It's been 3 years since I posted on my blog.  During this time a lot happened. Now,  I'm ready to jump back!  I've got lots of new roads I want to travel down, so..... Let's get moving.

New Year's A Comin'

McTeacher's Journal
I can't express how much I am looking forward to this new year.  I love a fresh start and this will be one for me.I am heading into the New Year thankful for so much!  I am blessed.  My family is happy and healthy, all are working (fingers crossed), all are growing.

Michelle and Family are doing really well. Michelle has gone back to college and is working toward a degree in public management.  She had already completed 3 years when she quit, and with some guidance from the college counselor is headed back to graduation in the next couple of semesters.  She came through this semester with success.

Michelle also took control of her life.  With good advisement from her doctor and the tenacity to push through difficult times,  she has worked her way through to a weight loss of 127 pounds....all on her own.  She has done it strictly with developing good eating and exercise habits.  She is no longer diabetic and she looks like she did when she was 17, only lighter in weight.  Yep, that's true! I'm so proud of her tenacious drive to make herself a healthy individual.

Michelle's year saw the graduation of Acacia, #2 daughter, and the entry of her #3 daughter, Jessica into college classes.  She will graduate with a full semester and a half of college.  A good start into her medical career goals.  Savannah is being home schooled for this year only and doing quite well.  She will begin high school next year.  Isaac is 10 now.  He is a delightful child and quite wonderful to be around. Amanda has moved out, but we see a lot of her. 

Darryl and family are also wonderful.  Chell works at home now. It's working out really well for her and surely cuts down on the gasoline and clothing bills.  Also great for the kids
knowing she is there.  It's a bit tricky, but she and Darryl have managed it well.  They both compliment each other and have such a great marriage. Chell is the best! Darryl has been on the P90X program and has a website of his own.  He looks wonderful and is in great shape.  He is back into cycling now, and am not sure if he will be training for another race or not.

My family is wonderful! I am so proud of them and the paths they have taken.

I am still dating Bob.  He is a wonderful man and one of the kindest people I know.  No, no plans for marraige (knew you'd be wondering). Right now with my job as it is and my life as hectic as it is, there is little time for developing much more than a wonderful and close friendship. I sometimes go several weeks without seeing him, but we do talk on the phone daily. FOR NOW, that's the best that I can do and he is quite fine with it. He is a wonderful support and I hope I am the same for him. 

I've been writing goals on New Year's Eve for the past 30+ years.  For some reason, if I write down what I want to accomplish in a year's time as a goal on New Year's Eve, I WILL accomplish it.  Wed, 12/15/2010 I accomplished my final 2010 goal.  I had the last "bodily" repair done, hernia surgery.

My goals for 2010 were totally fix-up goals.....for ME!  This year saw me through sort of a Physical Restoration Program.  I had eye surgery, hernia surgery, blood testing, etc.  Found myself to be in need of total repair in order to go, healthfully, into the next year/s of my life, so figured I should get moving on with it.  The hernia surgery was the final step.

Thirty years ago, I was diagnosed with a little fatty tumor on my left flank next to my kidney.  I was told it was nothing important and would not likely ever have to be removed.  Besides, insurance didn't pay for their removal.  Well, it grew slightly over the next 28 years to the size of a small fist under my skin.  Thinking it was a fatty tumor and insurance wouldn't pay for it, I didn't do anything about it.  But,  two years ago, it began to get larger and by this past summer, it had doubled in size.  I knew then that it was probably more than a small fatty tumor.   I had it checked and was told, after a CT Scan, that it was herniated.  I had no idea what that meant.  I was still thinking I had a fatty tumor.  It turned out to be what is called a Lumbar Hernia.  It's not common (par for my course!).  I had it repaired on 12/15.  Original Dr. orders called for an overnight hospital stay, but shortly before surgery I was told that most likely I could go home afterwards.  Sadly, that didn't work out. I had a few problems and ended up staying over night, but am now on the mend.  I am healing very nicely.  He told me he will release me in two weeks since I do not have a manual job of lifting.  That will be just in time for work.

So, I am headed into the new year with great blood counts, repaired bodily parts, better vision, etc.....most of all, I am headed into the New Year with a great family, good friends, a job and a warm place to call home.  I am blessed.

Next year, I will be checking out a job at the community college.  Taking on a fully loaded resource caseload this year didn't allow me to work another job, as there wasn't enough time in a day for both, but this next year I really have no other choice. I cannot manage without the extra dollars. I am so grateful for the job that I do have and the fact that I have a home and transportation.  There are so many people struggling out there and I know that I am blessed at this time.  I also know, from past experience that life can throw you a curve ball no matter what age you are, so I am trying to prepare.  Another family member depends on me and THAT is the most important job that I have.  I was offered a position at ASU, but am trying to not go back right now.  I know I do well there, but it is like having another full time position and the stress is too much.  The past two years have been very stressful for me. I have moved at work two times (contributor to my hernia) and have begun from the beginning with routines and systems for my students.  I think by the summer, I will have it down.  Community College will not have quite the stress that ASU would have.

Life is good right now.  I look forward to a WONDERFUL New Year.  I have great friends, a super wonderful family, and new things brewing in my personal and professional life.  What else could be better?
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!                2011 looks to be a great year!

ARIZONA FALL

McTeacher's Journal

Wish it didn't take me so long to write in my blog, but better later than ......, right?

I am dog hunting again. I want a dog sooooo badly, but always think that it will be difficult for the dog being here alone.  This time, I plan on going home at 3:30, picking the dog up and bring it back with me to work.  Of course I want another schnauzer. Maybe a 3 to 4 year old one from a rescue?  We'll see.

After 19 years of working two jobs, I am only dedicated to one now.  I took a year off from the work scene.  I want to have a good life, for the time I have left.  Even though I have worked long hours this semester already, it's nothing like working a second job.  After 10 years at ASU, I felt a little out there for awhile, but now I think it was the best decision I ever made.  It's been a struggle monetarily, but I'm makin' it and it's OK.  I enjoy going to work every day and don't feel so exhausted every minute of the day.  

At work, I miss my principal, terribly.  I realize now that my exhaustion these past few years greatly limited my ability to enjoy people and friends. I miss her very much!  She truly looked out for us. She is happy though in her new position as superintendent of Douglas Public Schools, and I am happy for her.  Things are changing on my school front faster than I can keep up.  With an interim principal, the school is running itself.  We begin with a new principal this coming week. He doesn't have the experience and background that Sheila has in education, but hopefully he will be able to realign the cohesive group community that existed once at our school. Right now, it is divided into small opinionated groups.  I wonder if that's the norm when a long term principal leaves.

The summer heat is still hanging on in Arizona, but it's bearable because we all know that soon our 9 months of heavenly weather will begin!  Can't wait!  The days are certainly shorter as is witnessed by my grass.

I LOVE teaching again!!!  The students are wonderful and my 4th grade teaching associates are also. Although it was somewhat of a battle, I managed to get into a room that is next to the 4th grade teachers.  YEA!  I can't express enough my gratitude for that move.  One of these master teachers has been my saving grace since August.

Settling into a new system of schedules and routines has been constant and tiring.  It's very much like first year teaching in that my materials and supplies were initially non existent.  I have spent an exhorbatant amount of money trying to get settled in and provide my students with what they need to learn.  I have questioned many times since August, the criticisms teachers bear in education.  

There's something wrong with a public education system that evaluates teachers on student progress, yet doesn't provide teachers with the monies or materials to do an excelling job. Hence...major burnout, and poor attitude!!  No wonder so many teachers leave the profession within the first 3 years.   I am closing in on $1,000 of personal money spent providing my students with supplies, materials and reinforcements for learning, and I've only been at it for 9 weeks.  I work until 6 pm most nights and 1 to 2 full days on the weekends.  Part of that is typical for special education teachers, as our paperwork only increases year to year, but I wonder about the inequity.  General ed teachers work just as hard, only on different types of paperwork.

My years of experience have been my saving grace as far as self-confidence goes. I know I have what it takes to teaching these students.  

I have changed job descriptions in a year where my special ed. dept. was given no budget for materials or warehouse monies.  I did, however request district special ed curriculum to get started and received a skeleton of teaching resources.  I had a lot of materials from when I taught resource many years ago, but most was out dated.  I'm catching up quickly though.  

I still love teaching, it's why I went into education.  I have never regretted being with one single student.

I spent most of the summer trying to get healthy again.  These past two years have been beyond stressful for me and I'm sad to say I let my body get to a dangerous level of neglect.  But, I'm on my way to complete recovery except for this dang cold I just caught.

I began an exercise program that I think will shape me up.  Of course, I have to do it, don't I?  I have lost 10 pounds through careful eating habits, so that's encouraging, but I have more to go. You know what people say about losing weight when you're older, well...it's all true. It's much more difficult.  Much more!  

All in all, I am happy now and my family is doing well.  Darryl and Chell are heading on an anniversary trip to Savannah, Georgia for a week.  They took the boys to California for a week this summer and now, it's their turn to relax.   Michelle is back in college and heading toward a degree in public communication.  My mother is doing well also.  

So, until my next entry, ...All is good in the fall of 2010!!!

Team Next Level: About Coach Darryl

Team Next Level: About Coach Darryl

McTeacher's Journal

Photo Surprise

McTeacher's Journal
I was perusing through Michelle's photo album on Facebook and found this picture taken at Christmas. I remember Amy taking it, but since I do not have much opportunity to get onto Facebook during the school year, I never saw it's posting. So, here it is.  The boy in the middle is Johnny, Amanda's boyfriend.  From left to right are (starting at the bottom...)
Isaac (9),Amanda (21),Me (62), Savannah (12), Johnny (21),Jessica (16), Acacia (18), Michelle (39)

McTeacher's Journal

ANOTHER 6 GONE BY
Amazing, isn't it....how time flies by? Seems sort of cliché, but sooooo true, and especially so for me this summer. Seems as if summer vacation just began and here we are with just a few more weeks until we start up again. It's been a busy summer!!!

This entry will be mostly catching up on my family and my job. I don't say that I will write more soon because it seems that 6 months has become the set distance in entries.
Michelle and Amy are working hard. Michelle is on a weight loss/body building program and Lookin' Good Girl! She is my joy....such a great mom! Amy is continuing in her learning of how to ride a unicycle. I know that eventually I will be going to events, right Amy? :-D
My granddaughter, Acacia graduated from high school this May. She will be attending Mesa Community College in the fall on her way to ASU for a degree in Public Communications. She earned a full scholarship for the year. She is off to a good start for her future. Jessica, my 3rd granddaughter just got her driver's license! Yea, Jessica!!!! She will be a junior in high school next year. She has been partaking in a program that will allow her to possibly graduate next spring and go into college as a second semester sophomore. She is soooo bright and has a good future ahead of her. She has her thinking on the U of AZ for medical school eventually in the field of neurology. She is very determined and focused at this point. Go, go Jessica!!! Savannah, my 4th granddaughter has entered the age of adolescence. Oh Boy!!! Learning also comes very easy to her. She is happy right now, just being with family, school friends and holding her own in school. Of course, last but certainly not least is Isaac. His sister's accomplishments in school seem to overshadow things sometimes, but Isaac is also a very smart little 10 year old boy with a very active life. Outside of school, he has had a great time this year! He has played soccer, football, and now is ending his 6th week learning how to play golf. He's not just good at being a wonderful grandson and athlete, but also very good at being a great kid!!!

Darryl and family are moving along nicely. Austin had his 7th b'day in June and will be in 2nd grade in the fall. Evan is talking up a storm now and certainly stressing his likes and dislikes! Michelle and I purchased new iPhone 4's this summer and are learning how to use them. I'm still not sure the reception is as good on this one as on my last one. They are such a great family unit. I love being with them! Soon, Darryl will be 36. Wow....!

Darryl's dog, Phoenix has become bionic looking. He has managed to break both canines in training exercises. He has had root canals on both and now gold crowns. He looks ferocious!!! At home and around most people, he is such a sweet and loving animal....that is until the work collar goes on, then he is all business. I love him!

As most things in my life go, plans change at the last minute. That's how it was at the end of my school year. I was all closed up for the summer with things ready to go in my room for the beginning of the next school year and then BOOM, change again. Oh well, good changes this time! Many, many good changes.

Since I decided to take a semester off from ASU in the Fall, many opportunities have opened up for me both inside and outside of Gilbert District. This looks to be a very good year for me. First of all, I get to teach children full time again. What a delight. It will provide me with much happiness and also give me fuel for future classes at the community college and university. I will be able to check out all the information that I taught to pre-service teachers about what works and what doesn't. I am very confident about my teaching skills and know that my students will benefit from what I have to offer them. I am certain that "I" will be the one who benefits the most in this learning exchange. Yes...., I am POSITIVE that the next few years will fill ME with good insight and experience. Most likely I will be back at ASU or some other part time opportunity in the Spring. Can't go too long without the extra $s, but being able to really focus on my students' and their needs is a wonderful change of pace.

I was terrified to go a semester without my ASU position since that affords me the ability to help family, which is especially important now since jobs are not plentiful and salaries are not so easily supplemented. My mother's hours have been cut back and her meager Social Security benefits are hardly enough to live on. You can only do so much with $700/mo. Yep, that's what she'd live on if she had no other way to bring in some extra money. Of course, because of her age she is hindered by the mindsets that employers have about people her age. Truth being though, that my mother is still very active physically, emotionally. and intellectually. She is the ONLY person that has ALWAYS been there for me, and I will ALWAYS be there for her, no matter what!!! She is 86 and still very, very active in her life and her love of so many people. A person could only benefit from her example of true "humility". She never complains about anything, only states how grateful she is for the life she has. Love you Mom!!!

I am so happy that my principal is allowing me to situate my classroom next to the student grade level I will be servicing. It is going to be a first. What a tremendous benefit to both general ed AND special ed teachers and students. The 4th grade teachers are wonderful and ready to help me on this venture. Hopefully it will provide more actual teaching time for pullout students since the close proximity will cut back on discipline issues and down time. It will give us good insight to the interactions of special needs students and regular classroom dynamics. I am fortunate to be working closely with a wonderful 4th grade teacher on this venture. It will truly be a collaborative effort, more so this school year than ever before. I have been working on setting up my whole classroom throughout this summer. Not exactly the way I wanted to spend it, but the payoff will be wonderful in the fall. I'm having to work around another service so am only able to be in my classroom 2 times a week unless some activity interferes. My computer is down so it's been a plus that I have been able to connect with technology service to be up and running before the start of the school year.

Enough for now! See you again in December....maybe sooner???? Let's hope!! Take care everyone!

McTeacher's Journal

I can hardly believe that a New Year begins on Friday and Christmas was yesterday....(even though my posting date says 12/24-???)

I'm one of those people who looks back on a year and thinks about what has happened, what I wanted to happen and what I can still make happen. I'm a goal writer.

It's always about this time, a few days before New Year's, that I begin contemplating my new goals for the year. You see, most of my life I have believed that January 1st is a "fresh start" day. It's the day that everything begins again with no past. That's why I write goals.....so I can begin again.

I can only think of one year that I didn't accomplish my goals, this one. I'm not sure what happened, or why, but I know for sure that 2010 will be different. One reason for my certainty is that I will complete my 2009 goals, plus the new ones I write for 2010. This is going to be a good year. Can't you feel it?

2009 has been a struggling year for me. I can't put my finger on the reason, although I'd certainly like to. I have a wonderful family, good friends, two good jobs, a house to call my own and a car that runs. ALL is well, but still I struggle inside. I have a sense of sadness about it all, and have no clue as to where it comes from. I've been impatient with others, hard on myself and generally an all around "grump"....BUT....that's about to change.

Three months ago I began doing one good deed a day to help someone; nothing big just randomly picking out some insignificant task that made someone's life a little more pleasant for that day. Committing to one, daily random act of kindness was a goal of mine for 2009, a goal aimed at being a good intention when I wrote it. BUT, here is was....October, nine months later, and all I had done was complain and talk about how little time I had for anything, much less a deed with good intentions. Now it's true, I really didn't have time, both jobs were busy and I never seemed to be able to manage anything outside my scheduled day, but by October, I was desperate for something, anything, to make me feel better about myself and the world around me. With 3 months of the year still remaining, and a serious attitude fix being needed, I literally MADE myself do something. Sort of my penance for non-compliance and non-completion. I figured that anything might help my downed attitude.

For me, it worked. I do feel better. Nobody knows what I've done because it makes me feel better to be the only one who knows. That's what makes it my 'act of kindness'...it calls attention to someone else, not me. It's made a huge impact on my self-esteem and by taking myself OUT of myself has begun a miraculous change of attitude. In fact, I will keep it as one of my goals each year.

This year I have been blessed; not with just the ordinary, but with the extraordinary. Miracles beyond belief continue to surround me, and the people that surround me daily, inspire me towards 'betterness'.

McTeacher's Journal

Merry, Merry Christmas!
Have a wonderful holiday season.

McTeacher's Journal

WOW! I can hardly believe that all these months have passed since I last made an entry. "Seems like yesterday".....as they say. This has been a 'whirlwind' fall! I am hoping that things DO slow down a bit because "I'm" slowing down and may be getting ready to come down with a big case of the "Burnout Syndrome".

Thanksgiving came and went with tremendous speed as always, and now Christmas is just around the corner. I spent, Thanksgiving with Darryl, Chell, Austin and Evan. Michelle's mom, dad and sister were there also. I think I even relaxed for a couple of hours.

I survived my ASU class and that is an understatement. There were so many glitches and demands from ASU. For the first few weeks, students were confused, I was confused and it remained one big confusion for the first six weeks, but eventually we arrived on the right track and it all ended well. I am still grading papers, but hope to get grades in Tuesday, 12/18. Next semester will be much calmer on the ASU scene. For now, it's on to the joy of Christmas!

McTeacher's Journal

<-- (Austin at the Airport 10/08)
This is it! Summer is on it's last leg for me, the time off that is. I'll be with my mom and family by tomorrow night and I'm sure 6 days will pass quickly. Let see if I can recap my summer vacation. I'll be off to a running start, seeing as I begin my contract year the morning after I get back from TN (8/5). It hasn't been from lack of trying that my room at school is still piled high in packings. I went every day for almost 5 weeks to try to get organized, but between repairs and cleaning, my efforts have been very much delayed. Also am trying to get organized for my ASU class which begins on the 24th of Aug. It's new which of course means that I start from scratch developing it. That also has been one delay after another trying to get set up. I spent 8 hours in ASU classes learning to use their system, only to have a glitch show up. But, ....despite all the delays, I'm now ready to roll and my momentum is building. By the time I get back from TN, I'll be in full gear. Rain is predicted for the entire week while I am there, so I will have some time to work on my laptop and still remain relaxed. I don't think I'll ever plan another "week before school begins" vacation again. :D The house is clean though and I am ready to begin a new school year. Lots of challenges to face with the budget crunch and time restraints, but we always seem to conquer the problems. I'm ready!!! Bring it on!! More when I get back.