tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12895791415705513532024-02-08T01:18:44.327-05:00Reflections of a Frazzled TeacherUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-76885218593907203522015-09-14T22:44:00.001-04:002015-09-14T22:44:17.067-04:00Go Set A Watchman: ReviewHarper Lee's second novel, <i>Go Set a Watchman,</i> was one of the most highly-anticipated novels of 2015. Her compelling first novel, <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> is a standard in most English curricula across the world, and it has been named by many as a life-changing work of literature. While many remember the trial of Tom Robinson as the most compelling episode in the novel, it is in reality a coming-of-age story, not just for Scout Finch, but also of her brother, Jem. It's also a revealing look into small-town, Southern America. Memorable characters such as Jem and Scout's Aunt Alexandra, Boo Radley, Walter Cunningham, Dill Harris, and Mrs. Rachel Dubose populate this small town with their quirks, virtues, and foibles. Through her experiences, Scout encounters many realities of life and begins to understand the ways of the world.<br />
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<i>Go Set a Watchman</i> may be another novel about Jean Louise (Scout) Finch, but it is far from a sequel of <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i>. In <i>Watchman</i>, Jean Louise, now age 26, has returned to Maycomb, Alabama for a short visit--she's been living in New York City for the last 5 years. She's been dating, long-distance, Henry (Hank) Clinton, who is working as a lawyer in her father's office. The novel details her reconnection with the community and people of her home town. It is the early years of the Civil Rights movement, and Jean Louise feels the tension of the age.<br />
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On a literary level, <i>Watchman </i>does not even read like a sequel to <i>Mockingbird</i>. The cadence and beauty of the language in the first novel is absent from the second. Scout's story in <i>Mockingbird</i> is told in first-person, allowing the reader to more fully identify with Scout as she navigates her childhood. Even though the first-person narrator is an older Scout reflecting on her childhood, you still see Scout's world through childlike, innocent eyes. The Jean Louise of the novel does not seem to be a grown-up Scout Finch from <i>Mockingbird</i>. <br />
<br />
<i>Watchman</i> is told in third-person, albeit from Jean Louise's perspective. This narrative choice separated me as a reader from Jean Louise and I did not feel the same emotional connection to her. Another result of this narrative choice is that it made the novel seem to have been written by someone other than Harper Lee herself; as if someone else was attempting to write in Lee's style and yet failing to quite hit the mark.<br />
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The story itself was appealing, but it did not have the same intensity or personality as <i>Mockingbird</i>. The charm of <i>Mockingbird</i> was the portrait of a small, Southern town filled with unique personality. The Maycomb of <i>Watchman</i> is devoid of this charm. There are several flashbacks of Scout's childhood escapades with Dill, Jem, and others. While these scenes were charming and engaging, reminding me of similar scenes in <i>Mockingbird</i>, they did not do much to redeem the rest of the novel's shortcomings.<br />
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I am not going to share any spoilers, but there were several characters from <i>Mockingbird</i> whose absence in <i>Watchman </i>was significant. These characters' absence wasn't sufficiently explained, and this left a lot unresolved in my mind.<br />
<br />
Even if you haven't yet read <i>Watchman</i>, you may have heard that there is a shocking revelation about Atticus Finch at the climax of the novel. This shocking revelation was not what I anticipated: my thought was that Atticus had a long-term relationship with Calpurnia, and that some of Calpurnia's children were Jem and Scout's half-siblings. This is not the case; I will only reveal that the revelation in the novel was a letdown compared to what I had anticipated. In fact, I had to go back and reread the scene to really fully understand how "shocking" it was.<br />
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I am not disappointed that I read <i>Go Set a Watchman</i>. I entered reading it knowing that it would not be <i>To Kill a Mockingbird, Part II</i>. I did not expect it to live up to the beauty and intensity of <i>Mockingbird</i>. If you loved <i>Mockingbird</i>, read <i>Watchman</i>. Read it for what it is: another novel about Jean Louise Finch, age 26. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-57938636094909470712015-07-14T14:54:00.003-04:002015-07-14T14:54:51.992-04:00Who knows education best?Recently I have been following a thread on Facebook about a "Common Core" math problem. Somebody shared <a href="http://diply.com/inked-mag/parent-letter-child-common-core/154374">this link</a> on their timeline. Usually I know better than to look at the comments, but they had a train-wreck type of fascination for me. The original article itself misunderstands the concept of the Common Core, or any kind of educational standard. <br />
<br />
In the article on Diply, the main commentary is, "For starters, it lumps kids together by their age, determining what they
should know by the end of each grade, and doesn't take into account the
fact that everybody learns differently and excels in different areas.
Common Core teaches to a test, and if kids don't pass that test, they
are usually held back, and made to feel inferior- which is totally,
absolutely absurd."<br />
<br />
Academic standards of any kind are simply guidelines for the scope and sequence of skills in any academic area. <a href="http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/">The Common Core's web site</a> itself states that the standards' purpose is to, "provide clear and consistent learning goals to help prepare students for college, career, and life." In our increasingly mobile world, having a relatively standardized set of learning goals makes sense. <br />
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The Common Core standards are not intended as instructional methods or curriculum. They are simply guidelines for what to teach and when. Good schools and teachers will take these standards and use the instructional methods best suited to their teaching styles and the learning styles of their students. Most of the critics on this Facebook thread did not seem to understand the purpose of Common Core. Many of them seemed to think that "Common Core" is a way of teaching rather than academic standards.<br />
<br />
Of course, many of the critics discounted the Common Core because the instructional methodology used to achieve the standards differs from their own experience as students. This led me to thinking about the reason so many people outside the field of education seem to think they know so much more about teaching than teachers.<br />
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I believe that the main reason so many people have this attitude is because everyone has been inside a classroom as a student. This means that they believe they know how teaching "should" work. The problem is that, to borrow a bad metaphor, teaching is like an iceberg. What you see in the classroom is only a small part of the picture. No one sees the research and planning behind the lessons. No one sees the assessment that happens during and after the lesson has been administered. No one sees the modifications made in order to ensure that mastery is achieved. <br />
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I like the idea of standards. I need to know what concepts need to be taught and when they should be taught. I need to know what skills and knowledge my students will need when they leave my classroom for other educational ventures. <br />
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Let's take a look at one of the standards. In the Reading strand of the English Language Arts standards, students should be able to <b>"determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.</b>"<br />
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To translate this to non-pedagogical language: students should be able to read a text, figure out its main idea and how the main idea is developed by looking at the details in the text, and ultimately state the main idea in their own words. The last time I checked, this is the main goal for reading anything. You read the words to determine the message the author is presenting. You use the details the author shares in order to figure out that message. I believe that this is a skill that is absolutely necessary in all aspects of life. If I want to understand the directions for using a new appliance, if I want to understand the fine print of a credit agreement, if I want to know the main point of anything I read, I need to be able to do this. I need to ensure that my students can do this, so they can be successful in a career or college. This standard is essential knowledge for life.<br />
<br />
I suspect that many of the critics in this thread do not even know what the standards are. If they read them, they will understand exactly what the purpose of the standards are. They will understand that essentially the standards are skills students should have in order to progress academically. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-18287773859197510482015-07-09T13:38:00.002-04:002015-07-09T13:38:39.740-04:00Inspirations from a Fitness InstructorI have to admit that I am generally a lazy person. I do not like to do heavy-duty housework or yard work (although I will do yard work more willingly than housework.) I don't like to exercise. The main reason is that I don't like to get sweaty and nasty. Unfortunately, this laziness does nothing for my health. My high blood pressure, diabetes, and general health should improve with the addition of exercise and healthier eating habits. As a teacher, I have a very stressful job, and living a healthier lifestyle contributes to stress reduction.<br />
<br />
So, several years ago, my mom and I decided that we needed to add some exercise into our lives. Given that both of us don't particularly enjoy exercise, and that we don't really like to get all sweaty and nasty, we decided that water fitness classes would be ideal. It's lower impact, yet a good cardio workout at the same time. <br />
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We found a place that offered classes at a reasonable price, and attended those classes regularly for about three years. Then we had to locate another place for classes, because that place closed. We joined a ladies-only health club and discovered Aqua Zumba. Aqua Zumba modifies "classic" Zumba routines to the water. When the Aqua Zumba instructor opened her own fitness studio, and then the health club closed, I had to find another option. So I followed my Aqua Zumba instructor to her studio and now regularly participate in two other Zumba variations: Zumba Gold and Zumba Toning. Unlike "classic" Zumba, Zumba Gold is designed for people who require lower-impact exercise. It's ideal for someone who is clumsy like me. In Zumba Gold, there's less jumping, hopping, and twisting, and the routines aren't quite as fast either. Zumba Toning uses weight sticks, and again there's no hopping or jumping allowed because of the weights. Also because of the weights, there isn't as much traveling or twisting. Like I said, both of these are perfect for someone like me who can easily trip over her own bare feet.<br />
<br />
So what's the point here? I will repeat that before I started water fitness all those years ago, I HATED exercise and simply didn't exercise. Now, I am really motivated to attend classes and I'm disappointed when I am unable to attend for any reason. I actually look forward to my Zumba Gold or Zumba Toning classes. Not only have I improved my health by exercising more, I have learned some behaviors I can apply to my own classroom teaching.<br />
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<b>First, she always seems to genuinely enjoy what she's doing.</b> My Zumba instructor always has a smile on her face, even if she's feeling under the weather. She finds ways to make us smile when we're in the middle of the workout. She makes working out fun, and I actually WANT to do it. She's a regular person like the rest of us, and I imagine she has days when she feels down and grumpy. She never takes this out on our class: she is always friendly and pleasant. This motivates me in my own classroom to try and find ways to get my students to enjoy our classroom materials.<br />
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<b>She notices us as individuals and encourages us individually. </b>In Zumba Toning, there are two weight sticks available: 1.5 and 2.5 pound sticks. After I had been using the lighter sticks for a while, she told me individually I should try the heavier sticks for some of the routines. She's also specifically encouraged me in other ways. I have noticed her do this with other classmates as well. She doesn't say something every day, and sometimes her individual encouragement just includes eye contact and a smile. Those little pieces of encouragement also motivate me to try harder and keep committed to my exercise. People like to be noticed for their accomplishments.<br />
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<b>She has a routine and procedure for certain parts of the workout.</b> Each Zumba Gold and Toning routine includes warmup and cooldown. The moves and sequence for each of these parts are always the same. She changes the music for those parts of the routine, but it's still predictable. It provides a level of comfort and confidence.<br />
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<b>She introduces variety and allows for individual differences. </b>Each hour of Zumba consists of 6-8 different routines set to different styles of music. The music for these routines varies from hip-hop, 70s disco music, retro dance music, Bollywood-style...you name it, there's a music style with each routine. Some of the music is specifically made for Zumba routines, some of it is pop music from all decades. Of course, the moves with each song match the music style. Every 8 weeks or so, she replaces half of the songs with new ones.<br />
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Sometimes I can't coordinate my hands and feet, and can get frustrated in the workout. When she notices that class members are struggling with moves, she shows us alternate ways to effectively perform them. We even have some Zumba Gold class members who can use a chair for their workouts, to decrease the impact of the moves. She knows it's important for us to keep moving and to enjoy our workout.<br />
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If we are doing the moves wrong in such a way that could cause injury or not exercise the parts of the body she's targeting, she will correct us. She always takes the time to show us, and she's even stopped the workout to give us that proper instruction.<br />
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Motivation is really important for classroom instructors as well as for fitness instructors. Ensuring that students are motivated will increase the likelihood that they will be more successful and take responsibility for their own success. I have been trying a lot to use the inspiration of my fitness instructor as I encounter my students every day. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-85118051987934400092014-06-10T10:45:00.002-04:002014-06-10T10:45:25.175-04:00The Fault in Our Stars<span style="color: purple;">“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical
zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be
put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”
<br /> ―
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1406384.John_Green">John Green</a>,
<i>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/16827462">The Fault in Our Stars</a>"</i></span><br />
<br />
When you teach English Language Arts to high school students, you become accustomed to the fact that your audience is not always as enthusiastic about books and language as you are. Therefore, when even non-readers are enthused about a book, you take notice. Such was the case for me with the much-maligned and praised <i>Twilight </i>series, <i>The Hunger Games</i> and <i>Divergent</i> series, and this recent novel, <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> by John Green. I make it a point to read these books, because if my students are interested in something, I want to know why.<br />
<br />
My first summer adventure in reading did not disappoint. The above quotation from the novel sums up a reader's dilemma. A true reader will encounter books that move them to that point of "evangelical zeal", but what to do with that zeal? A reader who encounters such a book runs the risk of recommending the book to someone who does not eventually share that enthusiasm, which then disappoints the reader.<br />
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<i>The Fault in our Stars</i> is such a book for me. It has been a long time since I have found a book that I could easily have stayed up all night to finish. <br />
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A teenage romance whose principal characters are cancer patients. A novel about cancer patients that presents the feelings of cancer patients in a realistic manner. A novel about teenagers that captures their insecurities, mannerisms, and strengths.<br />
<br />
Hazel often comments about the "typical" cancer kid story: the child battles bravely, never complaining in spite of the suffering the treatments cause, and so on. But neither Hazel, Augustus, nor Isaac (all members of the Cancer Kid Support Group) can always be described this way. Hazel does not seem to want to be viewed this way. She says to her parents, “I'm a grenade and at some point I'm going to blow up and I would like to minimize the casualties, okay?” <br />
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Augustus is similarly realistic about his diagnosis: '“Some wars," he said dismissively. "What am I at war with? My cancer.
And what is my cancer? My cancer is me. The tumors are made of me.
They're made of me as surely as my brain and my heart is made of me. It
is a civil war, Hazel Grace, with a predetermined winner."' The honesty with which Hazel and Augustus's romance is portrayed makes the overall story that much more poignant. Having watched someone die of cancer, I could appreciate more what he went through.<br />
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It is tragic when someone suffers from a terminal disease, and the tragedy is magnified when that someone is young. It is obvious that young people like Hazel and Augustus can't experience life in the same way that those without terminal illness can. The most striking element of this novel was that Augustus, Hazel, and Isaac were "regular" teenagers, with one minor difference: they had cancer. Hazel and Augustus experience a "typical" high school romance with the added complication of cancer. Isaac experiences a horrible breakup in light of a second surgery for his recurrence of cancer. He's broken by his girlfriend leaving him AND by the recurrence of his cancer (which has made him completely blind).<br />
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On the back of my copy of the novel, the novel is described as "insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw". Whether you have lived with childhood (or any kind) cancer or not, you will gain an understanding of the disease and how it affects everyone involved in the "fight."<br />
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Finally, a significant insight I gained from this novel, in the words of Hazel:<br />
<br />
"According to the conventions of the genre, Augustus Waters kept his
sense of humor till the end, did not for a moment waiver in his courage,
and his spirit soared like an indomitable eagle until the world itself
could not contain his joyous soul."<br />
<br />But this is the truth, a
pitiful boy who desperately wanted not to be pitiful, screaming and
crying, poisoned by an infected G-tube that kept him alive, but not
alive enough."<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-15262887035405887482014-03-30T11:57:00.001-04:002014-03-30T11:57:31.181-04:00It's the Rule, OK?Last week a story went viral, which is nothing new. The outrage was typical. A school SUSPENDED a young girl who shaved her head to show support for a friend with cancer. Kamryn Renfro's suspension was eventually overturned, but not after my Facebook feed exploded with outrage about the incident. How DARE that SCHOOL kick out such an innocent, lovely young girl whose intent was only to show care and concern for a sick friend!<br />
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Even <a href="http://www.today.com/news/todays-takeaway-girl-who-shaved-head-friend-makes-mother-proud-2D79454018">The Today Show</a> got into the mix. A <a href="https://www.google.com/#newwindow=1&q=Kamryn+Renfro&safe=active">Google Search</a> will provide a wealth of links about the story.<br />
<br />
As a classroom teacher, though, I feel the need to come to the school's defense. It's not that I don't support Kamryn's motives. I do. Her friend, Delaney Clements, even said that it really helped her to cope with the treatments and disease, knowing her good friend was willing to take a step such as that. I can imagine that for Kamryn it is a way to deal with the very scary reality of her friend's illness. <br />
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But...the school had a clear policy about hairstyles. It WAS against the rules for Kamryn to shave her head. I get the impression that Kamryn and her parents took the step of shaving her head and then sent her to school on Monday morning. This immediately put the school into the position of being the bad guy. They HAD to enforce the rule when confronted with a student breaking the rule. <br />
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Schools do not perfectly create or enforce rules. (Zero tolerance policies come to mind.) Consistency is very important when it comes to rules and policies.<br />
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In my classroom and with the students at my school, I do my best to be as consistent as possible. This means that if I notice anyone, and I mean ANYONE, who is in violation of a rule, I will enforce it. Even if it is 3:00 PM, and that student has been in violation of dress code all day and no one else has done anything about it. <br />
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I do not notice every dress code violator, and if they never cross my path I cannot notice it. But I believe it is my obligation to uphold and enforce the rules as consistently as possible. Whether it's the principal's kid or the detention-every-second kid, a rule is a rule is a rule. <br />
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Kamryn's family could have contacted the school when they made the decision and asked for an exception. Based on what I've read, the school does make allowances for special circumstances. I can't imagine that an administrator would have said "No" to such a request. I could even foresee that some kind of fundraiser or event could have been set up for the whole school. <br />
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Please don't get me wrong. I love the gesture Kamryn made, and commend her for it. It's a small tribute to the love she has for her friend Delaney. I just think that the hullabaloo could have been avoided if she and her family had gone to the school ahead of time. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-30207599833275572622014-01-15T21:33:00.001-05:002014-01-15T21:33:30.389-05:00So When Does it Become Gossip?Recent events have led me into some musings. <br />
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Well, I muse a lot. Sometimes those musings solidify into blog posts. This is going to be one of them.<br />
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On Monday I received some terrible news, via one of my former students who is my friend on Facebook. The news was about the tragic death of one of her classmates, another former student. She asked me to let my mother know, because my mother was also her teacher. Of course there are still some of my colleagues who knew this young lady, so I asked one of the girls if she thought I should let some of them know (privately, of course). <br />
<br />
Not long after she messaged me, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed
and two other former students and her classmates also posted the news,
albeit without naming names. Then I received two private messages about the tragic loss from two other girls in her class. My mother posted in her status about the loss, again without naming names. Some others messaged me privately asking for names, and since it was a private message I responded. I also sent an email to the colleagues of mine who knew this young girl.<br />
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There were some circumstances surrounding her death, revealed to me by her close friends, that I shared with my mother and my colleagues. I did share these details with some of those who privately messaged me, but not to others.<br />
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On Tuesday, the name of the former student went public on Facebook among the various circles of friends. I have not yet seen any public postings about the circumstances, and I personally do not intend to share that detail in public.<br />
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Which leads me to my musings. The beauty of social media such as Facebook is that it allows people to connect with each other quickly and efficiently. We can offer support, criticism, and news to a wide circle of individuals. <br />
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Hence my question in the title...when does this sharing turn the corner and become gossip? Is gossip in the intent of the reporter? Does news become gossip if the recipient takes it as such? Has social media made it easier to gossip or is it just another avenue for a vice we all share?<br />
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That's what's worrying me, in this situation in particular. And I don't know the answers to any of my questions. It is certainly NOT my intent to share this news as gossip, but I worry that I am feeding the desire for gossip in some of the recipients.<br />
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As often happens, ANOTHER former student posted a link to an article about social media that had some relevance to my musings. Again, I'm still not sure of where I stand on whether or not I'm gossiping, but this article was quite interesting.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/tech/5-questions-ask-posting-social-media">5 Questions to Ask Before Posting to Social Media</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-68965247246056029972014-01-13T20:17:00.000-05:002014-01-13T20:17:05.256-05:00Sunday Night is Clean Sheet NightAh, Sundays. One of the best and worst days of my weekend. Why is it the worst, you may ask? Because it's the last day of the weekend. But the reasons it's the best day of the weekend far outweigh the reason it's the worst.<br />
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Sundays mean several things for me. I start the day off with worship and Bible study. Or Bible study then worship. Or just worship. It all depends on if the choir sings. If I have to sing for choir, I go to the 8:00 service and then stay for Bible study, then sing at the beginning of the 10:45 service. Sometimes I sleep in and skip Bible study. <br />
<br />
After church I like to have something special to eat. Usually I make myself breakfast food of some kind, or my mom and I will go out to eat. <br />
<br />
Then....naptime. If I can swing it, I'll take a nice little nap. Sunday afternoons are perfect for naps, especially gloomy and cold winter afternoons. <br />
<br />
But the best part of Sunday is clean sheet night. One of my former students, who is a Facebook friend gave me the inspiration for clean sheet night. She would post "Clean Sheet Night!" or a variation thereof, every Sunday night. I asked her about it, and her idea made sense. She likes to start the week out with fresh, clean sheets. Her week goes well when she has clean sheet night. She has also mentioned that when she's had a bad day, she'll do clean sheet night that night for a fresh start.<br />
<br />
This sounded like a good plan, so I initiated this habit for myself. On the occasions that I talked myself out of clean sheet night, I've regretted it. So for the last several months, no matter how late it is, no matter how tired I feel, I refuse to skip clean sheet night. Maybe it's psychological, but my week does seem to go better when I make sure to have clean sheet night.<br />
<br />
Sometimes I cut it pretty close with clean sheet night. I have several sets of sheets and usually at least 2 sets are clean and ready to go. There have been times when I have pulled out the sheets from the dryer at 10:00 at night and put them directly on the bed. But those clean sheet nights are the best, because what could feel better but to crawl into bed with sheets freshly warm from the dryer?<br />
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Once I started my own clean sheet nights, I have tried to remember to post about it on my Facebook page. And you know what? Many of my friends have adopted Sunday night as Clean Sheet Night...so the joy is spreading!<br />
<br />
So, my friends, try it yourself. I promise you that Clean Sheet Night will not disappoint.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-81525290318376126702013-11-29T11:43:00.002-05:002013-11-29T11:43:24.355-05:00Thanksgiving RamblingsMany of my friends on Facebook have been posting daily about what they are thankful for throughout the month of November. I have enjoyed reading their postings and last year I participated myself. This year I decided to abstain from posting, but not because I am not thankful for what I have in my life. I am very blessed with a wonderful teaching ministry, family, friends, and of course my faith.<br />
<br />
I shall attempt to explain why I chose to avoid posting my blessings and thankfulness this year. As a teacher, I have to be dramatic and the center of attention on a daily basis. It is essential in order to have a well-run classroom in many ways. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a drama queen, but there is a little part of me that has the need to be the center of attention.<br />
<br />
Because I know this about myself, I decided not to post my thankfulness this year. I was concerned that for me, some of this would become a shameless bid for attention, and not a true exercise of being thankful. So I chose to keep my thankfulness private. For this same reason, I rarely follow the tradition of giving up something for Lent. I don't want something like that to become about my own effort or an opportunity to brag about how good I am.<br />
<br />
Reading everyone's posts of thankfulness has given me a chance to think about what I'm thankful for. I have felt so happy for my friends and family who are willing to share their blessings with their circle of Facebook friends. <br />
<br />
Thank you, my friends, for sharing your joys and blessings with all of us. It has been inspiring and entertaining.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-50190619500112977992013-08-16T16:20:00.000-04:002013-08-16T16:20:02.202-04:00The First Days of SchoolThe beginning of school is always an adventure. You have new class schedules, new students, and everything is, well, new. Even though a teacher may be seeing some of the same students, each school year is unique.<br />
<br />
The first few days of school are always a challenge in a variety of ways. Nothing is settled or set in stone. You have class roster and schedule changes, you need to know when your lunch time is, you might be waiting for the books you ordered ages ago to arrive. Students come into your classroom at the wrong time. You think you have the seating chart *just right* and then someone else gets added to the roster, or someone drops one section and moves to the next. Even three or four weeks into the school year this kind of thing could happen.<br />
<br />
I don't know if I'd say it's a tradition, but the first week or two of school is fun because recent graduates will come back during the lunch hour to visit. Often they are bringing lunch to friends or siblings who are still enrolled. Many of them just come back to visit. Here, we start classes about 2-3 weeks before most local universities begin, so these graduates have the spare time to come and visit. Most of the time it's really nice to see the graduates return, and sometimes it's kind of awkward. I think it's awkward because these kids were a part of the fabric of the school for four years, and now they're not. Sometimes I even feel uncomfortable around former students who I had a good relationship with. I guess it's mostly because when they are my students, the relationship makes more sense, but once they are older, I don't have a context to place them into. <br />
<br />
What's interesting about these visits is that sometimes the students who return and those who don't return surprise me. Often the most involved, school-spirited, popular kids don't come back after they've graduated. Sometimes it's even those who have siblings or other relatives still attending. The opposite is also true. I've had really pleasant visits with some of those challenging students who've returned to visit, and I've been gratified to see that they (finally) appreciate their experience at our school.<br />
<br />
A couple days ago I received a lovely email from a recent graduate. I had her twice during the school day last year, in my study hall and in English class. During my study hall, she would often ask to use some of the lotion I had at my desk. I keep "regular" lotion and a couple of varieties of Bath and Body Works scented lotion for my use, and I don't mind lending it to students. I don't know if I'm really allowed to do it, but I do anyway. She always used this one variety, and I decided to give her the lotion as a graduation gift. Unfortunately the scent was discontinued, so I purchased an empty container and put the remainder into it. I didn't think about this until after her graduation party, so I sent it to her this summer. In her thank you email, she told me that coming to my class made her feel less anxious about being at school, and that there was something about me that helped with that. I didn't realize she felt this way, and I was just interacting with her as I would with anyone. I didn't do anything special or go out of my way to treat her special. That made my day.<br />
<br />
All in all, it's been a good start to the year. Not completely smooth sailing. I can tell my last period class is going to be a challenge. I have a pack of highly energetic freshmen and sophomores. They're all good kids, but they can be really charged up. Granted, I'm writing this at the end of a Friday with the first home football game. I think there are about 6 of the 20 in that class who are football players. That could explain their lack of focus today. We shall see. I may be spending more energy on these kiddos than the other 5 classes combined!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-72176274598679865732013-07-29T00:37:00.000-04:002013-07-29T00:44:20.653-04:00No Pinterest Guilt HereLast summer, I discovered Pinterest. I love this online pinboard, and I'm not going to feel any shame about it. I have explored crafts, DIY projects, cooking, found funny sayings, classroom ideas, and more. I have thousands of pins, quite a few boards, and I visit Pinterest several times a day.<br />
<br />
Pinterest is a pleasure of mine. I refuse to feel guilty about enjoying it. I have heard that there are women out there whose Pinterest experiences cause them to feel inadequate as mothers, wives, and friends. They see the pins and blogs of other women who seem to do all kinds of complicated projects for their children's birthday parties, or who are super organized, or who make all kinds of DIY cleaning products. I refuse to feel that way. (I suspect that some of these super-organized and crafty women blogging and posting about their accomplishments are liars!)<br />
<br />
What's my point, you may ask? Pinterest actually inspires me. My mother is one of the craftiest people I know. If there is a DIY or craft activity in existence, she has done it. When I was in high school, tole painting (you know, geese and chickens on wood) was the rage. My mom tried it and created quite a few pieces for our home. They were really good, but when I tried to do some of this painting, it just came out looking like a cartoon. She's done counted cross stitch (again I learned along with her, but my pieces paled in comparison to hers), latch hook, and more. She can crochet with her eyes closed, and her sewing skills are amazing. She made my sister's wedding dress and all the bridesmaids dresses, and they all looked better than the magazine pictures that my sister showed her for the design. My nephew (and now my new niece) will always have the most amazing Halloween costumes because of her. She makes cards and does scrapbooking.<br />
<br />
As I have mentioned, I've taken up some of the crafts she tried when she started them. I have done tole painting, I've done counted cross stitch, and she has taught me how to sew. I tried to learn how to crochet, but I don't have the patience or the manual dexterity to do so. I like to scrapbook, but I have scrapbooks from several years ago that are incomplete. I have recently taken up cardmaking as well. The best part about learning these crafting skills is that my mom buys all of the equipment and I can use it. When she decides to do a crafty activity, she goes all out. Joann and Michael's coupons are something she hoards and uses to her advantage in this.<br />
<br />
But I'm getting off subject, which is another trait I share with my mom. I'm just talking about her because it illustrates the fact that I have a standard against which I will never measure up (in my mind). My mom is amazing at these crafting skills, and I am not.<br />
<br />
Pinterest has revived my interest in a lot of things. Through my visits to Pinterest, I have revived my interest in sewing. This summer I have made a couple of bags for myself, made some garden decorations for my garden and for my mom's garden. I enjoy reading the tutorials because most of the writers explain what they are doing in a way that makes sense, and many of the tutorials are accompanied by pictures.<br />
<br />
My favorite exploration on Pinterest has been the recipes. I have tried several recipes I've found with much success. I venture to say that my cooking skills are equal to my mom's, and I get great satisfaction from cooking something that I really like. I've made recipes from Pinterest for family gatherings and usually they get good reviews.<br />
<br />
Pinterest encourages me to look at things in different ways. I have tried new things (foods and DIY projects) that I may not have tried before. I have started looking around my home and workplace and looked for ways to reuse (the new word I believe is "upcycle") materials. I've found inspiration for working in my garden and yard, doing crafts, and more. I have learned a whole lot...about myself and about a variety of other things.<br />
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I also find a lot of humor in Pinterest. I'm not just talking about the funny sayings or pictures some people pin. Some of the recipe ideas or other DIY ideas are simply ridiculous in my mind. There are dessert recipes out there for things with so many combinations that I just have to laugh. Who really wants to eat S'mores Almond Joy raspberry cheesecake crescent roll pie with salted caramel sauce? Just how many "pumpkin spice" recipes can you make? Is it really more convenient to make reusable "paper towels"? Would I really want to make a raised flower bed using cinder blocks? It would be cool to make ghostly figures out of chicken wire and glow in the dark paint for Halloween, but really?<br />
<br />
I'll admit it in writing. I explore Pinterest when I want to avoid school work, cleaning, and yard work. It's one of those "time-suckers" that I will intentionally use so that I can procrastinate even more. As I wrote earlier, I feel no guilt or shame about this either. Exploring on Pinterest is a way for me to get my mind off of some of the stressful parts of my life. I will never try every single project or recipe that I pin. I know this. But that doesn't mean that I can't pin it, "just in case". So there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-43322961642942384172013-06-24T22:11:00.001-04:002013-06-24T22:41:01.099-04:00Paula Deen and WordsToday I posted a status on my Facebook page that ran thusly: <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"> <i><---Is
very frustrated when I see nifty pics or sayings that share my
sentiments, but contain the f-bomb. Really? I remember my mom saying that what comes out of your mouth reflects what's on your inside.</i></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Several people made comments on the status, ranging from what makes a "bad word" a bad word, and eventually the discussion turned to racially charged language, which led me to share some thoughts on the recent Paula Deen controversy. (I don't know if you'll be able to see my status unless you are my Facebook Friend, but <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mlw8993/posts/10151476377175036?comment_id=26313379&notif_t=like">HERE</a> is a link in case you can see it.) If you can't see it you could send me a friend request, but I'm not guaranteeing I'll accept.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><i> </i> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Prior to this status adventure, I had been pondering the whole Paula Deen situation. It relates on some level to my <a href="http://frazzledteacher-missfrau.blogspot.com/2013/06/outrage-overload.html">Outrage Overload</a> posting earlier. I feel compelled to share my thoughts on the issue.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">As you may know, I teach English. This means that I teach literature. I love teaching literature because I love language, and I love how literature can give us a way to look at the world around us and develop our moral standards based on the experiences of the characters we encounter. I love teaching texts with challenging issues. Some of my favorite works to teach include Harper Lee's <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> and John Steinbeck's <i>Of Mice and Men</i>. In the past I have taught such works as <i>I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings</i> by Maya Angelou and <i>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</i> by Mark Twain. One thing you may notice about these four works is that they all have race in common. Each of these texts contains racial language that in today's culture is offensive. In fact, these four works are in the top 25 of the most frequently challenged books list, as compiled by the American Library Association. (You can see the full list <a href="http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedbydecade/2000_2009">HERE</a>.) The primary reason for each of these books is because of the racial language used.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Whenever I teach a text that contains potentially offensive material, I take some time to address that not only with my students but also with parents. I will explain that I do not choose such material lightly, and that I plan to handle the material as respectfully and appropriately as possible. I explain that in works such as these, it is important to understand the historical and cultural context in which such language is used. The use of racial language in these works is necessary in the sense that it was a part of the culture in which the novel or memoir is set. I use the example the presence of violence and dying in a novel about the Vietnam war; it would be impossible to write a realistic novel about something like that without death and violence. I also emphasize that in today's culture we have an understanding that racial language is not appropriate and isn't something we should use outside of the context of discussing the novel. If students or I must read something aloud or quote something in writing, I encourage them to handle the offensive language in a variety of ways: they can skip the word, say the first initial, or whatever else is comfortable for them.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">This is all a lengthy prelude to my thoughts on the<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/19/showbiz/paula-deen-racial-slur"> Paula Deen controversy</a>. Sorry, but sometimes I have to explain myself too thoroughly in order to be confident that I'm conveying myself correctly.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">I am not surprised that Paula Deen admits to using racial language now or in her past. I am not surprised that she wouldn't be fazed by the use of racial or ethnic jokes. I am not surprised that she would think that a plantation-themed restaurant that had only African-American servers is charming. Do I support or condone these behaviors? Certainly not. But I'm not surprised.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Much of what I've read about this shares some common themes. Predominant among them is the idea that Paula Deen is a product of the culture in which she was raised. She's white. She's from the South. She grew up in the South in a time when such thinking was common. She probably heard racial language used by the people around her. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">However, Paula Deen lives in today's culture. She's a public figure. The fact that she may have used and allowed racial language and jokes in her presence was not the best choice to make. Even if she was raised in a different culture, that does not excuse her turning a blind eye to such behavior.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">I was raised in a different culture. Using such language was considered beyond inappropriate..in fact racially-charged terms were (and are) considered just as bad as "swear" words. I cannot imagine using such words out loud other than in the context of studying literature or quoting what someone else had said. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">One of the more overlooked aspects of this controversy seems to be that Deen thought it would be "impressive" to have all African-American servers at her brother's wedding. She wanted to give hi m a "real Southern-style" wedding (<a href="http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2013-06-23/paula-deens-deposition-offers-details">See this article.)</a> Evidently Deen had been to a restaurant where all the servers were African-American. She thought it reflected a particular era, pre-Civil War to be exact. Again, I'm not surprised. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">We have romanticized the Antebellum Era here in America. The Southern plantation represents a genteel, beautiful time of hoopskirts, mint juleps, and southern drawls. Let me rephrase this...White Americans have done this. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">We seem to overlook that the plantation culture was run on the backs of slaves. <i>Gone with the Wind</i>, <i>North and South</i>, and hundreds of other novels, plays, and films have created this image of plantation culture that idealizes even the lives of slaves. I myself went through a phase in high school where I was enamored of the southern belle and the plantations. Although I can't recall specific references, I remember that there were some who believed that slavery was actually good for African Americans.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Yet I cannot believe that someone of such a high profile (or anyone, for that matter) would even consider such a theme for a wedding or a restaurant. In this day and age, to glorify a culture that relied on the abuse of a group of people is beyond the pale.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">As with any issue, there are those who are running Deen over the coals and those who support her unequivocally. Some are saying she can never be forgiven, others are saying that she hasn't done anything worse than anyone else. She has begun to express remorse, and after ducking out of a scheduled interview on The Today Show, she has apparently rescheduled to appear on <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-57590700/paula-deen-reschedules-today-show-appearance/">Wednesday, June 26</a>. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Is she truly sorry for her actions or is she sorry that she got called out? I don't know. Will she survive the controversy? Probably. Americans are pretty forgiving. Why? Most of us realize that "there, but for the grace of God, go I." All of us are quite capable of making similar, if not worse mistakes. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-19111315937314565462013-06-21T14:40:00.003-04:002013-06-21T14:40:53.552-04:00Outrage OverloadI love the Internet, really I do. As a teacher, I have tried to embrace its usefulness in enhancing my students' learning experience. I participate myself in social media such as Facebook and Pinterest. I use the Internet daily as a resource to learn more about the world around me. I am able to connect with old friends, former students, family, and friends in mostly positive ways.<br />
<br />
I hate the Internet too. It has, in my opinion, created what I call a "culture of outrage". Because we have access to news stories from around the world, we see and hear about events that we never would have learned about even five years ago. Small town news stories come across our news feeds, and then suddenly the story goes viral. In fact, I think it's quite appropriate that the adjective applied to an Internet story spreading quickly is "viral". Because the outrage created by some of these viral stories is like a disease.<br />
<br />
Take, for example the recent story about the Miles Ambridge class photo. If you haven't heard this story, you can read about it here: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/21/miles-ambridge-retake-photo_n_3478937.html?ir=Education">Miles Ambridge Class Photo</a>. The second grade class at this Canadian elementary school had its group photo taken, but the problem was that one of the students, who was in a wheelchair was "excluded" from the photo because he was off to the side. In the photo, the young boy was leaning to his right, straining to be closer to his classmates.<br />
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This story has come up several times on my Facebook news feed, and to summarize a lot of the reaction, you'd think that the photographer was the leader of an anti-wheelchair hate group. I may be exaggerating just a little bit, but the indignation the photograph created seems excessive. Please don't get me wrong, I believe people should be treated fairly and that intentional exclusion because of a handicap or other characteristic should never happen. <br />
<br />
But I just don't think that this was intentional. And I don't think that the photographer and the school should be vilified because of something that was inadvertent. People make mistakes. Sometimes things like this just happen. When we're in a hurry, or on a schedule, or for whatever reason, sometimes we just don't think and we take the quickest route to accomplish a task. It's unthinking but it's not always intentional. <br />
<br />
I don't think there's anyone out there who hasn't done something similar for a similar reason. We've made a poor choice, not because we are mean people, but because we are in a hurry or it just doesn't come to our minds. Sometimes those actions can hurt others' feelings. Sometimes they don't. The end result is almost always "What was I thinking?" If it is something that hurt another person, then you step up and try to make it right. <br />
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I have a 10 year old nephew. A couple years ago, when the last Harry Potter film came out in theaters, he spent the night at my house, we watched the 6th movie, and then the first part of the 7th. We made special treats (mint chocolate chip brownie ice cream sandwiches). Then the next day we went to the theater to see the last film. It was great, and we decided we'd do it again. Last summer we did it with the Men in Black movies. It was a sort of special thing, just me and him together doing something with "just us."<br />
<br />
A couple weeks ago, I was with him, his sister, my mom, and my sister at Orange Leaf. I asked him if he wanted to see the new Despicable Me movie, and both he and his sister responded quite enthusiastically. Without thinking I suggested that we do our special spend-the-night-at-my-house thing, and his sister responded enthusiastically, but he didn't. In fact, the look on his face was a little disappointed. Oops. Later on I talked to him by himself and asked him if he was disappointed, and he was. Fortunately, we were able to have our special night this past week, and when Despicable Me 2 comes out, the 3 of us will have our fun treat and movie night-to-day. <br />
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The thing is, just because something like this happens doesn't mean that outrage is warranted. The school responded with retaking the picture. It took responsibility for the mistake and took steps to make it right. If the school had not responded or responded insensitively, then maybe outrage would be warranted. But is MY outrage necessary? Does this directly affect me? What good am I really doing in this particular situation? Is there something in my own community that deserves my outrage? I live in Indiana...what does a photograph of a second grade class in Canada have to do with my community? I would be better off turning my eyes to my own community and directing my energies to righting the wrongs here.<br />
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Seriously, outrage should be reserved for what is truly outrageous. Intentional, detrimentally hurtful actions. Outrage is exhausting, and taking a moment to think about what outrages you allows you to perhaps truly affect something significant. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-24794767827789050792013-06-19T01:43:00.001-04:002013-06-19T09:50:00.475-04:00Words are ImportantRecently I posted the following meme on my Facebook page:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4948786879988030&pid=15.1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4948786879988030&pid=15.1" /></a></div>
I posted it because it is from one of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride, and also because as an English teacher, I have to say this to my students a lot.<br />
<br />
A friend of mine, also an English teacher, commented on the picture. She mentioned that, after a year of reading AP Language essays, she had begun to hate the word "plethora" because her students were overusing it. I jokingly responded that I didn't like the word, nor did I know really how it was pronounced...was it <i>pleth-er-uh</i> or <i>pleth-OR-uh?</i> A former student of mine commented, asking why it mattered, as long as we knew what the student meant. I responded that most English teachers have pet peeve words or phrases. He interpreted this exchange as if we were mocking our students. This is not, in fact, true. We were discussing word usage.<br />
<br />
There's a lot of subtext in the exchange that someone who is not an English teacher may be unaware of. We English teachers spend a lot of time looking at words. We teach about words. We notice words, even when we are not in English teacher mode. We analyze words, not only in the literature texts we teach but also in the student work we read. We try to instill in our students the importance of words in any kind of writing: both the writing they read and the writing they create themselves.<br />
<br />
Words are important. We English teachers pay attention to them. A lot.<br />
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A famous quotation attributed to Mark Twain states, "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." My problem with a word like "plethora" is that I believe it is a word that many people (students in particular) use because they believe it sounds intelligent. They don't use it because <i><b>it expresses their ideas exactly</b></i>. They are using the word to <i><b>impress</b></i>.<br />
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Whenever I teach students about vocabulary and word choice, I try to help them understand one basic fact: they should choose words that express their ideas as precisely as possible. John Keating, Robin Williams' character in the movie "Dead Poets Society" told his class, "So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very
tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was
invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor,
laziness will not do." The point he is making is that in order for language to be effective, it must be exact. <br />
<br />
Language must have meaning. Today there are so many words that are overused to the extent that their power is lost. Think about a word like "awesome". The definition of the word is "extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear," yet we use this word to describe anything from frozen yogurt to the latest baseball victory. This is a word that should be reserved for true power: the presence of God, the destruction after a volcano. It should be used for anything that inspires genuine awe. <br />
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I realize that most people don't really notice words in the same way that I do. It's part of my daily existence to pay attention to words. Words do, however make an impression on each of us whether we notice it or not. Just as an experiment, the next time you see an advertisement, watch the news, or read an article in the newspaper, think about some of the standout words. The men and women who create them pay attention to the words they choose because they want to achieve a certain reaction from you, their audience. Those choices are not made lightly because the creators have a specific goal in mind, and they know that certain words will trigger certain reactions in you.<br />
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Here is part of the exchange, just for the record:<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>My friend's first response: </b></span> You know what was a favorite of my students this year? Plethora. I started hating the word "plethora."<br /><b><span style="color: blue;">Me: </span></b> I don't like it much, either. Now, is it pronounced PLETH-ER-AH, or PLETH-OR-AH? I have heard it both ways.<br /><b><span style="color: blue;">My friend:</span></b> I think it depends on your accent.<br />
<br />
I'll let you decide if it's mocking our students or not.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-3446897671676767192013-04-23T11:51:00.001-04:002013-04-23T11:51:12.166-04:00An Open Letter to a StudentDear Student:<br />
I did something awful last week that was hurtful to you. It was a complete accident, but nonetheless it should not have happened. It's probably the biggest mistake I have made as a teacher. It exposed you and there is nothing I can do to make up for this. You have probably lost any trust you may have had in me, and that breaks my heart. <br />
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You will never understand how much this has eaten me up inside. I have lost so much sleep over this and I will continue to do so. It will nag at me, probably for the rest of my life.<br />
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I hope you understand that I would never intentionally do something to hurt any of my students. Throughout this entire school year I have given you more emotional and mental time and energy than to any of my other students. Your parents are in regular contact with me about your work and work habits. It has gotten to the point where I dread seeing an email from your mom. I know that when she emails, she is going to ask me if all of the 0 grades on your progress report are accurate. She is going to tell me that you've told her everything is caught up, but I am going to have to share with her that you have not, in fact, turned in that work. <br />
<br />
For some reason you seem to believe that no one is on your side. For some reason you seem to believe that the habits you develop as a young person will not translate into the habits you keep as an adult. Somehow you have decided that failing a class is not going to have any consequences later in life. <br />
<br />
I know that you won't believe this, but everything I have done with respect to your work habits in class is because I care for you. I probably care too much. I think I care more about your grades than you do. I have given you too much emotional space inside my heart. And after this, the space you occupy is even bigger, because I can't stop thinking about it.<br />
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I also confess that I am angry with you too. Your response to my apology was nasty and hurtful. If you really understood how awful I feel about this, maybe you'd be more understanding. If you understood how much I worry about you, maybe you wouldn't have been so nasty. Perhaps not. You have a chip on your shoulder, and my actions have understandably made it larger. <br />
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What I really need to do now is to move on. There's nothing I can do but pray that you, God and I will forgive me. I know that I have God's forgiveness, but I probably won't ever have yours or mine.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-76378545004877794452013-04-08T19:56:00.002-04:002013-04-08T19:56:48.582-04:00Dealing with DiabetesIn January of 2013, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. My blood work came back and my sugars were high enough for me to be called diabetic, but in the low range. My doctor was confident that if I made the commitment to diet and exercise, I would be able to lower my blood sugar numbers and put my diabetes into what she called "remission."<br /><br />I think that most people, when finding out about such a diagnosis, first feel confused and angry. I was confused, it's true, but my doctor provided me with some good information about diet and exercise and I decided to do some research on my own to start a plan to change my eating habits. She also recommended that I try a diabetes education program and so I decided to find one that worked. Fortunately a local hospital provides one-on-one diabetes education with a licensed diabetes educator for free! As soon as I found this out, I asked my doctor to refer me to the program and made my first appointment.<br /><br />My diabetes counselor has provided me with a wealth of materials, including developing a meal plan for me. I meet with her once every few weeks, and she monitors my progress and helps me to set goals. She also teaches me about the kinds of lifestyle changes I need to make in order to cope with diabetes. <br /><br />I have learned a lot through this diagnosis. I am determined to live well with this condition. I do not see diabetes as a handicap or something to hold me back. I do not need to feel like I am depriving myself through following my meal plan. In fact, I view this as a challenge. I like figuring out how I can fit the foods I like into my plan. I enjoy trying new recipes that fit into the plan. I have been able to use the Internet, especially Pinterest, to explore new recipes and ideas for dealing with this diagnosis. I have learned that being intentional about what I eat and do has benefits beyond just my diabetes. <br /><br />In fact, I’d like to say that right now I am in the best health for a really long time. I am eating better, exercising more, and feeling extremely optimistic about life. Since January I have already lost 34 pounds and at my most recent doctor’s appointment, my doctor was very encouraged. She even suggested that in a few months I may be able to reduce the medication she has prescribed for me if my progress continues. I have also been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and since my diabetes diagnosis and weight loss, my blood pressure has been at its lowest in years.<br /><br />I am determined to continue my progress with my disease management. I know I will always be diabetic, but I am resolved to stem the advancement of the disease in my body. I know I can use diet and exercise to my advantage in this regard. I do not want to be dependent on insulin or other medication to control my disease. I want to live a full and healthy life in spite of diabetes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-71905650186960701522013-02-19T19:08:00.002-05:002013-02-19T19:18:19.246-05:00Little Turkey MeatloavesLately I have been trying to eat foods that are better for me. I have recently been diagnosed as a diabetic and my doctor wants me to battle it through diet and exercise. I was not surprised by the diagnosis and I am looking at it as the chance to really clean up my habits. I had been making some small steps toward better health but I have been making "two steps forward, one step back" style progress.<br />
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So tonight I was driving home and thinking about what was in my refrigerator and freezer that I could make for dinner. I had just bought some frozen sweet potato fries, and I was thinking about something that would go with those as a side dish. It's a cold, snowy, blustery day, and I was in the mood for some comfort food.<br />
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Honestly I don't know how "healthy" these turkey meatloaves are, but I loaded them with vegetables for flavor and moisture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaUi83CkD7xwZ-q_gIZkKMlCSKO60VKHWsXJ4f-fKfcnOoPvlJPvr4B2NO_QqyE9Ce3xEzBsno1NYec5fFELBQq2KZ4pqSg9KvYJQLV3UOZOSgoGyzWMEabql0pfsTUwr_lPx1uideop2/s1600/turkey-meatloaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaUi83CkD7xwZ-q_gIZkKMlCSKO60VKHWsXJ4f-fKfcnOoPvlJPvr4B2NO_QqyE9Ce3xEzBsno1NYec5fFELBQq2KZ4pqSg9KvYJQLV3UOZOSgoGyzWMEabql0pfsTUwr_lPx1uideop2/s200/turkey-meatloaves.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>
Here's the recipe:<br />
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1 pound ground turkey<br />
1 medium egg<br />
1/2 cup oatmeal<br />
1/2 cup or so of chopped mushrooms (I used regular button mushrooms)<br />
1/2 cup of onions and peppers, chopped (I had a frozen blend that contained green, red, and yellow peppers with onions)<br />
1/2 can of diced tomatoes, drained<br />
1/4 cup spinach, chopped (I used fresh baby spinach but you could use frozen if you thawed and drained it.)<br />
chopped garlic to taste (I think I used about a teaspoon of chopped garlic from a jar)<br />
shredded cheese (I used Kroger's shredded queso quesadilla cheese)<br />
barbecue sauce to spread on top of the mini loaves (if desired)<br />
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I meant to add some seasoning, but I forgot. You could add some salt-free seasoning, or some Italian seasoning, or salt and pepper to taste. I didn't miss it.<br />
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Preheat your oven to 400. <br />
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Mix all of the ingredients together, except for the cheese and barbecue sauce.<br />
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You will need a muffin tin (I used my large muffin tin that makes 6 muffins). You are going to fill the miniature loaves with cheese, so put part of the meat mixture into the muffin tins, making sure that it lines the tins with a little depression in the middle. Add the cheese and then cover the cheese with more of the meat mixture. <br />
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Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes. The mini loaves did not get a "crust" on the edges, which I had hoped for, but I was hungry and they were fully cooked. Probably they could have gone another 5 minutes to get that crusty edge. After that, then baste some of the barbecue sauce on top of each mini loaf and return to the oven for a few minutes.<br />
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I didn't put BBQ sauce on all of them, and I tried a bit of the "with" and a bit of the "without". Both were good...I suppose you could use any kind of sauce on top if you like.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-56402222291719315682012-12-23T20:18:00.000-05:002012-12-23T20:18:04.651-05:00Christmas MusicI have been listening to Christmas music since the beginning of October. I have to restrain myself from waiting that long. There is such a variety of styles and songs out there that the month of December just isn't long enough to listen to everything I want to. Don't ask me to pick my favorite song. I have particular arrangements of different songs that are my favorites, such as the Drifters' version of "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF_5nARtHn8">White Christmas</a>", or Eartha Kitt's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeNhjPaP53I">Santa Baby</a>". Then there are the sacred songs..."Silent Night"(In German, of course) and "Joy to the World". I especially love some of the old English carols, like "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7eHtDtZ7hs">The Holly and the Ivy</a>", "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPJBFYuUWvY">Jesus Christ the Apple Tree</a>", and "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfnwPdJ7wAs">Tomorrow Shall be My Dancing Day"</a>. Then there are some German favorites, "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-krz1QVLjsY">Kling Glöckchen, Klingelingeling</a>", or "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FrHv-1xRFQ">Leise Rieslet der Schnee</a>". <br />
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Today as I was out and about, I was playing Mercy Me's Christmas Sessions CD. They have an arrangement of Longfellow's "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3oklXe0HUM">I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day</a>" that is quite nice. The year that this CD came out, some other Christian artists performed their own version of this song. The lyrics are quite simple:<br />
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I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day<br />
Their old familiar carols play,<br />
And wild and sweet the words repeat<br />
Of peace on earth, good will to men.<br />
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I thought how, as the day had come,<br />
The belfries of all Christendom<br />
Had rolled along the unbroken song<br />
Of peace on earth, good will to men.<br />
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And in despair I bowed my head:<br />
"There is no peace on earth," I said,<br />
"For hate is strong and mocks the song<br />
Of peace on earth, good will to men."<br />
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Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:<br />
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;<br />
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,<br />
With peace on earth, good will to men."<br />
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Till, ringing singing, on its way,<br />
The world revolved from night to day,<br />
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,<br />
Of peace on earth, good will to men!<br />
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The third and fourth stanza are appropriate to the events that have happened in recent days. We have witnessed several ways that hate can mock our ideal of peace on earth. If we focus on these events, we can see the strength of hatred in our world. Yet in the face of these events, we also witness how communities can gather together to support and love each other. The families who were victims of the home explosion on the southside of Indianapolis have received generosity from the entire city. The students of Sandy Hook elementary have been adopted by an entire nation. <br />
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The message of the song, "God is not dead, nor doth he sleep" is evident in the response of the nation to these recent tragedies. Many would say that if God weren't dead or asleep, he would never have allowed such horrors to occur. I can only respond by saying that we live in a fallen world, and God does not cause such events to happen, nor does he desire them. However he has given us free will and doesn't control us. He lets us make our own decisions and then we must cope with the consequences.<br />
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I believe that God uses such events in our lives, the good and the bad, to help us become the people he intends us to be. He uses our strengths and weaknesses to his glory.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-4483543580658245862012-12-21T18:46:00.001-05:002012-12-22T15:50:05.411-05:00Christmas Vacation Cooking...Taco SoupI love Christmas vacation. I love cold weather, and we haven't had any properly cold weather until today, my second day of vacation.<br />
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Yesterday, on my first day of vacation, I helped my mom babysit my little niece. She needed to sew my niece's Christmas dress, and watching an 8-month-old baby is not conducive to sewing. So I went over and watched my niece while she sewed. For lunch, I ate leftover taco soup that my sister made, and it was quite yummy. I asked her how she made it and she told me her "recipe"...originally she used a recipe but now she does it by memory, and innovation each time she cooks it.</div>
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Last night, we got our first real snowfall of the season AND it was appropriately cold and windy. (It's about time, because earlier this week we had temperatures in the 50s!) I had an appointment and did a little shopping and so I was out and about in this blustery, cold weather. It put me into the mood for soup. On my way home I thought about the contents of my pantry and realized that I had all of the ingredients to make a version of the taco soup as she explained it to me. </div>
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I took my first Christmas vacation nap and then decided to cook the soup when I woke up. I didn't take pictures as I went, but I did take a picture of the final product in a bowl.</div>
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So here's the recipe; realize that I made this up as I went along, from my sister's explanation of what she did. Also realize that I cook for myself, so this will yield about 4-5 servings.</div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>Taco Soup</u></b></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1/2 lb ground turkey (you could probably use ground beef)</div>
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Taco seasoning to taste (I used this <a href="http://www.5dollardinners.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/">homemade version</a> that I found on Pinterest.)</div>
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1 can of Campbell's Fiesta Cheese soup</div>
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1 tsp of beef boullion dissolved into 1 cup of water (I imagine you could use 1 cup of beef broth)</div>
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1 can of diced tomatoes, seasoned for Chili (I used Aldi's brand)</div>
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1/2 can of black beans</div>
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about 1 cup of frozen corn</div>
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about 1/2 cup of frozen bell pepper and onion mix (Kroger has a nice sliced red and green pepper with onion)</div>
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<ol>
<li>Brown the ground turkey with the taco seasoning.</li>
<li>Combine the bouillon and water and bring to a boil, adding the cheese soup and mix it so the cheese soup is combined with the bouillon.</li>
<li>Add the rest of the ingredients, including the cooked turkey, and simmer until the vegetables are cooked.</li>
</ol>
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Serve with your favorite taco accompaniments: cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, guacamole!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-36358119723014973442012-12-18T10:39:00.000-05:002012-12-18T10:39:14.071-05:00Are we really safe?The last few days have been quite stressful for me as a teacher. Not only have I been preparing myself and my students for the end of the semester (final projects, final exams, etc.), but I have also had to deal with what happened on Friday in Newtown, Connecticut. The entire nation is again in shock at the horror of this latest mass shooting.<br />
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As is typical, we are asking all kinds of questions, demanding answers, and wondering how another tragedy like this can be prevented. People from both sides of the gun control debate are offering solutions. Religious leaders blame the lack of faith, the rise of godlessness, and the removal of God from the schools. Politicians and others blame parents, the lack of access to mental health care, and more. <br />
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Everyone is demanding an easy answer, and many answers have been proposed from all over the spectrum of those responding. <br />
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The thing is, there IS an easy answer, but it isn't the one we want.<br />
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How can we prevent tragedies like this from happening again? We can't. That's the easy answer, but as I said, it isn't the one we want.<br />
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Because I was raised in the Christian tradition, I believe that our world and our flesh is NOT inherently good, but inherently evil. The New American Standard translation of Psalm 51:5 reads, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me." Sin (iniquity) is part of our world, part of our nature.<br />
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Anyone who has been around young children for any amount of time should know that we have to teach them how to be unselfish, kind, and polite. Children are naturally selfish. They throw tantrums when they don't get what they want. They grab. They hit. They cry. These behaviors are not learned; they come naturally. Sharing, caring for others, and all of the other acceptable behaviors must be taught. <br />
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We can pass all the laws we want, we can regulate guns, we can allow teachers to carry concealed weapons, we can do any number of things to make us feel secure, but it won't change human nature. Someone will still find a way to bring about mass tragedy. Many have noted that it is easier to obtain the ingredients for a bomb than it is to get a gun. Locally, a house was blown up, killing 2 people and displacing hundreds of people. <br />
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We can point the finger of blame at any number of specific causes, but ultimately the blame rests on human nature. If we don't perpetrate such horrible crimes, we glorify or minimize them. Sensationalizing and glorifying such acts encourages those who seek the attention. Minimizing violence creates a sense of apathy to our fellow men. <br />
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Perhaps the problem of minimizing such actions results from the fact that unless we are directly, personally affected by any kind of tragedy, it is easy to move on with our own lives. My daily life isn't directly affected by the shootings, my daily life wasn't affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Sandy, I don't have a family member who is deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Without a direct connection to such tragedies, we can get over it much sooner than those directly affected by it.<br />
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I don't feel unsafe in my daily life. I don't worry about whether a crazed gunman will enter my school building. I don't imagine a drunk driver will plow into my vehicle as I drive throughout the city. I don't expect a devastating tornado to reduce my home to smithereens. I'm not guaranteed safety any more than anyone else is. Honestly, I don't think about my safety very often. Perhaps I should. Will worrying about how safe I am make me safer? Not likely. I can just pray for God's protection and trust that his will is done in my life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-77712718153642621122012-12-08T11:02:00.002-05:002012-12-08T11:10:28.937-05:00All I Really Needed to Know in Life I Learned On....PinterestThis summer I got sucked into the internet phenomenon that is Pinterest. This online "pin board" is a way to find and organize web sites that contain information you want or need. You can "follow" other people's pins and then re-pin those pins onto your own boards.<br />
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It's really absorbing, as is most of the Internet. One can go through Pinterest pins for hours without noticing the time go by. I have found great recipes, DIY projects, tutorials for fixing things, teaching ideas, and much more in my hours of Pinteresting. I have pinned significantly more web sites and projects than I probably will have the time to ever try, but I have tried several of the things I've pinned with mostly success. <br />
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I even started a Pinterest club at my school for our Activity Period Club time. I have over 30 girls who bring in supplies to make treats or other projects they found on Pinterest. We've had all kinds of fun making glitter t-shirts, doing nail art techniques, and of course making yummy treats.<br />
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In my months of Pinteresting, I have learned several things.<br />
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<ol>
<li>Regular blue Dawn dishwashing soap, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and vinegar are miracle products. There isn't anything on the face of this earth that you can't clean or improve with one of these (or a mixture of them). Thank goodness all of these are so inexpensive. I stock up on baking soda, especially. Jillee (<a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/">One Good Thing by Jillee</a>) is the queen of home cleaning tips with these products. Here she talks about <a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/09/hydrogen-peroxide-magic.html">Hydrogen Peroxide Magic</a>.</li>
<li> People love the flavors of pumpkin pie and s'mores. Even in the middle of July, Pinners were pinning recipes that involved these flavors. I brought in this <a href="http://www.whatmegansmaking.com/2012/06/smores-dip.html">S'mores Dip</a> to my Pinterest club and the only illustration I can think of to describe the reaction of those girls was that they looked like piranhas around a piece of meat.</li>
<li>Nail art is cool. Impossible to do on your own (I tried a couple of them), but cool.</li>
<li>If you can't find a tutorial to DIY something, you can't DIY.</li>
<li>Reusing and recycling are definitely possible, especially if you have a lot of old t-shirts. There are so many things you can do to "upcycle" or recycle t-shirts beyond cutting them up into rags. Quilts, headbands, tote bags, you name it. Face it, all of us have so many t-shirts that we will never be able to wear them out. Jillee has some links to <a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2011/12/recycling-t-shirts-into-useful-stuff.html">stuff you can do with old t-shirts</a> to make them useful. This has led to a problem...saving things like old jars, paper towel tubes, plastic containers and more, "just in case" you could find something to do with them.</li>
<li>You can find a slow cooker version of almost any recipe, even bread. Slow cookers are the miracle appliance in the kitchen, evidently.</li>
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I'm sure there are more lessons I could explain, but these are the best. If you haven't been sucked into the internet black hole that is Pinterest, find someone to invite you. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-65305964634757639692012-11-19T15:17:00.001-05:002012-11-20T13:53:02.628-05:00Economics from a non-Economic PersonI don't know much about economics, finances, or anything of the like. I am exceedingly trusting of my credit union that my balance in my accounts is what they say it is. I generally pay all my bills on time, although I forget sometimes. It all eventually works out. I could be more organized on this subject but so far I haven't had any major disasters.<br />
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All of the above is a disclaimer that the thoughts I am sharing come only from personal musings on the matter, not any kind of specialized knowledge. I am only sharing what I've been pondering. I am not as informed on this matter as I could be; I haven't read extensively on the subject.<br />
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What I do know is that this issue probably is much more complicated than the average American citizen will admit to. Certainly the news outlets are trying to simplify things so that we can choose a side of some kind.<br />
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Recently major restaurants, such as Papa John's, have made the news. Papa John's founder has blamed Obama's health care policies for either forcing him to raise prices on pizza, or lay off workers because he can't afford to supply health care for his workers. Other major restaurant chains have also come under fire for deliberately scheduling "full time" workers below 32 hours per week, thus avoiding the requirement to pay for health insurance. And of course Walmart is the evil empire as well for how it treats its employees. <br />
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I have Facebook friends who are posting memes, infographics, and the like urging us to boycott these kinds of businesses. According to them, these businesses are horrible for refusing health care to their workers. From store management on up, the rights of the common worker are being ignored. It makes sense.<br />
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It seems to be popular these days to portray big corporations as evil. But then I started to think. Next to the federal government, Walmart is one of the largest employers in the US. Think about how many people a single Super Walmart store employs. I would imagine that for every employee we see on the floor of one of these stores, there are at least 10 employees we don't see (those who load and unload the trucks, those who drive and maintain the trucks, and so on.) While Walmart may not offer benefits to all of its workers, it employs millions of Americans. If a Walmart closes in a community, the economic impact would be enormous. <br />
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These companies do not ship in workers from outside the community to work in their facilities. They hire local employees, use local services, and donate to local charities. My school benefits once a month from "spirit nights" put on by restaurants, some of them national chains, that provide a percentage of an evening's sales to our school. They sponsor little league teams, high school athletic teams, and much more. The people who work there are a part of the community.<br />
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These chains employ local workers. Employee hours are based on sales revenue. Boycotting a business like this doesn't, in the long run, really affect the CEOs or other bigwigs. It affects the individual restaurant and its employees. If a local restaurant closes, local citizens lose their jobs.<br />
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This is where my thoughts are hard to express.<br />
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If I manage a business like this, let's say I have 25 employees. However, if I want to offer a 40 hour work week to those employees, plus pay for benefits, I may have to cut 5 jobs in order to stay in budget, OR I can offer a 30 hour work week to all 25 of those employees. What's the tradeoff? Which is the better choice? I'm just saying that a decision like this may or may not be related to profits or evil corporate greed.<br />
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Businesses, large and small, sometimes overlook the human element in pursuit of profits. Even though I sometimes accuse my students of saying "But what if...?" too much, sometimes in situations like this, you have to ask, "But what if?"<br />
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I support local small businesses. I do prefer "mom and pop" restaurants over chain restaurants. I'm also not ashamed to patronize national chains, either, because I know that they contribute to our community and provide jobs. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-35576947596672137132012-08-11T22:03:00.001-04:002012-08-11T22:07:51.621-04:00Three days of One-to-OneWednesday, August 8 marked our first day of school. The first day of our first year as a one-to-one school. All of our students have their own laptops; those who are buying or leasing from the school have Macbook Airs, while other students have chosen to purchase their own Mac laptop of whatever variety. (Our school's tech policy is located <a href="http://www.lhsi.org/images/stories/PDF/tech_user_handbook.pdf">here</a>. It's pretty long--40+pages)<br />
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So I was expecting glitches to happen. They did. During first period on Wednesday we were supposed to walk our students through signing up for our Moodle classrooms. <a href="http://moodle.org/">Moodle </a>is a course management system. It has tons of features. We as teachers did some minor training on Moodle this spring and we are expected to use Moodle in some way for our classes. Since I teach English, I plan to use this a lot. There are so many features that, once I get used to them, will make my life easier, especially in the sense of being paperless.<br />
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But enough explanation of Moodle. As I said, we had to walk our students through signing up for Moodle. In my first hour class a couple of kids couldn't get in, so I sent them to our tech director ASAP, as he requested. Before I go any further I shall state that I have four sections of a class called "Introduction to Composition and Literature", which consists of freshmen and sophomores. Teaching freshmen is an especially challenging task. One reason is that not only are you teaching the material, but you also have to train them how to be high school students. They make mistakes and do goofy things mostly because they are just clueless about the high school environment. So teaching freshmen takes a lot more energy than teaching the older high school students. Needless to say, walking these kids through signing up for Moodle took a little longer than with older kids.<br />
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Throughout the rest of the day there were still 2-3 kids in each class who hadn't gotten set up in Moodle for a variety of reasons. On Thursday and Friday there were still some students who weren't set up BUT I think everything is under control now.<br />
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Another glitch centered around the enrollment in the Moodle classes themselves. I and my colleague are teaching these Intro to Comp classes. Somehow I could only see the freshmen participants and he could only see the sophomore participants. The problem has been solved...our tech guy started 2 new classes from scratch. On Friday I walked students through a process of moving something from the original class to the new one. I asked the students to let me know if they did not have the new link, so I could let the tech guy know...he thought he had everyone in the right place but thought there might be a mistake or two. Fifteen minutes AFTER I asked this in one class, a student raised her hand and informed me that she didn't have the new link. Arrrgh! <br />
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Another "funny" happened with my Expository Writing class, which consists of juniors and seniors. I had given them an assignment in which they researched their names and wrote a short paragraph about the meaning of their names and how it fit their personality or not. They were to submit this assignment in Moodle. One of my students raised his hand and told me that after he clicked on the link to submit the assignment, the connection timed out, all his work was lost, and he didn't feel like redoing it. My answer was simple but probably harsher than it could have been. I told him that if he wanted credit he should redo it, and that the assignment was available until 4 pm. <br />
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Things actually have been smoother than I expected. Our network seemed to be handling the extra traffic and the students have been doing well with navigating the Moodle environment. Granted, it's just been 3 days in, but I'm really excited to see what we can accomplish with this new tool.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-33714398319886325012012-08-05T20:42:00.001-04:002012-08-05T20:42:14.669-04:00Complaints of Olympic ProportionAs I wrote previously, I love the Olympics. My television has pretty much been on a channel with Olympics coverage if it's been turned on. I've watched a couple of episodes of Jeopardy, but mostly I've had the Olympics on the telly. I'm a little sad that school starts on Wednesday because I won't be able to stay up until midnight watching the coverage.<br />
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Yesterday, <a href="http://www.oscarpistorius.com/">Oscar Pistorius</a> of South Africa was the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics. He competed in the Paralympics in Athens, but now he's in the spotlight in the London Olympics. In the Equestrian event this morning, a 71 year-old competitor from Japan, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/japanese-rider-71-repeats-as-oldest-athlete-at-london-olympics/2012/08/02/gJQAfGUjRX_story.html">Hiromi Hoketsu</a>, is the oldest competitor in the Olympics. If you watch anything related to the Olympics, you will see athletes proud to perform as representatives for their countries. <br />
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However, I'm a little distressed that in light of success, someone still seems to find something to criticize. Gabby Douglas, who has 2 gold medals, <a href="http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/espnw/story/_/id/8232063/espnw-gabby-douglas-hair-criticized-social-media-sites">has been criticized for her hair</a>, and <a href="http://www.salon.com/2012/08/03/did_god_help_gabrielle_douglas_win/">some feel uncomfortable with her statement of faith</a>. When she said, "And I give all the glory to God. It's kind of a win-win situation. The glory goes up to him and the blessings fall down on me," Christians admired her and non-Christians reviled her. You can see her <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/gymnastics/story/2012-08-05/London-Olympics-Gabby-Douglas-hair/56802774/1">response to the hair controversy</a> over on USA Today's Olympics page. (<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/gymnastics/story/2012-08-02/London-Olympics-Gabby-Douglas-gymnastics-Christine-Brennan/56719036/1">Image Source</a>)<br />
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Additionally, on Fox News, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/05/gabby-douglas-us-olympic-uniforms-patriotism_n_1744172.html">the USA gymnastics team (and US fans) apparently</a> aren't patriotic enough. The hot pink and purple leotards worn by the USA women's team don't show enough USA spirit. Not enough USA fans are chanting "U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A". <br />
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There will always be controversy surrounding the Olympics. This Olympics isn't without it. This year, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/01/sport/olympics-badminton-scandal/index.html">8 athletes were disqualified from the badminton competition</a> because they deliberately threw matches in order to get an advantage in the next round. Yet we're outraged that the US athletes aren't patriotic enough or that a young girl boldly states her faith.<br />
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I guess I'm enough of a Polyanna that I enjoy the Olympics for the competition and the overall pride in my country. I'm amazed and inspired by the hard work and dedication it requires to become an Olympic-level athlete. I said in another blog entry that I like being able to be see sports I've only heard of (this morning I watched some water polo). I enjoy watching just to watch. If the US wins, they win. If they don't, they don't. It disappoints me to watch our team lose, but I don't live or die by it. If an athlete wants to express her gratitude to God, to her parents, or to her imaginary friend, let her do it. If the uniforms aren't in-your-face patriotic, so what. It doesn't change the fact that these athletes have worked hard to get to this level. Have you worked as hard as they do to achieve what you've achieved?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-49182089321170519712012-07-31T22:41:00.002-04:002012-07-31T22:41:20.031-04:00Die Olympischen SpieleI love the Olympics. I just love them.<br />
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First of all, with today's technology, one can watch some sort of athletic competition all. the. time. You pick what you want to watch, find it on the Internet, cable, or wherever, and watch world-class athletes putting out their best performances. You can see how proud all of the athletes, coaches, and fans are. You can appreciate the hours of practice and sacrifice that they have made to be a part of this great event. As someone whose main participation in athletics is as a spectator, I admire the work and dedication it takes to be an elite athlete. I personally don't think that, even if I had the skill, that I'd have the perservereance to be at that level. Truly, I'm not sure I'd have that level of dedication to be elite in anything I have reasonable skill in. <br />
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Secondly, I just like the international nature of the Olympics. In the US, if you are a sports fan, most of the competition you see is against other Americans. I teach high school, and attend a lot of sporting events. Rarely do our athletes compete against people from a different city, let alone a different state. It's even my understanding that the Indiana High School Athletic Association has rules about how far a team can travel to compete. <br />
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The reason I like the international nature of the Olympics is that we get to see that for the most part, people are people and very little truly separates us. I was watching the USA men's volleyball team compete against Germany today, live streamed on my iPad. There was no commentary, just the game. At time outs, the camera focused on both coaches. At one point, the German coach told his team, "It's simple. You just need to talk to each other!" (Well, he said it in German...) I have been to my share of volleyball games, and I think that I have heard every single coach say that to his or her team at least once in a match. It really made me chuckle.<br />
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I also especially enjoy being able to learn about sports that aren't in the mainstream. While the marquee sports of the Summer Olympics are gymnastics, swimming, and track and field, I've had a chance to see some others that I might not even get a chance to see. Sunday I watched a little bit of the USA Women's Field Hockey match. It was really interesting. Who knows, maybe some young athlete out there will be inspired to try some kind of competition they'd never heard of before.<br />
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On a slightly lighter note, I'm also generally intrigued buy the uniforms of all of the athletes. Not only do I enjoy watching the competition, but I rate the attractiveness of the uniforms. I guess I'm just a girl that way.<br />
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Finally, and it should be no surprise, I just love seeing the American patriotism that it brings about. Especially in light of recent years when it seems like we are the Divided States of America rather than the United States of America. No matter what your political or philosophical leanings are, I think most Americans would agree that they love to support our American athletes. To hear the chants of "U-S-A, U-S-A" helps me to believe that there's hope for our nation. Maybe. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1289579141570551353.post-89240459777233867072012-06-30T17:12:00.001-04:002012-06-30T17:12:39.219-04:00RepurposingI have been sucked into Pinterest this summer. I've pinned recipes, craft ideas, health and beauty tips, and more. One of the main kinds of pins I've enjoyed are the craft and DIY ideas that repurpose things. It's inspired me to try to find some things to repurpose, and actually to repurpose something I've been meaning to do for a while. <br />
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I love Partylite candles. A few years ago I bought a wall sconce for their Slim Hurricane jar candles. I like jar candles because you can use them without special candle holders or you can put special decorations (shades, etc) on them. This is what it looks like:<br />
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Anyway, I never considered that Partylite would discontinue the candle. I knew they'd discontinue the sconce, because they do that kind of thing. I was a Premier Designs jeweler for a while, and replacing things is just part of the business. People want new things.<br />
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So last summer, I burned the last of my slim hurricane candles. I don't burn candles a lot. I think I had purchased a total of 2 of the candles. I saved the glass jar because, well, it felt wasteful not to. I was using the one as a coin jar. But then I found out that my Partylite consultant used hers as drinking glasses, so when the 2nd burned away, I found a new coin receptacle and used the 2 slim hurricanes for drinking glasses. When I had my annual Partylite party, I thought I'd be able to order another slim hurricane, but NO! I discovered they were discontinued.<br />
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I tried to fit a pillar candle in it, which it did, but I didn't like how it looked. I didn't want to get rid of the sconce, so I sought the advice of my consultant. She suggested that I could fill in the glass with something and then put a tea light or votive candle in it. <br />
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After pondering, I went to the dollar store. Initially I thought I would use glass marbles or glass decorative pieces, but then I found some craft stones, river stones. They were shades of brown, cream, and gray. The colors blended with what I have in my living room! And they cost just $1. I had a glass votive holder. I filled the slim hurricane glass about halfway full with the stones, put in the votive holder, and then put stones around the votive holder. Then I added the votive candle, and voila! My slim hurricane sconce is serviceable again!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJOF3ullOzwnPp_cjV4AbO5RyPw3UGjNlk7wLxmAUPJieGLd78LqrUA_SYtSqJYbXiLv1FOu643OofBq6oVEQF1aFdKkB9dGqD3kjbvcxwzrGzm82172HowSIb5vo_KW0-kFNY8j_qwfW/s1600/DSCF0402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJOF3ullOzwnPp_cjV4AbO5RyPw3UGjNlk7wLxmAUPJieGLd78LqrUA_SYtSqJYbXiLv1FOu643OofBq6oVEQF1aFdKkB9dGqD3kjbvcxwzrGzm82172HowSIb5vo_KW0-kFNY8j_qwfW/s200/DSCF0402.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Here's the final result! I think it looks pretty attractive, and I was able to repurpose something economically!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0