Up, Down, All Around

This past week or so has been a real roller coaster of emotions for me.

High: Soccer Season offically began!  And my team looks like we could be pretty decent.  I will keep you updated on that.

Low: Unfotunatley, I had to make a few cuts (even though it's at the Freshman level).  Having a 15 year old girl crying and begging you to let her pleassssssse have another chance is SO.NOT.FUN.  Awful experience.

High: A student I subbed for last week told me I don't look a day over 21.  Is it too early to be getting excited over age compliments?

Low: Subbing, ewwwww

High: Kyle traded in his truck (So long, Red Dragon!) for a sweet (and beautiful) Jeep.

Low: Kyle specifically told me not to "test" his panic button.  I did anyway.  I got yelled at.  Then when test-driving his jeep, his turn signals, radio, and speedometer were not working for me.  I got yelled at some more and blamed for these issues.  Side note: It was NOT my fault, his ignition starter was stuck.  Kyle apologized.  I'm still childish and want to press his Panic Button again.

High: 3 weeks until Spring Break!

Low: 3 weeks until Spring Break :(

TWENTY - SIX

No matter how much I wish money (or lack thereof) wouldn't impact my life - it does.  From day to day decisions to long-term plans, I can't get away from it.

Take Kyle's race car.  Kyle has been racing for the past few years.  Yesterday, his race car was officially sold.  Why?  Well, largely due to the fact that Kyle and I are soon planning on moving in together and truly need every last dime.

Kyle confessed to me that he would typically spend a couple hundred dollars per weekend during race season.  Once, we added up how much he's probably spent over the past few years on everything race-related and the amount literally silenced me.  (And that doesn't happen that often when I'm with him).

If Kyle chose to continue racing this year we simply wouldn't be able to afford to move out of our parents and in with each other.  Sucks, but its true.

It is also true that had Kyle not been racing the past few years we probably could already be living together.  But I never asked him to stop because I know that racing is his passion.  A hobby he absolutely loves.  And trust me, if there is one thing I know: it's hobbies.

Remember, I'm the daughter of a football coach.  I believe that you should be able to do what you love throughout your life.  I also understand that a hobby can take up lots of a person's time.  But while my dad's hobby takes time, he also MAKES money from doing it.  Kyle's hobby takes time and money.

The time thing I can deal with.  But the money....unfortunately is another issue.

If only we had more of it!  We'd be living together and #26 would still be sitting in the shop.  But alas, that is not the case.

I pray that one day Kyle can race again.  He seems incredibly pessimistic about that but I hold out hope.  I couldn't ever imagine having to give up my passions (teaching, coaching, Harry Potter) so it sucks seeing him have to.

It is just so very sad because I know how much Kyle loves racing.  I know how much his dad loves it.  I know how much it meant to the two of them.

I have this annoying habit of always blaming myself for things and so while I know I didn't ask Kyle to quit and while I know for financial reasons it is a necessity, I still can't help but feel like its all.my.fault.

I hate seeing Dave and Kyle upset.

But at the same time I feel so incredibly excited about finally (after 8.5 years) starting a future with Ky.

It's a catch-22 I guess

I just hope our future can involve a race care again.  True, I still won't ever understand the fascination about watching cars go in circles and getting dirt in your teeth...but...I know it makes the person I love happy - so it makes me happy.

Damn money!  Here's to hoping that one day again there will be a twenty-six in our midst (and more than that in the bank account)!

Blame Me, I'm a Teacher!

Please excuse me if I rant and rave.

Please excuse me for being a teacher.

Please excuse me for "being overpaid" and "hardly working"

Please excuse me for being the reason this country is in so much debt

Please excuse me for being money-hungry, selfish, lazy, and nothing more than a babysitter

NOT. 

If you cannot tell, I am quickly growing tired of the blame-the-teacher attitude that seems to have taken over our country in recent years.

A quick FYI for you teacher-haters:

1. Me, overpaid?  Hardly.  You think once I'm a veteran teacher with a Masters degree I will be earning the same as someone with the same degree/experience in the private sector?  Hardly.
2. GOOD teachers are some of the hardest workers I know.  Most of us don't work 7:00-3:00 days.  No, no, no...that is just SCHOOL hours.  We're with students before school, after school, doing prep work at home for hours during weeknights and hours during the weekend. Of course there are a few teachers who work the system and take off early and don't do any outside work.  But would YOU want to be judged by the few bad eggs in YOUR line of work?  Didn't think so.
3. You think I'm a babysitter?  Fine, pay me like one.  I'm going to be real here: working as a 1st year part-time teacher I bring home $400 a paycheck.  If I was paid only $3 per hour to "babysit" each of my students I would be making OVER $850 every paycheck!!!!  Yes, Please!

And while we're at it: I dislike the fact that teachers have to be fearful of losing their jobs based on how well students perform on tests and in school.  Should teachers be held somewhat accountable?  YES.  It is our job to teach.  But should others be held responsible as well?  Indeed.


For starters, if we are going to have an accountability system it needs to start in  ELEMENTARY schools.  Too many high school kids come in with 5th/6th grade reading/writing levels making teachers play catch-up for far too long.

And what about parents?  What has happened to their responsibility in all of this?  If every parent made sure their kids were fed and clothed properly, checked on their kid's homework, and offered support to schools - SO much more could get done.


Also, lets be honest.  There are just some kids out there who no matter how hard teachers and parents work just.don't.care. about these tests; and will put no effort in to study and prepare.


I will not deny some things need to change in Education.

There should be a (reformed) accountability system.  And I do believe the tenure system has created some teachers who get lazy.  I am more than OK with this system being reformed so that incompetent tenured teachers can be more easily fired.

But to blame teachers for state/national debt?  To call us lazy and overpaid?  WE educate your kids!  WE teach them life lessons!  WE inspire them to learn!

By the way: the only 5 states in the U.S. who do NOT have collective bargaining (S. Carolina, N. Carolina, Virginia  Georgia, and Texas) were ranked nation-wide as follows in 2010 ACT/SAT scores: 49th, 38th, 34th, 48th, and 45th.

Wisconsin: 3rd.

Youth of America

A few of my favorite quotes from my students in World History today:

"Why don't we just frickin nuke Iraq and take their oil!"

"What I don't understand is, since 9/11, why haven't we just already killed everyone in Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan?"  When I  tried to explain it was not the countries that attacked us but rather a terrorist organization: "Still!  It would make things easier!"

"We should just bomb them in secret and not let the world know"

"Yeah but... after Japan was bombed people went crazy.  Like literally crazy.  Like people are still in mental hospitals today.  For real."

"Wait, we bombed Japan?"

"Why is everyone always sayin the U.S. gets involved in other countries business?  Maybe THEY should keep THEIR nose out of OUR business!"

"Hey Ms. C, who was that one black person who got those black kids to make an army?  They had guns?"

I LOVE being a teacher.  Never a dull moment.  And yes, I corrected these outrageously incorrect statements

Mr. Romance

Kyle really knows how to bring the romance.  Last night, at our Valentine's Day dinner date, the conversation turned to how little money I have right now, and how very poor I am (truly, $28 in my bank account right now).

Whitney: "I am so poor.  I seriously think I might have to start stripping"

Kyle:  "And the good news about that is, you don't even have to be good looking to be a stripper"

Whitney: [blank stare]

Kyle: "Oh...that didn't come out right did it?"

Sigh, he melts my heart

My Celebrity Crush

Not Brad Pitt.  Not Johnny Depp.  No, not even Robert Pattinson.

My celebrity crush is....

Conan O'Brien.  That's right.  This guy.

Why do I love Conan?

He is the ONLY person on television (except Michael Scott) who consistently and frequently makes me laugh out loud.  Even when I'm by myself.

I'm so googly eyed over him.  I want to meet him, shake his hand, hug him, and then marry him (sorry Kyle).

I find pretty much everything Conan does and/or says to be hilarious.  And if you haven't see his new TBS show...you need to.  I think Conan's at his best these days.  Pure perfection.

Just check out this clip from last nights show.  Lingerie Puppy Bowl?  When have I ever laughed so hard I ask you?!?  When?!

"Check out the rack on that puppy!"

SNOW DAY x2!!!!

Tuesday Night - blowing now, yikes!

TWO SNOW DAYS!  YIPPEE!  Odd, that I'm writing about my snow days as I'm back at work (clearly not working too hard).

Ah the joy of a SNOW DAY.  Although, some of the fun was taken out of it in my opinion because both snow days were called off the day before.  There is no better memory then waking up as a kid only to learn you had a SNOW DAY!  Or during the U of I Valentine's Day Blizzard, heading to class with Kelli and learning you got a SNOW DAY then preceding to wake up your entire dorm floor with the news.

Still, it was Fantastic.  Wednesday and Thursday off.  What luck!  And while I was a little jealous that my dad got a third (!) SNOW DAY today, I am a little happy to be back.

I mean really, I hadn't left my house since Monday (Tuesday was my off day).  I was getting all kinds of antsy.  And it's only ONE day back. 

I was also very productive on my SNOW DAYS, I got caught up on grading and even ahead on planning.

Speaking of planning lessons, it's always the irony of teaching that the lessons you put the most thought and consideration into planning, are the ones that fail the most.  For example, in my World History class on Monday I had (what I thought) could be a boring lesson planned.  But it turned out fantastic!  We had such a lively great discussion.  The kids were totally into it.

On the other had...my Monday U.S. History lesson.  I put so much effort into it, and thought it was amazing.  It was over the 1950's American Dream, a woman's ideal role, family life... all of these (in my opinion) fun things.  I had tons of pictures in my PowerPoint, Stereotypical women jokes (really!), and we even watched an episode of "Leave it to Beaver".  Fun right?

Not according to these kids.  Granted it was a Monday- first period.  But they were SO not engaged.  Totally catching flies with their mouths.  FAIL! 

Painful, truly painful.  Ah well, next time I'll get em. 

How about some more SNOW DAY pics?

Dad standing next to a snow drift.  He's so happy

This poor tree was buried!

Opened the garage door, only to find a mini-mountain of snow

Half a tree