It Doesn't Add Up...But it May Soon

Okay, Here's My Deal...

I have taught for 18 years. I have almost every range of abilities in my charge over this time. The last few have been primarily with gifted ed kids and the advanced math kids. I am highly frustrated right now with my particular group of seventh graders who are taking the eighth grade math curriculum. So much so that in my planner the other day I wrote, "AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!" in giant letters. I have tried in as many different ways that I can think of to teach this particular concept and even today, the day before the test as we reviewed, they looked at me like I had lobsters coming out of my ears. So, I thought I would talk to my principal. I am glad I did because it reaffirmed to me that I am doing the best I can with what I have been given and it is hindering me professionally.

He told me that from his first year here that he has not liked my program--not me or my content or what I am trying to...he has nothing but wonderful things to say about those things--but it is the fact that how it operates now, as a pull-out program, is simply not working and is not as effective or affective as it could be. He said he has told the district TAG person that he has this wonderful teacher in a progam that runs hot and cold at best due to scheduling and facility contraints and just feels that a change is in order. So, we are starting to look at ways to revamp the whole deal.

Co-Teaching is most likely what will happen and I am all for that. I would be paired with several regualr ed teachers and would be in their classrooms serving not only the identified gifted kids (who would be cluster grouped) but all kids in the classroom by helping the other teacher tier, compact, differentiate the curriculum. I am ready for a change.

The Bed Brothers

Okay, Here's My Deal...

The cutest thing has happened in our home the past two mornings. Once the youngest (22 months now) is awake and out of his room, he has gone straight to his brother's (will be 5 in May) room, climbed up into the bed and snuggled under the covers! Yesterday, he did this and just layed there watching TV. This morning, he tried to "talk" his brother awake, then gave up and flopped over to watch the TV. I think that slowly but surely the brotehr bond is starting to form. There are still times when the oldest gets crabby about his space and privacy, but he is starting to be more tolerant. That is just awesome in my book.

You Have the Right to Remain SILENT

Okay, Here's My Deal...

I was brushing my hair this morning when I heard the doorbell ring and then knocking. My husband answered the door to find the police there. "We got a 911 call from this residence and now the phone is off the hook." Come to find out our youngest had been in the bedroom and had been on the phone. My husband assured him everything was okay and he just told us to make sure we keep an eye on him. Earlier in the morning he had gotten my husband's cell phone nad called my mother-in-law. So, it is just after noon and we have quite the amount of excitement in our home.

iPenguin

Okay, Here's My Deal...

Well, I have now joined the i-generation--I got an iPod. Just a little Shuffle. It is the color of my heading above. I have bought three albums for it:

• Petra, No Doubt
• Geoff Moore, Evolution
• Bryan Duncan, Mercy

The next one I get will most likely be Todd Agnew or Steven Curtis Chapman. I used it the other day when I went to school and got some things done I had been neglecting. It really did help make time fly.

Eggs, Eggs, Who's Got the Eggs?!

Okay, Here's My Deal...

I am on Facebook. I just love the Pieces of Flair application. The flair are like the buttons Jennifer Aniston's character wore on her vest in the movie Office Space. Well, I am addicted to it. However, I have found a new Facebook addiction. It is called Hatchlings...I guess it used to be called the World Wide Easter Egg Hunt. Anyway, it explains why I have not updated on here forever. Been hunting eggs. Lots of eggs. Got 1726.

My graphic is an actual image from the game. See, you have a nest of grass and every so often a decorated egg appears. If you click on it, it goes into your basket. If your friends also have nests, you can collect from them or from various Facebook pages. Once you collect an egg, you have three options: (a) incubate it--then it turns into a hatchling like the penguin on here or another cute things (b) feed it to any hatchlings you already have (c) give it to a friend. Sometimes the eggs are "special" or "rare". Some of those are hatchable, some are not.

As I explained the game to my brother (who called me a bum for not updating sooner...I accept that.) he said that I needed help and as I explained more he said it was not helping my case against hospitalization...okay, sure, I also accept that. But, hey, as I said, I am at home, not putting weird chemicals into my body, am not spending money--so I could have worse deals. I know it is strange, I own that.

Better go...there are eggs to be found.

Oooooh the Colors...

Okay, Here's My Deal...

My cell phone is disabled. Oh, I cna still make and received calls, but the screen is psychedelic funky colors and I can't read it at all. How, pray tell, did this happen? Yeah, I'm a dork.

Evidently, when it was in my coat pocket, I shut it in the sliding door of the van. I knew I shut somehting in it, but I assumed it was one of the boy's toys. Yeah, no, it was the phone...dumba$$.

Stop the World--I Want to Get Off

Okay, Here's My Deal...

"I'm so dizzy my head is spinnin'...like whirlpool it never ends...I'm so dizzy..."

That is part of a song by Tommy Roe, circa 1969. Before my time, but something you still occasionally hear on the radio. Anyway, that is how I feel. Everything is spinning. I am dizzy. Stop the world, I want to get off.

My mom is having health issues. My brother and SIL have some issues going on in their lives. My husband is having issues related to the fall (including his head smacking the cement...twice) he took at work. My youngest has been throwing up for the last few hours and is now in the dry heave stage. My oldest threw such a temper tantrum tonight we were afraid he'd hurt his hands from pounding htem on the floor so hard. My study hall is insanely out of control.

Blah blah blaaaauuuugggghhhh!!!!!!

No Witty Title Tonight

Okay, Here's My Deal...

This is how I feel. Too much going on right now. My head is numb. Bleh.