Prep is over!

WooHoo

The first day of school doesn’t seem that long ago.

Annie on her last day of school walking confidently up to the classroom by herself. More often than not I say goodbye to her at the school gate as it is too embarrassing to have mum come to the classroom with you. Some days Annie likes me to go still but they are fewer and further between.

From Dec 09

The school bag has been ditched in favour of the more fashionable High School Musical bag from Nana J.

I snuck this picture of Annie in during the first hour of class – I was in the room helping out with tidying up the puzzles and games.

From Dec 09

Which epitomizes the changes that this year has brought to our family. Finding out during the year that Annie has Aspergers has undeniably caused some changes in our life. More appointments and people to see being the one that springs to mind first. It also explains so much. Why Annie was coming home overwhelmed and distraught at the end of school days. Why homework was always such a battle, why somethings which seemed so simple were so difficult to explain to Annie.

I’m so proud of her, despite all the difficulties she has still made some friends, gotten an exceptionally good report card and generally enjoyed school.

Next year Annie will be in Grade One and is in a combined Prep/One class. I’m a little upset she is not in a combined One/Two class as academically she is already performing above her grade level. But it is the opinion of the school that socially Annie needs the greater level of support a Prep/One class will provide. I am *very* happy about her classroom teacher for next year. So we will play it by ear and see what 2010 brings to our family.

Hello everyone from ST1!

We are the 6th grade of the 5th Primary School of Levadia. This year we will present various interesting issues. We hope to have a nice and lucky school year!

Hello from ST2!

We are the 6th grade of the 5th Primary School of Levadia. We would like to continue the school blog as the last year 6th grade did. We will always put new subjects about our school events, fresh news about our excursions and our art exhibitions, bazaars or musical events.

What makes a person give up?

Not a person, but a child…

Not just any child, but a student.

A student that I have the pleasure of teaching.

Lack of determination, pride, and most importantly hope.

Lashing out at others, yelling at teachers with blatant disrespect and tumbling classroom dynamics from his negativity alone. 

“Man, y’all teachers be blowin’ me! Getting on my nerves!”

He has been tossed from school to school because of his discipline problems.  Labeled in the system as “unreachable.”  He reads on a second-grade level, but if given the chance to see him smile and achieve, its magical!  Again, if given the chance…

When he was suspended for pushing a female student over 6 feet across the hallway out of anger, I asked him “Don’t you care about how you are hurting others, and most importantly, yourself?”  His reply…

“Nope, no one cares!  Whatever!”

Maybe he’s right.  Just by noticing the only one soiled school uniform shirt he wears, the foul odor that comes from his clothing, and dark rings around his neck from days of dirt that hasnt been wiped away, maybe those who are responsible for him are occupied by other priorities.

I go on to tell him that I care, and no matter how upset he gets at me, I’m not giving up.  He relates, he doesnt believe me and shrugs his shoulders.

Honestly, this is an extreme challenge for me as a teacher.  To see so much potential in a life, but its thrown away by the surroundings of their environment.  To offer help and inspiration to a life that sees themselves as lifeless.  It’s hard.  But, I cannot give up on him, because unlike other teachers, I believe stereotypeslie…

Stay tuned to see how both he and I work on changing his academics and life…

As ‘little Micheal Jackson’ loaded onto the school bus for dismissal, my ears perked up from the comment geared toward me, “I can’t believe you did that!” shouted another teacher to me.  She was responding to ‘little Micheal Jackson’ stepping on the bus, but not before handing back to me my i-phone, with a pleasant “Thank you Ms.Driscoll.”  She went on to restate, “I can’t believe you let him even touch your i-phone!  I would never do that to any of these kids, especially him.  He’d probably take it home and never bring it back, and run up my bill!”

See, ‘ little Micheal Jackson’ has a history of not having the best behavior.  He has harmed teachers, yells at times of  anger, and even curses from time to time at adults.  He’s only 6 years-old and has to have adult supervision during all school hours.  She, like others, automatically write him off as a disaster waiting to happen, never deserving the chance to excel.  Grant it, some of the choices he makes puts himself and others in harm’s way, but have others ever stopped to think about what he faces once he leaves the safe grounds of our elementary school?  Well, this is what he faces…a mother who abandoned him, so he’s tossed from home to home.  At this home, he’s surrounded by adults who forgot to teach him what it feels like to be a kid.  To wake up to a nutritious breakfast, a kiss on the forehead wishing him a good day at school, or the celestial words of “I love you.”  Instead, he’s happy about the free breakfast he will receive at school, only sees families show affection on cartoons, but not in real-life…and  the words, “I love you,” he may only hear in a Micheal Jackson song.

Michael Jackson is his idol and hero.  He knows all the moves and words, in fact, someday I cannot wait to see him to brighten up my day!  He’s amazing when he slides those ant-sized feet  back and forth, moon walking!  This brings me to why ‘little Micheal Jackson’ had my i-phone today.  When he saw me, he lunged toward me, “Ms.Driscoll, do you have your phone, I want to listen to Michael Jackson.”  I asked him and his teacher if he was well behaved, their answer was yes, so without hesitation, I handed it to him, with “great job!  I’m proud of you.”

Listening to Micheal Jackson made his entire day! It was a delight to glance over and see him so into the music that his eyes were as wide as my smile.

Let’s see….a $500 device or robbing him the chance to feel a moment of happiness?  I’ll take  the second choice any day, because unlike my fellow faculty member, I have hope for ‘little Micheal Jackson’ and believe stereotpyeslie.

*For privacy reasons the student’s name was withheld*

It’s been a few weeks, things were starting to look up!

We started hanging out a lot  more, and even at his house too. I was really excited about that, I miss his family so much, especially his youngest brother =). Before I went over to his house the other day I bought him some cookies (because he loves cookies) and I think he really liked them. We went to my bestfriend’s swim meet together…which he didn’t sit by me at really, I sat next to her boyfriend. After that point when he dropped me off he didn’t talk to me since then. We were doing so great…almost all of the texts from him in our conversations would regularly include smiley faces and/or lol’s. I thought we were really hitting it off again.

But since then he has stopped talking to me. I’m not sure what he is trying to get at at this whole “on/off” situation, but it’s really confusing me and everyone that I have talked to about it. About a week ago I got a text and I quote: “Its going to be a while before i date you again. i would guess after swimming season. Sorry” What the hell is that supposed to mean? I mean, I would wait forever for him, this guy I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about him holding me in his arms and his cute smile.

I shouldn’t have to go through this, he really does deserve me, and I have changed for him and I am trying so hard to be nice, but he is making it so difficult and I just want to love him. =( Sad post.

If you had three wishes, what would they be?  Would it be to have the fanciest cars and clothes?  Maybe you want to buy an enormous house just so you can have the right to say yours is bigger than the next man’s.  Whatever your 3 wishes are, I hope their not laced with selfishness and pumped with greed.  When this question was presented to my 5th grade class as a writing assignment, the responses I received were next to astonishing!

“….if I had 3 wishes, one of would be that I can become a philanthropist.  I want to be this, because I want to help send people to college who may not have the chance. With all the money I would have, I also want to help the poor.   In New Orleans, I see people living in boxes and on the streets.  It kills me to see people without homes and sad.  As a philanthropist I would make people happy to live again.”

“…if  I had 3 wishes, a wish of mine would be to make my family happy.  I hate to hear my family sad or upset because we dont have things like others.  I would end Power Bills, Light Bills and Phone Bills.  Then my family would no longer be sad, but happy because my wish came true.”

“….I would be a leader in my world if I had 3 wishes.  My teacher and parents would be very proud of me if I became a leader.  Leaders make something of themselves and help out in major disasters like Hurricane Katrina.”

“…If I had 3 wishes, my last wish would be that my mom makes it through her surgery.  Lord knows I dont know what my brother and I would do if we lost her.  Shes the best mom anyone could want and I love her.  If she lives through her surgery next month, I know that wishes can come true, because sometimes I’m scared and cry.”

These are words from a generation that some parts of society has written off as “unreachable.”  My students could have written about the name-brand shoes and clothes and popular video games that most children yearn for.  But instead, all they want is a chance to change the world around them, in essence change their lives.

So, while you may be thinking about how rich you can get and the superficial material items you can attain, take a moment to think about how these 5th graders proved that stereotypeslie…

Will your  wishes change the world around you or just your appearance?

We said goodbye to summer yesterday, again. The first one—the day before school started—didn’t take. My mind was still in pajamas. This goodbye was official. Equinox and all.

As a Sunday of lazing about moved toward evening, Christopher and I decided we’d go to the beach—where else to bid adieu to all things Summer? Our kids refused to come. Even Emmett was adamant: “I’d rather watch football than go to the beach!” he spat. Aaron concurred, disgusted by our proposal: “And I’d rather watch Elmo!”

Like angels conjured from our collective prayer, Grandparents materialized on our front porch, offering their time. I grabbed my flip flops and my man and we ran off.

The tide was low and we walked in wet sand, water gracing our toes. We saw the neighborhood Chabadniks praying the last of Rosh Hashanah, a towel-draped woman in a beach chair raising her martini glass, a toddler in soggy underwear rushing the ocean. All saying goodbye in their way. I stretched my arms wide toward the sunset. I resolved to shake the sand out of my brain and focus. Fall is here, time to hunker down.

It’s hard to tell it’s Autumn by looking out my window this morning. But if I pay attention: I see the sunshine casts its light on the blue tiled table from a longer angle. I feel the tickle in the back of my throat that warns the first cold is coming. I see dark purple leaves scattered on the grass.

I try to forget that this purple plum tree is dying. I know it is, but at least for the next few months its will have company.

We are nearing the end of the first six weeks of school and all of my Spanish classes are in full swing.  We are busy reviewing.  Here are somethings we have done:

In Spanish II

–review of Ser and Estar

–time

–Gustar

In Spanish III

–Present tense verbs (and all irregulars)

–Preterite tense (and all irregulars)

In AP Spanish Language

–Practice AP Exam

–Triangulo listening, reading, and writing practice

–Journal writing

–Yabla (every one’s favorite  www.spanish.yabla.com)

In AP Spanish Literature

–Poetry of Adolfo Becquer

–Poetry of Pablo Neruda

–Short story of Juan Rulfo

–Play of Sergio Vodanovic

–Play of Federico Garcia Lorca

As you can tell we have been busy these past few weeks.   Here are some things to come:

In Spanish II

–Present tense

–Preterite Past tense

–Open book test (A day 9/22 B day 9/25)

In Spanish III

–Perfect tenses (past, present)

–Ser and Estar

–Por and Para

–Open Book test (A day 9/22 B day 9/25)

In AP Spanish Language

–Speaking practice

–Writing practice

–News Article Reading

–Listening Practice

AP Spanish Literature

–Play of Federico Garcia Lorca

–Test on El Delantal Blanco (9/24)

–Short story of Julio Cortazar

–Literature Semester Project (notes due dates coming up every few weeks through out the semester)

In our literature class we are using some fantastic websites/programs to collaborate and discuss our literary works.

I’m really excited about using these sites as an alternative to traditional paper/pen work.  Feel free to check them out(www.mywebspiration.com   zoho.com    writeboard.com)

I have enjoyed the beginning of this year and look forward to the rest of the 2009-2010 school year.

–Mrs.McCorkle-Montiel

amccorkle@pgisd.net

Kristin with Her Favorite Lunchboxes

Back to school…a time of pain (who wants to leave those lazy unscheduled days of summer!)  And a time of joy…the excitement of seeing friends, agonizing over the ‘first day of school outfit’, and the very exciting Back to School shopping trip! 

In my family, that Back to School shopping extravaganza never amounted to much since I was plagued with a mother who hated to shop, whereas I was one of the only ones in my family that lived to shop (I take after my dad I guess!).  Each year my mom would surrender to our “special day” of school shopping, making sure we hit the stores early and had a check list so there was no dilly-dallying.

Wade Going Back to Preschool

I was always front and center, with list in hand, and at the top of my list every year was the all-important NEW LUNCH BOX!  Of course every year there was the ‘must have’ lunch box…depending on the year it might be The Avengers (Marvel), My Little Ponies (Hasbro) and the ultimate – New Kids On the Block (I LOVED Jordan!)  As the years passed these ‘fashionable’ lunch boxes morphed into ‘cooler’ Igloo Lunch Bags and finally the perennial brown paper bag.  I hung on to my favorites though I kept them hidden away so my friends wouldn’t see them when they’d come over to play.

I still have two of my ‘classic’ lunch boxes – The Avengers and My Little Ponies.  During college I even pulled them out and tried to be a trend setter by using them as a hand bag!  During this year’s Back-to-School period the lunchroom conversation turned to lunchbox memories, and I discovered that I am not the only one who held on to their treasured accessory!  Sarah brought in her Candyland lunchbox for our own version of ‘show and tell’ – gathering a gaggle of excited ‘girls’, anxious to revisit their childhood memories. Here are a few of our other staff’s favorites.

Although these characters of yesteryear have been relegated to the category of ‘vintage’ – the children of today are still eagerly looking forward to the first day of school…and proudly displaying that great new LUNCHBOX!  I can’t wait until I can share in this time-honored tradition! 

What was YOUR favorite lunchbox?   Come on…share!

It’s a new school year, and I’m trying to get to know all the new faces and personalities.  Some students are more verbal than others, and provide more insight to who they really are.

I have an example for you.

I was reprimanding a child who wasn’t following the end of day safety rules, and this child’s response was “Stop talking to me!  I’m visual.”   This was said as a little hand came up to my face in the “talk to the hand” position.  What?!?  Did I hear this right?  Did this child just tell me “I’m visual”?

I think someone is paying very close attention to parental conversations.

My response?   ”I’ll stop talking when you follow the rules.”

Mrs. V

Maybe I need to start carrying a stop sign in my back pocket for the visual people in my life.

Me and HB have been talking a lot more lately, and hanging out.

This just in: he misses me! and our relationship! and he can tell that I have changed! (which he says is good, because he said I wouldn’t be able to this fast), Also in: he is still over me..? he doesn’t want to date me again?

….Yet atleast. Well he didn’t say that, but I did because I think I am starting to win him back. He said it was easy for him when we first broke up he wasn’t sad or anything, but now he is starting to get second thoughts. Obviously at this point in time I have given up all hope before this whole event thing happened where he told me this. HB is really a great guy, good looking, not the brightest bulb, but definitely put effort into what he did. So, I had given up hope on this really great guy, well not given up hope, I still had hope, but I definitely didn’t have my hopes up. He told me he had moved on, and he still says that infact, yet misses me. At this point in time I am just doing everything I can to make him see what he is missing out on…which is me! It’s working out for me so far I think, but I still don’t have him back.

I’m not sure what my next few moves will be to win HB back, but (not to get my hopes up =(…) I think I’m getting closer and closer.

P.S. The title for this came from something HB said to me “it’s hard every time I hear any song it reminds me of you, no matter what.”

Dear Eastwood School Community Parents and Families,

It is a pleasure to welcome you all to the 2009-2010 academic school year. As the Principal Learner and the school administrative leader I would like to express my enthusiasm and expectations for a successful and rewarding year. For starters let me introduce myself. My name is James Cowper and I am the new Principal of Eastwood Public School. This is my seventh year as a school administrator with the Greater Essex County District School Board and I am extremely excited to be joining this team of professional educators at Eastwood School. The warm and enthusiastic welcome to Eastwood indicated to me that the learners in our community care about people, relationships and the role that education plays in our lives.

After our first full week of school I would like to share with you some of my thoughts about this wonderful learning community.

• We have an incredible, Cultural community with many world wide identities. This cultural experience makes Community a unique and exciting school.
• Students, Parents, Educators and volunteers are very kind and know what it means to help each other.
• The academic nature of our building is such that student achievement is at the fore front of what we all do every day.
• Students are excited to learn new things as are all the teachers in this building!

It is clear to me that there is a rich tradition of greatness at Eastwood School. I intend, as your school Principal, to continue the good work done by all the Principal’s before me in making Eastwood a school where students and educators exercise their potential for greatness every day. As a start to the school year the teachers were asked to identify with a catchy slogan that would get us off in the right direction. We are asking our entire learning community to “Get On The Bus. . .We Are Changing the World.” Watch for this motto on our staff shirts. Help us by letting your students know that each day they get up they help make the world a great place!

I hope to meet all of you on Wednesday, September 23rd at our Eastwood Family Barbeque.

Picture Credit

The start of a new school year always seems like a better time to make goals than the start of a new year: everyone has just been able to rest for 3 months and now, new routines are started, with the opportunity of improvements and realizations. 

1. Style: how do I want to portray myself, how should I focus my style energy. 

• Get dressed first thing after I take a shower and stay that way. I tend to like to change my clothes, being indecisive and I need to just pick something and stick with it – and not change into my sweatpants halfway through the day when I have a break. 
• Wear clothes that are comfortable, make me feel great, and don’t cause me to think, “well, what are the people around me thinking of my outfit?” If I like it, it’s good enough. 
• Shop at thrift and vintage stores more often, find valuable and versatile pieces, and incorporate them to make my wardrobe stylish, but still modern. 

2. Career: what direction should I go in? 

• Do a great job at CF.net – work to improve articles and writing every single week. Write versatile, helpful articles that make other college girls feel great. 
• Get involved: Writer’s Company, CF.net, and Coyote Calling. Give them everything & do a great job. 
• Start developing Locked Out. 

3. School: how well do I want to do? 

• Stay on top of school work and do not fall behind. 
• Don’t get stressed about the little parts: if it’s not finished, it’s not finished, just go to bed and try to finish it tomorrow. 
• Interact with professors. 
• Take great notes and rewrite them (organize) every night immediately after class. 
• Stay on top of Deutsch homework – do the workbook and labbook as I learn, rather than all at once before the test. 

4. Emotional: I decided to use the heading of “emotional resolutions” rather than “health resolutions” because I think my health, in general, comes down to my emotions. 

• Keep a food/stress journal to avoid binging. Identify what makes me “hungry”. 
• Eat at the caf once a day: one protein, one carb, one veg, and one fruit per meal (in general) as well. 
• Do small work outs in between bits of homework to avoid going into a “sleepy slump.” 
• Do things that make me happy, rather than things I just do to pass time. 
• Go on walks at least twice a day: keep walking journal. 
• One Diet Pepsi a day (less if possible) and water or juice otherwise. Two cups of tea per day, max. 
• Avoid butter, salt, and too much sauce, especially on protein and vegetables. As well as gratuitous carbs. 
• Never make myself feel bad when I don’t do these things. 

5. Social: so what are my friends up to? 

• Spend as much time with my friends as possible, without interfering with my work. 
• Expand my group of friends. 
• Stay in contact with friends from home, but avoid emotional involvement (this makes you exhausted – remember why you all stopped speaking to begin with.) 
• Go out & have fun. 

That’s a pretty hefty list, but I have a whole 12 months to work on it. In six months, I will post a follow up. 

What are your goals? 

♥
Michelle

Enjoy this wonderful free resource for the new school year.  Lots of great tips for planning, organizing, and determining the direction for your school year.  Seasoned homeschoolers share encouragement for unit studies, lots of great links for free planners, charts, and forms, and their own personal insight for what works, and what doesn’t.  Just click the green graphic in the left sidebar and enjoy!

5 a.m. I’m up

7 a.m. I’m out the door

3 days a week

40 new names to learn

40 new faces to remember

40 personalities to understand

40 folders to keep track of

40 backpacks to correctly identify

38 families (2 sets of twins)

40 conferences times 2

2-3 prep hours each school day

2 or more prep hours at home each Sunday

1 church where our preschool rents its space

2 classrooms to set up every Monday

2 classrooms to take down every Friday

3 morning teaching hours with 20 students

3 afternoon teaching hours with 20 students

9 months of preschool

100,000,000 things to learn and do

8 hours of sleep definitely needed

Mrs. V

Hmm… so today was my first day of school… I would have posted earlier, but I I needed time to dissect every part of my day. It was okay for a first day of school. A bit dissappointing and daunting but… eh, it could have been better. To start off, this is what I have on my scedule:
Pd. 2  Geometry 1 with Mrs. Batra Mon-Fri
Pd. 3 Science Research 3 with Dr. Yasrebi Mon-Fri
Pd. 4 Italian 1 with Mrs. Martinez Mon-Fri
Pd. 5 US History 5 with Mr. Egharevbi Mon-Fri
Pd. 6 Chemistry  1 with Mrs. Sandal Mon-Fri
Pd. 7 English 5 with Mrs. Iocco Mon-Fri
Pd. 8 Cardio Fit with Mr. McMahon Mon- Thurs
Pd. 8 Chem Lab with Mr. Ramani  Fri. only
Pd. 9 Lunch or HOME!!!

Now to move on to the teachers…
Mrs. Batra- Seems nice
Dr. Yasrebi- Seems cool
Mrs. Martinez- Don’t let her last name fool you! Her husband is Martinez, and she is a full pureblood Italian! But she is really nice!
Mr. Egharevbi- Do NOT like him! Very thick Nigerian accent! And he gives off a strange vibe.
Mrs. Sandal- She seems nice.
Mrs. Iocco- Damn, she looks soooo young! But she is very friendly!
Mr. McMahon- He’s handsome and pretty cool. I like him.
Mr. Ramani- Have not met him yet

Now for the annoying part: I don’t like a couple of teachers, and I want to change them, but I can’t. Though, I will try again, in a week or so!

Hmm… didn’t get any homework, so that’s good! Likin it okay now. Well, talk to ya later!

I won’t bother you today while you wonder where summer went.

The Flew

Most Michigan schools start the new school year this week.  The learning journey continues.  This year one student may learn how to write in cursive.  Another will dissect a frog.  And another might assemble a robot.  

But let’s go back to kindergarten.  What a fun adventure to be in school with other kids your age.  Smelling new books and freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils.  Painting and making a mess while wearing your dad’s oversized shirt.  Wondering what’s for snacktime.  Running around on the playground.  Practicing sounds of words.  Trying to write legibly.  

Even though the average kindergarten student is at least five years old, kindergarten offered useful knowledge about life in general.  Here are a few things I learned from kindergarten.  Interestingly, these are the same things that seem to work today as a grown-up.  

Share.       Play fair.        Don’t hit people.      Clean up your own mess.      Listen to others.  

Put things back where you found them.        Don’t take things that aren’t yours. 

Say you’re sorry when you hurt someone.        Don’t judge someone or something. 

Wash your hands before you eat.          Don’t talk with your mouth full.

Eating right before supper does ruin your appetite, but it is okay once in a while.

Take a nap every afternoon.      Burps sound funny.    Farts are even funnier.      Flush.

Picking your nose feels good, but getting caught doing it is embarrassing.   

Some vegetables have weird names to inform you that they taste bad. 

Warm cookies and cold milk taste good together and are good for you.

Be curious.          Wonder.          Play pretend.              Dream big.

A balanced life is good:  Learn.  Work.  Play.  Pray.  Sing.  Draw.  Hike.  Dance.  Laugh. 

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.

Think back to your kindergarten experience.  What lessons did you learn back then that apply today?  You are invited to reply.  I will post your various responses.

As I repeat track number 7 on Trey Song’s new album, my little fingers rush to the Internet to look up the words to

Trey’s verse of the song.  “I just want to be successful…dream chaser, risk taker.  They might want me to drown, holding me down,  but the crown and the throne is all I ever wanted, all I ever needed.  If I’m the only one and don’t nobody else believe it, then keep it a secret and watch me achieve it…If you’re the only one and don’t nobody else believe it, tell them to beat it,  and watch you achieve it!

If these lyrics don’t send chills racing from your spine, to every intricate hair on your body, I don’t know what your definition of success is.  But as for my students, family, and I, that’s all we want. 

Friday I started the class of with counting…1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, stand up.  Then to the next ten, counting off, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, sit down.  Without a microscope, you couldn’t help but see confusion on their faces, questioning why the other 10 are standing up and they were sitting down.  As the small number of 10 stood, I played the clip from our leader of the week,  Bill Gate’s 2009 speech to the National Conference of State Legislators(found on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) .   On the clip Mr. Gates names a heart -stabbing statistic, “50% of minorities will not finish high school,”  making the numbers anorexic thin when mentioning how many will attend college. 

“Yep, that’s whats said about you and what some have proved to be true.  Only these 10 standing up will make it, not you sitting down.  You 10 sitting down, statistics say, you will drop out because of your lack of success.  Somehow you gave up on yourself  and listened to someone tell you what you will never be, instead of showing them what you are capable of, so stay sitting down,” I stated.  “Ms.Driscoll, that’s not fair! They don’t know us, we can do it,” each student demanded.  ”Can you really do it? ” I asked, just hoping each would feel the passion behind my words.  ”Well, if you say that you want to be successful and prove those statistics wrong, stand up!  If you want to reach our classroom  BIG GOAL this year, no matter how challenging it may get, stand up!  And , if you want to be the minority that touches majorities, take your stand!  By the end of my first question all were standing on their feet, with an engraved look of pride etched in their faces. 

You would have thought I won a 2 billion dollars, from the way my heart pumped with apprecation.  Appreciation of the fact that I am surrounded by children who believe stereotypeslie. I KNOW the day will come when my kids graduate high school and college, I believe in them.

Oh yeah, the chorus of the song goes like this…”I want the money, money and the cars, cars and the clothes, I suppose…I just want to be SUCCESSFUL. 

And for me, just like the artist of the song, money, cars, clothes…I suppose, but whats that, without touching the lives of my kids…now, that’s successful!

So I had some people over to my house last night, since well there isn’t any school on this lovely labor day monday. I thought, hey this will be fun having some people over to get my mind off things. This should be good. Right?

Wrong. Turns out when you watch scary movies and everyone else at your house is paired off in their couples and you are literally the only one without someone else, it kind of gets to you. Especially when you’re right in the corner of the wrap around couch and completely surrounded. Yes, I know it’s my fault, because I was the one having people over but it just sucks when they are just sitting there…cuddling, arms around eachother, holding hands. And then when they look into eachother eyes, I was on the brink of tears.

Oh my God, I love him don’t I? It’s been a little less than two  months, and I can’t go one single day without crying about it. Love? No, no. Pathetic really. It just astounds me how no matter what I do he won’t take me back. Now these next few sentences may sound a bit conceited, but it is the truth so you must know it. I’m pretty good looking, he still tells me he is physically attracted to me, like…a lot. Not once since we broke up have I yelled at him, gotten into a fight with him, freaked out at him. I have been calm this whole time and not clingy. I wait for him to talk to me – i.e. the clingyness. I look my best everyday hoping he will somehow notice what he is missing out on. I am so nice to everybody, as nice as I possibly can be (one of the reasons he broke up with me was because i was “mean”).

I’m trying so hard, and there’s not much else I can do.

Back to the story, so the couples completely surrounding me. I had no where to turn to. So, I sat there. And took it. Then the couples left. And I was alone. And when I’m alone I let my mind wander, and it normally almost always wanders back to that boy. In my posts from now on I will refer to him as HB, aka heart breaker. Is that mean? Oh well. I definitely won’t be referring to him with his real name for some time now.

I’m hoping and praying he will realize what he’s missing out on. Until then…I wait.