Bellringers

Support Groups, Dropping Out & Boredom

2012-01-30T08:26:00.000-06:00

(This article was first published as Students List Boredom as Reason for Dropping Out on Technorati.)

Students List Boredom as Reason for Dropping Out

Things lately have gotten so bad at school I even unfriended my yoga support group.

And, as if that isn't enough to engender a passel of bad karma, not only did I unfriend them--I felt pretty darn tootin' good about it. Yep, that pretty much sums up the kind of school year I’ve had so far.

I'm just tired. I'm not really sure when things went south, I'm just sure that they did, and I figure no amount of yoga musings can fix that.

So I really am not in the mood for all these quick fixes people keep coming up with or reasons this study or that study gives to solve or point out flaws with our educational system.

For instance, recently there was an article in the Dallas Morning News about a study indicating students dropped out because they were bored.

Bored?

I wonder how that would fly in my job… or your job… or any job… "Gee… Sorry, I don't want to do that because frankly I don't find that very interesting, exciting, thrilling…" Oh, let's just use the buzz word du jour… engaging.

Former West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise who currently serves as the president of a Washington, D.C. policy and advocacy organization was quoted in the article as saying, "The results from that survey are born out by national surveys. Those are the issues listed. One that seems to be listed often is that 'I'm bored.'"

I'm not really sure what to do with all of that. Don't get me wrong, the drop out rate is a national crisis with 1.2 million kiddos checking out of school every year, according to the Broad Foundation. The New York Times reported that we had slipped to No. 21 in high school completion and outlines the high cost of high school drop outs.
Obviously, we need to do something about the drop out rate. I'm all for making school relevant, but sometimes relevant isn't terribly exciting.
I suppose we could form a support group, but then I'd probably get bored and have to unfriend you.

The Numero Uno 2012 Edition of the Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival

2012-01-18T06:07:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our first Education Buzz Carnival of the New Year. I initially resolved to have a clever New Year's Resolution Edition, but that resolution lastest about a nano-second because I was having trouble focusing and being witty–probably because of this whole weight loss thing. So let's just cut our losses (or the lack thereof) and call this edition the Numero Uno 2012 Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival and get cracking…

Let's do a little re-gifting with Nancy Flanagan's post. No, silly, not the present kind. She's talking about "Re-Gifted: The Prickly Politics of the Academically Able over at Teacher in a Strange Land. She asks, "Are we cheating the gifted? Not any more than usual."

Promise me you won't become one of those Teachers You Don’t Want To Meet that Pat talks about over at Successful Teaching.

Darren shares some More California Lunacy over at Right on the Left Coast.

Education guru Joanne Jacobs presents College dreamers meet reality giving us an update on what happened to those 59 fifth graders who were promised a college education back in 1988.

Jane Goodwin champions learning for those late risers over at Scheiss Weekly. while Tim over at Assorted Stuff shares how to be a better learner.

Oh and don't forget to check out my post on why we should all try out for Survivor.

If you missed science guru Steve Spangler's video about how to open a can of Pringles, prepare frozen food and celebrate Tebow touchdowns, you need to watch his video. (It's hilarious especially the ending.)

Funny About Money offers a solution for high education woes with his Modest Proposal while Mike the Gardener offers up how to combine vegetable gardening with science and math.

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Well that concludes our Numero Uno 2012 Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival. Join us here again on Wednesday, Feb. 1 for our next edition of the Education Buzz. Please submit your posts no later than Sunday, Jan. 29 by 5 p.m. CDT. Use this handy dandy form for your submissions and please keep in mind our submission rules…

No spam
Must be education related
Since the carnival may be organized around themes, not all submissions may run.
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.

Fitness Challenge Update

2012-01-15T19:37:00.000-06:00

For those of you keeping up with my "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge, check out my latest post, Will Power and Outsourcing Self Control Key Factors in Keeping Diet Resolutions 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.

Survivor & the New Semester

2012-01-09T06:01:00.000-06:00

(Editor's note: Don't forget the next Education Buzz: Life's A Carnival is scheduled to run Wednesday, January 18. Please turn in your submissions by Sunday, January 15 to be included. And, no you didn't miss the last one. Life just got in the way, and I wasn't able to pull it together in time. If you want to submit, use this handy, dandy form.)

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This upcoming week poses some interesting challenges.

Interesting as in how will we survive an entire week back.

Interesting as in how to survive the fourth newspaper deadline.

Interesting as in how to survive yearbook.

It always comes down to survival, doesn't it. And if I were on that reality TV series Survivor, I wouldn't survive a nano-second.

The new season, Survivor One World begins Feb. 15 on CBS.

Or, perhaps maybe I would.

People like me (teachers/publications advisers) possess a certain skill set.

You know, skill sets like…

•Surviving in a room surrounded by teenagers

•Thriving under pressure

•Problem-solving with limited resources

•Team building in the face of insurmountable odds

•Meeting deadlines

•Flawless communication skills which, at this point, in our society means the ability to talk, like, in complete sentences, you know, without, you know, using "like" like a gajillion times or "you know."

Hey, sounds a lot like those "qualifications" for those reality show contestants.

Perhaps we should sign up.

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

2011-12-14T05:51:00.000-06:00

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

1. Assorted Stuff

2. The Detention Slip

3. Epic Adventures Are Often Uncomfortable

4. Joanne Jacobs

5. Learn Me Good

6. Right on the Left Coast

7. Scenes from the Battleground

8. Scheiss Weekly

9. Siobhan Curious

10. Steve Spangler (just because he blows up things)

11. So You Want To Teach

12. Successful Teaching

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.

Fitness Challenge Update

2011-12-13T20:33:00.000-06:00

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.

A Teacher's Twelve Days of Christmas

2011-12-07T19:49:00.001-06:00

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

Hold Your Horses, Missy! Call for Carnival Submissions!

2011-12-05T06:05:00.000-06:00

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!

Friday Night Lights Prove To Be Budget Busters

2011-11-22T10:22:00.000-06:00

[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.

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

2011-11-13T16:01:00.000-06:00

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?

2011-11-13T15:24:00.000-06:00

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.

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

2011-11-09T11:33:00.000-06:00

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.

Grace at Cost of College believes self control or willpower is a better predictor of success.

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.

As always…

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

And, if I did, my apologies.

Updates & Upcoming Carnival

2011-11-06T15:34:00.000-06:00

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.

In the Pursuit of Happiness

2011-10-30T19:36:00.000-05:00

[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.

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

2011-10-26T05:50:00.002-05:00

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!

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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.

As always…

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

And, if I did, my apologies.

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

2011-10-25T05:46:00.000-05:00

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.

Confessions, Smart Phones & Bullies

2011-10-16T10:21:00.001-05:00

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.

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

2011-10-12T06:02:00.000-05:00

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.

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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.

As always…

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

And, if I did, my apologies.

Week 8 Frying In My Own Fat Weight Loss Challenge Update

2011-10-11T05:51:00.000-05:00

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.

Surviving Newspaper Deadline, Keeping Promises and Bootlegging

2011-10-03T05:56:00.000-05:00

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.

Frying In My Own Fat Weight Loss Challenge Update

2011-10-02T17:28:00.002-05:00

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.

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

2011-09-28T05:45:00.000-05:00

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…

Seventh grade reading and writing skills is all you need to enroll in community college in Arizona. Yep, you heard that ~~write~~ right. Check out education guru Joanne Jacobs' post.

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.

Jane Goodwin over at Scheiss Weekly weighs in on how to tell good parents from bad parents.

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.

Tim over at AssortedStuff has an interesting post on "Fixing the Middle Mess" (as in Middle Schools).

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…

No spam
Must be education related
Since the carnival may be organized around themes, not all submissions may run.
Please remember to post and link back to the carnival.

As always…

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

And, if I did, my apologies.

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

2011-09-25T13:37:00.007-05:00

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.

Week 5 Frying In My Own Fat Weight Loss Challenge Update

2011-09-20T05:57:00.000-05:00

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.

Teacher Spirit Week

2011-09-18T15:18:00.001-05:00

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."

****************

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.

Meet the Teacher Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival

2011-09-14T05:45:00.000-05:00

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

Hurry up! Let's go over to the science wing. I hope our favorite science guy, Steven Spangler, is here. He always knows a fun way to get this school party started and raise money for a good cause. Check it out. They even got to do the famously fun mentos diet coke geyser exploding experiment.

And while we're on the topic of explosions, my head nearly exploded when I ran into Darren from Right on the Left Coast and he wanted help with a little math problem in his post, Collaboration Time. But don't let the math scare you, you can read the post without having to figure anything out except why they have "short Thursdays."

Before we leave the math/science hallway, let's stop by and see Old Andrew's classroom and check out failing departments over at Scenes from the Battleground.

Hey, has anyone seen Mister Teacher? Only three weeks into the school year and already he's struggling with HLTs (and that doesn't stand for Hailsbails Let's Teach, either. ). Once again a new something (High Level Tasks) to add to the other somethings that no one can seem to complete.

I heard education guru Joanne Jacobs is in the technology wing asking why school districts continue to pour money into technology when studies fail to show any increase in test scores.

Forget about all that high tech stuff, could someone, anyone please just lift up the auditorium screen?

What's Jane Goodwin over at Scheiss Weekly at yelling about? Oh my, watch out! You better duck and cover. Here come the helicopter parents! I'm OK because they can't see me. I'm Ninja Teacher!

All this running around has made me hungry. Anyone else want to head on over to the cafeteria? Cooking Up Good Speech has this rather tasty looking lunch and a little speech lesson as well. Although this post is aimed at parents, more teachers could probably eat healthier as well. (Check out my "Frying In My Own Fat" weight loss challenge.)

Don't forget to grab your free goodie bags before you leave. The people over at the Education Sector created a Facebook page called Teacher Sector which they said is designed "to find out what teachers think about education and share their good ideas." So, now you know. You can also entered into a drawing for $450 for school supplies.

Oh, and speaking of FREE stuff, time is running out to send in your entry to our good friends over at the Dow Jones News Fund for free subscriptions to the Wall Street Journal's Classroom Edition. Check it out. Deadline is Sept. 19.

And finally, don't forget to stop by and meet Pat over at Successful Teaching who reminds us that our voice really does matter and Carrie over at Jedi Music who reminds us to be grateful.

That concludes our Meet The Teacher night. Please start making your way to the exits so our tired teachers can go home, grade some papers, plan tomorrow's lessons and maybe eat some dinner.

Join us here again on Wednesday, Sept. 28 for our next edition of the Education Buzz. Please submit your posts no later than Saturday, Sept. 24 by 5 p.m. CDT. Use this handy dandy form for your submissions and please keep in mind our submission rules…

No spam
Must be education related
Since the carnival may be organized around themes, not all submissions may run.
Please remember to post and link back to the carnival.

As always…

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

And, if I did, my apologies.

Ninja Teacher Thought For The Week

2011-09-13T14:29:00.000-05:00

It's hard to be Ninja Teacher when all you have for throwing stars are the stinky starfish you picked up on the beach.

Frying In My Own Fat Week Four Update

2011-09-13T14:27:00.000-05:00

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 4–Better to Fry in Brown Fat Than White Fat. 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.

Picture Day, The Screen & The Witch, Oh My!

2011-09-11T14:47:00.000-05:00

I survived Picture Day.

Which, for those of you yearbook types, know was something just short of a miracle.

And which, for those of you non-yearbook types (but fans of this blog), know for me was probably a miracle of sorts necessitating divine intervention.

Even Mother Teresa would have found Picture Day trying.

It certainly tested my resolve to remain Ninja Teacher.

I almost set my hair on fire and ran out of the building when I arrived at 6:30 in the morning and saw the gigantic screen hanging from the auditorium stage.

You know, the stage that roughly 2,000 children, faculty and staff needed to navigate across to get their school pictures made.

Yeah, that stage. The one that was blocked by the giant screen hanging down. The screen that rivaled the dimensions of the green screen in the Wizard of Oz.

Yep, the screen that needed a special password code and either a Phd in technology or some sort of divine intervention in order to raise it. Yeah, that screen.

It took almost two hours before The Screen was raised because apparently only one person knows the super-secret instructions on how to do it.

During that two hour time period, I sort of felt like the witch in the Wizard of Oz. I'm fairly certain I probably acted a bit like the witch in the Wizard of Oz. And, I think it's a safe bet that I may have even looked like the witch in the Wizard of Oz.

And just in case you were wondering, I'm not talking about the good witch either.

Never Forget

2011-09-11T10:34:00.002-05:00

Ten years later. I still have not forgotten you. Each and every one. I still hear you. Ghosts whispering in the wind.

I have not forgotten you.

I will never forget.

Tags: Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning) (From CMT Giants: Alan Jackson), Alan Jackson, Alan Jackson Videos

Thought for the day…

2011-09-09T06:11:00.000-05:00

It's hard to be Ninja Teacher and fly under the radar when people keep taking shots under the clouds.

Pep Rallies, Fishing Poles and Go Fish

2011-09-06T06:27:00.000-05:00

Week Two ended with our first pep rally launching us right into Labor Day weekend and maybe an end to our unrelenting heat wave.

For the most part, the pep rally which had a beach theme (Beach…then insert whatever your opponent's name) was pretty standard fare. The seniors were admonished not to belittle, berate or "boo" the freshmen. So instead, our seniors carried signs that simply said, "Boo," and then, when the freshmen did their little spirit chant, the seniors whipped out homemade fishing poles with fish attached to them.

That got my BFF to thinking about all the things teachers could attach to fishing poles when we are supposed to behave at teacher meetings. She had some pretty funny suggestions, but pretty much all of them belong in my "Things That Will Get You Fired Folder."

Frying In My Own Fat Week Three Update

2011-09-06T05:58:00.000-05:00

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 Three: Yoga Brings Little Stress Release. 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.

Calling for Education Buzz Carnival Submissions

2011-09-04T16:00:00.002-05:00

Apparently most of you were busy with back-to-school stuff because the pickings for submissions were pretty thin, and since I was busy with back-to-school stuff too, I didn't have time to troll the EduSphere for interesting posts.

So-o-o-o instead of wasting time posting a carnival this week, we'll give everyone another week to think of something brilliant to post and to submit. Please get your submissions to me by 5 p.m. CDT on Saturday, Sept. 10 using this handy dandy form and let's this carnival rolling.

For those of you new to this, the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival is an eclectic smattering of things buzzing about the EduSphere. Here are the guidelines…

No spam
Must be education related
Since the carnival may be organized around themes, not all submissions may run.
Please remember to post and link back to the carnival.

Oh, and if you would like to host a carnival, pah-leese let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.

Frying in My Own Fat Week 2 Update

2011-08-29T17:16:00.000-05:00

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 Frying in My Own Fat Week Two: Why I hate the French. 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.

Week 1, Goals & Ninjas

2011-08-28T19:48:00.000-05:00

Let's all do the dance of joy as we check off Week 1. Once again to my astonishment, I survived.

My Little Ninja Protector

OK, so maybe just maybe I wasn't so astonished, but now that Week 1 is done, I need to turn my attention to all those nagging things that need attending to before they become those kind of things none of us want. You know, like those things that will get you fired.

Somewhere I have sheet a paper that says I need to turn in some sort of department goal for this school year. Since I am a department of one, I asked myself, "Self, just what sort of goals should we have this year?"

If most of you are like me or my Self, you have goals that you turn in to the PBs. And by PBs, I'm not talkin' about Peanut Butter here. No siree, Missy, we're talkin' about those Powers That Be.

Most of us write PB goals that sound something like this… "Students will learn blah blah blah that will provide them with blah blah blah to successfully integrate blah blah blah utilizing existing technology and resources blah blah blah…"

Given that formula, I can pretty much knock out my PB goals pretty speedy quick. Mine probably will go something like this: "Students will learn skills that will provide them with the tools to successfully integrate and expand their print journalism skills into a web-based journalism site."

We all know, though, that PB goals are not really real goals. While our PB goals are turned in and make their way to the bottom of someone's filing cabinet or in a box in Warehouse 13, our real goals don't get turned in anywhere. Hails bails, most of the time they don't even make it out of our brain.

So, shhhhhhh, I'll share mine with you. Drum roll, pah-leese… Richie's real goal for this school year is simply this…

I will become Ninja teacher. I will fly under the radar. I will not fly above the clouds.

I even have a little Ninja guy my BFF Jennifer gave me. I wear him around my neck along with my ID badge and room keys. According to the little card that came with him, my little Ninja guy supposedly will hide me from my enemies.

Trust me, I need all the help I can get.

I even dressed in all black the other day. Stealth. That's me. I am Ninja teacher.

When I told some of my school teacher buddies about me flying under the radar, there was a tad bit of snickering.

And maybe just a bit of smirking.

Oh all right, yes there was some betting going on, too, on just how long this Ninja thing will last.

Well, I just have one thing to say to y'all Ninja Naysayers and Haters, "I am Ninja… you won't hear me roar."

Friday, Back to School & Rick Perry

2011-08-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's Friday and somehow we all survived a week of school…my voice is raspy, my feet are screaming and my head is exploding (and not from the kids either). Raise your hand if you know what I'm talking about.

I don't know if it was the 100 plus degree record-breaking streak that got me feeling just a tad snarky or just the regular back-to-school stuff that just seemed to suck the life right out of me.

Here's something a teacher friend of mine sent to me. Funny way to end the week. I hope you can view it at school, but if you can't it's worth the watch at home.

The Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival is up!

2011-08-24T19:55:00.000-05:00

Woo-hoo! The Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival is up and running over at I Want To Teach Forever. There are lots of great posts for those of you who want to be in the know on what's buzzing about the EduSphere. So go on and really get back to school and see what's happening. You'll be glad you did.

Don't forget that the next Education Buzz will appear right here on Wednesday, September 7. You can submit your entries using this handy, dandy form. Just be sure that you do so by Saturday, September 3 before 5 p.m. CDT.

Oh, and if you would like to host a carnival, pah-leese let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.

Frying In My Own Fat Week One: Happy Hour Proves Less Than Happy For Fitness Challenge

2011-08-23T05:50:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are keeping up with my "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge," my latest post first appears on technorati as Frying In My Own Fat Week One: Happy Hour Proves Less Than Happy For Fitness Challenge. To read it, you can click on the article name or the scale above.

Back to School & Howard the Shelter Cat

2011-08-21T21:27:00.000-05:00

Monday marks the start of school for kids at my school.

I suppose I should have spent my entire Sunday in preparation for this momentous occasion. Instead, I spent only two hours trying to plan my lessons. OK, OK, OK, so maybe not even two hours.

I didn't get very far.

What Howard really thinks

Blame Howard the Shelter cat.

I was in my planning rhythm and just getting into that teaching zone when Howard the Shelter cat launched himself full throttle onto my desk spilling my glass of water onto the wood floor.

Once I picked that mess up, I settled back to plan–this time with a bottle of water. (I may not be able to save the planet, but at least, I can save my wood floors.)

I was just getting my teacher planning groove back when Howie positioned himself beneath my desk and started playing with my feet. As if I needed a distraction. As if.

After I finally managed to shoo Howard away, I settled once again into that planning thing. Just as that teacher planning mojo was kicking it into high gear, Howard sauntered over to the litter box.

Is there any doubt amongst us as to how Howard the Shelter cat feels about school starting back up?

If he's not careful, I'm sending him to cat school.

*******

A few announcements…

Mr. Teacher, my blogger friend over at Learn Me Good, is launching his new book, Learn Me Gooder, on Monday, August 22. If it's anything like his first book, I know you will love it. You can pick up a copy on Amazon and B&N in paperback and e-book formats. Check it out.

And don't forget that the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival will appear Wednesday, August 24 and is being hosted over at I Want To Teach Forever.

Back-to-School, Top 5 Dream Killers & Educational Polyjuice

2011-08-15T07:57:00.000-05:00

Somehow I wish the start of the school year resembled the train to Hogwarts–filled with real magic, owls and wizardry.

Instead, my train resembles an out-of-control freight train like the one in that movie Unstoppable or that barreling bus in Speed.

Harry Potter summons his Patronus to protect him.

Still, my back-to-school runaway train is filled with its own magic of sorts–stuffed with hopes and dreams. But it's also filled with all that invisible stuff, too, and I'm not talking about Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility either. I'm talking about all that scary invisible stuff, and I know you know what I mean.

Instead of dementors, we have dream killers. Unfortunately, I have no wands to distribute and no Patronus to protect us.

If you will pardon the continuing Harry Potter references, then let's take a peak at the Top 5 Dream Killers or Things That Suck the Life Right Out of Teachers across the country this time of year…

#5… The Dolores Umbridge Budget…

I have teacher friends who are lucky to get no more than $50 for school supplies for the entire school year. Maybe those teachers can find and dispense those quills like the one's Hogwarts professor Dolores Umbridge used on her students—the ones that used her student's blood instead of ink. As an added bonus, there's a going green factor involved, too. Since the quill writes on your skin, you save paper and trees at the same time, and all that goes a long way to stretching that paltry budget—a much needed necessity since surveys show teachers shell out an average of $356 out of their own pockets for classroom supplies.

#4… Copy That! Or, Just Try To Copy That–The Hedwig Solution…

Is there a school district on the planet that can copy material in a timely manner without a presidential order or the copy machine breaking down? Now, I know you all know what I'm talkin' about. (Can I get an AMEN, brothers and sisters?)

How many of you planned to give an assignment or test one day, only to discover the stuff you needed wasn't/couldn't be copied? How many of you then decided to go to Plan "B" only to discover that Plan "B" needed three more copies of something you had stashed in your filing cabinet. And, of course, in order to get copies you had to either (1) dash a 100 yards like the school's star runningback to the nearest copy machine or (2) turn it in the requisite five days before you needed it with the proper form filled out in triplicate. It would be easier and quicker to kidnap Harry Potter's Owl, Hedwig, and have her fly that paper right over to the nearest office store to be copied.

Oh, and before all of you techie types start tsk-tsking that if teachers would just use all that paperless technology, this wouldn't be an issue, let me point you to Item #3.

#3… Technology & the Vanishing Cabinets

It's not that teachers don't love technology, they love working technology and access to technology, but those of you who read teacher blogs know the following:

(1) Teachers complain that most nifty educational sites they learn about and want to use tend to be blocked by their school districts so they can't use them.

(2) Many school districts tend to buy programs that create more work, not less work.
(3) Technology never consistently works when it's raining outside.

(4) And finally, anytime a teacher plans a whiz-bang, over-the-top lesson using technology, that technology will invariably fail, and, it is at that point, that the teacher desperately searches for that vanishing closet.

Now, I suppose we could go to our low tech filing cabinet and pull out that Plan "B" lesson. But, oh wait, remember? We're three copies short, and Hedwig is still cooling her wings and waiting over there at Kinko's.

#2…PowerPoints are Dementors…

Nothing sucks the life out of teachers more than attending a professional development session where the presenter shows a PowerPoint, gives them a hand out of that very PowerPoint and then reads the entire PowerPoint to the group. Just like a dementor, it sucks all the happiness and life right out of you. Given the choice between sitting through such a "presentation" and going face-to-face with a dementor, all of us would rather take our chances with a dementor because at least there's the hope of a Patronus saving us.

And the Number 1 Dream Killer, the thing that sucks the life right out of teachers… drum roll pah-leese…

#1…Polyjuice Hocus Pocus Professional Development

Before school districts across the country open their doors to students, they first subject their teachers to professional development days, and you know from the intro to this blog and from my book, how I feel about that.

I always marvel how teachers from coast-to-coast are forced to attend meetings instead of working in their classrooms and getting ready for their students, or how they are subjected to speakers who try to sell them some alleged newfangled educational panacea that's sure to cure all the educational woes of the day. Sadly, most times these newfangled things are just the same old thing re-tooled, re-fashioned and re-named into something else.

It's all just…Polyjuice! That's what it is.

Just like in Harry Potter where the Polyjuice potion temporarily allows the drinker of the potion to assume the form of another person, this educational Polyjuice allows these questionable theories to masquade as something new and successful.

Educational Polyjuice.

You might as well as hand out the snake oil.

Get Ready For the 'I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat' Weight Loss Challenge

2011-08-13T10:18:00.000-05:00

[Let's start the school year off right toward a healthier, leaner year. This article (still written by me) was first published as Get Ready for the 'I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat' Weight Loss Challenge on Technorati.]

The 40 days of consecutive 100 plus degree temperatures ended just two days shy of matching the 1980 record of 42 consecutive 100-degree days.
I must admit it was somewhat of a disappointment for me as well as for others. One meteorologist told The Dallas Morning News, "It's the ultimate slap in the face. It's like your horse was in first place, and before crossing the finish line, it decided to stop running."

After all, if you have to survive 40 days of walking on the face of the sun, you might as well have bragging rights to breaking the record and surviving.

Of course, this wasn't the only numeric recording that failed dismally. It just wasn't marked with much fanfare. Now into my (cough cough) something year of attempting to lose weight, I have once again allowed my summer to pass with only one less pound to not show for it.

Sad I know.

All this hot air got me to thinking that perhaps it's time to launch the "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge. Anyone else up to it?

It's not that I'm stupid when it comes to this. It's not that I don't exercise. I do. Even the training for the 3-day 60 mile walk for the Cure last year wasn't enough to shed the baggage.

And it's not that I don't eat well. I do. I don't eat fast food. I avoid fried foods. I don't drink sodas. I know it's all about portion control, and therein lies the problem. No self control, I suppose.

I know that there are programs out there to help people like me. My BFF has lost close to 30 pounds on one such program.

But I'm not much of a joiner in that regard, and I certainly don't have the money after my beach house in Denton renovation. I'm stubborn enough to believe if I set my mind to it, I can do it.

Dumb, I know.

I even got on that Oprah-Doctor-Oz Bandwagon and purchased that You on a Diet book last summer. I got to page 95.

Pathetic, I know.

But maybe, just maybe, if I have to publicly document my success and failure, I will finally lose some weight. So Monday, August 15 begins my official start of my "I'm-Frying-In-My-Own-Fat" Weight Loss Challenge. At the very least, it'll be an amusing distraction.

Here's the challenge: Let's try and lose some weight. Weigh in every Monday. You don't have to tell how much you actually weigh, just how much you lose or gain each week. Everyone says it's a good idea to log that sort of thing and keep track of what you eat and what you did.

Perhaps some public humiliation will work.

Or maybe not.

But what do we have to lose?

Except that fat.

Is It Really THAT Time of Year Again?! Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival

2011-08-10T08:13:00.001-05:00

I spent the last few weeks pretending I didn't own a calendar and squinting my eyes like sliver's of almonds when I passed by anything that remotely resembled a calendar so as not to see the day, the week or month. I do that every year until that dreaded little email lands in my inbox.

You know the one. That nifty little email that outlines that fun-filled extravaganza awaiting me next week called teacher back-to-school professional development.

I don't know if that (the professional development week) makes me nuts and crazy or if it's this record streak of 100-plus days or if it was the Denton Beach House shelves that fell and whacked me on my back or a combination of all the above.

So now it's time to rummage through our closets to see what we have to wear and what school supplies we still need. Oh yeah, don't forget to look through that Summer Stack O Stuff we brought home ostensibly to work on over the summer…if only, if only.

Let's get things off to a great start with a survey. The National Council on Teacher Quality and U.S. News & World Report are reviewing teacher preparation programs around the country and want to hear from teachers (even veteran teachers) about what they think about the training they received. Go here to take it and get a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card. What's not to like about that?

Still in the contest/free stuff category, Let's Do Math has a contest for a chance to win a free paperback book, but you have to solve a Fibonacci puzzle, and I suppose if you don't know what in the fibonacci a Fibonacci Puzzle is then you probably should just cut your losses and move along. Now if don't give a fibonacci, you can still go there, and if you leave a comment, you get entered into the e-book contest. What's not to like about that?

I see Dead Class Pets is right there with me rummaging through that Summer Stack O Stuff looking for those overdue library books.

Teaching My Baby To Read provides some advice and cheap alternative solutions for parents who need to help their kids who struggle in school.

Jeepers Creepers, I wasn't going to include Michaele Sommerville's submission because she makes me look pathetic with my Summer Stack O Stuff, but you have to see this. Michaele over at Kindergarten's 3 R's: Respect, Resources & Rants already has a photo tour of her classroom up and running.

If you are looking for some free lessons because you can't find your old ones in that Summer Stack O Stuff sitting on the floor, then you might want to go here for 30 sites for free lessons.

I Want To Teach Forever gives us a list of must-have magazines for your classroom.

Why not welcome back your co-workers with this little science prank from our science buddy Steve Spangler?

Welcome to the Hotter-than-You-Know-Where Education Buzz Life's A Carnival

2011-07-26T16:45:00.000-05:00

Finally, I have taken a brief break from painting, scaping and staining at the Denton Beach House to pull together this edition of the Hotter-than-You-Know-Where Education Buzz Life's A Carnival.

I'm sure many of you have been following the Atlanta cheating scandal. Make sure you check out my post "Those Cheating Hearts" over at Technorati. Joanne Jacobs also comments on cheating here while Tim over at Assorted Stuff points out the Bigger Cheating Scandal.

Mamacita has lots to say over at Scheiss Weekly on whether we are overprotecting our children. And to that, my dears, I say, "Amen, sister!"

Check out why the best teachers make learning memorable over at Steve Spangler's blog.

Old Andrew over at Scenes From the Battlefield analyzes debating strategies.
Darren from Right on the Left Coast talks about the new standards at Notre Dame for dealing with sexual harrassment on college campuses.

Necrotic Hijinks thinks that perhaps pyrotechnics provides the answer for engaging student learning.

New blogger ICE.Teacher has a light bulb moment and uses her improvisation skills from theater in her writing class.

With all the financial crunches and teacher layoffs, one of those online masters sites gives us a lists of Top 40 Job Sites for Teachers.

Let's Play Math is looking for some math quotes for her book. If you wanted to be counted on in, head on over there.

It was a dark and stormy night over at Joanne Jacobs' site. Make sure you see what that's all about by going over there.

Well, that's it for this carnival. If we haven't sweated ourselves into a puddle, the next carnival will appear here (I hope) on August 10. Send your posts by August 6 using this handy, dandy form.

Painting, Staining & Complaining

2011-07-25T08:13:00.000-05:00

[This article was first published as Home Remodeling Up 22 Percent on Technorati.]

Well, I’d like to report that I am surviving the renovations to the Denton beach house. Instead, I can honestly say that the score goes something like this–Denton Beach House 13–Richie 2.

I wonder how others are fairing in this home remodeling surge. According to the BuildFax Remodeling Index, remodeling is up 22 percent across the county as more and more homeowners opt to remodel their current homes, rather than purchasing new homes.
According to the Orange County Register, home remodeling is pretty much up in three out of four regions across the nation–up 21 percent in the West, 10 percent in the South and 9 percent in the Northeast. Only the Midwest showed a drop, down 11 percent.

Still, I find little comfort in those statistics. As I continue with my remodeling DIY journey, I have been forced to embrace the following truths…

#1… Despite my best attempts, I cannot paint a straight line. Now, don’t tell me about those nifty little tools they sell for $2.96 at the paint or home improvement stores. For me, they don’t work. For my BFF Jennifer, they don’t work. We apparently can’t see straight. Perhaps the root of this dates back to elementary school and my unwillingness (or inability) to stay within the lines.

#2… Oh, and forget about that blue tape. Are we the only ones who can’t get it to work correctly? By correctly I mean, yes, I can tape things up, but when I remove the tape, well, that’s a different story. I have yet to pull the tape without pulling off paint that I don’t want to pull off. And, again, it’s not just me either. Neither can my BFF or my daughter for that matter or her BFF either. I was going to ask our new buddy from the paint store about this little problem, but when we went in there yesterday, they told us he no longer worked there. I’m not sure if that’s true. There’s a part of me that believes he saw us coming and hid in the back.

#3… I don’t think I could ever fall back on being a painter as a secondary job choice. Hails bails, I don’t think I could even be hired as a painter’s apprentice. I think I would be lucky just to get a job stirring the paint. Still, there’s a secret part of me that would really relish being that person who names the paint. Who does that? Seriously. I could do that. Red Rush, Sierra Sunrise, Piggly Wiggly Pink.

#4… OK, so let’s forget about the paint. I am a little bit better at staining and not just the cabinets, but myself as well. I can’t tell you how many of those videos I watched over and over and over again. There’s not one smudge anywhere on those guys. But me? Well, let’s just say I had to throw away two sets of clothes.

#5… Home improvement stores stay in business because of people like me. People who make no fewer than three trips a day because we (a) forgot something (b) bought the wrong something (c) needed more of that something or (d) all of the above.

At the rate I’m going, I need another summer to recuperate from this summer.

DIY Loser Update

2011-07-07T21:47:00.000-05:00

This post was first published as DIY, The Denton Beach House and Losers on Technorati.

After six months, I finally stumbled upon my latest twist in life’s little turns. Blame it on my teensy-weensy brain that thought it was great idea to help my daughter buy a house instead of paying rent while she attended the University of North Texas.

It all seemed like a good idea at the time. With interest rates still low and a depressed housing market, why not scoop up a bargain and help stimulate the economy? As an added bonus, I could enter the world of Do It Yourselfers (heretofore uncharted territory) and launch into my next “Outside Looking In” project.

Let’s call this little endeavor, “The Denton Beach House.” (Those of you familiar with geography will see the irony in all of that because this house is nowhere near the beach. In fact, it's about 600 miles away, but by the time I'm through with it, I probably could have had a real beach house.)

I wonder if I can sue all those HGTV and DIY home improvement shows that make all these renovations look so darn tootin' easy. I want to know just where in the Sam Hill is Scott McGillivray when I need him? Or how about Ahmed and the yard crashers when we had to tear down the shanty shed? And, is it really too much to ask for a little bit of Ice, Ice, Baby! Come on Vanilla, I thought you were from around these parts.

Although I did get my BFF to help me with this latest endeavor, we almost had a Thelma & Louise moment last week. Driving off a cliff seemed less painful than our attempts to find tub faucets that fit.

After no less than five trips to home improvement stores, we finally found faucets that would fit the existing plumbing on our 1949 house. Along the way, we met some pretty nice, helpful people and some not-so-helpful people.

We also learned a lot more about plumbing than we really wanted to know. Things like faucet packages have letters of the alphabet denoting which faucets fit what types of threading.
Now that would have been a handy thing to know four trips earlier.

Our package, of course, was marked with an “L”

L, you know, as in "Loser."

Education Buzz Life's A Carnival

2011-06-22T18:36:00.000-05:00

Well the carnival finally rolled into town. Sorry, folks no theme this time, but did you really expect one? Jeez Louise! It's summer after all. Grab a drink, some chips & salsa and take a look at these posts…

It ain't easy being green, but Maryland high school graduates will need to be. Check out Joanne Jacobs' latest post.

Meanwhile, Darren over at Right on the Left Coast is almost human. He also examines why "Berkeley Schools Suck at Teaching Minorities."

Pat over at Successful Teaching talks about Celebrating Uniqueness.

Mandy discusses whether current events have a place in public education.

Kate over at Parenting is… talks about honesty & politeness.

Tim over at Assorted Stuff is hopeful that perhaps one day we will move from viewing students as merely consumers, but creators when it comes to technology.

For those of you who are fans of the show "Minute to Win It" will want to be sure to check out our favorite science guy Steve Spangler to see some of his science experiments and tricks that have made the show.

It's definitely not Mamacita's fault! Check out her post at Scheiss Weekly.

Of course, you'll want to read all about how I'm spending my spare time in my post "Summer, the Denton Beach House & Vanilla Ice."

Well that's all I have time for. I've got to go see how over-budget we are. The next carnival will appear here on July 6 (if this home renovation thing doesn't kill me). Send your posts using this handy, dandy form. Please send them before by July 3. You can send more than one if you would like.

Education Buzz Carnival Coming!

2011-06-22T07:06:00.001-05:00

The Carnival is on its way! Delayed slightly by life's speed bumps (and work on the Denton Beach House). The Carnival will appear here later this evening or tomorrow (Thursday, June 23).

Summer, the Denton Beach House & Vanilla Ice

2011-06-20T06:43:00.000-05:00

I really do love teaching, but I would be a big, fat liar if I didn't say that with the stress of my job, I spend much of the year pining away for my favorite time of the year–summer!

I love summer.

I love everything about it… Mr. Sun, the beach, the pool, the heat, chips & salsa, lemonade, limeade, blue cloudless skies, puffy cloudy blue skies, the smokey smell of mesquite smoked barbecue.

I love the feel of warm sand, the sound of the ocean waves and the sight of pelicans flying.

So now that summer is here, you would think I would be well-rested and happy as a seagull snatching scraps of bread mid-air.

Yeah, you would think. Instead, immediately following my trek to the beach, I have spent most of my waking, breathing moments working on our latest project, which I fondly (and not-so-fondly) refer to as my Beach House in Denton or simply the Denton Beach House. For those of you not familiar with North Texas, Denton is nowhere near the beach. In fact, it's about 600 miles away.

Blame it on all those HGTV and DIY home improvement shows. Blame it on my teeny, weeny, tiny brain that thought it was great idea to help my daughter buy a house instead of paying rent while she attended college. Blame it on… well, you fill in the blank.

Denton Beach House Shanty Shed

What I want to know is where in the Sam Hill is Scott McGillivray when I need him? Or how about Ahmed and the yard crashers? He would have loved getting rid of our shanty shed in the backyard. Is it really too much to ask for a little bit of Ice, Ice, Baby!

Is it?

All this week when I returned home from working on the Denton Beach House, I just glare at the stack of school work on the floor that I brought home for the summer. You know, work to "catch up on."

Piles of it.

Maybe, just maybe, I'm looking at this all wrong. Perhaps I'm waiting for the wrong people to knock on my door. Maybe just maybe Peter Walsh will appear with his magic and make all of that stuff go away.

In the meantime, I'm headed out to the pool.

Summer Updates, Education Carnival Submissions & Paid Posts

2011-06-16T17:56:00.001-05:00

Ah… I know you missed me, but it took a bit more time to close out the year, and then, of course, I had to dash to beach for some much needed R&R.

Then, of course, once I returned I had to dash again to work on my beach house in Denton, Texas. (Right about now, those of you who know something about geography and the state of Texas realize that there isn't a beach even remotely close to Denton. But that's a another story for another day which I promise to get to sometime this summer.)

Instead, I need to catch everyone up on important stuff going on. First, there will be a carnival, but the Education Buzz will probably not be posted until Wednesday, June 22, so send me your musings, rantings and posts even if they were end of the year stuff. If you want folks to take a gander at them, use this handy, dandy form to send them to me. Please send them before June 19. You can send more than one if you would like. If you've already sent something, I still have that link and will go through those.

I have also decided to allow some paid posts to appear on my blog site partially because of that beach house in Denton and partially because I wanted to see whether my site can ever actually bring in some money. We shall see. I will include a note identifying such posts. These posts like the carnival links that appear on my site do not mean an endorsement of the content. The first such post will appear tomorrow.

Memorial Day, Blackboard & Howard

2011-05-30T12:37:00.000-05:00

Well, it's Memorial Day and I hope that everyone is enjoying their holiday and taking a moment to remember all those who sacrificed their lives so that we can enjoy our freedom.

I am trying desperately to close out the school year which is why I am spending part of my holiday trying to get caught up on grading, paperwork and end of the year stuff. I hate stuff, don't you?

We are going to use Blackboard next year and have to have certain items done before we are allowed to check out of school and leave for the summer.

I'm not exactly sure what happens to people who don't complete these tasks. Will they chain us to a desk for the summer and lock us in the school until we come into compliance? Just the mere thought of that rather terrifies me which is why I am spending this holiday frantically searching for a video to embed so I can complete Item #1b. Luckily, my friend over at Teachj has a wealth of stuff.

I picked a 20 minute video on depth of field. As you can see, Howard the Shelter Cat was not impressed. Not at all. In fact, he rather exhibited the attention span of some of my students.

I'm not sure that bodes well for next year.

Education Buzz Life's A Carnival Slacker Edition

2011-05-25T05:55:00.001-05:00

It's the end of the year and I know many of you are busy trying to close out the school year so submissions were a bit thin this carnival (other than the onslaught of advertising folks and people that have nothing to do with educational type issues). And since I was swamped with yearbooks and yearbook distribution, I didn't even get a chance to write anything particularly funny or insightful. I guess we're all just a bunch of slackers.

But here are three submissions worth looking at…

Darren on Right on the Left Coast questions an appeals court decision that upheld the dismissal of a San Diego schoolteacher who was fired for posting a sexually explicit ad and photos on Craigslist.

Stephen Karlson provides us with an illustrative gallery of economic concepts as interpreted by elementary and middle school students while Joseph Kaye said we should incorporate graphic design for deeper learning.

We probably will take a break this summer. However, I will leave the carnival submissions open for those of you who still plan to write over the summer and will run the carnival once I receive enough stuff, so make sure you check back here throughout the summer.

Remember if you want to submit to the carnival, you can use this handy, dandy form.

In the meantime, here are people worth dropping in and checking out through the summer. They tend to post on a regular basis…

Of course, I plan to post throughout the summer, so you will want to check back here. Joanne Jacobs posts frequently. Does does Pat over at Successful Teaching, Mr. Teacher, Darren on Right on the Left Coast, and Old Andrew at Scenes from the Battleground. Mamacita over at Scheiss Weekly is worth a gander as well as our science guru Steve Spangler.

And, of course, don't forget Tim over at Assorted Stuff.

Also, I am launching a new blog featuring Howard the Shelter Cat and my German Shepherd Jack. It's an animal advice thing. Check it out here. You can send your animal questions, funny animal stories and funny animal photos there.

No escape

2011-05-18T17:31:00.000-05:00

Day 3… Still surviving the print fumes… There is no escape from this fun-filled extravaganza…Still singing my own version of Lynyrd Skynyrd's song… Oh, Oh that smell/ Can't you smell that smell?/ Oh oh that smell/ The smell of yearbooks surround you…

Welcome to my little slice of Yearbook…

2011-05-16T17:19:00.001-05:00

Day One…

Boxes, boxes & more boxes… This is only a partial photo of the Yearbook Mayhem.

Yep, abandon all hope, ye who enter here…

Mondays, Mayhem & "Just Mights"

2011-05-15T12:45:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow brings Monday morning, an 18-wheeler, and mayhem.

Not just any kind of school mayhem, but a truck load of that very special kind of mayhem–yearbook mayhem.

I think we're ready, though, for those 65 or so boxes containing 1,300 yearbooks and weighing a gajillion pounds that will drive in our parking lot at 8 a.m.

I think we have all the important stuff…

Two dollies plus a wide assortment of carts
Some burly boys lined up to help us
A phone tree to make sure the burly boys arrive at 8 a.m.
A phone tree to make sure all the yearbook staffers arrive at 8 a.m.

And if all else fails, there's always that half a box of Whoppers stashed in my closet for emergencies. Not that those Whoppers can help unload those gajillion pounds of yearbooks, but they just might prevent me from setting my hair on fire and run screaming from the building.

Notice I said "just might prevent."

I make no promises this time of year.

The Mother of all Mothers Edition of the Education Buzz: Life's a Carnival

2011-05-11T05:51:00.002-05:00

Now that Mother's Day has come and gone it seemed fitting to have a Mother of all Mothers Edition of the Education Buzz: Life's a Carnival, presenting an eclectic smattering of educational type things buzzing about in the EduSphere.

We had a few new contributors this time so here's a big hideeho welcome to our newcomers. They brought some new thoughts to toss out on the midway.

Aparna Vashisht over at Huffpost Education talks about the need for a parent revolution. Now before you start hyperventilating, this post is worth a look. Only one point I have always wondered about and teachers hear it often, "I know we are often afraid of the teacher because we don't want any backlash." Backlash? I'm sure there are some teachers out there like that, but there are those type of people in every profession. I would say most teachers would never do that. We are professionals. OK, sorry for the editorial comment, but I encourage you to hop on over there and read that post. She has a lot of interesting things to say.

Joseph Kaye in his post Earthquake & Education analyzes a recent article he read. He makes an interesting observation that "the natural disaster is simply the end product of a series of social disasters." Check it out.

Dan Leeman over at Music Education For All discusses the national standards for music education and promises to provide "hands-on, take-back-to-your-classroom resources."

Sherry over at Opinion Writing posts, "We Call Teachers Professionals but is that the way we treat them?"

Some of our old friends are back…

Michaele Sommerville talks about developmentally appropriate practice over at Kindergarten's 3 Rs: Respect, Resources and Rants.

And speaking of those little kindergartner tykes, Mathew Needleman over at Creating Lifelong Learners examines whether those little guys are too young to be given iPads. (Jeez Louise, I wish someone would give me an iPad!)

Darren over at Right on the Left Coast, who is still recuperating from his ski accident, met with his long term substitute teacher and writes about a little faux pas that occurred.

Oh dear, Joanne Jacobs presents this post (which many of you may have already seen): "Who is Osama bin Laden?" Truly an OMG moment.

And just in case you didn't know these guys, David Singer at Criminal Justice USA, gives you 10 other Al Qaeda players you should know.

Alicia Arnold over at Daily Creativity says it's important to take time to get back in touch with your playful side.

And this post really doesn't have much to do with anything, other than if you like space stuff, here's a list of 10 sites that monitor that sort of thing.

Well, that's it for this edition of the carnival except for my post, "May, Panic & Yearbooks" which you might find somewhat amusing.

The next carnival will be back here Wednesday, May 25. If you would like to submit, the deadline is 6 p.m. central time, Saturday, May 21, and you can use this handy, dandy form. I'm not sure what our summer schedule for the carnival will be, or if we'll just take a break I'll let you know.

Until then, if you would like to host an edition of the carnival, please 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.

Me, Deadlines & Howard

2011-05-08T13:42:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, I was too busy preparing the upcoming Education Buzz: Life's a Carnival (which will be featured here on Wednesday) that I really didn't feel up to posting something. I was also exhausted from spending last week mired in the final newspaper deadline of the year.

And, yes, that all pretty much sucked the life right out of me.

Then there's the palatable panic setting in as we anticipate the arrival in a week of our 1,300 yearbooks.

I know you probably don't care about all of that. Instead, you are probably more concerned about Howard the Shelter Cat and how Howie is dealing with this end of the year madness.

Well, fear not, while I was smack dab in the midst of deadline disasters, my husband sent me this photo of Howie sitting in my reading chair taking a break from doing whatever it is cat's do…

May, Panic & Yearbooks

2011-05-01T14:30:00.000-05:00

The month of May finally arrived bringing with it a slew of observances and special days.

Special days like Mother's Day, National Peace Officers Memorial Day and Memorial Day.

And silly days like Clean Up Your Room Day, Dance Like a Chicken Day and No Socks Day.

And oh yeah, let's not forget Teacher Appreciation Day.

Yeah right.

But every high school journalism adviser on the planet knows what the real month of May is all about.

May screams spring yearbook delivery. And we all know what that means. Panic. Sheer screaming panic, and not just any kind of panic, but a Freddy Krueger kind of panic.

May screams 5-alarm Hair-on-Fire! Hair-on-Fire! Hair-on-Fire! in four-part harmony.

It screams grab your passport, pack a bag and go underground–deep underground because somehow somewhere sometime in May there will be a yearbook adviser featured on the six o'clock news who somehow somewhere managed to completely ruin the life of someone somehow somewhere by something that was or wasn't on some yearbook page. I've written about my yearbook panic attacks before.

My 1,200 books are scheduled to arrive in just a few weeks giving me just enough time to get really wound up into a frenzy. Would someone please hand me a paper bag before I hyperventilate myself into unconsciousness?

My ship date is May 15–just one day after Dance Like A Chicken Day.

Rather ironic, don't you think?

The Willy-Nilly Edition of the Education Buzz--Life's a Carnival

2011-04-27T05:50:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Willy-Nilly Edition of the Education Buzz--an eclectic smattering of educational type things buzzing around the EduSphere.

Topics were all over the place, so nothing fell into a nice little tidy theme package. But isn't that like school toward the end of the year? Instead—you guessed it—topics were willy-nilly here and willy-nilly there. Thus, we now have a theme of sorts–the Willy-Nilly Edition which makes me a happy camper indeed.

I must say that I have to agree with Darren from Right on the Left Coast that if you're going to walk the walk and talk the talk, you probably ought to dress the part. Just a thought.

While Alicia Arnold at Daily Creativity talks about using nursery rhymes to boost creativity, Pat over at Successful Teaching ponders new teacher's softness and veteran teacher's toughness.

Nancy Flanagan over at Teacher in a Strange Land remembers Columbine 12 years later. Definitely some thought-provoking stuff there.

Matt Needleman over at Creating Lifelong Learners presents two rap videos created by teachers who were pink slipped in California. Amusing, but sad.

Grace Nunez over at Education Quick Takes reminds us why some employers value a solid liberal arts education.

Mamacita over at Scheiss Weekly had a nice little Easter post.

Steve Spangler the Science Guy offers to help President Obama "make science cool."

For those of you who live for contests, Mr. Teacher over at Learn Me Good has this little name game thing going on. Winner gets some free business cards which might come in handy especially with all those teacher lay-offs going around.

If you're all in a dither about twitter, then you probably will enjoy my post, "Journalism Day, Fired Up & Bad Tweets."

Here are some other posts worthy of checking out while you are willy-nilly surfing the Internet…

•Loved Joanne Jacobs post "Oviparous!"

•Tim over at Assorted Stuff has a point when he says there's no normal to return to.

•If you're tired of everyone on the planet blaming teachers for everything wrong with the planet, check out "Stop labeling teachers, label the lawmakers."

I wanted to included something from Old Andrew over at Scenes from the Battlefield, but he must be getting ready for all that royal wedding hoop-de-do because he only had a guide to his blog posted. Still, if you've never checked out Old Andrew's blog, you really should.

*****

So that about does it for this edition. The next Education Buzz will be right here on May 11. You can use this handy, dandy form to submit. Deadline for submissions is Saturday, May 7.

As always…

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

And, if I did, my apologies.

Journalism Day, Fired Up & Bad Tweets

2011-04-24T19:50:00.000-05:00

Last week the fab-u-lous newspaper staff and I along with my hall monitoring buddy Rhonda piled into two school suburbans and journeyed to participate in The Dallas Morning News Journalism Day extravaganza.

On the way there, I asked the amazing Shannon, my editor-in-chief, how she was doing. To which, she responded (in hopes that I would mention it in my blog) that she was "Fired up about life."

While the kiddos attended some interesting seminars presented by professional journalists, I hiked over to another building for a session about "social media" taught by a very nice techno guru kind of guy--Kevin Sharpe. The session primarily focused on Twitter and TweetDeck.

Instead of raising our hands to ask questions, we were suppose to tweet our questions. Fine and dandy, but I noticed something. People (like me) would tweet a question, but rarely were those questions answered because people were lost in their own steady stream of tweeting. It all rather reminded me of those people who stand in the produce section of the grocery store and look like their talking to radishes when they're really talking to someone at the other end of their Bluetooth. (At least, I hope there's someone at the other end.)

Although I'm still not quite sure about why everyone should be all a twitter about tweeting, I figured I would just roll with it. So the next day when I returned to school, I really tried to implement some of this new found knowledge. Instead, I couldn't get logged on to TweetDeck. Some dumb upside bird with error 500 appeared, reappeared and reappeared over and over and over again. If that stupid bird, weren't already dead I think I would have popped him full of birdshot myself.

And they wonder why teachers are so reticent about implementing new technology into their classrooms.

Yeah, I guess you could say that I'm pretty fired up, too. I'm just not so sure it's about life.

Tweet that.

Thieves, Weekends & Lost Time

2011-04-18T19:23:00.000-05:00

Someone stole my weekend and I want it back. I'd report it, but I don't think there's a form for that sort of thing. If there were, I think such thievery ranks up there as a felony and possibly even a capital offense.

OK, so maybe not a capital offense, but surely something deserving of severe penalities.

At this point I'm really and truly not sure what happened to my weekend or why I failed to write anything (or accomplish anything for that matter) especially since it was my first weekend home in a month. Now, before you get all excited, my lack of a definitive recollection of my weekend was in no way connected to a wild, partying binge. Jeepers creepers, I'm 54 years old. The closest I get to binge drinking is popping off the top of a Virgil's root beer.

I know I slept in until 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, and then the rest of my weekend is a blur of running here and there and here and there and here and there and here and there accomplishing little if anything.

I do remember cleaning out Howard the Shelter Cat's litter box, and that got me thinking about how much time one spends performing such menial tasks.

My newspaper editor once actually kept track of time she deemed "wasteful" in a class, pronouncing that she figured she lost six days of her life.

Six days lost forever.

I guess I could keep track of that sort of thing. I'll get right on it, once I track down that weekend I lost.

Education Buzz is up and running!

2011-04-13T16:09:00.000-05:00

It's Wednesday and we all know what to do…

Step #1… Yell out a big Woo-hoo!

Step #2… Head on over to the latest edition of the Education Buzz. It's being hosted over at the fab-u-lous Steve Spangler's site. (You know, the whiz bang science guy's site.) You can get there by going here.

As always, there's lots of good things to read over there, so that you stay in the know of what's buzzing about in the EduSphere. So what are you waiting for? Bebop on over there.

If you missed submitting a post for the carnival, well, fear not. We have another one coming up. It will be hosted right here on April 27. Submission deadline is 6 p.m. Central time on Saturday, April 23. You can even use this handy, dandy form to submit. Jeepers creepers, it doesn't get much easier than that.

If you would like to host an upcoming edition of the Education Buzz, please let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.

Snazzy boots, Ice Cream & Awards

2011-04-11T05:43:00.001-05:00

This past weekend marked the last journalism trip of the year (Woo-hoo) until our summer publications workshop when we pack up our suitcases, grab the chicken and start all over again.

The state journalism convention we attended in Austin was quite successful by all standards. I purchased a snazzy pair of red boots (which received Howard the Shelter Cat's seal of approval), my BFF and other chaperon Jennifer (who used to live in a necklace) found three gifts for her dog Ranger, we all ate at the fab-u-lous Amy's ice cream, and oh yeah, the kids walked away with one Tops in Texas, seven first place, five second place, seven third place and 14 honorable mention individual awards. Woo-hoo!

The school newspaper also earned a state Bronze Star, and my friend Sandy Hall-Chiles was named one of the state's journalism teachers of the year.

I don't think it gets any better than all of that. I couldn't be more proud.

Oh, and most importantly, I even remembered the chicken.

Writing Competition, Mr. Chicken & Lubbock

2011-04-03T20:44:00.000-05:00

Saturday, April 2–Outside the sun shines bright, temperatures hover in the mid-80s and normal people bustle about enjoying their Saturday off.

I, however, am stuck in a noisy high school cafeteria, surrounded by teenagers who gave up their Saturday to compete in a district academic competition. I managed to con six newspaper staffers to compete in the journalism writing events, and while I like all of them, I can honestly say with 60 or so days left in the school year, I'd rather be any place but here.

In fact, I think I'd even rather be home cleaning my bathroom especially since Howard the Shelter Cat inadvertently knocked Unlucky Bamboo Plant #3 into the bathtub this morning spewing an assortment of pebbles and dirt everywhere.

Such is my life.

Still, despite the Unlucky Bamboo Plant #3 omen, I am hopeful that we will perform well. This time I even remembered the chicken (unlike my gross negligence in the New York trip debacle where Mr. Chicken was forgotten). I even found a spiffy new ribbon for Mr. Chicken. Let's hope he brings us luck and we advance to regionals.

The only problem with advancing to regionals is the competition is in Lubbock. Now don't get me wrong, there are plenty of nice folks in Lubbock and also some nice things to do in Lubbock.

But why can't regional competition be somewhere like, I don't know, Barbados. I love Barbados. OK, OK, OK, so maybe Barbados is a bit of a stretch. It's out of state. OK, OK, OK, so it's out of the country. No way to sneak that by the financial bean counters.

But what about, I don't know, South Padre Island. I love South Padre Island. That's in state. A little far perhaps from my school, but definitely in state and definitely an incentive for the kiddos to do well in competition.

When the kiddos asked where they got to travel to if we advanced to regionals, I said brightly with my best Susie Sunshine disposition, "Lubbock."

Well, they just groaned.

I think I'm going to need more than Mr. Chicken and a new ribbon to brighten their spirits.

A ticket to Barbados would be nice.

Education Buzz is Up!

2011-03-31T05:44:00.000-05:00

Woo-hoo! The Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival is up and running, but it's over at Scheiss Weekly hosted by the fab-u-lous blogger Mamacita. There's lots of good stuff buzzing about in the EduSphere to head on over there to check it out.

My post "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" was included, but you don't have to go there to read it here.

Still, you need to hop on over there so you stay in the know while you're on the go.

The next Education Buzz will be hosted over at science guy Steve Spangler's place on April 13. You can send your submissions using this handy, dandy form.

If you would like to host an edition of the carnival, please let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.

Howie, Yearbook & Oprah

2011-03-27T17:09:00.000-05:00

While I struggle to get Oprah to notice me and my book, Howard the Shelter Cat has developed his own fan club of sorts. Several people asked about Howard after he was absent from my last few posts. One reader even went so far as to say Howie was the best part of my posts.

Seriously? (You can just imagine what that did to my self of steam.) Mr. Howie the Fur Ball gets better reviews just because he's big and orange and purrs?

If I thought it would get me on Oprah, I'd dye my hair orange and wear little blue soft paws. Hails bails, I might even throw in a purr or two.

Don't get me wrong, I love Howard the Shelter Cat, but let's objectively examine Howie's contributions to society and the Richie household…

Howie the Gardener–Howard the Shelter Cat prunes the not-so-lucky bamboo plant (aptly named as it is Lucky Bamboo Plant Number 3) by chomping on its leaves. All of which means I probably will be in the market for Lucky Bamboo Plant Number 4 fairly soon.

Howie the Yogameister–Howard the Shelter Cat likes to assist my husband as he goes through his morning yoga stretches. Howie and all three dogs–the Golden Retriever, the Belgian Sheepdog and the German Shepherd–like to simultaneously do the down dog pose on the 24-inch-by-68-inch yoga mat with my husband. Talk about space issues.

Howie the Emergency Evacuation Planner–Howard the Shelter Cat likes to devise ways to keep my retired husband on his toes while I'm away at work. Things like popping out the second floor window screen to practice his "exit strategy" and to make my husband rescue him from the roof top.

Howie the Shredder–Howard the Shelter Cat likes to tear up paper. While any sort of paper is fair game, Howie seems especially fond of ripping up all things yearbook related.

Hmmm, perhaps, Howard the Shelter Cat does deserve his own fan club after all.

We could call it the "Wowie Zowie Kowie Let's Hear It For Howie Fan Club."

With my luck, Howie will probably even get invited to meet Oprah.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2011-03-22T05:48:00.000-05:00

I was sitting in a hamburger restaurant near Rockefeller Plaza in New York City when Shannon–one of the three high school newspaper staffers I was with–burst out with “I want to be fun, but I just can’t.”

Everyone sort of stopped what they were doing—eating, chewing, drinking, thinking.

“At least you’re honest,” said Zina, a former student and current resident of NYC.

That little outburst sparked a similar discussion the next day while sitting at another restaurant just off Times Square. I along with the other two staffers went out for breakfast and a brief shopping excursion around Time Square while “I-want-to-be-fun-but-I-just-can’t” Shannon opted to remain sleeping.

I asked the other two if they had to fill in the "I-want-to-be" blank, what would they say?

“I want to be a party animal, but I just can’t,” said Maddee. “I’m too shy. I don’t dance. I can’t even two-step.”

After a moment or two, Abbie said, “I want to be like Maddee and say whatever I want., but I just can't.”

But less than 30 seconds later, that was changed to “I want to like omelets, but I just can’t. They always sound really good, but I never like them,” she said between bites of the western egg omelet she ordered.

Later, on the way to the airport, the topic came up again when I asked Shannon what she did for dinner for her last night in New York City.

“I ate a pop tart and slept,” she said.

To which the rest of replied in unison, “I want to be fun, but I just can’t.”

Shannon’s outburst sparked a wide array of potential uses particularly around deadline time. Now, we have an entire new arsenal of mottos. Things like…

“I want to turn in my story, but I just can’t.”

“I want to turn in my centerspread, but I just can’t.”

“I want to be a good photographer, but I just can’t.”

Or my personal favorite:

“I want to call everyone a Big Fat Stupid Head, but I just can’t.”

Dante, New York City & Rubber Chickens

2011-03-17T17:28:00.000-05:00

If Dante Alighieri had been a high school publications adviser, I am fairly certain he would have reserved his inner circle of hell for something yearbook related. That little epiphany hit me about 6 p.m. on the Friday before Spring break.

The Friday when I was supposed to have submitted all 280 pages of the yearbook.

The Friday when I was supposed to have submitted my progress report grades.

The Friday when I was supposed to have gotten all my travel stuff ready for my trip to New York City with three newspaper staffers to claim their Columbia Scholastic Press Association Crown award.

The Friday when I was supposed to have gathered together all the wonderful, insightful, intelligent things I wanted to say for my New York City session.

Yep, that Friday.

So there I was with those epiphany light bulbs flashing like a hoard of paparazzi in my grey mattered mush of a brain about 6 p.m. on the Friday before Spring break. I was alone in my classroom and, from the looks of the school parking lot, alone in my school as well.

I really don’t know how I can be so successful at advising the school newspaper but feel like an abject failure with the yearbook. Every year when we go to finalize the book, I open page after page and discover ugly lime green picture boxes that were supposed to contain a photograph. You know, important photographs like group pictures, action shots, candid shots… any shot of anything just give me something besides those lime green boxes. Hails bails, at this point, stick figures look pretty good.

My personal favorite this year was discovering at 8 a.m. on that Friday before Spring break that two pages had not even been started. (I suppose you can image what the bubble above my head was screaming. I’d tell you, but then that’s the sort of thing that will get you fired. And y’all know how I feel about those darn tootin’ things. I've got a draw full of those in a nifty folder aptly labeled "Things That Will Get You Fired."

I did manage to get all 280 pages in. I opted to abandon the page proofs until after break.

I did manage to submit my progress report grades.

I did manage (sort of) to get most of my travel stuff in order.

I did not, however, come up with anything terribly wonderful, insightful or intelligent to say for my session.

I could deal with all of that except for one thing.

As I boarded the airplane, I realized I forgot the chicken.

Now that’s a bad thing. A very, very bad thing indeed. You see flinging a chicken around could have covered for my uncharacteristic lack of preparation.

Yep, it’s a very bad thing. I can’t even have my husband overnight Mr. Chicken because he’s locked in my classroom. The kids suggested we search for one in New York City, but I'm not sure where one goes to buy that sort of thing. I know I didn't see one in Chinatown. Unless they're hidden in those back rooms that I never get invited into because I don't have "the look." There's probably an entire room filled with rubber chickens and Coach bags and Louis Vuitton.

So with less than 24 hours to go, I’m flying solo here without a chicken wing or a prayer.

I tell you, it’s that yearbook thing. So feel sorry for me. I’m stuck in the inner circle of hell.

The Spring Break Cranky Edition of the Education Buzz–Life's a Carnival

2011-03-16T04:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Spring Break Carnival! I was going to be clever, witty and springy, but instead after trying to finalize my yearbook, I'm cranky, snarky and… See I was going to come up with another adjective, but my brain feels a little mushy and I've got nothin', zero, zippo, nadda…

So-o-o-o let's just get to it in a streamlined, no-nonsense (or maybe some minimal nonsense) version of the Education Buzz and see what's happening in the EduSphere.

Thankfully, there are some people with some creativity left. I can only surmise they have never been a yearbook adviser. Annette Berlin offers 16 ways to stir your child's creativity. And while you're stirring up stuff, you can check out Jeron Shelton's post about developing talent.

Digitalteach talks about a teacher tech program that actually works. What a world, what a world.

Darren from Right on the Left Coast ponders just where the line is drawn for teachers.

Parenting is… discusses government mandated napping in California. Jeez Louise, I wonder what Darren from Right on the Left Coast would have to say about that?

Education Closet talks about the recent budget crisis effecting so many states and what it's doing to education.

Pat over at Successful Teaching talks about the importance of first lines and thinking about grabbing the attention of your students when your making your lesson plans.

If you find yourself laid off in this current budget crunch, Money Crashers talks about six things to consider before opting to go back to school.

Joanne Jacobs talks about her little chat with Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Mr. Teacher over at Learn Me Good talks about sprouting seeds and knuckleheads.

Whoa, sometimes I think Old Andrew from over at Scenes from the Battleground and I must live in the same house. Check out his "10 Reasons Why I Shouldn't Tidy My House."

Tim over at Assorted Stuff grabbed my attention when he began his post with "Any other public school educators getting tired of being told you're overpaid."

Mamacita talks about blogging in her post, "The Blog is Dead! Long Live the Blog!" Jeez Louise, I was worried there for a moment and thought may be my blog had died and nobody told me.

Steve Spangler talks about Science Fairs and what is the right age for participating.

And speaking of participating, if you want to participate in the next Education Buzz, Mamacita has graciously agreed to host our next one on March 30 over at Scheiss Weekly. You can use this handy, dandy form to submit. Deadline for submissions is Saturday, March 26.

Before I go though, I have a post below that you might find interesting. It's not at all lighthearted, but it's important. See what you think.

As always…

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

And, if I did, my apologies.

Family Awaits Justice

2011-03-06T17:28:00.000-06:00

[Article first published as Family Awaits Justice on Technorati.]

Writer's note: Usually the content on this blog is lighthearted, but I felt compelled to write about the following event as it was so troubling and mind-numbing. I am certain that you will, too.

Funny how memories--especially troublesome ones--tend to fade a bit and yellow around the edges like old newspapers until something forces us to re-examine the past.

That's what happened last week when I watched the news report in disbelief that the man who killed a 15 year old at my former high school in a drunken driving accident almost 13 years ago was involved in another fatal accident.

This time a 36-year-old single mother died. According to news reports, police did not believe alcohol or drugs were involved in the collision which occurred over Labor Day. Speed apparently might have been.

Although police are expected to refer the case to a Dallas County grand jury, six months later no charges have been filed and the family is crying out for justice.

It was quite a different story those 13 years ago. I rummaged through my box of high school newspapers until I found the two issues I was looking for that covered Stefani Robertson's death and the aftermath it wrought. In a plea bargain agreement, the driver, Christopher Clary, received 10 years probation and was ordered to purchase public service ads marking Stefani's death in the school newspaper I advised at the time.

The cost for those five years worth of ads was $500, and I remember feeling profoundly sad that a life could be bartered for a mere $500. That feeling has not abated even after all these years.

I'm sure Clary has no idea how many lives shattered that December day in 1998 or how many remain fragmented to this day.

I was so troubled by the latest news reports that instead of discussing our normal current events on Friday in my journalism class, I showed the television news coverage and read the poignant piece written 10 years ago about Stefani's death.

In the article, Stefani's mother said, "It's those little things that get to me. Those things we never got to do together. Instead of buying her a car, I was buying her a coffin. Instead of picking out a college, I was picking out a cemetery plot. We missed out on so much."

And now another family awaits justice.

Education Buzz Carnival Is Up!

2011-03-02T05:39:00.000-06:00

Well today is Wednesday and we all know what that means… It's time to shout Woo-hoo! And, it also just happens to be a Wednesday that the Education Buzz is up and running. This time it's over at Elysabeth's Emerald City.

So what are you waiting for? If you want to be in the know, then go on over there speedy quick and see what's a buzzing about in the EduSphere. You'll be glad you did.

The next carnival will be here on March 16. You can send your submissions using this handy, dandy form. (It will probably have a spring break theme.)

If you would like to host an edition of the carnival, please let me know by emailing me at mybellringers@gmail.com.

Today's My Birthday

2011-02-27T11:58:00.001-06:00

Jeepers creepers! Today's my birthday and I'm not exactly sure how I managed to get this old.

One day the calendar days flipped over in slow-mo, and now it's like gale force winds have taken up permanent residence whipping the days past at super-sonic speed. I have–in many, many ways–become the eye of the hurricane. And trust me, it's not a pretty sight.

One day I'm standing in line for my first driver's license, getting married and celebrating my babies' birthdays, and now a nano second later, I'm thinking about retirement. How in the heck did that happen?

But most of all, I want to know who the heck is that old, tired stranger looking back at me in the mirror? My students always look surprised when I tell them how old I am. I'm not sure if they are surprised because I look younger than my 54 years or if I have that you-look-older-than-dirt appearance. I guess I can ponder that while I'm thinking about that whole "who's that staring back at me in the mirror" thing.

In the meantime, let's go through…

Richie's Top Reasons

It Sucks To Be Me On My Birthday

#5…Unlike my much younger years, any cake I eat (and, oh how I plan to eat the tasty Barefoot Contessa's Carrot Cake my husband made for me) will stay with me and my hips for at least the next 500 years.

#4…Tomorrow is a teacher professional development day, and we all know how I feel about those kind of days.

#3…The day after teacher in-service day is state mandated TAKS testing day for English Language Arts. (I feel the same about those days as I do those teacher inservice days.)

#2…I am drowning in yearbook disasters. Things (and you know how much I hate those darn tootin' things)…Things like discovering pages that haven't been started, pictures that haven't been shot and names that were alphabetized by first names, not last. These are the things that try men's souls and make one dream of retirement.

And the #1 reason It Sucks To Be Me On My Birthday? …Drum roll pah-leese!…

#1…I am working on yearbook pages on my birthday with only Howard the Shelter Cat to help me. And, as you can see by the photographs, Howard (bless his heart) is about as much help as the… Well, you fill in the blank.

Free Speech Isn't Free

2011-02-20T18:45:00.000-06:00

[This article was first published as Teacher Blogger Put on Administrative Leave on Technorati.]

Stop the bus. I want to get off. I'm just a bit queasy about the rush to make that Pennsylvania teacher the poster child for free speech after she was put on administrative leave for blogging about her public school kiddos as lazy whining ninnyhammers.

According to news reports, "In between blog posts about muffins, Food Network stars and her favorite movies, she [Natalie Munroe] posted long, profanity-peppered rants" about bosses, co-workers and her students.

Please understand that I love the First Amendment. I strongly believe in free speech and even have the track record to prove it. Some people think free speech is free, but free speech has never been and never will be free. As a high school journalism teacher and newspaper adviser, I admonish my students that free speech always comes with two price tags: (1) great responsibility and (2) consequences. If you are going to say it, you better be willing to pay the price for it.

This rush to applaud Ms. Munroe for airing what is now being called her "unapologetic take on the state of the nation's education" bothers me just a bit. Teachers get all in a dither when they discover students posting profanity and/or unflattering comments about them, so I can understand the outcry from parents and students.

Many schools have policies regarding online behavior outside of school. The Student Press Law Center which keeps track of First Amendment cases shows conflicting rulings on such cases. So far, there is not a definitive Supreme Court answer as to just how far a person can push it online.

Like it or not, teachers, like many other types of public officials, are held to a higher standard because we are supposed to exemplify and model certain behaviors for our nation's young. I don't think cussing like a road-rage driver is one of those behaviors.

Interestingly enough, even news organizations have fired bloggers and commentators for their opinions. Remember the firestorm over the firing of Juan Williams at NPR? Remember when ESPN fired Paul Shirley for blogging his comments about Haiti or when CNN fired producer Chez Pazienza for violating its "standards of journalism" on blogging?

Some schools and businesses have policies about their employees' online activities. And, as Munroe discovered, posting anonymously doesn't provide protection. Many teachers, including myself, are able to blog successfully about our views on public education and life in the classroom. That probably has something to do with the manner in which we do it — sort of the difference between tabloid reporting and journalism.

Sometimes we really shouldn't speak the bubble above our head, and sometimes we're not supposed to speak the bubble above our head. Is that right or fair? Well, that's a matter of opinion.

And that's probably a good lesson to learn.

The I'm-Sorry-I-Forgot Edition of the Education Buzz

2011-02-16T05:53:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Sorry-I-Forgot-To-Post-the-Last-Edition of the Education Buzz--an eclectic smattering of educational type things buzzing around the EduSphere.

I was supposed to have posted this a week ago, but with ice, snow and cold, I guess I had a brain freeze. Instead of working on this, I got caught up in all those episodes of House Hunters International.

So now that we all survived the cold and snow (for the most part), let's see if there's anything worthwhile buzzing about in the EduSphere––and by "buzzing about" we're talking about more than the sugar rush from Valentine's Day (and what that does to the under 18 crowd).

Well, you better pay attention and quit passing notes. Check out what Pat over at Successful Teaching has to say. She has some great suggestions on how to teach notetaking.

Nancy Flanagan in Teacher in a Strange Land ponders that famous inaugural speech, "Ask not…" given 50 years ago while Joanne Jacobs tackles expectations and says "we need to do a much better job educating children in K-8 so they’ll have real choices in high school."

Darren over at Right on the Left Coast smuggled out some interesting stuff and needs some translation help. See if you can help him out.

Red State Progressive discusses whether college is getting easier while The Education Closet gives us three reasons education is mediocre.

We can always count on Old Andrew over at Scenes from the Battlefield to let us know about some more of those bad ideas going around.

Mr. Eason over at Social Studies in the 21st Century poses how we should be "Rethinking Education in Web 2.0."

Kate over at Parenting Is… offers up an interesting question.

Curmudgeon gives us a special Ground Hog Day message and a frustum. (And, yes, I did have to google to see what that was. And, yes, I know I'm pathetic.)

****

Well, I guess that's about it. I'm hope no one got lost in the shuffle since I was late in getting this carnival out. If so, my apologies. Or maybe some of our regular contributors (Steve Spangler, Jane Goodwin, Mr. Teacher and Assorted Stuff) seem to have had a brain freeze as well and forgot to contribute.

The next edition of the Education Buzz will be hosted over at Elysabeth's Emerald City. It will be up on Wednesday, March 2. You can send your submissions using this handy, dandy form.

As always…

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

And, if I did, my apologies.

Stupid Air, Yoga Mats & Personal Space

2011-02-13T18:31:00.001-06:00

Sometimes during our eight minute passing periods, my hall monitoring buddies and I take a deep breath and ask a steady stream of rhetorical questions.

Questions like "Do you think we're invisible today because they're acting like we're not standing here?" Or, "Just how much stupid air can one breathe before one becomes stupid?"

I'm not a 100 percent sure, and I probably should check with my BFF Jennifer the science teacher, but I don't think anyone can quantify the density of stupid air. If they could, then maybe just maybe there would be a Nobel prize in it for someone, or, at the very least, a Starbucks gift card.

All of this rather explains why I go to yoga class two to three times a week. I love yoga because it's the only place I know where you can actually detox after breathing in too much stupid air. If I didn't believe hot yoga sweats all the stupid out of you, then I would have to ponder the sanity of bending one's body into a pretzel in 90 degree temperature. (OK, so maybe I look more like a potato chip than a pretzel.)

Lately though, I've become a tad bit obsessed with personal space issues, and the classes I once attended to relieve stress, tension and yearbook debacles, now have created their own little quirky stress.

Two months into the new year and 22 months away from the Mayan Doomsday calendar, a slew of people decided to start attending yoga. Now, let me clarify a few things. I am not a big fan of strangers. I am not a big fan of mindless bantering or chit chatting, and I most certainly am not a big fan of the "getting to know you" crowd of acquaintances.

OK, let's just say it: I am not a big fan of people in general which probably explains why I have three dogs and now Howard the Shelter cat.

I purposefully place my yoga mat in the corner so there's a wall to my left (for when I fall over) and a wall behind me (for a gajillion reasons). My right flank usually is protected by one of my yoga buddies Becky or Jennifer, which usually leaves only the very front of my mat exposed to stranger danger. If I'm lucky, easy going Allee usually takes that spot and all is well.

Sometimes, though, I have no luck at all. Sometimes Becky and Jennifer opt out of yoga. Sometimes Allee isn't there. Sometimes those nights are crowded, but other times I can be one of only four people in the room and someone will roll out their mat mere inches away from mine.

Even when Missy Chrissy Pretzel (Numero Uno instructor extraordinaire) tells the other yogis that they can spread out, Missy Mat Encroacher doesn't move over.

I have even resorted to moving my mat twice opting to leave the safety of the wall for more space. Once I even moved someone's mat when they went to the bathroom. I've even stuck my leg out under the guise of stretching to keep strangers from violating my personal space zone.

Still, none of that stops those Missy Mat Encroachers from plopping inches from me.

I don't get it. It's not like I'm sending out friendly karma vibes or anything. I hesitate to write about any of this because one of my former students (Zina the Warrior Goddess) probably is rolling her eyes about now. She lives in New York City and now is studying to be a yoga instructor. I'm sure I'll hear all about how un-yogi like this space issue thing is. I'm sure I'll hear about how in all of those classes mats are just mere inches away from each other and how beautiful and energizing it can be. Jeepers creepers, what's next? Sitting around, holding hands and singing Kumbaya?

I have one response: I live in Texas. Beautiful Texas with all its wonderful sprawl and wide open spaces. I love space.

Once I told my yoga buddies I was going to pop the next person upside their little yogi head who plopped down too close to me.

"I'm not sure this yoga thing is working for you," my friend Jennifer said.

"What do you mean?" I said.

"You know, as a stress reliever," she said.

"Really?" I said. "I thought I was much better."

"Kickboxing. I think you should go back to kickboxing," she said.

"Maybe you just need some of that yellow crime scene tape to put around your mat," said another teacher who overheard our conversation.

I think he might be on to something.

*****

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