A Week To Remember

Can I have a witness?

Some weeks are just C-R-A-Z-Y!

Usually these crazy weeks involve testing,
and schedule changes,
and uncooperative computers,
and misplaced important papers,
and congestion.

But in the eye of the storm 

the sun still shines,

 and we can see some pretty,

 amazing things ~

Presenting . . .

Last year I learned about the One Word for the new year idea.
I thought it was perfect.  Why rack your brain with resolutions and promises that you may or may not keep?
Just choose one word to be your personal motto.

Last year I chose the word "position".

Actually, I got the word from the movie "Mulan".
In a scene, Mulan and her companions are traveling through the desert and one of her companions makes an accidental noise which instantly exposes their position.  The enemy immediately knew they were close and were able to advance.  I thought about it.  How many changes, situations, and surprises are hiding, waiting for the determined time to overwhelm and drown out the reasons why we do what we do.  However, if we remain positioned in the knowledge that we are serving, helping, preparing, and sacrificing for the next generation of world changers, then the ancillaries cannot advance and take first place.

This year I chose the word

There are many reasons why this is my word for 2015,
but in reference to teaching, I chose release because I want to simplify, de-clutter, and release those things that I hang onto that may not be necessary to hold onto any longer.

One thing I've already "released" is paper & pencil homework. Every year I wrestled with whether I should or shouldn't give homework. This school year I finally ended the struggle.  I now have a generic paper & pencil vocabulary homework assignment for students without internet and for beginners.  The majority of the students do their reading homework online.  The programs grade and organize the data for me.  All I have to do is print out weekly reports.  I'm able to give specific feedback on targeted areas of weakness.  Awesome . . .
I look forward to releasing some other things in order to make room for newer and more effective ideas.

I found this site on the web called 365 One Word Art Journal.
Each day is given one word to write about.
I love it.  It's similar to the "Word Write" I use as a journal prompt. Give them the word, they choose the genre.  They can choose a narrative fiction story, an informative or argumentative paragraph, a list, a illustrated collage, a personal letter, an advertisement, all inspired by one word.

Click here to download.

My beautiful and talented daughter . . . 

(I know we all say we have beautifully, talented children, 

and guess what? We all do.) 

. . . began her second semester at seminary this week.  

It has been an emotional ride these past few weeks as I've had to say good-bye again, 

and deal with empty nesting emotions again.  

However, at the end of the day, my heart is full 

for this immeasurable blessing.  

 

It's the second half of the school year.

Everyone is pretty much on auto pilot, right?

Then, boom, 

you receive nine new students

 in one week.  

All nine have very little English literacy skills

Starting from scratch will be imminent.  

But, no one panic, my students, my kids,
came to the rescue!

They've helped me immensely to establish our newbies and welcome them to the nest. From assisting with testing procedures, unit packets, book check-outs, computer log-ins, mailboxes, transitioning from building to building, class to class, notebooks, journals, sign out logs, tardy policies, to ID's, they stepped up to the plate. The list of things to know for any student is almost limitless, can you imagine having to understand it in a different language.  I could not have survived this week, and frankly neither would've my new ELL's, without the help of my student leaders.

Bravo!

I know this one is probably next week's wow, but the expectation of a three day weekend is almost better than the three-day weekend.  It's a blessing to have an extra day to chill after an eventful week like we had.  

Thank the Lord for 3-day weekends!  

Enjoy yours, as well.

Hugs~