You’ve gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely....

Well, now, here I am, and please excuse my absence. We are all adjusting to our fall schedules that look the same every day, basically with little new or exciting thing to post. We do LOVE our new rolls, but they do leave me brain dead by the end of the day. I miss my playdates, laundry hanging, bread baking, and back yard schooling. However, I really, really love being a teacher again.

I feel like my experience as a homeschooler has deeply affected my attitude about learning, teaching, and education- for the better. I now have a deep respect for the individual learner, whereas before, that respect was just an idea that I did not know how to activate in the classroom. I have become more lenient and seek intently to discover where the child is in their learning progression and build from there. I realize the idiocy of trying to make sure that every child must know the same thing in the same way to recognize results. I realize that these young people 11-13 year olds are cooped up in a cement building for 8 hours a day with little more than seconds to whisper to friends, run around, or even breath fresh air. I understand, more than just theoretically, that taking away things that their bodies physically needs (friendship, movement, imagination, and fresh air-let alone freedom of choice and ownership) can be devastating to their ability to learn. I am positive that each child I teach has parents that not only know their child best, but also that 99.9% of parents are extremely concerned about what and how their child learns. I know how far a child can soar with one- on- one attention and instruction and the ability to learn at their own pace rather than by Friday at 3 PM. I am learning new lessons every.day. about kids and myself and teaching and learning. This is a journey that I relish, and I am able to approach this year more confidently than I ever have before. I am also more calm, more willing to listen to my students and their parents. I am less likely to freak out when my lesson plan doesn't get executed perfectly. My paradigm has shifted and it is no longer "my" classroom, but theirs, and I am just a steward of the students' classroom. I am there to support and encourage, not to run the show - my way of the highway.

By the way, this approach is not one that I was taught in teacher school. "They" emphasize in teacher school to come out strong and hard, to lay down the rules, and take charge immediately. But this year, I didn't. This year, I started with kindness, fairness, and lots of opportunities for the kids to be themselves. I sprinkled that with fun, games, music, and hid enough Spanish language to allow them to ask for more. The students are kind back, they are asking questions, they have positive attitudes, and so far they are learning and speaking Spanish.

Love it.

O-Ray's first concert!

We think it's monumental! Evan and I have been wanting to take him to hear live music for the longest time, and last night was finally the perfect opportunity. We left Eli with Shug, and headed to downtown Nashville, sat under a full moon and jammed to Donna the Buffalo. There were several other families, lots of dancing, a glistening river, and one happy little boy. He stayed out on the town til 10PM!! He said several things that cracked me up. When the band struck up the first song, he exclaimed almost immediately, "we have this song at home!" He also looked around with amazement and decided, "this is like a festival!" And, last, but not least as we sat cozily as a family, he said, "look, my feet are dancing!"

I think the theme for the summer will be "packing it in" as I revel in the perk of being a teacher. Yesterday we also went to the local art museum, the Frist. Today was a pool party with some fellow teachers, tomorrow an ice cream festival, picking up my yummy veggies, and Cirque de soliel! House work and unpacking be damned!

Headed for dog days..

Yeah! Summer is here. The best time in the world if your a teacher! I am really digging being home with the boys. The house is coming along great, and we still love every minute of it.
A wet swimsuit with a bike, and O-Ray is off!

Quick Update

I know that I am majorly slacking as a blogger, but I will post pictures and stories soon. I have had "update blog" on my to-do list all weekend. Evan and I are actively looking for a house, and we may have found one, so that is absorbing much of my time. I am also applying for jobs around and about, and all of this has put me a step behind.

I feel so very busy most of the time. In a regular day, to stay healthy and happy one is supposed to do 10 billion things. Floss, read, knit, exercise, work full-time, spend quality time reading to the kids, cook wonderful wholesome meals, work-out, keep up the paper work, clean the house, keep your friends, feed the dog, and for goodness sakes, I am out of breathe, so that's my excuse. Snow IS in the forecast, and I AM counting on having a day off this week to post some cutesie pics of the little ones. Love to all.

Squash and Mary Poppins

So the youngest one finally had a mouthful of something other than breast milk and oatmeal this weekend, and all went really well. I believe that he thoroughly enjoyed it. We are moving into a new age, and I can only imagine how messy life is with two eaters under 3. I used to have such a neat, clean house, and at some point, I am going to have to give it up. Most days though, I rest easier when the dry, caked squash has been scraped off the sides of the chairs at least.

Mary Poppins was on tonight, and though we don't advocate TV for the younglings, and we always mute the commercials at least, in the spirit of the holiday classics, we let the 2 year old watch about 1/4 of it. We caught the "it takes a spoonful of sugar" routine which I am going to try on my high school students tomorrow. I am planning now how I can sugar coat the reality of exams in the teanage mind.