass the neighborhood where i knew the little girl i had loved for over a year was being cared for by someone else.  and yet, i grew.  i maintained patience, learned new coping techniques, and knew that for that moment i was exactly where i was supposed to be.

once the family had found a permanent solution that better fit their family's needs, one of my friends told me that her boss's wife was very ill and they were looking for someone to act as a caregiver during the day.  meeting that family opened up opportunities for me to serve -- taking her to doctor's appointments, and as she regained her strength to lunches and hair appointments and her weekly Bible study.  "driving mrs n" was sometimes a stretch for me...because she was from a very conservative church and i'm fairly certain she thought i was WAY too liberal...but we kind of fell in love with each other.  and i'll never forget the conversation we had one day that confirmed to me that i was exactly where i was supposed to be.

during my time with mrs n, i also contracted with a company to write educational training materials and presentations.  this was purely because of a contact i had from a small group at my church that i babysat for.  i relished the moments of doing something a bit more professional, and i especially relished that i was able to do these things from my office with the window open and a glass of iced tea beside me.  technically i still have the ability to contract with the company, although they haven't used me for a project for about a year...but i'm not worried.  it'll come when it's supposed to :)

as mrs n gained more and more strength and the time i spent with her became more scarce, a friend called me one day to tell me that her office was looking for someone to do data entry "for a few weeks".  those few weeks stretched into a few months, and i felt like i was doing something with purpose.  entering data was quite fun for me...and the fact that i was working in an office that relocated refugees made it so meaningful to me.  i was so sad to see that chapter close, but i had always known it would be temporary...so even though it had been exactly where i was supposed to be it was time to move on.

so, though i had begun teaching a couple of private voice and piano lessons at a studio on music row (also because a friend had recommended me), i found myself with just a couple of lessons a week and a few babysitting jobs here and there.

and this began the first real "break" in the action.  this was the first time in over a year that i hadn't had some sort of regular (if short-lived) income.  of course, shortly after we buried anthony's grandfather...and VERY shortly after that we found out that i had lost my house.  after crying, packing and moving, i realized that an offer i had from some friends to nanny for them beginning in august was now more feasible.  i had told them i'd think about it, because the amount they were able to pay was barely enough to cover my mortgage...and definitely not enough for all my other bills.  well...now i didn't have a mortgage to pay, and the other bills had significantly decreased as well.  after prayer and revelation i realized that i knew (starting in august) exactly where i needed to be.

and then anthony's aunt told me of a friend of hers who needed someone to watch her two children for a couple of months in the summer.  i met them, loved them, and truly enjoyed every moment spent with the family.  i have an incredible thank-you card from them that hangs on my prayer and praise board that serves to remind me that this summer i was exactly where i needed to be.

not a single one of these jobs did i interview for

not a single one of them ended on anything less than positive terms

they were all meant to be temporary

and they've kept me moving

forward and upward

and in the meantime...i had room for a friend and her baby to crash for awhile

i was able to host friends coming through town

and although i don't have as much freedom to offer beds for long periods of time

i can offer a couch...and my heart is still open

and in the meantime...i had time

to help friends pack up and move

to hold babies

to love on God's people

i've had the gift of time

and i hope i've used it well

in the meantime i've rediscovered

that God has been speaking to me all along

and i've found a community of faith where i've been able to explore that

and receive it as the gift it is

i've found spiritual family

not separate from the one i already had

but in addition to

and it's been amazing 

to grow and change and truly realize His giftings and operatings in my life

i have no doubt

that all this time

i've been exactly where i was supposed to be.

the coming months will be interesting

as we are talking more about our future

about how things are changing

and about where God is calling us

and though it frustrates me at moments to not know the answers to those questions

i have to laugh at myself

when i remember all that has transpired since i packed up that classroom

what a journey i've been on

what i've been asked to give up, lay down, and pick up instead

i have no doubt that my journey will lead me back into a classroom someday

but i wouldn't trade these last few years

for anything

you wanna talk life experience?

God has given it to me in crazy abundance.

and i'm certain

that i will remain exactly where i'm supposed to be

even if the "where" keeps changing

because the Who

will never change.

 

Fitness Friday: revolution

last year i discovered jamie oliver on a whole new level
 

i'm not sure how many of you watched his show but it was amazing.  and now food revolution has grown to be even more. his commitment to promoting healthier choices in cafeterias across the united states is astounding, and i fully support his efforts.  after all, it won't be too long before i will have children eating in a school cafeteria...i consider my attention to this issue NOW as an investment in their future.

(plus, as an educator, it'd be nice to have the option to walk into the school cafeteria from time to time and get a well-balanced lunch when i didn't have the time or energy to pack one.  i'm speaking in the nearer future for that one...God willing)

today's fitness friday is a little different -- i'm letting someone else do the talking.  a fairly famous someone else, and someone who most certainly doesn't even know this blog exists.  yep, i copied and pasted straight from his website...you can find the direct link to what i grabbed right here.

his philosophy so embodies how i feel about food, and i'll remind myself of that the next time i feel a bit guilty for eating a meal of comfort food :0)

Food philosophy

My philosophy to food and healthy eating has always been about enjoying everything in a balanced, and sane way. Food is one of life's greatest joys yet we've reached this really sad point where we're turning food into the enemy, and something to be afraid of. I believe that when you use good ingredients to make pasta dishes, salads, stews, burgers, grilled vegetables, fruit salads, and even outrageous cakes, they all have a place in our diets. We just need to rediscover our common sense: if you want to curl up and eat macaroni and cheese every once in a while – that's alright! Just have a sensible portion next to a fresh salad, and don't eat a big old helping of chocolate cake afterwards.

Knowing how to cook means you'll be able to turn all sorts of fresh ingredients into meals when they're in season, at their best, and cheapest! Cooking this way will always be cheaper than buying processed food, not to mention better for you. And because you'll be cooking a variety of lovely things, you'll naturally start to find a sensible balance. Some days you'll feel like making something light, and fresh, other days you'll want something warming and hearty. If you've got to snack between meals, try to go for something healthy rather than loading up on chocolate or potato crisps. Basically, as long as we all recognize that treats should be treats, not a daily occurrence, we'll be in a good place. So when I talk about having a 'healthy' approach to food, and eating better I'm talking about achieving that sense of balance: lots of the good stuff, loads of variety, and the odd indulgence every now and then. 

 
(and jamie ;)

it's a great day to be very busy

 

moving, teaching, babysitting...that's my day

so i started at 8 am

helping a friend of ours move

took a slight "break" to teach a piano lesson

(which likely burned more calories than carrying boxes and stuff...

since this particular student has special needs

and requires some redirection and restraint on occasion

some more than others

today being "some")

now i'm sitting on a couch

after putting two sweet boys to bed

and although noah, age 3, asked me if i could "sleep over"

i'm very much looking forward to going home 

and crawling into MY bed!

BUT

it's been a beautiful day

(ben totally gets the award for choosing the best weather

on moving day)

((...anthony mentioned today that octoberish would be a good time for a wedding...))

and although i'm tired

it's been a good day

i can only hope 

your saturday

has been too

monday's memory: the one with the cheerleaders

do you ever feel like you've lived several lifetimes?

one right after another

seemingly not connected at all?

this was 5 years ago

i was a cheerleading coach

(yeah)

i had never cheered, never coached, and was certainly not interested

but the assignment (and extra stipend) came

and i agreed

those girls

drove me crazy

rocked my world with their perceptions

caused me to think about what i was doing to my own body

as i lectured them about what they put into theirs

and made my life

infinitely better

for coaching them

things that made me smile today

(erm...yesterday? and early today?)

the drive to work--gorgeous country roads (and only 15 minutes away from my house...perfect)

upon arrival to work, hearing P yell "hi! hi! hi!" before i could even see him

(he's SO precious!)

my voice student's smile when i told her the song she's been working on is nearly performance ready

babysitting tonight for children i go to church with but don't see on a truly regular basis...and hearing the oldest (a 4 year old little girl) say "i love you miss lora" out of the blue.

modern family reruns after the kids went to bed

extra money for next week's excursion because i took this job tonight.

emi being happy to see me when i finally got home

the tomato plants i planted yesterday still standing :) -- in fact, perked up quite a bit because of the slight shower they got this evening.

so even though i left my house at 7:45 am, and i just walked in the door at 12:26 am the following day ...

i'm blessed

i truly enjoyed all 3 of my jobs today

and even though i'm wiped out

i'd do it again

(not just to earn the money)...but because right now? i get to LOVE my job.

yeah, i'm not rolling in money

i still wonder about what's in my financial future

but i love what i do

and right now

in this moment

that's where i'm supposed to be.

It's a Great Day to Stay Inside

Um, I haven't done these for awhile. First up, a bit of a wordle...


and

i have two.

i'm so glad April is OVER!
(lost the house, car got banged in parking lot, er/hospital visit...yeah, i'm glad the month is gone. may has to be AWESOME after all this.)

and:

reminding the weather: it's APRIL showers!!

yep, it's raining cats, dogs, chickens, etc in nashville today
i've gotten out in it once--to teach a voice lesson this morning. i have another voice lesson to teach late this afternoon. and this in-between rainy, thundery day? i'm parked on my couch with the remote in one hand, computer on lap, and a cup of coffee next to me.
it's a good day for all that.

bummer too, because cheekwood, one of my favorite nashville spots, is free today. however, i hardly think "botanical gardens" and "torrential rain" is really a good mix...so i'll suck it up and pay the admission on a pretty day soon!

emi is sacked out on the bed, i'm feeling rather snoozy myself...considering the earlier events of the week...this may just be the perfect way to spend my day after all.

:)

Monday's Memory: The One With Fire On My Board

See this girl?

Young, skinny, cute haircut...

I was her once.

She was also a baby teacher (although the highest compliment she may have ever received from her co-workers was that she came in a veteran teacher). She loved her job passionately, and dreamed that all her students would succeed.
And sometimes they succeeded in driving her absolutely mad.

One class in particular that first year was dubbed "the class from hell". We, as teachers, have one of those every few years, more frequently if we are blessed to be in inner city or metropolitan areas. And mine was my 6th period 6th grade choir. To add insult to injury, I also had to oversee this class's dismissal procedure so I was given approximately 15 extra minutes with them every day.

Lucky me.

One afternoon as I was standing at my door one of those students came to me. She was among the last to be dismissed, and quite frankly I was ready for her bus to be called so that I could just get some peace and quiet! This was not to be had for a few moments though. The following conversation ensued:

Student: (tentatively)
"Miss B? Um...someone said something really mean about you."

Me: (trying not to show that I really have no interest in this topic of conversation...after all if I'm worried about what a 6th grader is going to say about me I've got bigger problems anyway.)
"Oh yeah?"

Student: "Yeah, they did." (pauses, looking down. then brightens as she says) "I can't tell you who it was but I can tell you what they said!"

Me: (stifling a yawn and resisting the urge to check down the hall to see if anyone had let students go for late bus line-up yet)
"Ok..."

Student: (with exaggerated pauses)
"Well, she SAID...'If she's teaching our class...then who's running Hell?"

Me: (trying oh-so-hard not to burst out laughing)
"Ah"

Intercom: (calls students on her bus)

Me: (running down the hall to the other teachers in the 8th grade wing)
"You guys are gonna LOVE this!"

Now, after telling the story most people probably would have thought little of it.
However, I have a little sadistic streak.
(after all, I did teach middle school)

You see, I knew exactly who had said it (not hard to narrow down as she was the chief troublemaker in the class) and I knew I could make her squirm.

So the next day in the 8th grade reading class I was teaching (don't get me started on how I was given that class and a 7th grade one as an afterthought and had to figure out how in the world to teach reading when I was still trying to figure out how to teach music! and especially don't get me started on how I loved teaching those 2 classes so much that I'm still considering getting a Master's in Language Arts just so I can do it all day...)

Anyway, in the 8th grade reading class I was teaching I approached the boy who always sat in the corner doodling and consequently had about 3 grades out of the 10 he needed. And I said

"Manuel, how would you like to get full credit for xxx assignment even though you didn't turn it in?"

Naturally, he was intrigued. And asked how that was possible.

"Can you draw fire?
"Sure Ms. B"
"Can you draw it on my board?"
"Sure"
"All right. Take the whole period if you like. Fill it up."

This did raise a lot of questions as I tried to teach class and he cheerfully drew flames on the board behind me. So at the end of the period I let the 8th graders in on the joke. They apparently are as sadistic as I am and thought it a wonderful plan.

My 6th graders came in the door as the reading class exited and we began business as usual. Funny looks exchanged all around, but no one dared open their mouth about it.

We went through warm-ups and had even sang a song before a brave soul finally raised her hand. (which was an accomplishment in and of itself with this particular class, believe me!)

"Um, Ms. B? Why is there...fire on your board?"

Without missing a beat, I simply replied

"Oh that? Well, I thought I'd multi-task today and do both my jobs at once."

As the culprit sank in her seat with cheeks as red as the flames on the board, we continued on singing. Most of the students didn't understand what I had said, but I only needed her to. I didn't have to yell, pull her aside, or embarrass her at all to get my point across. It just took a little creativity. And you know what? She didn't give me any trouble for the rest of the year.

Guess that young teacher wasn't so naive after all.

Monday's Memory: The One With Air Force One

I live really close to the airport in Nashville, and the school I taught at was just a few minutes from my house. One of the teachers on my team, Mr O, owns his own Cessna...so he naturally knows the flight paths in town.

We knew the President was coming into town that day (this was when George W Bush was in office) but since that was a fairly regular occurrence didn't really think much of it. Until Mr O came to my room during our planning time first period and told me a bit of insider intell. Apparently, the runway normally used for Air Force One was being repaired, so they would have to come in on the flight path directly above our football field!

So long story short, we let the kids watch the President come into town. I got a few pictures, although my camera at the time didn't quite have the zoom that I'm now used to!