Mister Rogers

Won't you be, oh please won't you be my neighbor?

We recently acquired new neighbors.  So as a welcome gift, Mom and I decided to Pinterest some things.  Here is the end result. In the brown paper sack, we put fresh brownies, as well as a box of the same brownies Mom baked, just in case they really like them.  Don't you hate getting something really good then not knowing how to make it??

I created a template for the coke bottle hanger.  If you need the template, I have attached both the one I used, and two versions of a blank one (one is for newer Microsoft Word versions, and the other is for older versions in case you have trouble).

*I forgot to add a line for folding, I just eyeballed where to fold.

The template you see in the picture - pdf

Blank template - docx

Blank template - doc

"Owl" bet you can't guess "whoo" is ready for school!

Less than 12 hours and "owl" see my babies again! It's going to be a great year!

a HAIRied decision...

I had to buy a new hairbrush the other day, not something I do on a weekly basis.  In fact, I am not sure how long I had had mine prior to it snapping in half, but I'm fairly confident it dates back to college.  I went to the store to purchase this hairbrush, foolishly thinking, I'll just run in grab a clone of my old brush, and get home.

Not so simple.

This is what I saw in the hair section, that left me speechless:

Did you know that the type, length, shape, ethnicity, and color of your hair determines what kind of brush you buy?  80 choices. All different combinations. Add in 3-4 color choices for each brush, and it was no short trip.  Smooth-dry hair? Smooth-frizzy hair?  Smooth-curly hair? Smooth-straight hair? Short? Medium? Long? All lengths?

I wanted MY brush. Gray and black, Goody basic.

Did they have MY brush?

No. 

I read every label. On every brush. 

Wanna know what kind of brush I got?  Because we all know I have curly, shoulder-length, mushroom shaped frizzy, Caucasian, brown hair.  What kind of brush matches that combination?

Simple. The first two that were the same color as my comb at home.  Were they "Specially designed to give <my> hair a smooth, nutritious look every time!" brushes? No, they were the right color, and frankly, that's all that matters.

Title Explanation

Let's start at the very beginning(a very good place to start). I am privileged to have the opportunity to mold the minds of our future. I am approaching my 5th year of teaching, and with that, there has been laughter, tears, heartache, and happiness. This is a log through the journey that is called life.

Let me explain the title, in pieces.

A misunderstood poet:

Let me set the scene for you.

Scene: The words "Poem," "Poetry," and "Poet," were written on the board. As a class, we have read all three words aloud pronouncing them correctly. As with all new words, I always poll the class to get a baseline for prior knowledge. In non-teacher talk, I'm finding out what they already know.

Me: Has anybody ever seen or heard any of these words before?
*It should be noted that hands went up around the room.
Me: Good! Does anybody know what one of these words means?
*Again, hands. I choose one very eager volunteer.
Me: Okay, which word would you like to define?
Student: Poet.
Me: Okay, go ahead.
Student: Like when you put something in a cup.
Me: <Awkward pause, which as a teacher I am working on> What do you mean?
Student: Like when you put juice in a cup.
*Wait for it. Wait for it. Got it?
Now, this is the point that I am sure all teachers know, is the most crucial moment, the aha moment where you can A) laugh uncontrollably or B) use it as a teachable moment. I am an over achiever. I went for both.

Okay, go po you some juice in your cup and get ready for the next piece.

Bad hair days(s):

Again, let me set the scene for you.

Scene: I often suffer from mild ADD and get off task easily. I am not sure exactly what we had been talking about, but it was not reading. I do recall that I was trying to get us back on task.

Student: Miss?
Me: Does this question have something to do with reading?
Student: Yes.
Me: Okay, what is your question?
Student: Do you remember that day when your hair looked good?
*Remember the mild ADD?
Me: Umm...my hair doesn't look good every day?
Student: That one day it did.
Another student: I remember that day!
Yet another student: Me too!
*This is the moment that I temporarily overcame my ADD and continued with class. Now, this doesn't mean that while teaching, I wasn't thinking, "What day did my hair look good?".

Po some more juice. We are at the last piece.

Pickle cookies:

Scene: Cafeteria. I try to eat lunch with my students at least once a week. I start unpacking my lunch from my super cool lunch kit. I have, in separate plastic zipper bags: a sandwich, chips, baby dill pickles, cheese cubes, and sugar cookies. My first lunch buddy is also setting out their lunch items from their super cool lunch kit. I notice I have no drink.
Me: Hey I'm going to go get some tea, don't let anyone get my food, ok?
Student: Ok, I will not let anyone get your food.
*The walk to retrieve a drink is approximately 30ft. I return and sit back down.
Student: Are those pickle cookies?
Me: Uhh, huh? My cookies? No, they aren't. <I chuckle>
*We eat
Student: Are you sure they aren't pickle cookies?
Me: Yes, I'm sure. Why?
Student: I just thought they tasted like pickle cookies.
*At this moment, my brain starts working. I look down at my plastic zipper bag of sugar cookies to discover one with a large bite missing.
Me: Did you eat my cookie?
Student: Just one bite. I didn't like them, tasted like a pickle cookie.
I take the cookie victim out of the hastily rezipped bag and throw it away. I then rezip the bag tossing the remaining cookies into my super cool lunch kit. We have a talk about boundaries, and what is right and wrong when eating with others.

Approximately 6 hours passes.

I am in the car, waiting on someone, and quite hungry. So I reach in my lunch kit, looking for lunch leftovers, as usual. What do I find? Sugar cookies! (Please remember 6 hours has passed.) I pull out a cookie, take a bite, and immediately, it all comes back to me. You know why? Because that cookie was indeed a pickle cookie.

Lesson: Do not let plastic zipper bags with unlike things touch, or you too may end up with a case of the pickle cookies.