Avoidance issues

Itʻs been a while... a very long while. Avoidance is probably the best word to describe my "writing" absence lately. I say "writing" absence because Iʻve continued to follow my favorite blogs, but unfortunately have not commented or updated my own. Upon the culmination of last school year, I was exhausted, to say the least. Burnt out, annoyed, frustrated, and non-motivated would be some of the adjectives I was feeling. Honestly, writing was the last thing I wanted to do. But, as the summer quickly came to its end, I packed up the last of my belongings in my former classroom and dove head-first into the deep unknown and began teaching at another school. I needed a new challenge, to refresh and renew; a place that motivated me to work harder each and every single day for my students. That place has been found, and I am truly in my element. The school that I now teach at has a brand-spanking new middle school building. Not only is everything amazingly new, but the space is an open learning space. Yup. No walls. Team teaching like you've never imagined.

My goal is get back on the horse and blog it up once again! Striving to catch up with those I haven't left comments for, return to SOL Tuesdays, and blog about my new adventures in my "wall-less" classroom (which I love, btw).

Ahh... deep breath, exhale. It feels so satisfying to be writing again.

Until tomorrow...

I love a great notebook!

As I meandered through the school supply aisles at my favorite big-chain store, my eyes suddenly shifted to the rack of notebooks below as if they were magnets and "Eureka!" there it was. A fine young notebook with a stack of cassette tapes pictured on its cover! (If you read my post from a day before here, you will understand my odd excitement).

Hello, new writer's notebook!

Best of...

I met with my new colleagues today to begin planning out the start of the new school year. We begin school on August 7, and I am really looking forward to this new journey in my life. Before we began to get into the nitty-gritty things, we shared some information about our names with one another and our teaching philosophies. Personally, I really abhor sharing my teaching philosophy. There always seems to be this pressure to articulate it perfectly and I find it more to be like a "working document," always being modified based on my teaching experiences. Anyway, I was lucky that today's sharing time wasn't as awkward as I thought it was going to be; in fact, something that one of my colleagues said really caught my attention, and I really want to remember what he said. He briefly explained to us his personal teaching philosophy, and then began to share his thinking process with us. He explained that when he teaches, he thinks about the teachers who impacted his life and how they taught him. He described his teaching as a mixed tape, taking the "best of" and incorporating it into his own teaching style.

I love the idea of taking the "best of." If we take the time to stop and reflect, we can discover that there are so many influential teachers in our lives. So I did exactly that.

My "Best of"

2nd grade, Miss Campos who gave me the brightest smile every single morning. She made me feel as if she was the lucky one to have me in her class.

4th grade, Mrs. Liu who was creative and dynamic. She set high expectations for her students and guided us to success. We also performed some really hilarious plays in her class!

5th grade, Mrs. Underkofler who chose great class novels -- A Wrinkle In Time; From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler; The Indian in the Cupboard

7th grade, Ms. Arce always listened to what I had to say and made faith important in my life.

8th grade, Mrs. Adair who first introduced me to the wonders of learning History. I loved how she was willing to mark up our classroom maps, so we could see how the Union soldiers advanced on the Confederate Army.

High School English, Mrs. Morey helped build my confidence when it came to reading and writing. She also had a knack for putting me in my place when my "I know everything attitude" became a bit much.

High School English, Mrs. Crawford who introduced me to Mr. William Shakespeare. 'Nuff said.

High School American History, Mr. Kaufmann who told me that my charm would take me far, but working hard in school would take me even further. He sat and lectured, but his knowledge of American History made him an amazing storyteller.

College History Professor, Dr. Pierre Asselin who I am truly indebted to forever. Dr. Asselin fueled my passion for learning about the world.

College Professor, Mr. Richard Rapson believed in me and took the time to talk to me about my future and encouraged me to push myself toward greater things. A good listener, mentor, and friend.

Maybe one day I can be on someone's "Best of" list.

A few more minutes

"Ra-ta-ta-tat," say the blinds

as they take their turn allowing the light in

A new day takes shape

as she lifts her arms

and stretches

Awakened with eyelids closed

Fresh air circulates the room 

while the scent 

of an approaching rain
tickles her nose

She cuddles onto her side

Fingers intertwined

Legs pulled in to warm her chest

Amazing things are up ahead,

But what's a few more minutes?

Summer at dusk

cotton candy clouds
with dashes of lavender
orange zest and golden rod
the sun beams as it makes
its final debut for the day

the sky lightly darkens
and I can't decide
if the light is easy
on my eyes
or if I'm squinting
because of it

a cool breeze
tickles my face
placing my hair
behind my ears
I am relieved the tradewinds
have returned

our walk ensues
summer at dusk
unwinding as you
gently nudge her stroller
while I cool down my pace
"slow down," you say
so I take a deep breath
slowing exhaling
a reminder to take it
all in

what did I do
in my past life
to deserve such
beauty
summer at dusk.

Summer + Dads

I am disappointed in myself that my last post was on June 5, but I guess it shows how much fun I have been having so far this summer. It has been a busy couple of weeks with friends in town, family get-togethers, sleeping in, lots of beach time, staycations and more! It has been an amazing summer so far and the rest of it looks even brighter.

Although it is summer, I think I need to set some goals for the remainder of break.

1. Read at least five more books... hurry up and finish Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why

2. Post pics from my "work-vacation" on blog

3. Brainstorm some new writing lessons for the upcoming school year

4. Exercise

5. Clean the bathrooms!

Yes, this is quite a general list of goals. No solid deadlines. No pressure. Relax. It's summer.

:)

AND... HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all who care for children... 

you are priceless.

My husband and daughter playing Konane, an ancient Hawaiian game similar to Checkers.

A Working Vacation

I am currently participating in a "tri-campus planning session" this week. It actually began yesterday and will conclude tomorrow. The new school that I will be teaching at has a campus on three different islands; Oahu, Big Island, and Maui. The school has brought together all of the English teachers from the three campuses to collaborate and work on developing writing rubrics that will be consistent across the board. Besides working, we will also be partaking in cultural practices and enjoying the outdoors.
It does seem as if I just finished with my school year, and I am getting right back into it again; however, I am very excited to meet my new colleagues and to collaborate with them.

My husband and daughter are here as well with a good family friend of ours, but I won't see them until Wednesday evening. It is the first time I am spending three nights without my daughter! Can we say anxiety? She's just fine, it is her mommy who is overwhelmed! I am looking forward to spending the second-half of the week with them. Things have been hectic lately, so it will be nice to give my family my undivided attention.

Okay, Slicers. Have a wonderful writing Tuesday, and I'll see y'all next week with some pics from our pseudo-vacation and ideas from the work sessions. 

It's not goodbye...

Today is my final day teaching at a wonderful school. As I venture on to new challenges at another school, this is the letter I wrote to the faculty and staff.


Hello, Maryknoll family.

Today is my final day here. It is bittersweet to have an opportunity to start a new journey, but at the same time have to leave the place that helped shape who you've become and what you believe in. That is how I have been feeling this past week. The friendships that were built throughout my six years here will always be ones that I will treasure. I thought that the students would be the number one thing I would miss, but I've come to the realization that it will be the people I worked beside and those who have mentored me -- Admin, Faculty, and Staff. Saying hello to people in the work room and in passing was always important to me because I wanted to get to know everyone. There are so many special memories! 

One memory that resonates with me is when I was pregnant with Emalia and the outpouring of support and generosity throughout that time period, as well as the amazing baby shower that we had! That is my favorite part about being at this school; the love and sense of community that exists. I will take those values along with me and make sure that people know I am from Maryknoll. 

I have been given endless opportunities during my time here, and I hope that you will keep in touch with me. I'll send pictures of Emalia growing up, and hopefully in her school uniform...although now I will be paying tuition! :) My family and I thank you for everything, and I wish each and every one of you the best as we all continue on our own personal journeys. 

It certainly is not goodbye...just a "see you soon!"

Me ke aloha,

Mandy

Born to Learn

 "Adolescence is not a problem; it's an opportunity."


Take some time for Born to Learn

Rethinking yesterday's post

After finding out some disheartening news this morning, I realized that my recent ramblings about the amount of work I have to complete before the culmination of the school year is just plain selfish. I was told this morning that my former student, who is now in 11th grade, has been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer. His sister is currently in my class, and we spent some time talking about the situation. She said that she feels like the whole world is on her shoulders. This is a big statement coming from her because she is a student who radiates confidence, but on the inside is very reflective. Things have literally changed overnight for her, her brother, and their mother. She explained to me that her brother is scared regarding his upcoming radiation and chemotherapy treatment. I stood there and listened intently as my heart and eyes teared up. I understand some of the emotions and confusion that this young girl is feeling; my mother is currently receiving chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. However, I am at a loss for understanding how my former student feels as he is about to take on the biggest challenge of his life, or how his thirteen year old sister feels as her mind seems to wander off into the frightening abyss of the unknown. Unable to grasp their mother's feelings, I can only empathize with her; a single-parent who just last week was concerned with motivating her kids to complete their homework has now shifted her focus on the health of her son and being able to give the right attention to her daughter at the same time.

Today was another reminder for me that my small struggles are exactly that. Small. Get it done, quit brooding, and spend time on things that truly matter. Make today your best day.

Missing: Motivation

If I could buy some motivation, I'd be willing to pay a pretty hefty price. It is amazing, in a not-so-amazing way, how unmotivated I've been feeling over the past couple of weeks. My motivation tank is on "E" and there aren't any refueling stations to be found! Seriously.

We have two more weeks of school left before summer break officially starts, yet I still have so much to do. Having loads of work to accomplish isn't so good if you've misplaced your motivation. My desk looks like a hurricane blew through and FEMA is still nowhere to be found. I still have student papers to read, provide feedback, and grade before the quarter wraps up next week. My students' attention spans are shorter than my one-year old daughter's, so my patience meter has just about reached negative numbers; however, I must keep my cool and send my students off gleaming with positivity!

With summer quickly approaching, one would assume that a teacher's amount of work would subside, but that is a myth. I'll be heading to a different school in August, so my brain and heart are in conflict with one another. My brain says to start focusing on my next adventure, which means that I should be looking at curriculum maps, syllabi, and lessons I need to rework in order to make a smooth transition into my new team. My heart wants to hold on to the current school year my current students because I am already beginning to miss them terribly. I wish my brain and heart would desire the same thing, so they could work in collaboration with my body to: 1) Finish grades and report card comments; 2) Clean, purge, and pack up all that needs to go with me; and 3) Enjoy my final two weeks with the students I love at the school that will always have a place in my heart.

So, whoever is in charge of motivation out there in our big ol' universe, could you please send some my way? Hmm... why do I always have some motivation on reserve for blogging???

A love letter

Dear Summer,

I long for your immediate arrival. My students are driving me crazy, and I am eager to send them on their way. I can't stop reminiscing about your warm rays wrapped around my air-conditioned classroom freezing body, while your encouraging waves tickle my toes as I sit upon the heated sand, inhaling your fresh air. 

Looking at old photographs from last year's adventures with you makes me misty and homesick. Our bond is so special, we don't even have to travel anywhere; we can just stay home and enjoy one another's company for two and a half amazing months! Yes, I know that everything cannot be perfect, and I will still have to complete some work and plan for the upcoming Fall, but oh my, I do not mind working if I know that you will remain beside me, outside of my four-walled cave. 

We can do so many things together! I can see us shedding our pale skin together and embracing the UV rays as we catch up on our book stacks and read for pleasure. We can create new lesson plans together, ones that will tackle the old ones and bring joy to my students. We can articulate with the new middle school team I will be working with in the Fall, and overwhelm myself with fresh ideas and creative people. 

I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about you! It seems you are so close, yet so far away. When will you hurry my way? The hubby and daughter impatiently await your return as well. Please do not stay away any longer. My heart, brain, and sanity are lost without you.

Yours truly,

(Exhausted) Seventh grade Teacher

The Outsiders

The final class novel of the school year is S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. My 7th graders anticipate this novel all year because they hear from the current 8th graders that it is an amazing book. My students get a kick out of knowing that their parents either read this book in school or saw the movie. I really enjoy reading this novel with my students because they find so much relevance to their own lives and the peer relationships that they are building. Although the story takes place in the sixties, the students are not put off by it and in fact, they gain interest in the decade. Because the students enjoy reading the book, they are very keen on picking up the various themes, characterization, and conflicts that exist within the plot. I wonder if this classic will ever be considered as outdated or unimportant to the American Canon of Literature... Or is it already outdated and we should be looking for new titles that focus on similar themes, but in more recent times? What do you think?

Indifference

Indifference was her name, I heard
and she couldn't
have cared
less.
Unconcerned for
what is
best.
No one saw her
pain and
stress.

Maurice Sendak

As I was browsing the news this morning, something immediately caught my eye. It was the announcement that children's author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak had passed away. Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are was definitely one of my favorite stories to read growing up, and one that I will read with my daughter as she grows up. Some critics felt that the story was too dark for young children, but I remember never being scared of the oversized "monsters" in Max's world because they took this young boy on an amazing journey that I too, wanted to be a part of. One thing I will always remember from reading the story was learning the word, supper. Growing up in Hawaii, there is no "supper," only dinner time, and I clearly remember my mom explaining to me what supper was. 

HarpersCollins, 1962

Scholastic Records, c. 1981

I have to admit though, there were two other Maurice Sendak stories that I loved even more. Chicken Soup With Rice: A Book of Months and Pierre. These two were daily reads for me. My parents even bought the 7" vinyl record with book set, so I could listen and read along to the clever words and catchy tunes. (music by the amazing Carole King!)

"In May I truly think it best

To be a robin lightly dressed

Concocting soup inside my nest

Mix it once, mix it twice

Mix that chicken soup

with rice!"

 Maurice Sendak's imaginative stories helped me foster a love for reading as I grew older. Good night, Mr. Sendak! Sweet dreams.

What are you reading?

I just finished these two novels :) 

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral
Razorbill, 2012

  Chopsticks is a story told through a flashback of 

  pictures, letters, photographs, and other obscure 

  clues.Young love, a boy falls in love with a female 

  piano prodigy who mysteriously disappears. The 

  reader pieces the mystery together by becoming 

  engrossed in the uber-creative way in which 

  Anthony and Corral tell the story.

The Downside Of Being Up by Alan Lawrence Sitomer,
Putnam Juvenile, 2011

Sitomer's young adult novel is absolutely hilarious! I was in stitches the entire way through. Bobby Connor is to navigate his way through the trials and tribulations of adolescence and middle school, but it seems there is always someone or something standing in his way. I often caught myself laughing out loud and wondering what life would have been like as a teenage boy trying to deal with... well, you should just read the book.

Currently, I am reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson
by John Green & David Levithan 

I am only on page 19, but the characters who have already been 

introduced seem to be worth reading about, and the conversations 

between them are classic John Green.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan,
Dutton Juvenile, 2010

"Those" kids

I've been doing a lot of reflecting on my vocation as a middle school teacher lately. My introspection is fueled by the fact that I will teaching at a different school next August. Although the students will be the number one thing I will miss about my current school, I have to be honest and admit that there are students who I will miss more than others. These particular students are not necessarily the smartest of the bunch or the ones with perfect behavior; they are the students who have kept me on my toes, day in and day out. These particular students have probably endured my wrath more than others have, but every single one chooses to stay in my classroom during recess to hangout and "talk story," so I guess they realize there IS a point to my madness. :)

Prior to the start of the school year, my homeroom had already received the dubious distinction of being the worst-behaved class in seventh grade, maybe the entire middle school. Year after year, I see the same patterns occurring in the class placement. All the "behaviorally challenged" students are sent my way. I could either be upset about this or take it as a compliment. I choose the latter. In fact, these students are actually the very caring and compassionate to each other; they just struggle with self-control. Typical 21st century middle school students. Or any century, for that matter. 

And that is where my struggle lies. lays? Saying good-bye to this unforgettable group of twelve and thirteen year olds; not knowing when or where I will bump into them again, wondering what they've been up to and how they are doing. Will their eighth grade teachers accept them as they are and work with their strengths, while strengthening their weaknesses? Or will they look at these kids with scorn on their faces and sarcasm jumping from their tongues? I hope, with a little time and lots of patience, they will discover what I adore about these kids even if they need to dig extra deep to let these lights shine. 

I zig, you zag.

I zig

  You zag

                    And no one else

                          knows our pattern

                                    We figure it out

                               Moment by moment 

               Remembering

        How

and

        Why

               We fell in love

                          Working hard

                                    to keep it alive

                          Uphill, downhill

               no other

       can replace

If you ever

       were to go

               My heart

                          an empty space.

                                                You zig

                          I zag

                Like a puzzle

         piece

not all will

         fit

                each day

                          discovering

                                                two halves

                          a whole!

                We zig,

          We zag,

but still intwined

           by fingers

                 heart,

                          and mind.

                                                The End.

                          

                           

We Are Young

Every school year, my middle school students seem to gravitate to one particular song that they feel defines their generation. Most times, I am somewhat confused as to why they consider certain songs "defining" of their generation, but regardless of their reasoning, I am always pleased to see their enthusiasm boil over when "their song" is played. Yes, most of the time, my students miss the underlying meanings of some of the song's lyrics, but I appreciate that they can create their own understanding from what they hear and know. Currently, the song that gets the most hits on my students' ipods is We Are Young (band: Fun featuring Janelle Monae). Below is the video for the song.

                                                                 

We Are Young

                                                

Tonight

We are young

We can set this world on fire

We can burn brighter

Than the sun

I was reminiscing and thinking back to my good ol' days and trying to remember what songs defined my generation. Since the list was long, I thought of a song that had that "damn the man!" attitude, so I settled on the New Radicals' You Get What You Give. They were probably a one-hit wonder because I can't think of anything else they sang. Oh well.

You Get What You Give

If you feel your dream is dying
Hold tight
You've got the music in you
Don't let go
You've got the music in you
One dance left
This world is gonna pull through
Don't give up
You've got a reason to live
Can't forget you only get what you give

I like to think back to my days in middle school (Junior High) and high school and compare my experiences to those that my students go through each day. There are both similarities and differences, but the one thing that definitely surpasses generation gaps, is the connection young people can make with music. 

eXpanding the ideas

Good thing I have a list of places! Now I can expand on one, two, or three of them. A place that has really been on my mind lately is Vernazza, along the Mediterranean coast of Italy. Maybe it will be a future setting for something I write or a good way to "encourage" my husband to take an international family vacation.

Vernazza, Italy -- where art thou?

Writer's Notebook

A peek into my Writer's Notebook... not exactly a treasure trove of writing ideas, but I'm working on it. I am trying to be more consistent with putting the ideas in my head onto a piece of paper, preferably paper in my writer's notebook.
A kick in the arse Some motivation from other talented writers/teachers is always appreciated! (Thank you, Ruth Ayers!)

Place. Setting. Location. Surroundings. Destination. 

Where are you? 

VlogBrothers

I'm not a big YouTube user; I mainly use it to stay abreast with the latest talk circulating my seventh grade classroom. But, I am a big John Green* fan! (not to mention, I also have a secret crush) So, besides using YouTube to keep me "in the know" with my students, I also use it to view John and Hank Green's (they're brothers) VlogBrothers channel. 

If I had to describe this vlog in three words, it would be: 

Genius + Hilarious + Awesome. 

According to the Green Brothers, the mission of their vlog is raising nerdy to the power of awesome. There are so many topics covered; from current events, YA lit, "How To," debunking misconceptions, the list goes on. Basically, they are here to teach us the stuff we don't know. And boy, it is quite an engaging learning experience!  If you still aren't convinced to click on this link and visit VlogBrothers, then maybe some of their vlog titles will convince you.

"A Surreal Descent into Madness: Reviewing Children's TV"

"Disgusting Cookies: The 2012 Hunger Games"

"5 Worst Typos of History"

"Can I Be Space President"

"Idiotic Governance: How Our Political Discourse Hurts Our Economy"

"Springtime Hunger Games Zit Bully Walk"

"On Cuties and Cooties"

"2011 Presidential Anagrams!"

*John Green is a New York Times Bestselling Author of Looking For Alaska, Paper Towns, An Abundance of Katherines, Will Grayson Will Grayson, and most recently, The Fault in Our Stars. 

Up, Up, and Away!

I am a firm believer that if opportunity knocks on your door, you should perform a background check and if all clears, let opportunity in. A recent opportunity did not exactly come knocking on my door, but instead, I sought it out and after doing its own background check on me, opportunity decide to let me in.


The opportunity that I have been granted with is to teach at another school. It will be bittersweet to leave the school that I am currently at since I have taught there for six years, and I adore the students and my colleagues; however, the school is on a path that I do not necessarily want to be on. Therefore, I decided to do something about it. Fortunately -- and I feel amazingly blessed -- I was hired at an independent school with a strong reputation. Without a doubt, every school has its own challenges, but I am ecstatic to be able to embrace change with my arms wide-open.


June 6, the final day of the school year will be sad; I've already shed a few tears when I watch my seventh graders shine and demonstrate how much they have matured throughout the school year. Not seeing them as eighth graders will definitely feel like I've misplaced something. Yet at the same time, I am looking forward to the completion of the current school year. I am ready for a new adventure; a new journey that will challenge me to be a stronger middle level educator. Becoming the veteran teacher who never made an attempt at something new or who was always resistant to change is someone that I refuse to become. The students deserve teachers who want to be there, excited to try new strategies, provide innovative and engaging lessons while creating a nurturing environment where adolescents want to work hard in order to exceed expectations. I want to strive to be that teacher and by embracing this opportunity, I believe that making this transition now is the right thing for me my family.

Inspired by

Two Writing Teachers inspires the writer within me.


Two Writing Teachers saved my life.
Yes, I realized that is a very heavy statement, but they did.
I was lost in motherhood with nothing to call my own.
And then destiny called logged on,
and I discovered the Slice of Life.
A little bit about your day,
a chunk, a piece, a slice.
A story.
Once-a-week.
Tuesdays to be exact.
Behold, a challenge!
I love like a challenge.
SOLSC = Slice of Life Story Challenge
Hence, The Chockboard.
Every single day in March, I wrote.
and wrote.
and wrote.
31 days straight.
It was exhilarating!
Writer's block is not exhilarating, but sharing your writing
with other writers IS.
Who cares if your grammar isn't up to par
or if your spelling is somewhat spontaneous?

Teachers, beware!
Two Writing Teachers
will refuel you
and your writing teacher habits.
Refreshing ideas, encouragement, and shared experiences
is what Two Writing Teachers is all about.
Teachers building capacity within one another makes
every single classroom flourish
and TWT is where it's at.

Thank you, Ruth & Stacey!

Stressed

{be. designs}

I was perusing some design/diy blogs (I love reading d.i.y. blogs, but rarely never actually d.i.m), and I came upon Amy's be.designs blog where I found the above graphic with the most marvelous anagram. 

It was the perfect reminder for me to work on letting go of things that I either cannot control or have to do anyway, so why be stressed about it? Like a dessert, just eat it and enjoy it!

Remember when...

the TELEPHONE edition






The first cell phones were gray bricks... and you certainly did not own one?


Pay phones were easy to locate and making a phone call cost 25 cents?


Everyone's household had a landline telephone?


Memorizing phone numbers was customary and was done easily?


The word "phone" was not synonymous with "iPhone"?


You didn't have to be paranoid when someone took out their phone, in fear of being recorded and then posted publicly for all the world to see your bizarre behaviors?


Kids couldn't text message during class?


There were no telephone rules at school because... well, you didn't need them!


People did not bump into you as you walked on the sidewalk because their eyes were glued to their smartphones?


You actually called someone and heard their voice rather than "communication via text message"?

Quotes: My Top Ten

10. "Respect my Authori-tah!" 

-Cartman from South Park

9. Pull your weeds and plant good seeds.

8. "For you, a thousand times over!"

-Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner

7. "In the end, everything's gonna be alright and if it's not alright, then it's not the end."

 -Bill Rancic

6. The more open to possibility, the more possibilities open.

5. "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in Ourselves."

-Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

4. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

3. "Love is keeping the promise anyway."

-John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

2. "The time is always right, to do what is right."

-MLK, Jr.

1. "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."

-Albert Camus