Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The 12 Favorite Bloggers Christmas Edition of the Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival

I'm not exactly sure what happened to the entries this go-around. I apparently did something wrong with the carnival scheduling, so if you submitted something, I didn't get it. 

Did you think that little snafu would stop me? No, siree, Missy. We're going with Plan B. There's no stopping this fun-filled extravaganza.

So welcome to My 12 Favorite Bloggers Christmas Edition of the Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival. Instead of our normal eclectic smattering of things buzzing about the EduSphere, I thought I would give you 12 of my favorite education bloggers. If you have a favorite blogger who wasn't included, please post a comment.

So in alphabetical order…drum-roll pah-leese…
12 of Richie's Favorite Bloggers
10. Steve Spangler (just because he blows up things) 


Well that's it for this edition for the Education Buzz.  I sure hope you sang along to my Teacher's Twelve Days of Christmas posted below.
Join us here again on Wednesday, January 4 for the next edition. (I thought I would take a break from the carnival over the holidays.) Please submit your posts by Saturday, Dec. 31 by 5 p.m. CDT. Use this handy dandy form for your submissions, and this time, I think I did everything correctly so I should get them.
If you would like to host a carnival, let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.  Also, don't forget to let me know if you find any broken links or problems with this edition of the Ed Buzz.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Fitness Challenge Update

It's officially Week 16 of the "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge. You can read my latest update Week 16–Taking a Breather in Skinny Jeans on Technorati.


To read it, you can click on the article name or the scale above, or you can go over to my fitness blog and read it there.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

A Teacher's Twelve Days of Christmas

Every teacher knows the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas break is an educational No Man's Land. Many a good teacher has fought the good fight here and lost. Some have opted to declare a truce. Others just give up until the New Year revives them with a breath of hope.

Whichever category you find yourself in this holiday season, trying to keep the kiddos on task or teach them something during this time would even have tried the patience of  Mother Teresa.

Times like these call for a festive song of our very own. So raise the white flag, hunker down, grab some emergency chocolate and sing along…

Richie's Special
Twelve Days of Christmas for Teachers

On the first day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
one more required state exam

On the second day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
two broken desks
and one more required state exam

On the third day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam

On the fourth day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
four calling parents,
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam

On the fifth day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
five stupid things,
four calling parents,
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam 

On the sixth day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
six new tech programs,
five stupid things,
four calling parents,
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam 

On the seventh day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
seven frivolous field trips,
six new tech programs,
five stupid things,
four calling parents,
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam

On the eighth day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
eight mindless meetings,
seven frivolous field trips,
six new tech programs,
five stupid things,
four calling parents,
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam

On the ninth day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
nine snarky emails,
eight mindless meetings,
seven frivolous field trips,
six new tech programs,
five stupid things,
four calling parents,
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam

On the tenth day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
ten extra duties,
nine snarky emails,
eight mindless meetings,
six new tech programs,
five stupid things,
four calling parents,
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam

On the eleventh day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
eleven class interruptions,
ten extra duties,
nine snarky emails,
eight mindless meetings,
seven frivolous field trips,
six new tech programs,
five stupid things,
four calling parents,
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam

On the twelfth day of Christmas
my school gave to me…
twelve annoying announcements
eleven class interruptions
ten extra duties,
nine snarky emails,
eight mindless meetings,
seven frivolous field trips,
six new tech programs,
five stupid things,
four calling parents,
three more students,
two broken desks,
and one more required state exam

Monday, December 5, 2011

Hold Your Horses, Missy! Call for Carnival Submissions!

OK, so maybe the week off for Thanksgiving made me a bit lazy. And, maybe I spent this past weekend trying to catch up, and as usual, time seemed to run out. 

So-o-o-o-o, wait a few more days for my post and if you want to submit to the Holiday Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival, please do so by filling out this handy, dandy form

The holiday carnival will appear back here on Wednesday, Dec. 14, so what are you waiting for? Get your submissions in by Sunday, Dec. 11!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Friday Night Lights Prove To Be Budget Busters

[This article was first published as Friday Night Lights Prove To Be Budget Busters on Technorati.]

To not like football, somehow seems un-American.

And if you hail from the great state of Texas, to say anything remotely negative about Friday night lights and high school football, well, that's akin to trying to yank the buckle off the belt in the South. (And if you don't know what that means, then maybe you need to dust off the Good Book.)

So before we go anything further, let me just say I do like football, and I'm even the proud owner of season tickets to my town's high school football games.

But while I may be a football fan, I am first an educator.  So I read with interest (and a touch of dismay) an article in The Dallas Morning News about how high school football revenue rarely generates a profit, and, in fact, sustains pretty hefty losses. 

Of the 31 schools the newspaper surveyed in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, only three schools generated revenue over a five year period. The rest lost between $132,000 to almost $11 million over those same five years. 

Of course, that kind of loss had to have been absorbed somewhere in all those school district budgets.

You know, the budgets that cut funding for classroom supplies. The budgets that cut teachers. The budgets that cut field trips. The budgets that cut electives. 

Yep, those budgets. 

What's even a little more disconcerting is I'm pretty sure Texas isn't standing alone on this one either.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

5 Things We Wish We Didn't Have To Whine About

For those of you who care, my ankle now shows a wide blend of CMYK colors and  appears now only to be roughly twice the size of my other ankle. (You can read about the entire forlorn tale here.)

And since my right ankle still hurts like the dickens, I've had more than just a tad bit of trouble being my normal chipper, funny, quirky self.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure you find all of that hard to believe.
Having a big, fat ugly boot hasn't helped my sunny disposition either--although it has given rise to certain fantasies involving kickboxing certain people through walls like a Ninja fighter.

But that probably wouldn't bode well for Ninja teacher or that whole flying under the radar thing. In fact, kickboxing certain people through walls like a Ninja fighter would probably put Ninja teacher smack dab on someone's radar.

And I'm thinking it's probably a radar we don't want to be on. No siree, Missy.

So since this ankle injury has relegated me to couch potato status, I've had time to think about things. And we all know how I feel about those darn tootin' things. And, of course, when I think about those darn tootin' things, I whine. And since this has more or less been a no-whining blog since its creation in 2007, perhaps now is a good time to come up with a list of  5 Things Teachers Wished They Didn't Have To Whine About.

How about a festive drum roll pah-leese…

5 Things Teachers Wished 
They Didn't Have To Whine About

No. 5… Printing out grade validation sheets even though grades from sea to shining sea are entered on computers and stored on servers and backed up onto other servers hidden somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. Wasn't all this technology stuff suppose to save us time, money and trees?

No. 4… Being told from fields of amber waves of grain to those purple mountain majesties that we are using entirely too much copy paper printing out stuff. Hmmmm wonder if that has anything to do with No. 5?

No. 3… Assisting PBs (as in Powers That Be) with their new technology gizmos even though we don't have those gizmos, but would like to have those gizmos, and maybe have even requested those gizmos, but alas, there is no money for those gizmos for the lower case pb's (as in peons that be).  

No. 2… Having to embrace newfangled technology, software or trendy new educational panaceas that are suppose to save us time, but actually add time.

No. 1… Stories that claim that teachers are overpaid. I'm not exactly sure where these teachers work or what school districts employ them. And, I'm not sure exactly how many hours they log in. What I do know is that they obviously haven't taken a peak at my paycheck or yours either.

It's enough to make you want to kickbox certain people through walls like a Ninja fighter.

But then that probably would put Ninja teacher smack dab on that radar.

And that, my fellow lowercase pb's, would be a very, very bad thing indeed.

Is Anyone Really Out There?

It's officially Week 12 of the  "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge. My latest post appeared was first published as Week 12 Update–There Ain't No Cheese With This Whine on Technorati.



To read it, you can click on the article name or the scale above, or you can go over to my fitness blog and read it there.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The Smorgasbord Edition of the Education Buzz Life's A Carnival

Welcome to the Smorgasbord Edition of the Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival, an eclectic smattering of things buzzing about the EduSphere. 

Smorgasbord Edition?  Let me explain. I've spent the better part of the past week or so trying to recover from what I like to refer to as my "Mike Napoli World Series" incident. After seven days, the swelling in my ankle has abated somewhat, and I am now the proud of owner of one fashion-challenged black boot. So, I'm sure you can understand why I haven't felt particularly funny or clever or inspired. Thus, the need for a Smorgasbord Edition. I merely just tossed a bunch of interesting posts.

So here we go…

Darren from Right on the Left Coast writes about  a school district's police department and their questionable policies.

If you were wondering what our educational world will look like in 2030, John Holland over at The Future of Teaching has some ideas. 

David Webb over at Pinky's Page talks about peer mentoring programs. I found the Rover program particularly interesting.

John Hunter at the Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog has suggestions for encouraging curiosity in kids  while Cheryl Barnard has a list of what makes a great teacher.


If you face a constant barrage of PA announcements at your school, then make sure you check out Mr. Teacher's ideas for curtailing classroom interruptions.

Old Andrew from Scenes From the Battleground has an interesting take on inspiration and whether it's good to be an "inspirational teacher."

Joanne Jacobs thinks we should try and find out what works for teachers.

Science guru Steve Spangler highlights Dr. Science Mom along with some great science experiments.

Jane Goodwin gives some good advice over at Scheiss Weekly by admonishing everyone to mind their own business.

And finally, if you haven't read my post yet about giving up on happy, you can do so here.

Well that's it for this edition for the Education Buzz. Join us here again on Wednesday, Nov. 23 for the next edition. Please submit your posts by Saturday, Nov. 19 by 5 p.m. CDT. Use this handy dandy form for your submissions.
If you would like to host a carnival, let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.  Also, don't forget to let me know if you find any broken links or problems with this edition of the Ed Buzz. 

As always…
“I’ve got this feeling that there’s something that I missed…”
–Snow Patrol

And, if I did, my apologies.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Updates & Upcoming Carnival

In case you were wondering why there isn't a new post this week,  I've been busy getting the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival ready. The Carnival will appear here Wednesday, Nov. 9, so please make sure you check back here for that. 

For those of you who are keeping up with my "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge, my latest post appeared on technorati as  Week 11–New Calorie Counting App on the Horizon on Technorati.


To read it, you can click on the article name or the scale above, or you can go over to my fitness blog and read it there.



Sunday, October 30, 2011

In the Pursuit of Happiness

[This article was first published as In the Pursuit of Happiness on Technorati.]

After today, I've decided to give up on happy.

Apparently, if I give up on happy, I stand a better chance of obtaining happy. According to studies and experts, capturing happy stands about as much of a chance of one obtaining Nirvana. Unless of course, your idea of Nirvana is the band, not the bliss.

My sense of happy crumbled after reading this little piece by syndicated Boston Globe columnist Gareth Cook who writes how recent studies show that the more we try and obtain happiness the more disappointed we grow and the more elusive our little smiley kingdom becomes.

Cook writes: "…there is gathering evidence that happiness is not what it may appear. A string of new studies suggests that the modern chase after happiness–and even happiness itself–can hurt us…The more you value happiness, it turns out, the more unhappy you will become. The problem a team of psychologist reports, is that when you focus too much on happiness, you are disappointed when happy events–your birthday party, say–don't deliver a bigger boost."

I guess that makes us all a nation of Clark Griswolds forever setting standards that no one can match.

I don't really see how all this is new. Since the dawn of time, teachers hear students complain, "That's not fair." To which our mantra has always been, "Well, life isn't fair."

Over the years, I've changed that, though. Instead, I tell my students, "Life is not a Disney movie. Things don't always end happily ever after. Conflict can't always be resolved in a 60 minute time slot…blah blah blah…"

I get a lot of blank stares.

So now when my students grumble about this thing or that thing, well, now I can tell them that it's good to be negative.

Unless saying that makes it a positive, which then would be, well, bad.

You know, like a negative.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The World Series Edition of the Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival

Welcome to the World Series Edition of the Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival, an eclectic smattering of things buzzing about the EduSphere.


First up to bat, Nancy Flanagan from Teacher in a Strange Land, and trust me, she smacks this one out of the ballpark. Hails bails, I think she smacked it clear into the next state. "Discouraged from Dreaming" is probably the best post I've read in a long, long time. You've got to check it out.

Pat over at Successful Teaching hits a line drive with her 10 suggestions for confronting difficult parents. While you may have heard some of them before, we're all probably due for a reminder.

Making her first appearance at the Carnival, Lollitot  is on deck offering her ranking of the top 10 public schools in Manhattan.

Next up at bat, Darren from Right on the Left Coast. Sometimes he's best when he can just walk us through it.

There's our science guy, Steve Spangler, warming up in the bull pen. He's got some "awesome Halloween Dry Ice experiments" for us. Now, if he'd only supply the candy.

Jane Goodwin over at Scheiss Weekly thinks this generation is striking out and she's a bit worried about the future. And after reading her post, I'm worried, too.

Umpire education guru Joanne Jacobs notes some elite schools are scaling back on homework because more doesn't necessarily mean better.

And coming in as relief pitcher is yours truly with "Confessions, Smart Phones & Bullies."


It's time for that 7th inning stretch and time to check out the "15 most butchered phrased in the English Language."

Well that's it for this edition of the carnival. Oh, just one more thing left to say:
Go Rangers!


**************
Join us here again on Wednesday, Nov. 9 for our next edition of the Education Buzz. Please submit your posts no later than Saturday, Nov. 5 by 5 p.m. CDT. Use this handy dandy form for your submissions.
If you would like to host a carnival, let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.  Also, don't forget to let me know if you find any broken links or problems with this edition of the Ed Buzz. 

As always…
“I’ve got this feeling that there’s something that I missed…”
–Snow Patrol

And, if I did, my apologies.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Week 10 Frying In My Own Fat Weight Loss Challenge Update and Upcoming Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival


For those of you who are keeping up with my "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge, my latest post  appeared on technorati as Week 10–Small weight loss bolstered by other breakthroughs.

To read it, you can click on the article name or the scale above, or you can go over to my fitness blog and read it there.


Also, in case you were wondering why I haven't yet posted something new this week here, well, I've been busy getting the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival ready. The Carnival will appear here tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct. 26) so make sure you check back here for that.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Confessions, Smart Phones & Bullies

Confession time.

Once again I find myself on the outside looking in.

At 54 years old, you would think that sort of thing wouldn't bother me anymore. After all, I managed to chart a pretty good course through 75 percent of my life span undeterred and undaunted by my quirkiness and without an overriding need to fit in.

Except this time, I think I would rather like to. You know, fit in.

You see, I am the only one in my family and circle of friends without a smart phone.

My youngest daughter just got to trade in her gnarly, antiquated, unsmart phone for Steve Job's last hurrah, the iPhone 4S.

I must admit there's some serious pangs of longing going on here. At first, I just thought those pangs were from that stupid "I'm Frying In My Own Fat" Weight Loss Challenge, and I needed to visit my emergency chocolate drawer. But after further introspection, I realized it was that darn tootin' phone.

Even my technologically challenged hubby has an android. He's always telling me how blazing fast the thing is, and how he has this app and that app.

Apps? My phone is too dumb for apps.

Oh, and I'd love to see what those QR codes can do, but again, my phone is too dumb for that.

Sadly, it will be June before my phone carrier, Sprint, allows me the requisite $150 rebate so I can afford a smart phone.  That delay might have something to do with that unfortunate time my dumb phone leapt from my hand and scuttled willynilly onto the concrete garage floor and then randomly started to turn itself off and on.

Still, you would think Sprint would take some pity on me and let me blend in and join the smart ones.

Hails bails, I feel like the last kid to be picked in gym class for dodge ball.

I think this borders on bullying. I'd report it, but my phone's too slow.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Occupy Anything Edition of the Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival

Welcome to the Occupy Anything  Edition of the Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival, an eclectic smattering of things buzzing about the EduSphere. 

Whether you are a 99 percenter, a 1 percenter or a 53 percenter,  I'm a 100 percent sure you will find something worth reading in this edition of the the carnival.

My personal favorite this time comes from 
Sarah Garb who has no problem with her unemployment rate in her classroom. She's got a job for everyone over at Dead Class Pets.

Darren from Right on the Left Coast looks at the racial achievement gap and says you won't fix it "until you're honest about what causes it."

Jane Goodwin is on a roll with her "Ten Things I Still Haven't Done Yet." See if her list over at Scheiss Weekly matches yours.

And while we're checking off lists, check out the to-do list over at Epic Adventures Are Often Uncomfortable.

And if you are in need of a little truth detector, check out our favorite science guy, Steve Spangler, and his "lie detector" experiment. Now we're having some kind of fun.

See why some people are flipping out over flipping. Check out what education guru Joanne Jacobs has to say on this new trend.

We're all had them. Two sections of the same class but with noticeably different children and results. Check out Mr. Teacher's classes over at Learn Me Good.

Tim over at Assorted Stuff points out that speedometers don't improve performance.

And, of course, if you didn't read my latest post, "Surviving Newspaper Deadline, Keeping Promises and Bootlegging," you can do so by going here.

Well that's it for this edition of the carnival, but that should be plenty to occupy your time.

**************
Join us here again on Wednesday, Oct. 26 for our next edition of the Education Buzz. Please submit your posts no later than Saturday, Oct. 22 by 5 p.m. CDT. Use this handy dandy form for your submissions.
 
If you would like to host a carnival, let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.  Also, don't forget to let me know if you find any broken links or problems with this edition of the Ed Buzz. 

As always…
“I’ve got this feeling that there’s something that I missed…”
–Snow Patrol

And, if I did, my apologies.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Week 8 Frying In My Own Fat Weight Loss Challenge Update

For those of you who are keeping up with my "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge, my latest post  appeared on technorati as Week 8 Frying In My Own Fat Weight Loss Challenge: Trying to Weigh In As Normal.

To read it, you can click on the article name or the scale above or you can go over to my fitness blog and read it there.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Surviving Newspaper Deadline, Keeping Promises and Bootlegging

In the world of amazing things, let's toss last week in there.

The fact that somehow the journalism gods smiled and the school newspaper went to press (minus all the things that will get you fired) and without the arrest of a certain crazy adviser (that would be me) who was nanoseconds from setting her hair on fire, smacking the children upside their little pointy heads and driving off into the sunset in true Thelma and Louise fashion.

Yep, it was that kind of deadline. Now, I get to concentrate on all things yearbook. Oh, joy. And finalize my six weeks grades. Oh, more joy. And update Blackboard. Oh, geewillikers, more joy.

So instead of re-hashing, re-living and re-igniting those set-your-hair-on-fire-moments of last week, I thought I would honor some commitments I made before school started. I promised Karen Blumenthal, a former Dallas Morning News coworker, former Wall Street Journal editor and Dallas journalist,  that I would read her two new books and provide a little review (which I would have done earlier but that pesky newspaper deadline got in the way).

She sent me two books, Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine and the Lawless Years of Prohibition and Mr. Sam. Both nonfiction books target adolescent type readers, which is why I love these books. They are even perfect for someone old like me because they are filled with interesting information in an easy to read format.

Of course, I read the Bootleg one first, and now her book is particularly timely since PBS just started airing a documentary on prohibition. With only 127 pages and filled with all sorts of interesting photographs, this book provides a quick, interesting and informative read for all age groups. I actually learned all sorts of things that became fodder for dinner conversation. Stuff about Morris Sheppard, Al Capone and Henry Ford among others. I never knew that one of the founders of NASCAR racing had his beginnings in bootleg running.

Yep, all kinds of interesting stuff.


To be perfectly honest, I wasn't as thrilled to pick up the Mr. Sam book which chronicled how Sam Walton built Walmart and became one of the richest men in America. The book surprised me though when I became interested in it after reading just a few paragraphs. It's a fascinating read. Like all of Blumenthal's books, it's well-written and filled with all sorts of interesting stuff. Particularly helpful were the infographics that broke down how families spent their money as the book progresses through Sam Walton's life.

Probably the best compliment I can give any book is when that book gets you to look at something from a different perspective, and this book did exactly that. I can't walk into a Walmart now without looking at the store and its founder in a different light.

I highly recommend both books and encourage school libraries to get these two titles on their shelves speedy quick. And, if you don't already have Blumenthal's Six Days in October: The Stock Market Crash of 1929, well shame, shame, shame. That, too, is a great book–informative and easy to understand even for those of us who struggle with understanding financial matters.

You know, people like me.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Frying In My Own Fat Weight Loss Challenge Update

For those of you who are keeping up with my "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge, my latest post  appeared on technorati as  Week 6: I May Be Frying In My Own Fat But I'm Thawing Out Some Frozen Dinners on Technorati.]

To read it, you can click on the article name or the scale above or you can go over to my fitness blog and read it there.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Bare Bones Basic Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival

Welcome to the Bare Bones Basic Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival, an eclectic smattering of things buzzing about the EduSphere. 

I was going to do a clever Homecoming theme for the carnival, but I got sidetracked with all the madness from Homecoming stuff last week at my school.  If you're interested in that, just check out my post below, "Gummi Bears, Pumped Up Kicks & Things That Will Get You Fired," and you will see why we're just going to have the Bare Bones Basic Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival this go around.

So here are some interesting posts, that were buzzing about the EduSphere…

  • While ICE.Teacher wanders and wonders about on Walking Wednesdays with her third graders, perhaps the rest of us should join her in pondering, "What if…" 

  • J.M. Holland over at Emergent Learner talks about the importance of having foster grandparents in the classroom. 


  • If you're a chemistry teacher (or even if you're not), check out the latest explosive post from our favorite science guy, Steve Spangler.


  • Mr. Teacher over at LearnMeGood discovered that sometimes when we answer the question, we have to question the answer in  "Um, that wasn't the question."
And for no other reason except for amusement, check out these 15 fictional professors that we wish were real.


***********

That concludes our Bare Bones Basic Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival.

Join us here again on Wednesday, Oct. 12 for our next edition of the Education Buzz. Please submit your posts no later than Saturday, Oct. 8 by 5 p.m. CDT. Use this handy dandy form for your submissions and please keep in mind our submission rules…
  1. No spam
  2. Must be education related
  3. Since the carnival may be organized around themes, not all submissions may run.
  4. Please remember to post and link back to the carnival.
If you would like to host a carnival, pah-leese let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.  Also, don't forget to let me know if you find any broken links or problems with this edition of the Ed Buzz. 

As always…
“I’ve got this feeling that there’s something that I missed…”
–Snow Patrol

And, if I did, my apologies.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Gummi Bears, Pumped Up Kicks & Things That Will Get You Fired

I knew last week would have a certain tinge of craziness to it. After all, it was Homecoming Week.

Let's just say, there was more than a just a tinge of craziness. In fact, that little tinge morphed into a full-court-press-5-alarm-commit-me-to-the-nuthouse kind of crazy.

Jeepers creepers, by the end of week, the helicopter parents landed, my principal made it on YouTube, I had not one, but two things to put in "My Things That Will Get You Fired" folder and the newspaper staff couldn't meet their deadlines.

I can't tell you about those helicopters buzzing about, but I can show you this little video of our principal that circulated around school and found its way on to YouTube. For those of you, you have access, the video is embedded below…



For those of you who don't, I guess you'll have to wait until you get home. Until then, here's a brief description: Our principal roller skates around school. He took a rather nasty spill in the hallway which, of course, was captured on the school's surveillance cameras. Apparently, he says he was felled by a wayward gummi bear that was stuck on the hallway floor.

If that's true, I think I had my share of wayward gummi bears sabotaging me and apparently stealing logic, reason and sanity.

During our current events discussion in my Journalism I class, one of the kiddos  brought in an article about a guy who plead guilty to trying to smuggle baby pythons and tortoise hatchings in his pants. When it came time for questions, here's how that conversation went…
Student… "How do you fit a tiny horse in your pants?"
Me… "What?"
Student… "Isn't that what she said? A tiny horse in his pants?"
The class… "Tortoise. She said, 'tortoise."
Student… "Oh, I heard tiny horse."
Me… "Oh…"
I'm not sure how we can blame those gummi bears on that one.

Then, of course, let's examine Exhibit #1 and Exhibit #2 for this year's "Things That Will Get You Fired" folder.

One of the editors showed me a photograph they wanted to run in the first issue of the school newspaper. The editor particularly liked how the dominant element was framed. Great. Always love it when they use those composition elements I taught them.

Unfortunately, the frame showed not one, not two, but three shots of cheerleaders jumping up in the air at a less than flattering angle. You know the kind I'm talkin' about. The kind that brings those angry mom calls. The kind that makes you have to stand on the carpet in the principal's office. The kind that goes into the "Things That Will Get You Fired Folder."

Yep, those kind.

And as if that wasn't bad enough, I decided to check out the entertainment page and read the critiques for our first issue.

One of those critiques was over that really popular song, "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster The People. Yes, it has a snappy, catchy beat. Yes, it comes in at No. 3 on Billboard's Top 100 for the week of Sept. 24. And yes, I even bought the song. (I'm fond of any song that contains a line about "your hair's on fire.")  But…

Well, here's just a taste of the lyrics, "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet."

How's that working for you?

Guns+Schools+Shootings=Things That Will Get You Fired

Do you see why this staff can't seem to meet their deadlines? I have a feeling it's going to be a long year. A very long year.

Oh yeah, in the midst of all of that, somewhere along the way, a camera turned up missing.

Missing as in no one is quite sure where it's at.

I'm hoping it will re-appear on Monday along with some sanity.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Week 5 Frying In My Own Fat Weight Loss Challenge Update



For those of you who are keeping up with my "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge, my latest post  appeared on technorati as Week 5: State Fair Fryfest Serves as Too Much Temptation. To read it, you can click on the article name or the scale above or you can go over to my fitness blog and read it there.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Teacher Spirit Week

This week marks Homecoming Week at our school. Yes, another fun-filled extravaganza. Can't you just feel the excitement?

Yeah, I thought so. 

Each day this week is designated as a specific dress up day with a specific phase. Monday is Twin Day (Make 'Em See Double), Tuesday is Decade Day (Turn back the clock on the Indians), Wednesday is Super Hero Day (Show 'Em Who's Boss), Thursday is Favorite Team Jersey Day (The Warriors Can't Compete) and Friday is Panther Spirit Day (Make them see Black & Blue).

Well, all of that got me to thinking about how we could have our own little teacher dress up week complete with catchy little phrases. You don't even have to completely dress up for this. All you have to do is print out little stickers and wear them. It'll be our little secret.
Monday…Super Star Day Sticker

We could call it Teacher Spirit Week. It would go something like this…

Tuesday… Stupid Head Day
Monday… is Super Star Day
Grab one of those stinky starfish and toss 'em back. Yep, we're saving public education one stinker at a time.


Tuesday… is Big Fat Stupid Head Day
Highlight one educational policy/politician/bureaucrat that pushes an agenda that doesn't work. (I bet you can't pick just one.) On this day only, you have a free pass to say "Big Fat Stupid Head" all day and it won't stop my little timer. (Check out the counter on the right side of this blog.)
Wednesday… Double Trouble Bubbles Day

Wednesday… is Double Trouble Bubbles

Concentrate on just one thing that pops into the bubble above your head today. Repeat it like a silent mantra, and if it won't get you fired, actually say the bubble above your head just once. I bet you'll feel better.

Thursday… ECD Day
Thursday… is ECD Day–Emergency Chocolate Day
Bring some chocolate goodness to school and share it with a colleague or two. I bet you single handedly improve staff morale 110 percent.

Friday… Ninja Day
Friday… is Ninja Day
Today you'll actually have to semi-dress the part. Wear all black. Slap on your sticker and start your day saying, "I am Ninja Teacher. You can't see me. I fly under the radar. I am better, faster and smarter than you. When I shut my classroom door, the magic happens."



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Don't forget the next edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival will appear here Wednesday, Sept. 28. Please submit your posts no later than Saturday, Sept. 24 by 5 p.m. CDT. Use this handy dandy form for your submissions.