call me odd, but i find a great deal of pleasure in creating to-do lists and crossing off items. yes, it is summer, but i have only about 1,777 things to do. to name a few:
pick up jeep from the service place. maybe this time they finally found the solution to the starter problem that kept leaving me stranded and frustrated. after all, they did say they would "look harder" this time. thanks. (i called the tow truck the other day, and OF COURSE, the moment the guy pulled in and gave the key a few turns it started. i had been trying and trying, and he didn't do anything special. i promise. that is precisely the reason i refused to call a tow truck in the past. sheesh.)
jump through a bunch of hoops to finally get my teaching contract. (a few hoops include: attending a 5-6 hour meeting for new teachers in the district, getting fingerprinted (again), having people who have already written letters of recommendation fill out a reference form, find my social security card, call so-and-so about such-and-such...etc.)
complete an online teaching portfolio. by monday. with no real instructions.
pray that my bridesmaids' dresses fit.
make favor boxes.
write a wedding program.
find some white shoes to wear in the wedding. (or just give up and buy some cute running shoes, using the wedding as an excuse for cute new running shoes. don't worry, i won't pull a maggie carpenter).
get a decent tan.
figure out how to make a group of 35-40 girls into 2 vb teams, consisting of 20 girls total.
buy my dad a birthday present. (Happy birthday, Daddy.) (he is soo hard to buy for!)
find 2 assistant coaches (anybody need a job?)
shop for groceries. (i feel like i did this yesterday, but there is NOTHING in the cabinet. NOTHING.)
mow the yard.
try on the wedding dress and pray that it fits.
that's where i'll end this. i'm off to kill 2 birds with one: mow AND tan. sure...
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
keeping promises
i promised a student i would post the recipe to the cold cappuccino drink i have made and brought to class throughout the year. i call it "Cappuccino Punch" and can be served in a punch bowl by adding the ice cream and milk at the very last second. it's an amazing drink, if i do say so myself....and i don't even like coffee.
Mix the following in a large pitcher, being sure the Folgers crystals and sugar disintegrates in the hot water before adding cold water.
1 quart hot water
2 oz. Folgers crystals (decaf or not...depends on how sugared up you want to be)
2 cups sugar
1 can Hershey's syrup
2 quarts cold water
Refrigerate overnight, and at serving time add 2 quarts milk and 1/2 gallon ice cream.
this recipe makes a TON, so i usually half it. a half recipe makes about one large pitcher.
this will be a nice COLD treat when the summer days get HOT.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
seven
i once knew a person who sneezed exactly 7 times during each sneezing episode. 7 times, every time. i'm not joking. what a great number.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
things we've learned
One more day of school! I can barely believe it...
In honor of the times, here are some words from my students. (I have taken the liberty of correcting a few things, but I've tried to stick to the script, so errors may exist. They add character, right?) It's a long post, but their words are very telling.
Things I've Learned This Year
I learned to build a rocket
And what it feels like when your hand is out of socket
It's not too good.
When Mrs. Bybee taught us some root words
We were very happy and taught us how to spell pretty well.
So thank you thank you for all the work, teachers.
I had fun in the bleachers playin' around
Although Mrs. O. caught me. Yes, she did.
Then I got to sit by her the whole day so I didn't get to play.
I learned that the hard Mrs. O. was at the right of the pole.
-TNT
... is annoying.
So is...
... never does his work.
Ronnie likes me and
I like him, too.
We are dating now.
I am not afraid
To talk in front of people.
The people at this school
really like my accent.
No one makes fun of me.
I really like this school.
--Student A
I learned a lot this year in classes and outside of classes
This year was the best year.
7th grade was a great experience for me. I learned a lot.
-PC
Taxes, when you pay them
you get money back.
Roots go at the beginning of a word. (They don't.)
Nor arguing is the only way to get along.
To fly a rocket the wing must be perfect.
That you have to listen to understand something.
-JW
Dogs, when on rainy days,
love to get wet.
Sometimes you can eat a
doughnut with no hands.
A man in Missouri has dedicated
himself to killing all bugs for
200 dollars.
Robert was dyslexic but he
loves to read.
Water, sugar, and red dye
birds love to eat.
If I die I want it
to be at night. So I don't
know when it happens.
At my house my jobs for
the dog are feeding, washing, and
watering so it won't die.
-
Friends are like a
puzzle; theirs always going to be a missing piece.
When passing someone you
say Hi. Like dogs say their stuff and keep going.
Like a winding road
a boyfriend and girlfriend
have twists and turns.
Like football theirs always
a play or choice to be made.
Grass is like people's life
Just keeps growing.
-C.
Root words, most of their definitions.
You can eat a donut in a minute without
using your hands.
I'd rather melt to death
than freeze.
Everyone loves
A teacher Mrs. Bybee.
The author Lemony Snicket
belongs in a nut house.
-I.
Huckabey fell in love with Emily,
and they are getting married.
Bybee also is getting married this summer.
I don't want to get proposed to on a boat
so if I want to say no I don't have to ride back to land with him.
That super glue isn't really super.
Never forget one of your family's birthdays.
You almost might get thrown in a river.
That Huckabey is moving.
-V.
I have learned how to build a rocket.
I also had a lot of change in my pocket.
I've also learned new root words and prefixes.
And pie graphs.
Learned how to make a cool PowerPoint and that's the end of the poem.
-J.
I learned new root words, suffixes, and prefixes.
Stuff in math class was a little easy til I mastered it.
In science I learned how to build a rocket.
How to make a cool PowerPoint.
I also learned to figure problems out when they are really complicated.
-S.
I learned how to drive a riding lawnmower.
-D.
The creator of all film cow movies is Jason Steele.
y=mx+b is not hard at all.
Emily, Lindsey, Kari and all the rest of 'em are really good friends.
Mr. Huckabey is/was the greatest band teacher I've ever had.
Ipods are expensive.
I can make really funny YouTube videos.
Put a banana in your ear if you are sad. (As seen in Charlie the Unicorn 2).
-R.
Elbowskin can also be called weenises.
That sometimes guys are jerks.
The Japanese read backwards.
I hate cameras.
Kory and Kevin are coming back next year.
I love this pen!
This poem bores me!
-F.
When you stay up late on a school night,
your usually tired the next day.
People don't really like it
When you steal their ice scream.
When you are really freakin' bored,
Just create a hand puppet.
Mine is called Orispopo,
He is awesome.
River are really cool at night,
Especially during winter.
If you ever see a monkey,
Try to grab it by it's tail.
Trust me, nothing will happen.
Nothing at all.
When your in a queit library
You better not shout
Trust me, you'll get yelled at
By the very fat library.
-T.
In the "B" scale," you don't play a B.
How to hold your hands when you bump a volleyball.
In "Marching band" you don't march,
You walk with your toes up.
The root word "anthrop" means
humans or man.
Miss Bybee's engaged.
Mr. Huckabey's engaged.
How to build a rocket.
How to write Linear Equations.
-F.
Texting superfast causes
Your fingers great pain.
You can never have too many friends,
But having one best friend is way better.
Getting you lock on your locker
butterflied seven times gets
easier to unlock when your sitting
on the floor below your locker.
School is more fun when you have a lot of friends.
Playing basketball against boys is very fun
but they tend to be more sweaty than girls.
8th grade girls can get really really
mean when your best guy friend is their boyfriend.
Playing truth or dare with friends that
are very creative doesn't always turn out the best.
Not "going out" with anyone is way
more fun than "going out" with someone.
This school year has been more amazing
than any other year.
-E.
Roots, prefixes, and suffixes are easy to learn.
Miss Bybee is getting married.
And my mom can be a mean teacher.
School is not that hard (sometimes).
Sometimes life just gets more stressful once you get older.
I have to eventually choose what sport I like more.
Teachers can make you feel really good about yourself.
Track is really fun.
And lots more stuff.
-L.
Friends are usually there for you.
They help make things more easier.
Teachers are there for you, too.
to teach you about life's experiences.
I also learned about sales tax in math.
Mrs. Bybee and Mr. Huckabey are both getting married
and moving away, but you can still say hi to them when their gone.
I leanred how to play the right notes on
my flute, with Jasmine helping me along.
I also found who my best friend was,
and we've never even had a fight.
Theirs many more things I've learned this year,
and they will help me get on.
-K.
Dogs like to run off with eachother.
Sometimes the four-wheeler get more of a slide than you like.
My dad works on the computer that holds all of the account numbers from Banks Across America.
-D.
I learned a lot of root words.
A man is very crazy.
How to write a poem using your hands.
We even journaled about everything.
And that's what I learned in the 7th grade.
-C.
The brakes on a go-cart
don't work in mid-air.
You can make a suction noise
with a door stop sometimes.
When you're walking at school
You better watch out.
Because you could trip
on a strong and break your phone.
I learned how to play songs
On my bass guitar.
There is a road in the Amazon
With poison that makes you hallucinate.
-T.
Bikes--you cannot ride with a flat tire.
Hospitals--hand sanitizer is the best.
Britney Spears has lost her mind.
-Spent $13 million over the past year.
Scientists are getting nowhere with their studies.
If my friends were to leave I would not live through it to the end.
The army is losing to another nation.
-C.
Other students usually roam anywhere along the hallway.
Root words can help you find the meanings of larger words.
Family usually comes first. When they need help right away
You should help them; it could cost their life.
Some think they are good at only singing certain types of songs
but they can actually sing different types.
Some think math is boring, but when you add
excitement and extra time it gets more fun.
When I die, I want to die quick so I don't have to feel the pain.
When you walk to school or ride your bike
you are actually saving money, helping the Earth, and
making your health better.
-Anon.
Pie is not just a tasty snack;
it also equals 3.14.
Tests ar easier to pass
if you start studying early.
And not just 5 minutes before.
It is better not to be nervous
about your basketball game,
and you play better when you relax.
If you stay low while
throwing a softball to first,
your throws will be more accurate.
Don't text around your parents
or they will take it away.
It is a lot easier to get an A+
when you actually work hard
to achieve it.
-K.
Don't ever mess with an angry girl.
Don't ever trust a gym teacher.
My friends kick butt.
-R.
Liberals, making them mad is by being successful.
Sometimes you can make someone smile when they're alone.
To send three people to South America it takes four thousand dollars. For a couple weeks.
Volleyball hurts especially when it hits your stomach.
Water guns can be fun but not when you're soaked on a windy day.
Triangles have way too many names.
-J.
I learned how to write a good poem
Learned what root words are.
I learned what a square root is.
I learned that you can't judge a book by its cover or you can get stabbed in the back.
I learned that sports aren't fun when you have a coach that is mean, and screams all the time.
-S.
Math...we learn all sorts of things,
like ratios, scientific notations and polygons.
Social studies..we learned about geography, Indians, and war.
Reading class...is my favorite! AR is a blast! We learned poems, we did book talks, and lots of fun activities.
Language Arts...is fun, too! Because we have Miss Bybee!
Science class...is the easy one; We do labs, we make rockets, but you have to be very careful!
Agriculture and computers are fun, but not for everyone.
PE...was fun we had archery and softball and so many days of dogeball!
Back when I was in 7th grade that was my favorite year!
-C.
When water and blood run together it looks like more blood than you put in.
It's better to be silent than make a fool out of yourself.
Don't let your problems go down with the sun. But fix them before the sun goes down.
Teachers love students who do their work and don't always forget.
Have fun when you can.
Not all poems have to rhyme to be a poem.
Smile. Someone loves you.
(Attached with a cute little note to me. Awww.)
-B.
You know I've learned a lot of things this year.
Like stick up for myself and stay strong.
Keep my head up high and pity the ones who try so hard to ruin me.
Those are the things I learned this year.
The most important ones I've learned so far.
-L.
Kickflips are easier once you land one.
You have more homework the older you get.
New skateboards are very expensive, even if your parents buy them.
School gets harder as you get smarter.
Compared to other people, I really stink at skating.
When your neighbor has a tumor, you get worried. And when they pulled it out of his nose, his nostril got big.
Those are some things I have learned this year.
-J.
Friends are always there,
even when they leave the room.
Sweet people aren't always nice.
Angel is leaving.
Forever.
Love is hard to find,
even when you have it.
I am here for the purpose of being here.
Just being here.
Death is so strange when
it brings happiness.
The thing I need most is living life.
-W.
Legs, when huge Robbies land on them,
usually break in two pieces.
Crutches don't work well on
slick floors when they're wet.
In January, my mom got diagnosed
with cancer, and she started
chemo last Friday. In two weeks
her hair will start falling out.
Nickelback, you know, the greatest band ever,
they're from Canada.
Never play a sport you have
never played before, especially if your too small.
I don't have surgery on my leg for
another year or two; the doctor said my
growth plates in my knee haven't
closed enough. And so I can't play
sports, he said, for another two years.
My grandpa sold all his cows, which he has
had for decades, and my brother bought some
cattle and put them on my grandpa's land,
so we get to do hay for a couple more years.
-J.
Friends are forever, boys are whatever.
Streusal cake is really good with honey.
Making 96 cupcakes is very difficult.
You can miss somebody, but only notice it when they are gone.
Playing alto sax is so much fun!
-J.
There is a lot of drama in 7th grade.
Nothing can separate the best of friends.
7th and 8th graders get along very well.
7th grade is a lot of fun.
You get treated like adults more.
-A.
I don't like math.
Miss Bybee is leaving.
Kolten's 13.
I'm older than Tanner.
Guitars are fun to play.
-J.
Poems don't always rhyme; you can just use stanzas.
A variable is a number that is represented by a letter.
Getting hit on the face by volleyball
Hurts and makes you embarrassed.
Masking is protecting
Your picture from paint.
Writing your name 150 times
Won't necessarily remind you to
Put your name on math papers.
Keeping your friends
Means you have more
People to love.
-B.
Ms. Bybee...never splash her with water,
Cause you'll never know when she'll get you back.
Live life as you want and never leave your friends out!
Never leave your friends out!
No matter how much you hate something
Don't complain.
Never be bad for a sub.
-H.
I have learned a lot of things this year.
The most important one is to be yourself.
Be sincere, kind, and happy.
Also, make sure you study hard for your tests.
But most importantly live life!
H.
Be good, and you will be rewarded.
Don't stop. Never give up.
Say what you feel and don't hold back.
Live so that you never have regrets.
Just be yourself and live life.
Don't waste time; listen to your heart.
-A.
People come and go,
but they have a big impact on your life.
-Anon.
People can be mean and cruel.
Life never goes the way you want it to.
Your friends are always there for you.
Live life and have fun while doing so.
Don't underestimate people.
Love and be loved.
Stay on your toes.
Don't let the bad side get in the way.
Be ou and yourself only.
Don't take anything for granted.
When you're always down you'll know you have someone there for you....her name's Miss Bybee.
-K.
"Things I've Learned This Year"
Kids, when you are around them enough, are all the same
and at the same time vastly different.
Sometimes I have to act like I'm mean (but I don't like doing it).
You cannot change every kid's life.
But you should pray to make a positive impact on one, and you should never give up hope.
I can be brave enough to kill a snake.
(Nevermind that it was a baby and smaller than a worm. That's one less snake in the world.)
I can take 9 hours of graduate coursework, research and write a paper for the Missouri Literacy Academy, plan lessons, grade papers, coach middle school volleyball, make new friends, maintain relationships, take care of housework, and smile, all in the same semester. (But sometimes it's not pretty.)
For a 7th grader, there, their, and they're are the trickiest words in the English language.
(Your and you're and it's and its are tied for second...darn homophones.)
You can't win 'em all.
Most directions have to be repeated at least 21 times.
Patience, patience, patience.
Sometimes all it takes is a little bribery. (Chocolate and ice-cold coffee drinks work well.)
Mistakes are okay; ignoring a mistake is the real error.
Cell phones almost always land in a cup of water if you knock them off the armrest of my couch.
The average number of boy-girl relationships per school year
is right around 127.3.
In honor of the times, here are some words from my students. (I have taken the liberty of correcting a few things, but I've tried to stick to the script, so errors may exist. They add character, right?) It's a long post, but their words are very telling.
Things I've Learned This Year
I learned to build a rocket
And what it feels like when your hand is out of socket
It's not too good.
When Mrs. Bybee taught us some root words
We were very happy and taught us how to spell pretty well.
So thank you thank you for all the work, teachers.
I had fun in the bleachers playin' around
Although Mrs. O. caught me. Yes, she did.
Then I got to sit by her the whole day so I didn't get to play.
I learned that the hard Mrs. O. was at the right of the pole.
-TNT
... is annoying.
So is...
... never does his work.
Ronnie likes me and
I like him, too.
We are dating now.
I am not afraid
To talk in front of people.
The people at this school
really like my accent.
No one makes fun of me.
I really like this school.
--Student A
I learned a lot this year in classes and outside of classes
This year was the best year.
7th grade was a great experience for me. I learned a lot.
-PC
Taxes, when you pay them
you get money back.
Roots go at the beginning of a word. (They don't.)
Nor arguing is the only way to get along.
To fly a rocket the wing must be perfect.
That you have to listen to understand something.
-JW
Dogs, when on rainy days,
love to get wet.
Sometimes you can eat a
doughnut with no hands.
A man in Missouri has dedicated
himself to killing all bugs for
200 dollars.
Robert was dyslexic but he
loves to read.
Water, sugar, and red dye
birds love to eat.
If I die I want it
to be at night. So I don't
know when it happens.
At my house my jobs for
the dog are feeding, washing, and
watering so it won't die.
-
Friends are like a
puzzle; theirs always going to be a missing piece.
When passing someone you
say Hi. Like dogs say their stuff and keep going.
Like a winding road
a boyfriend and girlfriend
have twists and turns.
Like football theirs always
a play or choice to be made.
Grass is like people's life
Just keeps growing.
-C.
Root words, most of their definitions.
You can eat a donut in a minute without
using your hands.
I'd rather melt to death
than freeze.
Everyone loves
A teacher Mrs. Bybee.
The author Lemony Snicket
belongs in a nut house.
-I.
Huckabey fell in love with Emily,
and they are getting married.
Bybee also is getting married this summer.
I don't want to get proposed to on a boat
so if I want to say no I don't have to ride back to land with him.
That super glue isn't really super.
Never forget one of your family's birthdays.
You almost might get thrown in a river.
That Huckabey is moving.
-V.
I have learned how to build a rocket.
I also had a lot of change in my pocket.
I've also learned new root words and prefixes.
And pie graphs.
Learned how to make a cool PowerPoint and that's the end of the poem.
-J.
I learned new root words, suffixes, and prefixes.
Stuff in math class was a little easy til I mastered it.
In science I learned how to build a rocket.
How to make a cool PowerPoint.
I also learned to figure problems out when they are really complicated.
-S.
I learned how to drive a riding lawnmower.
-D.
The creator of all film cow movies is Jason Steele.
y=mx+b is not hard at all.
Emily, Lindsey, Kari and all the rest of 'em are really good friends.
Mr. Huckabey is/was the greatest band teacher I've ever had.
Ipods are expensive.
I can make really funny YouTube videos.
Put a banana in your ear if you are sad. (As seen in Charlie the Unicorn 2).
-R.
Elbowskin can also be called weenises.
That sometimes guys are jerks.
The Japanese read backwards.
I hate cameras.
Kory and Kevin are coming back next year.
I love this pen!
This poem bores me!
-F.
When you stay up late on a school night,
your usually tired the next day.
People don't really like it
When you steal their ice scream.
When you are really freakin' bored,
Just create a hand puppet.
Mine is called Orispopo,
He is awesome.
River are really cool at night,
Especially during winter.
If you ever see a monkey,
Try to grab it by it's tail.
Trust me, nothing will happen.
Nothing at all.
When your in a queit library
You better not shout
Trust me, you'll get yelled at
By the very fat library.
-T.
In the "B" scale," you don't play a B.
How to hold your hands when you bump a volleyball.
In "Marching band" you don't march,
You walk with your toes up.
The root word "anthrop" means
humans or man.
Miss Bybee's engaged.
Mr. Huckabey's engaged.
How to build a rocket.
How to write Linear Equations.
-F.
Texting superfast causes
Your fingers great pain.
You can never have too many friends,
But having one best friend is way better.
Getting you lock on your locker
butterflied seven times gets
easier to unlock when your sitting
on the floor below your locker.
School is more fun when you have a lot of friends.
Playing basketball against boys is very fun
but they tend to be more sweaty than girls.
8th grade girls can get really really
mean when your best guy friend is their boyfriend.
Playing truth or dare with friends that
are very creative doesn't always turn out the best.
Not "going out" with anyone is way
more fun than "going out" with someone.
This school year has been more amazing
than any other year.
-E.
Roots, prefixes, and suffixes are easy to learn.
Miss Bybee is getting married.
And my mom can be a mean teacher.
School is not that hard (sometimes).
Sometimes life just gets more stressful once you get older.
I have to eventually choose what sport I like more.
Teachers can make you feel really good about yourself.
Track is really fun.
And lots more stuff.
-L.
Friends are usually there for you.
They help make things more easier.
Teachers are there for you, too.
to teach you about life's experiences.
I also learned about sales tax in math.
Mrs. Bybee and Mr. Huckabey are both getting married
and moving away, but you can still say hi to them when their gone.
I leanred how to play the right notes on
my flute, with Jasmine helping me along.
I also found who my best friend was,
and we've never even had a fight.
Theirs many more things I've learned this year,
and they will help me get on.
-K.
Dogs like to run off with eachother.
Sometimes the four-wheeler get more of a slide than you like.
My dad works on the computer that holds all of the account numbers from Banks Across America.
-D.
I learned a lot of root words.
A man is very crazy.
How to write a poem using your hands.
We even journaled about everything.
And that's what I learned in the 7th grade.
-C.
The brakes on a go-cart
don't work in mid-air.
You can make a suction noise
with a door stop sometimes.
When you're walking at school
You better watch out.
Because you could trip
on a strong and break your phone.
I learned how to play songs
On my bass guitar.
There is a road in the Amazon
With poison that makes you hallucinate.
-T.
Bikes--you cannot ride with a flat tire.
Hospitals--hand sanitizer is the best.
Britney Spears has lost her mind.
-Spent $13 million over the past year.
Scientists are getting nowhere with their studies.
If my friends were to leave I would not live through it to the end.
The army is losing to another nation.
-C.
Other students usually roam anywhere along the hallway.
Root words can help you find the meanings of larger words.
Family usually comes first. When they need help right away
You should help them; it could cost their life.
Some think they are good at only singing certain types of songs
but they can actually sing different types.
Some think math is boring, but when you add
excitement and extra time it gets more fun.
When I die, I want to die quick so I don't have to feel the pain.
When you walk to school or ride your bike
you are actually saving money, helping the Earth, and
making your health better.
-Anon.
Pie is not just a tasty snack;
it also equals 3.14.
Tests ar easier to pass
if you start studying early.
And not just 5 minutes before.
It is better not to be nervous
about your basketball game,
and you play better when you relax.
If you stay low while
throwing a softball to first,
your throws will be more accurate.
Don't text around your parents
or they will take it away.
It is a lot easier to get an A+
when you actually work hard
to achieve it.
-K.
Don't ever mess with an angry girl.
Don't ever trust a gym teacher.
My friends kick butt.
-R.
Liberals, making them mad is by being successful.
Sometimes you can make someone smile when they're alone.
To send three people to South America it takes four thousand dollars. For a couple weeks.
Volleyball hurts especially when it hits your stomach.
Water guns can be fun but not when you're soaked on a windy day.
Triangles have way too many names.
-J.
I learned how to write a good poem
Learned what root words are.
I learned what a square root is.
I learned that you can't judge a book by its cover or you can get stabbed in the back.
I learned that sports aren't fun when you have a coach that is mean, and screams all the time.
-S.
Math...we learn all sorts of things,
like ratios, scientific notations and polygons.
Social studies..we learned about geography, Indians, and war.
Reading class...is my favorite! AR is a blast! We learned poems, we did book talks, and lots of fun activities.
Language Arts...is fun, too! Because we have Miss Bybee!
Science class...is the easy one; We do labs, we make rockets, but you have to be very careful!
Agriculture and computers are fun, but not for everyone.
PE...was fun we had archery and softball and so many days of dogeball!
Back when I was in 7th grade that was my favorite year!
-C.
When water and blood run together it looks like more blood than you put in.
It's better to be silent than make a fool out of yourself.
Don't let your problems go down with the sun. But fix them before the sun goes down.
Teachers love students who do their work and don't always forget.
Have fun when you can.
Not all poems have to rhyme to be a poem.
Smile. Someone loves you.
(Attached with a cute little note to me. Awww.)
-B.
You know I've learned a lot of things this year.
Like stick up for myself and stay strong.
Keep my head up high and pity the ones who try so hard to ruin me.
Those are the things I learned this year.
The most important ones I've learned so far.
-L.
Kickflips are easier once you land one.
You have more homework the older you get.
New skateboards are very expensive, even if your parents buy them.
School gets harder as you get smarter.
Compared to other people, I really stink at skating.
When your neighbor has a tumor, you get worried. And when they pulled it out of his nose, his nostril got big.
Those are some things I have learned this year.
-J.
Friends are always there,
even when they leave the room.
Sweet people aren't always nice.
Angel is leaving.
Forever.
Love is hard to find,
even when you have it.
I am here for the purpose of being here.
Just being here.
Death is so strange when
it brings happiness.
The thing I need most is living life.
-W.
Legs, when huge Robbies land on them,
usually break in two pieces.
Crutches don't work well on
slick floors when they're wet.
In January, my mom got diagnosed
with cancer, and she started
chemo last Friday. In two weeks
her hair will start falling out.
Nickelback, you know, the greatest band ever,
they're from Canada.
Never play a sport you have
never played before, especially if your too small.
I don't have surgery on my leg for
another year or two; the doctor said my
growth plates in my knee haven't
closed enough. And so I can't play
sports, he said, for another two years.
My grandpa sold all his cows, which he has
had for decades, and my brother bought some
cattle and put them on my grandpa's land,
so we get to do hay for a couple more years.
-J.
Friends are forever, boys are whatever.
Streusal cake is really good with honey.
Making 96 cupcakes is very difficult.
You can miss somebody, but only notice it when they are gone.
Playing alto sax is so much fun!
-J.
There is a lot of drama in 7th grade.
Nothing can separate the best of friends.
7th and 8th graders get along very well.
7th grade is a lot of fun.
You get treated like adults more.
-A.
I don't like math.
Miss Bybee is leaving.
Kolten's 13.
I'm older than Tanner.
Guitars are fun to play.
-J.
Poems don't always rhyme; you can just use stanzas.
A variable is a number that is represented by a letter.
Getting hit on the face by volleyball
Hurts and makes you embarrassed.
Masking is protecting
Your picture from paint.
Writing your name 150 times
Won't necessarily remind you to
Put your name on math papers.
Keeping your friends
Means you have more
People to love.
-B.
Ms. Bybee...never splash her with water,
Cause you'll never know when she'll get you back.
Live life as you want and never leave your friends out!
Never leave your friends out!
No matter how much you hate something
Don't complain.
Never be bad for a sub.
-H.
I have learned a lot of things this year.
The most important one is to be yourself.
Be sincere, kind, and happy.
Also, make sure you study hard for your tests.
But most importantly live life!
H.
Be good, and you will be rewarded.
Don't stop. Never give up.
Say what you feel and don't hold back.
Live so that you never have regrets.
Just be yourself and live life.
Don't waste time; listen to your heart.
-A.
People come and go,
but they have a big impact on your life.
-Anon.
People can be mean and cruel.
Life never goes the way you want it to.
Your friends are always there for you.
Live life and have fun while doing so.
Don't underestimate people.
Love and be loved.
Stay on your toes.
Don't let the bad side get in the way.
Be ou and yourself only.
Don't take anything for granted.
When you're always down you'll know you have someone there for you....her name's Miss Bybee.
-K.
"Things I've Learned This Year"
Kids, when you are around them enough, are all the same
and at the same time vastly different.
Sometimes I have to act like I'm mean (but I don't like doing it).
You cannot change every kid's life.
But you should pray to make a positive impact on one, and you should never give up hope.
I can be brave enough to kill a snake.
(Nevermind that it was a baby and smaller than a worm. That's one less snake in the world.)
I can take 9 hours of graduate coursework, research and write a paper for the Missouri Literacy Academy, plan lessons, grade papers, coach middle school volleyball, make new friends, maintain relationships, take care of housework, and smile, all in the same semester. (But sometimes it's not pretty.)
For a 7th grader, there, their, and they're are the trickiest words in the English language.
(Your and you're and it's and its are tied for second...darn homophones.)
You can't win 'em all.
Most directions have to be repeated at least 21 times.
Patience, patience, patience.
Sometimes all it takes is a little bribery. (Chocolate and ice-cold coffee drinks work well.)
Mistakes are okay; ignoring a mistake is the real error.
Cell phones almost always land in a cup of water if you knock them off the armrest of my couch.
The average number of boy-girl relationships per school year
is right around 127.3.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
i got a poem, i got a poem...
i got a poem, hey hey hey hey!
and this is how it goes:
"Farewell Miss Bybee!"
I'd like to give this poem to you,
as a thanks for all you do!
Rootwords, poems, essays, and more,
these are the things I thank you for!
Reading and Language Arts have been a blast,
but now they're, sadly, in the past!
And I must say, I'll shed a tear,
Because you won't be back next year!
Even though you've taught us well,
it's time to say a sweet, farewell!
(It was written in my favorite colors and everything. Sigh, tear...)
And I got a painting! I feel special. :o)
and this is how it goes:
"Farewell Miss Bybee!"
I'd like to give this poem to you,
as a thanks for all you do!
Rootwords, poems, essays, and more,
these are the things I thank you for!
Reading and Language Arts have been a blast,
but now they're, sadly, in the past!
And I must say, I'll shed a tear,
Because you won't be back next year!
Even though you've taught us well,
it's time to say a sweet, farewell!
(It was written in my favorite colors and everything. Sigh, tear...)
And I got a painting! I feel special. :o)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
baking bread
an update on the cankle.
this was tuesday:
Fiance said it looked like I was letting bread dough rise in my foot. Looks a lot like the foot of a dead person, doesn't it? Either way, sicknasty.
But today it's practically normal. I think I'll run tomorrow. (PS--I promise that's the last of the gross pictures. Middle schoolers like 'em.)
this was tuesday:
Fiance said it looked like I was letting bread dough rise in my foot. Looks a lot like the foot of a dead person, doesn't it? Either way, sicknasty.But today it's practically normal. I think I'll run tomorrow. (PS--I promise that's the last of the gross pictures. Middle schoolers like 'em.)
the giver of trees
s if i needed more proof that my parents are givers, look what appeared at my house tonight (along with about 22 bags of mulch!):
Yep. It's a redbud. My FAVORITE!
Thanks, Daddy.
Yep. It's a redbud. My FAVORITE!
Thanks, Daddy.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Selfish silence?
"It wasn't that I was stupid (although a lot of teachers thought so when I first entered their classes), or that I didn't like people. It was just that there didn't seem to be a lot to say that someone wasn't already saying. I liked listening." ~Zinny in Chasing Redbird
Last week at a curriculum meeting some people were discussing their true feelings about such-and-such and/or so-and-so while I sat quietly. They commented on my silence, saying that they wish they could sit quietly without sharing their thoughts all the time.
Last summer my graduate professor told me he thought I was being selfish by not sharing more in class discussions. (This is because I did well on the written assignments and virtually never talked in class.)
If I would have been smarter in either situation, I would have told him what Zinny said.
Is silence always selfish? Is it sometimes selfish?
Last week at a curriculum meeting some people were discussing their true feelings about such-and-such and/or so-and-so while I sat quietly. They commented on my silence, saying that they wish they could sit quietly without sharing their thoughts all the time.
Last summer my graduate professor told me he thought I was being selfish by not sharing more in class discussions. (This is because I did well on the written assignments and virtually never talked in class.)
If I would have been smarter in either situation, I would have told him what Zinny said.
Is silence always selfish? Is it sometimes selfish?
Sunday, May 11, 2008
sweet cankle
I played in a volleyball tournament Saturday. Well, no. Actually, I played about 9 points of a volleyball tournament before landing on someone else's ankle when I jumped up for a block. I am pretty sure I heard a "pop," but that's what everyone says, so I don't think that really means anything anymore.
First thoughts after landing on the floor came in this order:
1) I think I heard a pop. Probably no big deal.
2) I don't want to hop down the isle. (Only 55 days...)
3) If I do hope down the isle, I will be sure to get a pretty light blue cast. (That will take care of the "something blue" that has been thus far unaccounted for.)
4) Don't cry. (I didn't, thank you very much.)
After crawling from the floor and icing during the rest of that match, some magical athletic trainer taped my ankle and I "played" the rest of the tournament by hopping on one foot. I felt very lazy for not being able to get to the balls I would have easily been able to play.
I must say, the cankle is pretty sweet. (I'm a little bit proud of it.)
Also, Fiance has banned me from volleyball until after July 5.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
sometimes
i feel like i am trying to have 27 conversations at one time. in fact, i think maybe i am.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
i have news. don't snooze.
Listen up, kids. This news is big. I could draw this moment out for a very long time, leaving you eager with anticipation about the big announcement I am about to make. I could filibuster for a half hour, leaving you to squirm in your seats while you wait. I could go on and on about how big this news is, and you would have to wait until I decided it was time to share this news with you.
But I won't.
Here you go: I am not going to be back to teach at Pleasant Hope Middle School next year. There. I said it. (Now would be a good time to break out the fake tears you've been practicing your entire lives on your parents, just to make me feel like you'll miss me next year. If you're going to hoot and holler or squeal with glee about the fact that I'm leaving, please save it for the hallway so you won't break my tender heart, okay?) However, it doesn't really affect you all too much anyway, because you wouldn't have had me for a teacher next year.
Next year I'll be teaching and coaching volleyball at Central High School in Springfun. 'Why?' you ask. Well, I know for sure it is not because I do not like Pleasant Hope Middle School. Oh no. I reeeaallllly like it here. HOWEVER, it takes an hour to drive to and from work, and it costs about 65 buckaroos a week for me to make that drive. (Stinkin' gas prices.)
Let me just say this: I will miss you like a chocoholic misses her afternoon slice of double chocolate fudge. You have made my first year of teaching a very exciting learning experience, and I'm so happy I was able to have most of you for TWO classes! Please continue to stay in touch with me to let me know how you are doing, and I will try to keep you all posted as well. I also hope to visit, but you have to invite me!
I will try to continue to write the blog so you will all know what is happening in life. Please make some comments on the blog. I will miss you terribly if I don't hear from you.
But I won't.
Here you go: I am not going to be back to teach at Pleasant Hope Middle School next year. There. I said it. (Now would be a good time to break out the fake tears you've been practicing your entire lives on your parents, just to make me feel like you'll miss me next year. If you're going to hoot and holler or squeal with glee about the fact that I'm leaving, please save it for the hallway so you won't break my tender heart, okay?) However, it doesn't really affect you all too much anyway, because you wouldn't have had me for a teacher next year.
Next year I'll be teaching and coaching volleyball at Central High School in Springfun. 'Why?' you ask. Well, I know for sure it is not because I do not like Pleasant Hope Middle School. Oh no. I reeeaallllly like it here. HOWEVER, it takes an hour to drive to and from work, and it costs about 65 buckaroos a week for me to make that drive. (Stinkin' gas prices.)
Let me just say this: I will miss you like a chocoholic misses her afternoon slice of double chocolate fudge. You have made my first year of teaching a very exciting learning experience, and I'm so happy I was able to have most of you for TWO classes! Please continue to stay in touch with me to let me know how you are doing, and I will try to keep you all posted as well. I also hope to visit, but you have to invite me!
I will try to continue to write the blog so you will all know what is happening in life. Please make some comments on the blog. I will miss you terribly if I don't hear from you.
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