The Fruits of Our Neighbors

Few things in life are as sweet as a set of good neighbors. 

We took a Sunday stroll over to the Kemper's for a nice visit, and we came home with a stroller-basket full of fresh picked apples and pears.

This picture does not do the quantity justice.

Times this picture by two, and you can start to imagine how much fruit we were blessed with.  I made two big batches of apple chips (the machine in the middle). And two big batches of slow-cooked applesauce (tomorrow's recipe of the week).

What did I do with the pears?  Well the ones this kid didn't eat . . .

. . . ended up juiced. I love our juicer. Even though I've been known to give Ben a little grief for all the random kitchen appliances we have, I'm actually really impressed by the one we use (second to) least. All I had to do was wash the pears. The juicer discharges the skin, seeds, and core and leaves me with nothing but pure pear juice. Two liters of it so far, and we still have enough pears for one more liter. 

It is so yummy; a natural sugar high.

Of all Ben's random appliances (yes, they were nearly all Ben's idea), the dehydrator has been the most worth while. I really recommend each household have one of these:

Making apple chips reminded me of an awful 7th period I had once. They truly were the worst class I ever had to teach, but I found one trick that calmed them all down. Apple chips. I'd literally bribe them that if they were silent for five minutes, I'd give them each one chip. This was the only way we ever got through 20 minutes of silent sustained reading. Even then, most of them just faked the reading and kept their eye on the clock for the whole 20 minutes. Oh middle schoolers.

Anyway, one last shot of the happiest beneficiary of our neighbors fruit:

 Reid actually helped his dad and Brother Kemper pick the fruit. He was in heaven for sure. This boy loves the outdoors. Plus, when they were all done he was already on his second pear. He was a juicy, chunky mess the whole walk home. In heaven for sure.

Blerg!

Guess who was at my old school, Deal Middle, today? Michelle Obama herself! I can't believe I missed her by just a couple of months. Good thing Reid is cute and it's not a decision I regret.

So close.
So close.
(insert head shake)

Enjoy the clip, sure makes me miss my co-workers! And the cute kiddos.

RIP Ms Szilagyi

I feel so sentimental about my career lately.  Maybe it's because my old DCPS school is splattered all over the news.  Or perhaps it's that my current students did an excellent job of helping me cope with the 800 miles between me and my baby (which may or may not be explained in a later post).  Most likely it's the realization that I am about to bury one of my fondest identities.  Ms Szilagyi will die out just as Sister Bassett has. 

Here is a short sampling of my "final breathe" thoughts.

The turmoil at Dunbar breaks my heart.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/11/AR2010121102836.html.   Just a quick glimpse of how one teacher would describe the experiences I had while I taught there.  I'm just SO SO SO thankful I had a Father and Husband and Therapist and Psychiatrist who all helped me make the brave decision to go back after I had my own break down.  I truly think the teacher spotlighted in that article will regret her decision for life.  It was one CRAZY job, but I could have never taken that out on the kids.  The students already feel like no one cares about them, and one more abandonment just progresses the problems.

On the bright side, the city has FINALLY decided to do something about the horrendous building.  I'll never forget when bright eyed, brilliant Demetrius shouted at me "look at this place, I walk in here every morning knowing no one gives a **** about me."  I had no retort, cause I knew he was right.  I pray the $100 million drop into the new building will truly turn around a neighborhood plagued with drive-bys.

I have been so blessed to have Deal in my life.  It truly is a dream school.  I went back to work today.  Why?  Because the business manager was kind enough to tell me I'd make an entire pay check (holiday pay) for just 8 hours on payroll (the day before holiday break). Basically I earned $1,000 attending an amazing assembly put on by my very own students.  To close out the program, the whole school sang "We've got the whole world at Alice Deal."  As I read the lyrics I just thought about how astounding it is that I have taught students from Asia, Africa, Europe, The Middle East, Latin America, and North American (sometimes all in one class).  Then in the afternoon I earned another $1,000 playing in a staff Volleyball game.  I've never played any sport in a gym so loud.  The kids were loving it.  Again, Deal has been such a blessing.

I can't believe I only have one more week (after the New Year) to teach my little heart out.  I wonder what they'll put on my headstone.

What was that like?

I remember once using the word "bored" to describe my feelings. 

I would love to be bored again, just for five minutes.

It'd be nice.

Nesting? For real?

Another week has come and gone.  How does time manage to pass so quickly and so slowly all at once?

I can't say that I'm loving pregnancy so much anymore.  What is this nesting business other women talk about?  I am EXHAUSTED 24hours a day.  Seriously I went to bed at about 8:30 the last two nights and I still have no energy.

Maybe it's the runny nose and sore throat.

Or the 106 needy teenagers (more like the handful of needy parents that accompany them).

Or the never ending list of demands DCPS administrators come up with.

...

I can't believe it's really at that moment where my little baby could come any minute now.  Hopefully the classes we took at the hospital will help me cope with the terror of a human crawling out my ... you all know the anatomy.

Here are some pictures from last weekend's shower.

 Linda is on the left.  I seriously don't think I could have survived that first year in DC without her. 

Courtney is the young firey thing that was pegged in the head with a brick, rushed to ER, and back at school the next day -- with staples so powerful she beeped when trying to go through airport security that weekend.

Gosh -- I'm huge!

Nicole and Mara (the two next to cute baby Addison) are the girls who threw the shower for me.  Darcy and Callie were also there, but Callie left before pictures.  I really have been blessed to work with the most amazing women these past four years. 

Saturday's Thoughts

I'm going to miss

• giggling at Reid every time he decides to do the wave (or sometimes what feels like an Olympic high dive) in my belly
• yelling "you're gonna let a pregnant lady beat you up the stairs" as I walk my students back to class from fire drills and assemblies.   
• everyone in the Metro trying to convince me to sit down (how do I explain that at this stage getting up and down wastes more energy than simply standing).

I really have loved being pregnant.

I had a baby shower today.  Hosted by two of my darling DC friends.  It was so fun to have a room full of Dunbar buddies and Deal buddies.  In the four years I've lived in DC I've really only had time to make friends with other DCPS employees.  It's pretty much my life.

I love the school I'm at right now.  But I do miss those hoodlum kids.  Linda and Courtney may have been lying, but they said the kids still talk about me.  I hope that means they learned something, even if it was just that someone did love them and care about their future.

When Linda started one story with "Only the kid from jail caught on to the irony in our text..."  I missed telling those tales.  The whole room busted up laughing, and I just thought "that statement is no big deal to her."  Some of my favorite students were the ones who transferred right out of juvie.

Courtney could dig at the scar left by the staples used to sew her scalp back up after she was clunked in the head with a brick.  Projectiles of all sorts were a natural occurrence in a school with no walls -- no structure -- no discipline.   

Those are the warrior stories we share, and still people want to say teachers aren't doing enough.    
   

Waiting for Superman

First I laughed, then I teared up, all in a matter of three minutes.

Watch this trailer.



The school I work at right now is a "lottery school."  I can't imagine how it must feel to live in a neighborhood so crappy that your only chance at life is to win a lottery.  Not a money lottery, but a lottery that tells you, you can ride the bus across your city every day just to go to a decent school.

New Student

We got a new student this week. From . . . drum roll please . . . SINGAPORE! Yes, I made him high five me in the middle of class, seemed to scare him a little. Knowing what I know about Singapore's ed system I can see why that was a little frightening to him. He's actually Vietnamese (I think, since he's here with the Vietnamese Embassy), but either way . . . his last school was a Singapore one. Pile on the homework, he can handle it if he survived school on that island.

All 106

I love my students this year. They seem much less mature than our last set. And I mean this in the good way. They aren't as "cliquey" or flirtatious. They're still just kids and it makes them so much more delightful.

I teach on the ELL team, which means no IEPs. That part of it is nice, but gosh I don't know the first thing about how to make sure my language learners are learning anything in my class. They all seem to be doing fine, so I won't worry just yet. A couple of them shatter all stereotypes of Hispanics in America. I wish everyone in the South West could meet them and see that they are WONDERFUL, with wonderful parents, wonderful manners, and a wonderful determination to succeed in a country where they are living 100% legally.

I really love that I get to teach at a school with kids from all races and religions. This week I gave a lighter load of homework with the announcement that "the several religious holidays going on this week meant some students should spend more time with family." It was so cute to see all the Jewish kids ask "several?" Of course, the Christian kids couldn't keep Rosh Hashanah and Rahmadan straight. Last year we only had one Muslim student . . . so you can imagine my excitement when the first three last names on my homeroom roster were all Middle Eastern.

Weeks worth of news

This must be a record. I've never gone so long without "talking to myself."

Exhausted.

Despite my best intentions I never came home from work before 6:00. I'd force myself to unpack a few boxes and then I'd go to bed totally pooped, just to turn around and start all over again at 5:00 the next morning.

Rewarded.

Ben and I went out on a downtown date last night. DC has no high rises, and it's barely a mile from our place, but there is still something so romantic about walking the streets on a PERFECT summer night with the one you love. City dates are the best. It's so weird to think it won't be just the two of us for much longer.

Speaking of downtown.

I cannot keep the feelings of the Spirit in me when I hear Glenn Beck. I hate when NPR plays him. It's great if other people like him, but I truly cannot have his voice in the background and the Holy Ghost in my heart at the same time. Impossible. All I feel is the indoctrination of fear and blatant disrespect, and that doesn't jive with my love of Christ.

However.

When my students brought his rally up as a "current events" topic I assured them he was not going to disrespect the work Dr King has done. I love that about my job. I'm such an opinionated person, and I feel like a great actress when I put all my opinions aside and try to teach my children to see all sides.

Some peoples parents...

No paragraph about that one, or I might loose my job.

Well, that covers all the topics I've thought of blogging about but just didn't have enough energy to ever get to. I need a belly shot up here soon. Till then--

Pat on the back

I've always felt people don't bask in the glory of their own accomplishments enough. There is this sense in our culture that by doing so we are "bragging." Sure, I think in general we are too vain, but I still think it is healthy to celebrate our achievements with others.

So here goes . . .

My students scored an average of 4.4 points higher than expected on their Reading assessments last year. YEAH!

I'm definitely not a teacher who puts much stalk in standardized tests (are there any who do?), but in the district I teach in . . . you are constantly threatened and harassed by terms like "low performing" or "ineffective growth" and it's just nice to KNOW (as opposed to assume) that my students really aren't being cheated out of a good education because of all my flaws.

Naturally, I credit the awesome Social Studies teacher I work with and the eager students I had last year, but I feel like these results will help me ignore all the negative nagging that goes on in my career community. I won't get too comfortable with my outcome, but I'll go on assuming my students are becoming better readers because of the rigor of my class and the quality of my lessons.

Something New

In my professional career, I've never had an LDS co-worker. This year I do.

It kind of makes me feel like my two worlds are colliding. Since moving to DC I've met people one of two ways: work or Church.

I've made many wonderful, life changing friendships through my career. Through the Gospel I've met individuals I admire, but I never put energy into making fabulous friendships with sisters (or couples) I met through my faith. I feel like I only share my best self with my colleagues. I've never really been able to figure out the WHY behind all this. So it may sound strange, but I'm really curious to find out what kind of personality and connection will come out of me while making a new acquaintance that fits into all major spectrums of my life.

Posts like this are the inspiration behind the title of this blog. I really love to talk to myself.

Wrapping up #3

The third and possibly best year of teaching has come to a close. My students were "promoted" Tuesday of this week, so I've been childless ever since. I still have to go into work until Tuesday, but I love the time spent cleaning my room and organizing things for next year.

Deal truly has been a dream school to work at. Less stress than the inner city jail cell I was at previously? NO!!! But it's a different kind of stress.

Are teachers totally disrespected and treated like crap everywhere? Even by higher up staff and kids parents? Or is that just a DCPS thing? I'm truly amazed by the verbal abuse some of my colleagues have put up with this year, and then I realize that "work for fear" attitude was as rampant as the mice in my last building. I haven't really had to work for fear this year, but I'm just shocked people treat good educators like this. Bad ones, totally justified, but good ones? Hold on to those!

The last week of activities was a blast. Exhausting. But so rewarding.

After the service project last Tuesday, I locked myself into the building to have a sleepover with the kids on the Principal's list. I won't mention which ethnicity of children were or were not there. It is worthy to note that only four of the eligible 20+ males showed up. Luckily, the four in attendance don't have much in the way of hormones yet so the night was very low key. A couple of my female students even mentioned how glad they were their guy friends didn't show up. It truly was a girls night gone wild (as 14-year-olds get) in the school building. I was a little shocked I volunteered agreed to chaperon the whole thing. Two of my favorite students asked me to before anyone knew I was pregnant, so I consented and then just never backed out. I'm sure glad I went though . . . it really was a gym full of 20 of the cutest girls in that school, plus my favorite co-workers. Long time since I had a sleepover; great way to have one "last" one.

The next day I stayed behind as our class went to Kings Dominion (amusement park). I had about 9 students left in my charge. They were the didn't pay/weren't passing crowd. Again, won't mention which ethnicity represented that group. Cough.

I say "ethnicity" but it's really all about social class. Ironic though that certain races don't "dip" into certain social classes. God Bless America, eh?

Friday night they had a "dress up" dance. Not to be confused with Prom, but pretty much a middle school Prom. So many thoughts on the attire that evening, but I'm tired of all this rambling.

Then Tuesday was the big day. Got rid of the little rats!

I hate to even say this . . .

Jokes on me! Polly and Al will get this at least . . . it was the local Fox news station. For some reason I thought it was "national" TV. Besides, Ben watched it (the local one cause he figured as much) all morning and my kids didn't make the cut.

Kind of wish it was the real FOX news, cause then I'd have one more reason not to like them (wink wink).

In need of a new post

I don't have much to say lately . . . probably cause I sleep and work and that's about it.

Today my students and I walked over to a neighborhood Elementary and did some community service.

They were so cute (not the elem kids . . . I could NEVER teach kids that little and obnoxious). My students really spent weeks in homeroom planning out science and math lessons they thought little ones would enjoy. Another group planned out soccer, basketball, and yoga routines. The teachers were so willing to let my students just "take charge" and from what I saw (and heard) my kids did a great job.

I'm so proud!

Really, the whole walk over I was yelling at poor Noah to keep his basketball still. I finally just said "It's a woman's ball, give it to me and let a woman handle it." The whole class ooohed and ewwwed at that one -- not sure why. Then, much to my surprise, Noah turned out to have the most control over his group of kids. They loved him and he totally shined! I was glad I didn't leave him on the side of the road for his mom to come pick up as I had threatened.

I worry and worry over these kids and they always surprise me with how awesome they are.

Great few weeks

Don't worry, the title implies I'm doing a two week catch up, but I'm not that type of blogger. This really isn't a journal, so it's totally okay that I skip the GREAT evening I spent with my students and my hubby at the Smithsonian in celebration of a book my darlings created.

I can also skip the awesome field trip we took to Gettysburg that Friday. I love History and I love my little darlings. Great day.

One thing I do feel bad about skipping is the awesome weekend I spent with the parent-in-laws. They are such good company. They were here for this:
I'm so proud of Ben! This is such a mark of on to bigger and better things, which we all know can be scary.

We celebrated by going here:
Shenandoah, VA. This pic is of the Big Meadow, probably the most touristy spot in the park. Right when we got in there we saw this little fawn flopping around in the grass. It was so cute!

We went on hike to some great waterfalls, and we saw several doe on our way through the forest. One was literally right in the trail and not at all startled by our rowdiness. We were hustling to get out before sunset.

This bridge came all the way from Minnesota. Weird. So green!


Me and my honey, Ansel Adams (above picture says it all).



At the top of the falls. I was impressed with my go-go.

This is the one who was on the trail on the way out. Ben sacrificed his hat for me, since I forgot a pony tail holder. Such love.

In the South District the next morning. We had to camp in a KOA type thing just outside the park cause all four of the sites in the park were full. Imagine how upset this pregnant lady was to hear that after driving for two hours! Thank goodness for Elkton Camp Resort!

These flowering bushes were all over.
Another Waterfall hike. We wanted to do some peak hikes, but there is always so much fog in Shenandoah, yes fog in hot steamy May.

This fall had two parts. The part right next to us was big enough for full families to swim around in. They sure looked like they were having fun.

This is the bottom half of that top picture. It was a big fall.

My favorite little bushes on the ever famous Appalachian Trail. It was our final hike, we were super beat after that one. On our drive out, a bobcat ran right in front of us. It was Ben's favorite part of the whole weekend. I thought it was cool too, but the fawn was too hard to beat. Last time we went we saw a bear, this park is a guarantee!

It was such a great weekend and I already miss Shenandoah. Good thing we finally bought a year long pass. Can't believe we didn't do that until year three of our DC stay. It's no Yellowstone or Zions, but I sure love this park. I can't sit at the bottom of those falls without offering a prayer of thanks to our Dear Creator.

A year at a diverse school

Beginning of year: all students assume the white kids are the smarties.

Mid year: test scores tell students that maybe some of their minority peers (who are failing all their classes) really are quiet smart.

End of year: Tall, adorable white boy who has worked hard all year to maintain his "A" average yells across the room in the middle of class at sweet, little black boy . . . "Ja---- you are a freaking genius! How do you fail all your classes?" All students agree, and try to catch me up to speed -- as if I'm the one that didn't already know that Ja---- was as smart as (if not smarter than) all of them. Ja---- beams when he realizes everyone has caught on to his disguise.

Is this a game middle school black boys like to play with the rest of us? How can we make it cool to be smart?

And this really isn't a racial thing. It's just a gifted thing. I have plenty of brilliant white girls in the same category as Ja----. The racial aspect of it just happens to walk in the door the first day of school, wrapped up in a pretty little box labeled "Special Delivery: Society's Stereotypes Inside."

The fact: Kids who earn "A" averages aren't brilliant . . . they work hard. Kids who keep steady "D" averages are the geniuses.

Where everybody knows your name

I've come to learn you can get that "small town feeling" in the heart of a city. I guess that shouldn't surprise me. If anything it kind of scares me.

I've always wanted to return to small town America. But if I can feel small townee in DC, what's the point?

What's really nice about "small town DC," is your worlds don't collide. Aka -- not everyone knows all your business. You can be apart of four different communities and truly be yourself in each one.

Where'd all this come from . . . well, about a month ago we went to Date Night and I was literally two seats away from an old college friend.

When I walk into High school gyms from across the city I'll see a familiar face or hear a security guard shout "Hey, you were at Dunbar last year weren't you?"

For the past couple of years, anytime we walk through the park or go to the nearest pharmacy, I spot someone from our ward. Most the time they don't even second look us, but other times it's one of our favorite little nursery families, and when the child in the stroller finally looks up to see who their parents are chatting with they smile, point, and say "nursery teacher." I really love our neighborhood.

The big moment though, that made me write this post, came last night in a middle school auditorium. Some of my students starred in Aladin, so I had to make an appearance. I was surrounded by coworkers I enjoy, students I love, parents full of high praise, and neighborhood families too young to actually have a student in the play -- just their for a fun/cheap night out with the kiddos. Everyone cheered, even when the singing was too far off key. The whole audience laughed when one of my favorite 13-year-olds flaunted the top 1/4 of his innocent chest. The performers giggled right on stage when they missed a dance step, and the crowd loved their lack of sophistication.

The best part, when I walked out to my car I spotted a dozen stars lighting up the early evening sky. The view didn't hold the magic of the West Desert sky, but the feeling of the evening definitely did.

Guess what I get to do tomorrow?!?!

I get to erase the backside of 45 standardized tests! How'd I win this honor you ask?

It's the case of the forgets. I'm pregnant and now able to experience that dreaded "I can't remember anything" plague all pregnant mothers talk about.

I thought that symptom always sounded strange. But it is SOOOO true! True to the point of raw humor.

I'm just glad I can laugh about my mistake as I spend 2 hours of my work day erasing all the bubbles my students filled in to spell out their FULL name, student ID, birth date, gender, and ethnicity.

When the counselor told me of my mistake, I slowly remembered him mentioning this in our 45 minute long testing-training. But that was a week before the test, and 45 minutes long! I was hungry and holding in my need to tinkle for the 12th time that day. Did anyone really expect me to remember that one small detail?

Smile, smile.

Some Testing Week Funnies

Spending 15 hours with just one class of students sure does give you the chance to learn a lot about them.

The oober popular African-American girl has a crush on Joe Biden (I'd put a period here, but it deserves)?

One of my male students reads a novel a DAY! On day three of testing it was Homer's The Iliad.

Thanks to Glamour magazine, I got to have some sweet sex talks with a couple of my female students. "Would you ever ask your mom what that means?"
"NO!!!"
Alright, I guess I'll have to tell you. Anything I can do to scare them into keeping their V-card.

Two students finished an entire section of math (about 15 questions) in about 7 minutes (the test recommends students have 75 minutes). I don't doubt they got all of them right (one student was the Iliad boy).

One moment while they were silently working on their tests I just thought about how much I love all those kids. They are so adorable. I'm so glad I test with my homeroom.