I love Dunbar

Confession
So my blog somehow turned into a journal. A place to collect my thoughts. You may say "Liz, find a more private place." But I like using my blog. So if you don't want to read my epic posts, just read the first two headers, RIP Mek Mek and Reason #257. And please feel free to still leave a comment, even if you skip most my post. I won't even be a little offended.

RIP Mek Mek
Yesterday I received the worst e-mail ever. The subject was "Emergency Notification" and the first line read "A member of Dunbar's girls basketball team passed away this weekend." All of the sudden I knew why the other two coaches had been trying to call me all weekend. And I felt terrible that I wasn't at school that day to support the other girls. My heart dropped and I called Coach Clark back to find out more information. Taimika Boseman had terrible asthma and she was known for not taking the best care of it. Well, Sunday AM while she was asleep she had an asthma attack and lost her life in the battle. She was a star player, a team captain, and a great student (known to fight and gamble at times, but intelligent nonetheless). She was stylish and a hoot. A friend to everyone.

The saddest part is her family doesn't have the money they need to bury her. I can't even imagine. Losing your baby, and then not having the money to give her a proper funeral. The faculty at my school is going to try and start up a fundraiser for her family. The girls Basketball team is going to buy a tree and plant it in her mother's front yard as a memory of her.

The school had crisis counselors on site yesterday. I heard a couple of the players couldn't even pick themselves up off the ground because they were crying so hard. I really wish I could have been their to hold them. I dropped the ball on my sick day. Who knew? Actually, I guess if I ever answered my phone I would have known. Tomorrow I am going to a candle light vigil at her house. The funeral is on Monday, so long as they get the money.

Reason #257
McCain has 7 houses, 13 cars and 1 jet. Obama has 1 house, 1 car, and a bike. Need I say more? If you don't believe me go here.

The Office
Anyone who knows me knows I love Friends. I can quote almost every episode. So I'm only going to say this once. I think The Office may be funnier. That's right. I LOVE THE OFFICE! I practically wet my pants everytime I watch it.

Volleyball
We had our first game today. We lost. Which is a shame because we were clearly the better team. The girls just got frustrated and confused. If I were to rate the league I would say 7th, maybe 8th grade in the West. So I've really been working on pass, set, hit, but they just haven't caught on quite yet. I had to call a time out and jsut say "New plan. Just get it over the net." And we still lost. It's alright, it won't happen again. Trust me.

Geography
Today I had a student point to Canada and ask "Is this Africa?" I'm not even kidding. I have this great lesson where I start the day off with a journal entry. "How would your life be different if your mother had to take care of 45 children?" Then I hear all their complaints. "We'd be poor." "I'd fight her for being so stupid." "She'd get so much welfare." I take their comments and turn it into an analogy for the British Empire. Then I give them some atlases, a blank world map, and a list of all the formerly British ruled countries. I have them locate the countries and get a feel for the Empire. Then tomorrow we read stories from "Angela's Ashes." I love this lesson cause it incorporates History and Geography. Which by the by, their Geography Su-hucks. They seriously don't even know where all the continents are. It's really sad. I forgot it was this time last year I decided my students are amazingly sheltered and poorly educated.

Qualifications
So those of you following my career will know that I was bumped from the 10th to the 9th grade two weeks into the school year. I think it's because the AP (Assistant Principal) thought I was less qualified than the new teacher. Well, today I saw Ms. Hylton, our old AP, she came to our game. Anyway, she asked me how the new school year was and I told her about the whole ordeal and she politely rolled her eyes and said "On paper she may be more qualified, but that doesn't mean she is." It really made me feel good. Ms. Hylton is a hard lady to impress and I know she thinks I am an excellent teacher. Last year she told me I was one of her strongest. Good to know she still thinks that. I miss her.

And the Read 180 specialist came to our school and called me to the office. I introduced her to the AP that switched me. And the Read 180 specialist told me she was going to ask for me back on the 10th grade team because I did so well with Read 180 last year. I know Ms Farmer (the AP) will say no, but it's nice to know she'll hear another professional ask for me to be switched back because of my qualifications.