"Keep Calm and Carry On" April 2020 W.I.S.H. Challenge

[Oneanne]

Woohoo... for still being healthy and for all the work I got done in the yard yesterday. And for the keto chocolate chip cookies I'm going to make today. And that I'm finally down another pound.

It's cloudy this morning, but will burn off. I got up early and went to my normal grocery store to pick up a few things, then splurged and did the beach drive again, even though this grocery store is close to the house. At the store I picked up some more seeds, columbines and nasturtiums, to put in the garden bed I've gotten cleared out. Today I'm going to work on some edging in the front yard and some stuff indoors.... and get back to my book which I haven't touched for two days.

 

[piglet1979]

Piglet, that is so cool! My husband is a big Survivor fan (and I watch with him) and I am going to remember this for his next birthday! And Nick is one of our favorites as well. Growing up poor and losing his mother to opioids at a young age-that he put himself through law school and works as a public defender is such a great story.
Looking forward to tonight’s episode!

That is cool. Also love Survivor and this season has been awesome.

He has over come a lot in his life. He is not my favorite as I really like Rob and Paverti but I still like him. I can't wait to watch. Nick did say tonight should be a good one.

 

[sjrec]

 

[sjrec]

 

[sjrec]

With so many families sheltering in place I think everyone has gotten an appreciation for the work our teachers do every day.

I thought it might be nice on Thankful Thursday to write a thank you note to a teacher that made a difference in our lives or our children’s.

 

[sjrec]

I’m going to write one to my 9th grade algebra teacher.

Dear Ms. Burnett,

Thank you for all the lunch periods you gave up to help me. After working in education myself, I know how much that time means to recharge, go to the bathroom, contact parents-oh, and maybe eat something in 25 minutes.

And after almost 50 years, I remember your encouragement-“you don’t have to get it the first time, or the second time! You just have to keep trying.” And so I did-and when I got my tests back with an A, I don’t know who happier, you or me!

Thank you for your kindness and endless patience!

 

[Summer2018]

Dear Mrs. Barth & Mr. Sullivan:

Your expert co-teaching skills in my sophomore year of high school both entertained and educated me in 10th grade English. During my junior and senior years I signed up for every class you taught: Contemporary American Poetry. You taught me how to interpret and understand poetry, work collaboratively, edit others’ writing, and write poetry. Creative Writing. You inspired me to put my ideas on paper then revise revise revise until the final product. We edited each other’s work and learned how to be concise. Creative Dramatics. You two taught me how to act and especially improv. You showed up to class in elaborate costumes and remained in character for the entire period. You were so talented and such gifted educators. I was completely under your spell.

It was the two of you that inspired me to become a teacher. You influenced my style of teaching. You both were instrumental in the development of my creativity and artistry.

I will always be grateful to you both.

 

[4Mickeys]

I am woohoo my sister.

Yeah sister! What a lovely surprise

@Summer2018 awesome pics of the beach

Woohoo - For me finally starting a job of sorting and culling papers and just STUFF that has been stashed in my wardrobe and on some shelves around the house! It is still a work in progress and there is a bit of a mess around the house still - but I can see progress and stuff went in the bin this afternoon

Dear Mr Bierton,

Thank you for being a fantastic year 7 teacher. Your relaxed approach really helped me that year and your encouragement and enabling extra time out of class to help me train for zone high jump that year. Helping us learn responsibility and group work by overseeing our class animals (2 calves).

You are one of the teachers I always remember when I thing about school.

That's right ladies at my primary school each year two of the year 7 classes (that were ran as a double class) got 2 baby calves that were still fed by bottle at the start of the year and raised them for the year before they went back to their farm. We had to teach them to drink from the trough, feed them, clean their stable and just generally love and care for them for a year - which meant fund raising, coordinating weekend care etc. We used to take them for a 'walk' on a lead around the school grounds sometimes! Their names were Zoe and Matilda

 

[MickeyMom76]

Dear Mrs. Weibrecht,

Thank you for inspiring me as a teacher. After having twins and then taking a sabbatical the year they started kindergarten, you were just the teacher I needed them to have for first grade. I learned from you as you taught my kids and the twenty-some others in the class what it truly means to focus on what’s best for kids. It was a turning point in my career because I learned how to follow the curriculum while supplementing with what I knew the kids needed. It was when I learned to truly look at kids as individuals and not just how their behaviors are effecting the class(you had some really challenging behaviors that year). That year I grew in patience, empathy, hard work, and love for children (it was always there, but really ignited that year).

The excitement both of my kids had when coming home from school each day was the kind of excitement I wanted to instill in my classroom. A true love of learning! Thank you for giving that gift to my children and for sharing your joy of teaching with me.

 

[Oneanne]

Wow, I only remember the names of a couple teachers and don't recall any that I had a special connection with, but overall I had really good ones with just a couple duds. So I'll post a thank you to all teachers, in particular those of you here!

 

[PollyannaMom]

It's so hard for me to pick a favorite teacher to write to - there were so many who made a difference to me! But I'll narrow it down to Mr. Hagadorn and Mrs. Williams, who together taught me about the showmanship part of teaching.

Thanks, Mr. H., for not being afraid to really get kids' attention in math. - I'll never forget the day you turned Marc upside down,* and (while I don't go quite that far) I still try to let them "be the numbers" whenever I can.

And thanks Mrs. W., who taught me never to be shy about "doing the voices" when I read to kids! I'm glad we reconnected when I was "all grown up" and, even though you're gone now, I still hear your voice whenever I read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.


* reciprocal fractions - great lesson!

 

[sjrec]

 

[sjrec]

 

[sjrec]

I can’t believe it’s Friday already. The week seems to go by so quickly even with staying home.

Do you have any special plans or something to look forward to?

 

[Summer2018]

It is 11:30pm, Thursday in Connecticut. Normally I would already be asleep by now on a school night, but my quarantine hours are more like my summer hours. Since I am still up, I may as well begin posting for Friday.

It Is supposed to be partly cloudy and 53 degrees on Friday. So it should be better at the beach tomorrow than it was today. It was in the 40’s and very cloudy which is why I didn’t bother with a photo. I just walked and didn’t stick around to ponder the meaning of life.

I have got to calm my mind and stop obsessing about how I will function in my classroom when the kids come back to school but there’s no vaccine. These little guys love to run up to me and hug me. How do I keep 6 feet between me and my students? 3 and 4 year-olds are very impulsive.

Enough thinking for tonight.

 

[Summer2018]

Well, I was up for another hour praying and trying to calm my fears.

My superintendent is insisting that we all go back to school for a few weeks before summer. OMG. This man is trying to kill me. I am doing everything possible to avoid getting Covid19. Going back for a couple of weeks will accomplish nothing. It will confuse the kids, and it will expose all of us unnecessarily. I really hope the governor does not allow us to go back until the fall. I'm already freaking out about the fall...but the spring?! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a clear message on Wednesday at the beach. It was to take things "One Day at a Time." I really need to do this. Worrying accomplishes nothing except to cause me unnecessary stress. I really must have more hope and faith and not be dictated by fear. I have got to do this for my mental and physical health.

 

[sjrec]

It is 11:30pm, Thursday in Connecticut. Normally I would already be asleep by now on a school night, but my quarantine hours are more like my summer hours. Since I am still up, I may as well begin posting for Friday.

It Is supposed to be partly cloudy and 53 degrees on Friday. So it should be better at the beach tomorrow than it was today. It was in the 40’s and very cloudy which is why I didn’t bother with a photo. I just walked and didn’t stick around to ponder the meaning of life.

I have got to calm my mind and stop obsessing about how I will function in my classroom when the kids come back to school but there’s no vaccine. These little guys love to run up to me and hug me. How do I keep 6 feet between me and my students? 3 and 4 year-olds are very impulsive.

Enough thinking for tonight.

I think all the uncertainty is very unsettling. And I can sympathize with those protesting to get back to normal but the medical experts and health professionals are against it. So that’s stressful.

 

[Oneanne]

I think all the uncertainty is very unsettling. And I can sympathize with those protesting to get back to normal but the medical experts and health professionals are against it. So that’s stressful.

In yesterday's press conference I loved the way our Governor addressed a question about protesters headed to the capital this weekend... he basically said he respects their choice to exercise their rights under the first amendment and hopes that they will exercise social distancing while they are there, then he thanked the rest of the state's population for doing what they needed to do to protect themselves, their loved ones and the vulnerable in the community.

 

[Oneanne]

Plans for today... take a shower and do the laundry. And that'll probably take me all day... time is so weird, it seems to go faster with so little to do, you would think it would slow down. I do seem to wash dishes about six times a day, so maybe that is where the time is going.

I haven't been as successful revamping the way I'm eating this week, as I had thought I would be. And my weight is still stuck. My calorie intake is correct so I don't get it. Arrgggg.... back to the drawing board. I need to go thru the 'fridge top to bottom, I know there is stuff in there that is going to have to be tossed, dang it. I am getting a better feel for what and how much I should be buying, vs that first shopping trip where I stocked up on everything I saw that I thought I might want... a week's worth of groceries really isn't that much. I can get two meals out of a chicken breast, three meals out of a can of tuna, I made egg salad out of the four eggs I dyed for Easter and that also covered three sandwiches. I'm making my grocery list and will head back to the store in the next day or so.

 

[sjrec]

I have to be careful with how much produce I get for the two of us-I’ve gotten better at planning so things don’t go bad. And if something looks just a little wilted you can make vegetable soup!