More photos...

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OK guys, I had a wonderfully lazy weekend so there's not much to talk about tonight. I decided I would show you a couple more of the rainy day photos I took Saturday. I really only like this first one because the tall building in the background by the cruise ship is where I live.

I really, really dread going back to school in the morning. Wish me luck!

Rainy day photos

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Finally, something went my way this week! I didn't have to photograph cows! I would have done it, but I would have done it from a distance. lol!

Because of time and the weather we just stayed on campus and took photos. It was fun. Here's a photo I took of my instructor...(Not the mean one that said I wasn't creative, but the nice one that actually likes my photos.)

And here are a couple of my classmates...

After taking lots and lots of pictures we went to Bryan in the Kitchen and had an excellent lunch!

Next saturday is our last class and I am so sad about that! Now, I'm not going to have anything to do on Saturday mornings but sleep in. lol! I plan on taking the advanced class, but it doesn't start until June.

Job hunting...

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OK, so, uummm, if you know of any schools that are looking for a kindergarten teacher could you put in a good word for me? I should probably start my job hunt now cause I'm pretty sure no one can go off on their principal the way I went off on mine today without facing some sort of punishment...really, really bad punishment.

In my defense, after being forced to test my students for over two hours on Tuesday I warned everyone that this was not going to be the week to mess with me!

I have decided that whatever my punishment is, I will wear it like a crown because I didn't say anything that wasn't true and I don't regret anything I said. As a matter of fact, after I had time to calm down and think about everything I was only sorry that I hadn't said more!

Orange Croc Guy has been laughing at me all night. He informed me that I'm the worst smack talker ever and that he's not going to support me after I get fired.

AND.....as if there weren't already enough things wrong in my life.....my photography class fieldtrip has been messed up and the last I heard they were changing the plans and now I might have to go photograph cows.

I don't do cows!

They're big and smelly and I'm scared!

The Story of Me part 35

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September 7, 1996

Harmony woke up early. Leo was coming over for a play date and she couldn't wait. She had never had a play date before. Mary had taken her shopping the previous evening and they bought flavored drinks and snacks. They even bought a game for Leo to take home with him after the play date was over.

“I’ll get it! I’ll get it!” Harmony ran through the house yelling when she heard the doorbell ring at exactly 10 o’clock. She opened the door smiling and Leo was standing there in jeans that were too big, a wrinkled dress shirt and a tie. He was wearing shoes that looked new but were too big for his feet. He was smiling and holding what looked to be fresh picked flowers in his hands.

“Hi Harmony! I found your house. These flowers are for Mrs. Harrison. I wanted to thank her for letting me come over.” Leo was excited and talking very quickly.
Mary and Gene walked up behind Harmony. “Harmony, don’t just stand there let your friend come inside.” Mary laughed.

“Hello ma’am. These are for you. Hello sir. Thank you for inviting me to your house.” Leo’s smile lit up his whole face and Harmony was smiling just as brightly as she watched him.

Mr. Harrison looked at his wife and quietly whispered, “Oh my, I didn’t think boys would start showing up this soon.”

“Hush” Mary whispered back before taking the flowers Leo had offered. “It was very nice of you to bring me flowers. Come on in. Would you children like a snack before you play.”

“Oh yes, that would be very nice. Thank you.” Leo said as he reached for Harmony’s hand and entered the house.
Gene and Mary watched from a distance as Harmony and Leo ate their snacks and talked and laughed about things that only eight year olds think are funny. They watched through the window as the kids played in the backyard. Leo was the perfect little gentleman. He held Harmony’s hand as they walked and pushed her on the swing. At one o’clock Mary called the children inside for lunch and watched as Leo held the door for Harmony.

“Leo, what time is your mom coming to pick you up?” Mary asked as she placed sandwiches and chips on the table in front of the children.

“Oh, I don’t have a mom. I live at the group home that’s over on Fifteenth Avenue. I just have to be back there before it gets dark outside.”

Gene put down the newspaper he was reading in the other room and sat up to listen as Mary put her hand on Leo’s shoulder. “Leo, honey, Fifteenth Avenue is over eight blocks away. How did you get here?”

“I walked.” Leo announced. “I walk everywhere I go. I think that’s why I’m so skinny.”

Gene laughed from where he was sitting and Mary smiled. “Well, I tell you what. After you kids eat lunch and play some more. We’ll drive you home in the car so that you don’t have to walk.”

“That would be very nice. Thank you.” Leo smiled again then took a big bite of his sandwich.

The dark days are over!

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You have no idea how NOT fun it is to give a standardized test to kindergarten students! On Tuesday those poor babies were tested for over two hours and Wednesday's test lasted for over an hour.

RIDICULOUS!!!!!

Apparently, the powers that be don't care that the attention span of a kindergarten student starts to give out after about 15 minutes.

4-11-12

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To My Kindergarten Class...

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Dear Class,

You should not read this blog because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten, but there are some things I want to say and this is the place I always come to when I need to work out my thoughts.

There are just some things people shouldn't know about their kindergarten teachers. Things you shouldn't know about me. The day you stop believing that I live in our class room, have Santa on speed dial and am close personal friends with Zero the Hero is the day the world begins to lose some of it's magic and you start to believe stupid things like standardized test scores being more important than fairy tales and daydreams.

There are a few things that are more important than fairy tales and daydreams. A standardized test score isn't one of those things.

I want you to know that I am sorry. I am sorry that in around 9 hours I'll be responsible for giving you a standardized test. I am sorry that from this day forward you will be constantly bombarded with standardized test in school. I am sorry that someone somewhere, someone who doesn't know you and hasn't met you will draw conclusions about who you are and how successful you'll be in life based on how well you score on these standardized tests. I am sorry because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten and you should be playing instead of testing.

You were sent home from school on Monday and told to get a good nights sleep and to eat a good breakfast before coming back to class. You should be sleeping now. I should be sleeping now.

I can't sleep because I'm worried about you. I've thought all night about what I can say to encourage you; to remind you of just how wonderful you are. Right now, it feels important for me to say that while you are, can and will be lots of things it is the thing that you aren't that matters most.

You are not a test score!

Through the years you will be forced to sit through more of these tests than anyone can count and you will have teachers who will handle them differently. Some teachers will try to make you believe that the future of the entire world depends on how well you score, others will simply tell you to do your best and trust that you will. I hope that I have been like the latter, but fear that I have probably jumped back and forth between the extremes. I am sorry if I have made you feel pressured to do well. I am sorry because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten and you are not a test score.

There will be questions on this test that you can't answer. I know that you will look at me with pleading eyes expecting help. I am sorry that I won't be able to offer that help. Please understand that it makes me as sad as it will make you. It makes me sad because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten and you are not a test score.

You will take lots of test during your educational career. Some will be long, others short. Some will take forever to finish and others will go quickly. Some tests you will enjoy and find easy; others ~ not so much. Just remember that there is more to you than any test score can ever reveal.

Through the years you will take some important tests too. Your courage will be tested. Your faith, loyalty, honesty, willpower, integrity and patience will all be tested. These are the only tests that really matter. The only tests I truly hope you never have to say you've failed.

I am tired now so I am going to try to sleep. When I see you in class I will smile and remind you to go to the bathroom, to listen carefully to the directions, to think about your answers and to do your best.

That's all you need to do. Nothing more and nothing less. Leave all the worrying to me because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten and you are not a test score.