30 Years of Teaching

On the last day of school, June 2, I officially added the 30th notch to my
-years of teaching- belt.

I started my career in Room 8.  After about 12 years, I was moved to Room 14.  That was a tough move.  Obviously, I'm a person who is comfortable with predictable surroundings.  I WAS room 8.  I became Room 14.

14 is a gang related number, so the numbers from my door were often stolen.  We just couldn't keep numbers on my door.  Then, the rooms were all renumbered, and I became Room 11.  I really like living in the number 11.

I have logged miles and miles and miles of walking on these sidewalks of Stratford School. 

I've played softball on these fields with Stratford kids.
Volleyball in the gym with Stratford kids.
Danced on the gym floor with Stratford kids.
Laughed, without measure, in these rooms, gym, and playground, with Stratford kids.
I've held hands, hugged, comforted, and disciplined.  Oh, and I've taught... 600 - 700 kids.
 
My kids grew, and our relationship stayed intact.  I've had the great pleasure to watch them grow into teens, adults, parents, and friends.  There are far more than just a few who are still in my life.  Each one is a blessing to my heart.  I've taught their children. I continue to teach their children.  I've taught entire families. 

Personal evolution...............

I've walked these sidewalks as Miss Bettencourt.
I've run along these sidewalks, the energy of a youthful teacher, Tigger bouncing between the office and my room.


I recall the first time Mr. Villa called me on the intercom and addressed me as "Mrs. Wiens"... in August of 1983.  My heart raced!

I've waddled along these sidewalks, pregnant, swollen, and tired.  I drove away after a full teaching day on Thursday, April 7, and delivered my baby Jake on Friday, April 8.  Almost like the moms in the rice fields.  I evolved into a mother on this school site.

I suffered personal losses while at this school.  I remember the exact spot where Anne and Doug told me about our beloved Scott, and my knees buckled. The principal gave us his office so we could openly shed our tears, while my friends at school made arrangements to take my class for the rest of the day.

I received "the phone call" in the middle of class, that I needed to get to the hospital immediately, because my sister was not going to make it through the day.  My students witnessed my gut response to this, and they rose to the occasion.  Their big eyes of sympathy forever engrained in my memory.  I was exhibiting real life to them.  They handled it.


Technology evolved..............


I've woven 35 mm reel to reel tape from a feeder tape to the empty receiver reel, to show flickery movies to students.  My favorite was "Hemo the Magnificent"  circa-1958.

I've had purple fingers, fingernails, and often smudges of purple on my face from using a mimeograph machine to make student copies. I recall, with affection, the rhythmic sound of the machine churning out my copies -

tha-tump, tha-tump,tha-tump, tha-tump,tha-tump, tha-tump... 

and the sweet smell of the toxic ink.

I've used the overhead projector to create my own bulletin board characters (I didn't think it was "right" to purchase premade bulletin boards!). 

I've gone from a huge suitcase sized record player, playing scratchy singalong records, to cassette recorders, to CD players, to Pandora custom stations.

I can remember the thrill of being introduced to a "computer" in 1983.  A big, bulky thing, with a greenish screen, called an Apple IIe.  I couldn't believe that someday we could possibly have a computer in EACH classroom!!  Oh my! How could our district ever afford such an expense!! 

Then came the computers color screens.  AND a mouse! I can't even remember how we maneuvered a computer before the mouse.  Teachers had to take turns cleaning the "mouse balls" in the computer lab. 

The dreaded Apple computer bomb - ugh. The sight of this still gives me heartache.

                            

Now, I have a laptop cart in my classroom, that houses 22 student laptops. 

My overhead projector, after spending too much time ignored in the corner, has been retired to the storage garage. I felt guilty sending it off, cart and all.

Replacing my OHP is this  new Elmo, that projects real life images to my 10 foot wide screen.

Yesterday I was trained on the use of an iTouch, so that my students can use those in my room next year. Amazing realization that paper/pencil assignments are going to join the projector, overhead, and IIe computers!! Maybe even before my retirement!

2011 - Room 11 - The evolution of my education.  I've lived an entire life on the campus of Stratford School.

New Music Love

I'm loving Jake Shimabukuro and his magical ukelele.  It is so thrilling to continue to find music that melts into your soul, whispers melodies into the bloodstream, soothes the spirit, inspires directions that haven't been considered.  I feel happy that the world keeps growing people with talent and individuality.  Thank you.

Oh, and I like saying his last name.  So multi-syllabic.

why?

it is a question that is reserved for the human brain.
it is an earthly question
And what might we want for an answer?
What might satisfy the aching heart that asks "why?"

God smiles
for He understands.
He calls His children back to His arms,
Enveloping and delighting in them upon their return.
Every child is greeted by the Father with the truest depths of love.
Home.

Why?
Love is the answer.

"Envy is counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own."

Allow me to take a moment for some bitchiness.

I have a great aversion to people who desire envy.  These are the people who can't really appreciate their own accomplishments, their own happiness, their own path, unless someone is envying them.  Coveting their belongings. Wishing for their life.

Do not court me as your awestruck audience. Do not use me as a tally mark in your secret scorebook.  I'm not interested in being tallied.

I will very willingly be happy for you.  I will rejoice in your happiness as you climb your own mountain.  I will recognize your hard work, your sacrifices, and your endurance to reach your goals.  I will marvel over the beauty of your belongings, and share your glee as your create a surrounding that fits your soul. But, please... do not expect me to yearn to BE you!!  That I will not do. 

Allow me to applaud you from my own vantage point, where I am very happy and climbing, trekking on my own path.  I find your path lovely, but I find my path equally lovely.  Really!

I have my own landmarks that spark my personal fire. Not less, just different.

All of us are creating personal notches.  Getting our footing. Sometimes slipping, even falling.  Rising again and marching on.  Enjoying the scenery on paths, curves, and turns that weren't planned.  My path is twisty. Sometimes I don't use a map, sometimes I need a guide.  I love the whimisical journey, even the storms, and the choice to go off course to chase a butterfly.  I want to gather flowering friends along the way, carrying a bouquet of colors in my heart.  I want to build memories using all of my senses. A song. A smell. A taste. A touch.  Each reminding me of a moment, a person, a life postcard.

This is me.  It works for me.

I want to know about your path.  I want to experience other mountains, other journeys, listening, learning, sitting next to you and turning the pages of your album of life. I may even consider walking some of those paths, to see what they can bring to me.  That is the grandeur of this life.  We can each walk a path and come back with an entirely different assortment of memories.

Be happy for yourself! This is good stuff, and you don't need anyone else to amplify your experience. It is remarkable enough to stand on it's own, so applaud yourself and relish in yourself.  That is good enough!  I am strongly capable of loving your experiences without wanting to secretly trail you.

I will never put on your shoes. 
I will never hope to have your legs, eyes, or gut. 
For, they would not fit me.

Life Lab

The reason I was in Santa Cruz was to attend a 2-day School Gardening Workshop.  I am not a gardener, but I am a teacher who believes children should do more at school than sit at a desk.  School just isn't as much fun these days (in my opinion).  I attended so I could learn how a non-gardening teacher creates mini-gardeners.

I was hugely inspired!

First of all, the people who work at this heaven-on-Earth facility, have smiles on their faces that can only be produced by working at a job that they love passionately! Daily, they are surrounded by the most beautiful scenery in the state, clean air, and happy energy.  I hate them.  I want to be them.  Envy is an ugly thing.

Notice the ocean in the background?  Understand my envy?

This honey bee box was quite cool.  Unlatch the door and open, and you can view the inner workings of a bee hive.


I found this structure interesting.  Huge slab of slate with marbles attached in the etchings.  I figured we might recreate this at school one day, using all the confiscated marbles collected by the principal.

Artichoke plants are quite beautiful, in addition to producing a very yummy vegetable.

Driving to Santa Cruz, I drove right through the artichoke capital of the world... Castroville.  The fields were heavy with artichoke plants, ready for harvesting.  I took a picture of an artichoke field, but it didn't turn out very clear. Disappointing.


I took this picture to remind myself that this is a plant I want in my yard.  I've seen it before, loved it, but had forgotten about it.  I think I might leave the house today in search of Mexican Sage, even though I'm thinking my yard is getting a little "purple overload".... seems I have an attractive to purple blossoms.

I learned about worm bins.  Lots of creepy crawlies find the bin to be a delicious home. 

I don't know the name of this succulent, but isn't it a beauty?!  I took these pictures for my students, to use as an example of patterns in nature. 

And, just for good measure, to add to the ultimate pleasure and plethora of information I absorbed at this workshop, we didn't start our day until 9:00 am!  This gave us time for an early morning walk along Sea Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz.  Can you imagine starting each day with this???

Power

Beauty

Soothing

Peace.............

My July plan is morphing

                                             Lemoore

                                               to South Jordan

                                          a Franti first for me

                 and  IG in Layton !?!

                (quote... "What's this world coming to?)

                          from South Jordan to Sedona

                           THEN!

                         I saw this picture, and started to change my mind.

                                     My stomach got queasy

                                  THEN!

                                I remembered posting

                                 this picture  on 1-1-11

The journey to our dreams is not always a straight path.  It is not always easy, and often, there are scary bridges that make us want to turn around. 

I'm taking the long way to this dream.  I'm crossing the bridge.  I'm singing the song. 

Santa Cruz Spirit

I was in Santa Cruz last week.  Such a strange, wonderful place. 
It's progressively zen and old school hippie time warp.
I love it there....
it's just weird enough and just smart enough. 
I think that's me.

I have two separate Santa Cruz attachments. 

The city
Veganville 
Beachy
Boardwalk
Pacific Avenue
Chex Mix of people

The redwoods 
Natural
A winding canyon road
Politely looming redwoods
Embracing sounds
Critters
Hair frizzing air

I'd happily tolerate umkempt hair for more time among the trees.