Happy Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving, my family is traveling to Orlando for a family reunion. It is a non-traditional celebration of Thanksgiving for my family, but the time spent with them will be very memorable. I hope you and your family have a very blessed holiday.

Happy Veteran's Day!!!

This was my blog from last year---I decided to post it again in honor of all veterans!


My dad was born in 1928, he was second to the youngest of 13 children. He was 12 years old when his older brother joined the navy and was stationed at Pearl Harbor. My dad, who grew up extremely poor and never went anywhere, once told me that he was so jealous that his brother got to "see the world and have fun hanging out in Hawaii." On December 7, my uncle was on the USS Oklahoma when Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan. (My uncle survived, but he really never talked about that day.) My dad wanted desperately to join the war, so at 16, he quit school, lied about his age, and joined the navy. Although he never saw a battle like Pearl Harbor, he proudly served our country for 6 years. He came home to a country that was proud of him, but without an education, he never found a solid career. My father-in-law, a college graduate and a father of 2 small children, was drafted at the age of 25 to serve in Vietnam. He was a canine handler, and he and his dog were trained to seek out "boobie traps" before sending troops in to an unknown territory. He saved hundreds of lives. He came home to a country that was divided by war, and he was not celebrated as the hero that he was. He missed 4 years of his young children's lives. My son joined the army because he didn't like college. He was chosen for military intelligence, and he currently seeks out terrorists' cells. I haven't seen him in a year, and I haven't heard his voice since Mother's Day. He still has another year before he finishes his commitment. My sister's husband was recently deployed to a clinic in Egypt where they send wounded soldiers from Afghanistan. He is a medic in the Army National Guard, and this is his 3rd deployment in 4 years. My 4 year old niece and my 2 year old nephew tell me every day how much they miss their daddy, and my sister has had to raise her children pretty much alone. I am proud of all these men, but their service to our country as come at personal costs to their families. Every day I can say that I don't agree with our government, or I can protest some new law. I can choose where I live, own a gun, raise my children in my religious preference, read uncensored literature, attend school, earn a living in a profession of my choice, travel, and do countless other things that I take for granted. We say that we are proud to be Americans, and we enjoy our freedom, but do we really understand what that means? Do we really appreciate all that we have in this country? Do we really acknowledge the men and women that serve in our armed forces every day to secure our way of life? So as we celebrate Veteran's Day, I challenge all of us to thank our country's heroes--the men and women who leave their families to serve our country. I challenge us to not just thank them on November 11th but to thank them every day. It is their sacrifice that keeps us from having to sacrifice our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Child's Play

I was a child of the 70s and an 80s teenager. When I was a kid, Atari was new, but I wasn't allowed to have one. There were only 3 television stations---we couldn't get cable TV where I lived. Cartoons only came on Saturday morning, and music videos only played after the 10pm news on Saturday night. So, there wasn't much to do indoors growing up; consequently, I played outside most of the day. I was lucky to live in the country with friends nearby--we raced go carts, hunted for "snipe," played in an old tire swing, climbed trees, and played hide and seek in the woods. We actually played games like Capture the Flag, dodge ball, and 4 square. My friends and I were creative when it came to finding new things to do. We made up relay races where we had to wear old clothes, throw eggs into a basket, or jump through hoops. It doesn't really matter what games we played, the point is, we played. We were kids in a time that it was okay just to be a kid. We didn't care if it was silly, and we didn't know what "cool" was. I know I am being nostalgic, but I get so sad sometimes when I see our middle school students trying to be more and more grown up. I went Halloween costume shopping with my 14 year old daughter yesterday, and I was shocked at how many costumes for "tween girls" were seductive and used the words "sexy" and "vixen." I understand that change happens, but I think taking away childhood from kids is one the most egregious changes of our time. Our kids don't know how to play unless it is an organized sport, or they have an electronic device. Yesterday, we hosted our first intramural games among our Zone classes. The morning was filled with child's play: dodge ball, Capture the Flag, and Anything Goes (silly relay races.) For most of our students, they had a great time---they had the opportunity to just be kids and play. Of course, there were some that sat in the stands, with their headphones,and their Iphones and acted "too cool" to run a race, throw an egg, chase after a flag, or dodge a ball. I felt sad for those students for the world has tainted them into thinking that just being a kid is "uncool." I hope that as a society, we can return to where kids are just kids---where they can simply play. For if kids are just kids, then maybe we won't have 12-14 year olds experimenting with sex and drugs because in their mind, they are too young for that nonsense--they are simply too busy having fun with child's play.

Tackling Math

I have decided to pursue my PhD. It is a goal that I set for myself when I was still working on my Bachelor's degree many years ago. I have found plenty of excuses to put off obtaining my doctorate, but I am done making excuses---it is time. I have applied to Texas A&M university. The application process was fairly easy to navigate--fill out the application, send your transcripts, write an essay, get a few references, take the GRE---wait, take the GRE????? That was the one requirement that caused a sudden rush of panic and my stomach to turn.
I remember taking the GRE for my Master's degree, but I don't remember the test. So, when I registered for the test, I downloaded the practice test and sample questions to refresh my memory. The GRE has been revised since I last took it, and the ELA section was manageable. I was an English major, and I still continue to read and write, so I thought, I can do this.
I then looked at the math. I had flashbacks to college Algebra where I sat in a classroom of 200 students and had no idea of what the professor was teaching. I panicked! I immediately found one of my 8th grade teachers (thank you Mr. Teal) to tutor me. I think he was surprised at how little I knew! The great thing about working with Mr. Teal is that he models the problem for me, then I practice it, and then he corrects me. He also gives me practice problems to work at home. After about a week, I took my first practice test. I only got 4 out of 20 problems correct! It was pretty dismal, and I finally understood how some of my students feel when they take a test! This past weekend, I bought a practice book---more explanations and more problems to solve. I promised myself that I would practice the book every day for at least one hour (most nights, it has been 2 hours.) It helps to have the practice book because once Mr. Teal explained the madness behind the math problem, I was able to refresh my memory with the explanations in the book as I practiced. So, after 3 days of studying and practicing, I took another practice test. This time I got 13/20 correct! I am seeing progress. It dawned on me that math is hard for me. I have to work at it to remember it---it isn't simple, clear, and logical the way my Algebra teacher in high school told me. Because I am challenged by math, I have to practice it everyday! I can't skip a day because then I forget some thing. This is the lesson I want our students to understand: math is challenging, but to get good at it, you have to pay attention to the teacher, take notes, practice it at home, and keep trying. I take the GRE in 2 weeks, and I know that no matter what my score is, I will be as ready as I possibly can be for the math portion. Afterall, education is a lesson in perseverance, and I will persevere through this crazy hard math test! :o)

It's autumn---SIKE!!!!

Okay, I am an 80s teenager, so the word "Sike" was used quite a bit when I was in school. It basically means that the previous statement was incorrect! So, last week when the weather was absolutely "perfectly" gorgeous with cool autumn temps in the morning, and pleasant late summer temps in the afternoon, I thought, "wow, we are in for an early fall." Sike! It was so not true--we are right back to triple digit temps this week, and it feels like the middle of July! You are probably wondering why I am talking about the weather when this is a reflective blog about working in a middle school. Well, this weather pattern is very similar to dealing with adolescent teenagers. They are often moody and inconsistent with their behavior. One day, they are "perfect" angels, and then the next, they are wild and crazy. It is like one day, they are the most pleasant people in the world, filled with wonder and happiness, and then the next day, they "sike you out" because they are like 2 year olds on a sugar rush! It absolutely blows my mind how teens can change so drastically from one day to the next! Well, at least I can say this--it keeps things interesting around school--there is never a dull moment. I am hoping that this autumn holds more perfect weather days rather than wild crazy summer temps---it is those perfect days which make school so much fun for everyone!

Loving middle school students

Since today is the first day of school, I just can't help but write about how much I love middle school students. Everyday, I am in shock and awe by them. After a very lonely summer, my students returned today to start a new school year. Most of them had brand new clothes on and big smiles. I received a lot of hugs and high fives, and I had the opportunity to "bother" some of my 8th graders today at lunch. (I couldn't bother 6th grade today--they were too nervous, but I think I will bother 7th tomorrow!) Some of them were complaining about having to sit by Zones, but once I sat and talked with them, we were laughing and having a great time. They are just so much fun and so entertaining! (By the way, they get to sit where they want next week--just in case some of them read my blog!)
Middle school students are stuck between wanting to act cool for their peers but still be silly like a child. They want to make important decisions to make them feel like an adult, but they also want structure that makes them feel safe like a kid. I truly enjoy watching them grow and develop between the ages of 11 and 14---they turn from scared and shy 6th graders into outgoing and (somewhat) cocky 8th graders. I have learned that the best way to get along with this age group is to go with the flow and enjoy them. They really are funny, and I can't wait to see what will happen next---everyday is a new adventure! So, Happy New (school) Year everyone---may all your learning this year be meaningful and bright! :o)

The kids are coming!!!!

I am so excited for Tuesday--the first day of school. Shakespeare once wrote, "Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books, but love from love, toward school with heavy looks." Well, I hate to argue with Master Shakespeare, but I have found that most kids really enjoy the start of a new school year. School opens new doors for them whether it be an opportunity to star in the school play, play a sport, read a new book, make a new friend or see old ones again--it is the promise of something different, something new. My niece is starting Kindergarten this year, and she is so excited, and she just beams with joy when she speaks of making new friends and learning new things. I hope that my middle school students are experiencing the same excitement and joy at the start of this new school year. I wish them all a healthy and happy school year. I hope they will all take advantage of all the opportunities that middle school offers, and they will make positive and productive choices. As for my teachers, I know you will understand my excitement when I yell, "The kids are coming!!!!!!!"