Unraveling This Life

A little bit of this . . . a whole lot of that . . . and just a pinch of sparkle

Posts from the “School” Category

My Party (3:30)

Posted on November 3, 2014

When you are fortunate to go to work at a job that you truly love, it makes all the difference in the world. I guess I’m fortunate . . . being a teacher is pretty much the bee’s knees for me. I love the way my kids looks when they “get” something. The ways that they change from day to day and, let’s face it, from hour to hour. I love the look of recognition that occurs when they are taking on the role of teacher. There’s not a lot that I wouldn’t do for them. Need some extra help? We can arrange that. Wanna play Wii at lunch? Sure . . . I gotcha. Just feel like telling me how confusing seventh grade is?…

Categories: Gratitude, School, Teaching

Shake It Off

Posted on August 29, 2014

When I was in the seventh grade, it was a fairly traumatic time for me. The company my father had worked for during the previous decade was in the process of shutting down its local plant. Some of the men and women who worked there would be transferred to another location, but most of them would be out of a job. Our family started to making “what if” plans that included my father returning to school to become a veterinarian. Near the end of the third marking period, my mother showed up with my brother and a smile on her face. Dad was being transferred to the plan in Ohio – YAY! Which meant moving and starting a new school – BOO! To a…

Categories: Running, School, The Girls

Rain In the Summertime

Posted on August 1, 2014

August 1 is my traditional cut date. Come the first day of August, I begin switching to “teacher mode” because something about the word August brings back the memories of back-to-school shopping and getting ready for the first day of school. I’m chalking it up to a Mid-Western upbringing where you started school well before Labor Day (and you got out before Memorial Day, but who’s counting). But this year, I’m letting the first of August come and go without really thinking about school. We got out of school later than normal thanks to the polar freaking vortex and god knows knows how many snow days, so June was virtually over before the doors of school closed for the previous school year. And even…

Categories: School, Teaching, Technology

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The Cutter

Posted on February 11, 2014

I couldn’t tell you the first time I used a computer. Maybe as a 9-year-old at my cousin’s house when we were playing artillery? It was on a cassette tape and you had to get the green blip aligned just so . . . maddening. Fast forward about 35 years. How I got to an educational conference is beyond me. Cassette tapes don’t exist for most people. Ask one of my students what they are, and chances are they won’t be able to tell you. But today? Using technology as an equalizer. Teaching kids SCRATCH. Utilizing MMOs in your class. What. The. Hell. Cassette tapes…might as well be speaking in Greek. The keynote speaker, Dean Shareski, left us with this thought: How often do…

Categories: Gratitude, School, Writing

Instant Crush

Posted on June 4, 2013

Every school year, our grade visits Knoebles Grove Amusement Park. This year, I didn’t want to go but went anyway. As always, the food is awesome, and the bumper cars are the best…even if I got my bell rung by a student. Totally worth it. Here’s the photos from the day. And yes, I graded essays.

Categories: School, Summer

I Love It

Posted on May 10, 2013

Two weeks ago – yup, I planned ahead – I was fortunate enough to chaperone a school trip to New York City for a visit to the Central Park Zoo and a matinee of Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark. I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, I’m extremely grateful to work in a district that values technology and goes the extra mile for our students when it comes to teaching them the skills necessary to navigate a digital world. Plus, we live very close to New York City, so the occasional trip can be swung for our web page design group and television broadcast team. I went with the television broadcast team back in November to view a taping of…

Categories: 10 On 10, School, Travels

The Good Kind

Posted on March 24, 2013

A few weeks ago I chaperoned our school’s webpage design class for the regional computer fair. Our district has remained rather steadfast in its commitment to technology, and our students are the chief beneficiaries. The students I was with are chosen to participate in a class that focuses on various computer applications, programs, and design, but the students in our district have access to different types of technology throughout their academic career. At the computer fair, the webpage design class took five out of the six first place awards as well as the majority of the second and third place awards to boot. By far and away the most impressive award was a first place win for the mobile app game that one young…

Categories: Lucy, Pets, School

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Ain’t Got So Far To Go

Posted on July 11, 2012

It rained today. Shocking, right? For most of my family, they’ve seen enough rain to last them three summers, but we’ve been missing it here in our part of Pennsylvania. But today. Today, it rained. Not a lot . . . certainly not enough to make the grass turn all green and verdant. But enough. Seems like summer keeps moving faster and faster, whether it rains or not. There’s no slowing down the next six weeks and no denying that I’ll have to eventually come to grips with a new school year and all that it brings. If only the rain would wash away this damn impetigo on my ear (what self-respecting 42-year-old gets fucking impetigo?), I’d be out there puddle jumping instead of…

Categories: School, Summer

Red Rain

Posted on June 3, 2012

Dear Little One, When you’re born, everyone will “Oooh” and “Aaah” over your every move. It’s kinda like that when you’re a baby … you’re incredibly cute and you smell good and people make a big deal over you because you are a big deal. And you’ll be loved. How do I know this? Because I know your momma. Trust me on this one. Things you should know before you make your grand debut. – your parents are teachers, which means people think they make a ton of money for little work. Nothing could be further from the truth. They teach because they believe in it. They see the good in all kids, and they make a difference. – you better like soccer. Since…

Categories: Knitting, School

40 Day Dream

Posted on May 3, 2012

This past winter was a little on the crazy side. Not crazy in the amount of snow that we received. Crazy for the amount that we didn’t receive. As in none save for that freak snow storm in October that took out a few tree limbs and ripped out part of our fence. No snow means no snow days. But when you’re a teacher who doesn’t particularly care for snow days, it all seemed okay and hunky-dory. Well, smack my ass and call me Sally if it doesn’t kinda bite a little right now. Last year, I’d be looking at about 30 more days of school. Have had little breaks here and there from my students (and let’s face it, them from me). Feeling…

Categories: School