It happened...I'm in Love

I didn't plan it.

On the contrary, I was definitely against it.

I stood firmly on the edge and vowed not to falter.

It wasn't going to happen to me. Not this year. Not today.

See, I was already in love...in love with summer, all things warm, all things beautiful, and happy, and unscheduled.

So when I showed up to my classroom today, after over a week of working from 10 am to 10 pm on class set up, to meet my first new student during our orientation conference, I was not expecting much.

In all honesty, my mind was racing with thoughts of what was to come...images of children running amok, short staffing, minimal help, and most likely a kid lost on a bus...(it happens).

And then in she came...short, very short...dark brown hair, a single pony tail, little almond shaped eyes, with a smile that spread from ear to ear. She was beyond excited to come in, and I, all serious and dedicated to my infinite love of summer, fell into a puddle at her feet.

She was why I became a teacher. She was the reason I come back each year after surviving the first 6 weeks of kids using the bathroom with the door open, eating their nasal discharge, and running amok, all the while speaking the constant threat of turning into a Starbucks barista.

She is the reason Starbucks is still hiring, because there is no better feeling than that of a student eager to learn, whose eyes are filled with wonder and promise, and whose lips carry nothing but kindness and sweetness.

Thank you, little C, for reminding me of what I forgot...

Making My Way in K: It's the LAST Day, Please Help My Fantastic Friend...

Making My Way in K: It's the LAST Day, Please Help My Fantastic Friend...: Hey all, I've never done Donors Choose before, but I jumped in! I am attempting to get 3 Nexus Tablets for my kiddos to use in our cla...

It's the LAST Day, Please Help My Fantastic Friends!!

Hey all,

I've never done Donors Choose before, but I jumped in! I am attempting to get 3 Nexus Tablets for my kiddos to use in our class.

When I signed up, I didn't know it, but it's DOUBLE DONATION week. That means if you give $10, the Gates Foundation gives $10, so it's like you get 50% off!! (But you get nothing but the good feeling of helping others.)

Helping adorable little kiddos like this:



Notice most kids not looking? This happens when you ask the janitor to take the picture. Ha Ha.

This kiddos come in eager to learn and are so deserving of the best. However, I'm not in a place where I can buy things I would like to give them.

So here is where I beg, plead, and offer friendship in exchange for money. Who said money can't buy admiration?

Can you help?

10 people at $100 would cover it, 20 people at $50 would too, but if they give TODAY, the LAST day, did I mention LAST?? 10 people giving $50 would cover it because you can tell Bill Gates to Pay the REST!! Wouldn't that feel good?

Here's the project:

Fantastic Friends Need Technology!

To have your donation matched, enter the promo code SPARK on the payment screen. This offer is good through August 30.

My students and I would be so grateful for your support!
Sincerely,

The Fantastic Ms. Foley

Honesty as the End of Summer Approaches...

I'm not ready...I'm not...I'm seeing kids all over my Facebook and Twitter and Instagram accounts heading back to school and I'm not the least bit excited. I'm being honest. At this point, from this place on my couch, in my jams, hair and makeup not done, I am not excited.

Can we be honest? I just got back from an amazing vacation in California with family and friends. I got to visit a friend I hadn't seen in 15 years and spend time at her home (at the beach, insert jealousy here). I got to see and spend time with my amazing grandma who is 94, although the time was interspersed by thoughts of how quickly life ends, and wishes I could be see her more often, it was still a wonderful time. The sights and smells of her home bring nothing but happy memories of a childhood passed, a childhood remembered, a childhood wished for. Yet time cannot be stopped.

We spent two nights and 3 days at Disneyland where time seems to move in fast forward and slow motion all at the same time. Time spent in the hotel pool and on the water slides is always one of the best parts of the trip. Nothing beats floating in the water while the sun shines from above. Twisting and turning in the spiral water slide, with no thoughts except to hold your breath before you hit the bottom. Reality, for a few days, ceases to exist. There are no deadlines, no bills, no problems. Life is sunshine and rainbows. My daughter asks me why we cannot live there permanently and I explain the complex topic of bills, work, and vacation time...even though I secretly wish the same.

And so I think coming back to reality was, in some ways, a let down. A bell ringing for the end of summer. A reminder of the cold weather to come and the long days working ahead. And so I sit, like a stubborn child, refusing to comply. The rest of summer is mine, I whisper, and I'm holding on to it.

Fate, Destiny, or Divine Intervention: A Little TMI About Me!

My life experiences are an open book...I guess you can say anyone connected to the internet has a pretty open book nowadays. Google search your name and all kinds of stuff (fun, not so fun) can come up. If you have read my other blog you know I have been through some very rough patches this last 5 years. That said, I have come out a better person for it.

The best thing that ever happened to me was when I had my daughter in 2010 after a successful IVF cycle. She (and her potential sibs) were created in a lab with the help of amazing science. You see, in layman's terms, my parts are not so good. They didn't want to work how they should.

I'd like to thank the Christianson's of Hendricks, Minnesota for that. Genealogy is my FAVORITE hobby and it gave me lots of interesting tidbits about where I came from. The Christianson's were immigrants from Norway arriving circa 1871, settling first in Iowa, then moving to Minnesota.

 

Christian (center front, and whose name I would have used if I had a boy) was a successful farmer and served as mayor for the town of Hendricks. He and his wife Agnetha (Nettie) had 8 children. Now I don't know whether to blame Christian or Nettie, but out of the 4 girls in the photo, only two were able to have children. Betsy (on the far left) my g-g- grandmother had 4 children, 3 of whom lived, and Christine (on the far right front) had 3. Neither Bertha nor Emma (back row) were able to have children. And poor Peter (center, back row) died at age 20 from Diabetes. In my mind, we're pretty lucky the line continued on.

 

Had I been born then I would have just not had any children (which is fine, when its a choice, not when its chosen for you). Thankfully, due to science, Sierra and some potential sibs were created in a dish in a lab. 2 were implanted and 1 very strong willed child put down her roots and grew.

 

I always planned for another child. Perhaps a Christian, maybe a Sienna. I always wanted Sierra to grow up with siblings, like I had--annoying in your youth, blessings as you age. However, her potential siblings were destroyed in May. The last control my ex could exert: no him, no further kids. It was a very emotional time for me...

 

For the last 2 years or so Sierra has repeatedly asked me to get her a brother or sister. She was pretty sure I just had to go to the doctor and pick one up. With the ever present prodding I started to think about other ways a child could become part of our family, given that the option of a 1-night stand was out of the question. I was lucky enough to meet several adoptive parents and talk to them about their varied experiences. By happenstance, our paths crossed (I like to call it fate).

 

I started to think about the possibility of becoming a foster parent. However, honestly, I was put off by the requirements. A long list of trainings and paperwork and home visits. Don't get me wrong: I understand they have children's' best interest in mind. But when you repeatedly see reports of abused kids, in the foster care system itself, you wonder how well the current system is working. One would think a kindergarten teacher, with expertise in early child development, already back ground checked, might make it to a, "fast track" or something. Maybe get credit for college classes already taken on positive behavioral support instead of 40 hours of classes??

 

So I didn't act. I just waited.

 

I'm not sure what you might call it: fate, destiny, divine intervention, or serendipity, but those happenstances kept on happening. Across my path people working for the system, people fostering, kids in care, would end up on my radar, mostly in my face. And each time I would think, "well isn't that quirky." And each time I would negate it.

 

Today we were at the Goodwill...looking for games for my summer school "kids." Sierra was, as always, perusing the shoe rack...trying on high heels, hoping I would too. We were looking at the kids section when she picked up an obviously too small pair of shoes.

"Aren't they cute mom?" she said. "These could be for my baby sister." At which point I agreed they were indeed adorable but obviously not going to be used any time soon. She gingerly looked at them for a few minutes. I took her picture with them, as I often do for the many things she'd like to buy, but doesn't need, and she put them back.

We started to make our way to the cash register when I ran into a former college acquaintance. She was walking with a little girl, about two, and was looking for a particular toy. We began talking and (what's the chances) she does foster care. The little, sweet, happy child was a foster kiddo. I looked at that sweet girl and decided, "Ok God. I think the 20th time is a charm."

And I jumped in...

Now it may not go anywhere...they might decide a single mom with an incredible past is not the right fit...but who knows. As Sierra's latest (and most incredible--you must read it!!) book says...

"...if you love each other, then you are a family." Families come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. My style just might work for someone.



Random Musings from the Couch: Sleep Deprivation, Allergies, Summer School & Teacher Competition

At 6 am, when squished between two of my loves, there is nowhere else to go but the couch. Rather than continue taking selfies of myself and my adorable, sleeping child, (sometimes your arm isn't quite long enough to hold the phone AND snap the picture without dropping said phone on your face) I decided to come out and clean the dust off my blog. It's been two weeks since my last post, yet it feels like an eternity--a result of participating in the #EdBlogADay challenge. My blog is now ever present and somewhere, looming, in my brain, waiting to resurface when the mood, and writing Gods, strike.

So what am I doing besides moaning the fact that I'm not still in bed, during summer mind you, at 730? For one, scratching my eyes out due to a mild winter which = increased pollen and allergies! Let's just say Benadryl is my best friend right now...as long as I don't take it when I need to be awake...

And I'm fighting some pesky message from blogger that says this c$#%

So, like most folks learning to waste time on a Monday morning (insert Sarcasm here), I'm attempting to get said message to leave without any hope at this point....Don't you love when you follow all their said directions and still it won't leave? I finally realized I could keep X'ing out of the box and do what I wanted anyway...however, like a stalker that just won't go away, it pops up every chance it gets. What's up with that #Google? I would write to someone but real people don't seem to exist in #blogger land.

So with that in mind, where will my whining take me next? Oh Yes, to the land of summer school. After almost a week off I'm headed back for a modified summer school experience. I actually am excited to work some mojo with the kiddos, just wishing I had a few more days off to hone my skills of being in a vegetative state before doing so.

Speaking of my vegetative state, I managed to miss 5 things this week, even with them being posted to my calendar: Sierra's first day of  Jazzerkamp, 2 PD's for Google w/my district, public library summer reading program kick off, and something else I've already forgotten because, forget baby brain, end of year school brain is real and it's deadly to any activity you thought you planned to go to.

Uh-oh, Benadryl is starting to kick in...must...fight...urge...to...sleep....zzzzz.

Have you heard of #mindfulness? It's about being cognizant, or living in the moment. When one gets preoccupied with unhelpful thoughts it's important to think of those thoughts as a misguided puppy and direct them back to the focus at hand. And no, I don't mean my random blog musings, but those things that drive you crazy and you say, "Why didn't I X?" or "Why didn't I say X?" or "Why does X do Y, Z?!?!?" And although you attempt to stop thinking about X, X just keeps popping up over, and over, and over...and, well you get the idea.

I've been thinking about competition in teaching. My favorite quote has always been:

This year I have really tried to embrace it, but in reality, it's a two-way street, right? We can be mindful all day long, but if others are not living by the same motto, that little puppy can easily walk back into the room.

It's natural to want to receive positive reinforcement for what you do in the classroom. Although people in admin positions know this, many times they don't do it enough due to time constraints. When you teach 26, 5 & 6 year olds, ALL DAY LONG, you do want someone to realize what a flippin super hero you really are, because if you can teach and manage 26 kinder kids at once, in between multiple tattle tailing, nose picking, and attempts at attention, you ARE a super hero. Yet tooting your own horn, i.e. bragging, is annoying and shouldn't need to be done.

As summer begins I hope admins the world over get a chance to realize that every teacher in their school has strengths. And that every teacher needs to be recognized. Each means each. Each one individually: not just the braggers, not just the cool kids, or the golden circle that reminds us of high school and let's us know we are not in the popular clique. Everyone. There are not merely 5 leaders in our schools, there are (insert # of teachers in your school here) leaders, all waiting for their chance to shine in their own way. Only when admin leads this way can we quiet the voice in our head that says, "You never get noticed, you never get called on, you never get true recognition, YOU must not be that good."

The Little Things That Mean A Lot

I had a day off today. I should say a day out of the class working elsewhere. I was instead working with other K teachers at my school to run a kindergarten roundup. We had 8-10 soon to be students coming in every half hour running through basic testing in a hopeful attempt to have equality in the classrooms this fall.

I had a sub I never had before. Turned out she had just finished her student teaching and THIS was her very first attempt at subbing. I apologized to her for what she was about to experience. We all know it as, "checking out for summer." The kids, as proven from the previous days this week, had reverted back to pre-cave behavior.

Since I was in the gym I was able to check in periodically on my class and was hopeful when I saw engaged, happy learners. The joy began to seep away when I got a message that X needed to go to the office. I didn't know why, it surely wasn't out of the norm, but really? Couldn't the day continue on the high it was? X, what are you doing out there???

With kids continually filling my chair I had no time to worry so I sat back and enjoyed the ride.

A few hours passed...

All of a sudden a thunderous rumble was heard. When I looked up, the music teacher was in front of me, center of the gym, basically holding back 24 kinders who now more closely resembled a group of rioters rather than my class. Her arms outstretched, her feet staggered, she looked like she was about to be ran over. She mouthed, "it was like this the WHOLE class."

Peeved beyond belief I apologized to the soon to be constituent I left at my station and requested my class join me outside. The majority, sans the few who never do anything, got an earful about respectful behavior and how it equates to the amount of recess one receives. I sounded upset and I meant it.

Respect doesn't end because the weather is warm. It doesn't end because school is almost out. It doesn't end when your teacher is not there. Respect should be ever present.

At the end of the day I went back to the "cave" hesitantly. Was it still standing? Was the note from the sub prefaced by, "I'll never come back?"

On my desk was the note from the substitute, but more importantly, several notes from my friends. Hearts, note cards, great art abound. Two immediately caught my eye.

One was thankful for the eye operation I performed on her Winnie the Pooh on one of my breaks. And the other could be called nothing other than a sign of love for his teacher. His initials and mine were the only written words. Both kids struggled all year with coloring and drawing for various reasons and yet these two samples stood out like original Monet's in my mind.

All of a sudden the mob mentality memories slipped away and in came happiness.

It truly is the little things that matter most. They ground us on the days we ponder our sanity. They remind us what is important. Even in the most utter chaotic time: We love one another.