Who's feelin' a little crazy...... ?

I've got it bad... spring fever...

Last Wednesday night we had everyone over for a cookout-- I mean, it was almost 45' outside! Perfect weather for a rooftop grill! We finished a bottle of Jagermeister and moved on to 'sicilian kisses'--- yeah, did I mention it was Wednesday night? Poor, poor third graders last Thursday... but I couldn't resist... it's Spring!

Spring Break falls very late for us this year. At this time last year we were hitting the Vail slopes with some of our favorite friends-- having beers at Breckenridge Brewery--- playing with the Dawg (Erin) and her precious Shelby--- and visiting the school of my partner in teacher-ed-program-crime-Kate-- fun times were had by all--

Here's a picture of Jason and I last Spring Break after a long day of skiing:


Here's the group in Vail (right before we spun the 'shot wheel'):

Procrastinate...

I might actually be the biggest procrastinator in the world. I am that last minute-- wait until the end-- make up excuses student. I cannot stand stopping life to write my action research paper. It is killing me! So, instead of writing, I spend my time baking and cleaning and driving and organizing and doing anything BUT what I am supposed to do. So, here I am, Sunday night-- BLOGGING instead of writing. I can't wait until this stupid paper is done. I'm about 75% there-- which is about 75 pages. I write, rewrite, edit, revise, submit to my advisor and then repeat the process 50 times... I am down to about 4 weeks before final completion-- at least that's my timeline to graduate on time and enjoy my spring break!

Anyway, St.Patrick's Day... yahoo! Brady Street was wild-- and full of green hair and clothes and beads and beer. We had a few people over to celebrate the day of the Irish-- it was actually a relatively calm night-- the week was too crazy for everyone-- by the time Friday came, we were beat! One way we knew it was relatively calm is that there is STILL Jagermeister left in the fridge-- and at least 12 beers-- that is usually unheard of!

Luck wasn't on our side this weekend though-- and we didn't find our pot of gold-- we actually found another way to spend our hard earned gold! Some punk 'kicked' in the side rear panel of our truck... that's right... 'kicked'... there was one large shoe print and one large dent... nice, huh? At least it's on the same side that someone keyed last spring... I mean really... who thinks it's cool to 'kick' someone's car and dent it? All I can say to that poor soul is beware... karma always comes back to haunt you... (that was after I dropped a few F bombs and tried to restrain Jason from fighting everyone on the street that was near the truck when we first noticed it)

If you haven't already done so... check out the 'links' list to the right! I've made it easy to link to my favorite fellow bloggers!

Okay, I'm almost ready... back to the writing board... unless I can convince Jason to go for a walk... or make lunches for tomorrow... or rearrange my sock drawer (again)... or play with Brady and Kitty... or surf the internet for useless information... or... yeah, I know... just begin Carie!

Debbie Miller....

She came to our school today... that's right, she came to the Academy of Learning and Leadership... she talked to me... she signed my book... I got to spend 8 hours with her... observing and talking and having lunch with her and listening... that's right, the one... the only... Debbie Miller was at our school today!

Debbie Miller is to teaching reading and thinking... what Bret Farve is to the Green Bay Packers... she is my idol... I follow her ideas in her book almost word for word some days... actually... I put quotes from her in my lesson plans... what an awesome opportunity! Did I mention she signed my book? yeah... it will be worth big bucks some day!

Dad came to visit A.L.L. yesterday! The kids did a great job 'interviewing' him with really great questions like, "what would you do if you were in 3rd grade" and "what's your favorite sport" and "did you bring cupcakes or anything?" and "how do you put together computers" and "when you say you were a wrestler, you mean WWF... right?" Dad got the full tour of the school... with all of the introductions to our colleagues and good friends.... quite a bit to take in I'm sure...

Then we had a great dinner and trip to the casino... Jason won $300! With a little help from dad's big wins in roulette... he couldn't lose in the beginning! The first 10 'spins' of roulette were big winners for dad.... oh, how we love to gamble!

I just heard on the news that 7-9 inches of snow is in the forecast for tomorrow! I can't even begin to share how excited I would be for a 'snow day'. When I first started teaching in Milwaukee... word had it that there hadn't been a snow day in 10 years... that's right... ten years.... and there was a morning last year where 7.5 inches fell... and WE STILL HAD SCHOOL! So, cross your fingers for 8 or more inches of snow by 7am in the city of Milwaukee!

Ode to crazy weeks...

This is by far one of the craziest weeks...ever! Maybe second only to the week we got married.

Our school has invited about 12 'big time' donors from Chicago in for observations tomorrow (Tuesday). They are a random sampling of people who participated in an Outward Bound and are in love with the concept. The donors are not educators, just people with money who would love to support an Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound school. They are interested in starting one in or around Chicago. So, that means-- we've been working overtime to prepare! They will be in the building from 8-12pm... and in the 3rd grade classroom from 10-11... oh, the pressure! Lord help me if AJ, Danyea, and Dushawn lose control in one of their giggling fits.... or Isaiah accidently kisses someone else... or Kenny farts... or Kanesha hits someone... or Jermaine rolls around on the classroom floor... oh, the possibility of disaster!

The hardest part of tomorrow morning is that there is also a funeral. Jason's friend from high school, who still lives near Waukesha, is experiencing probably one of the hardest times of his life. His wife (27 years old), of only 3 years, died last week. They were watching TV on the couch-- he got up to go to bed and asked if she would like to join him-- she said she was pretty tired and was going to stay on the couch-- she passed out-- he tried to wake her up-- she did not respond-- he called the ambulance-- she was in a coma for a week-- with absolutely no brain activity-- she died on Wednesday-- as far as we know, it was an irregular heart beat/ skip/heart attack-- totally unsuspected-- and the worst part is-- they had their first baby 8 weeks ago-- it's just heart wrenching-- Jason and I can hardly talk about it without tearing up-- they had no warning-- and nothing but a full life together with a new baby to look forward to-- Jason is going to go to the funeral-- I just can't--

I can't because tomorrow is probably the most important day of the school year as far as demonstrating our success as a City of Milwaukee-- Outward Bound charter school-- and I also can't because I have a really hard time with funerals. I had a number of close friends-- one very close friend-- die young-- and I can feel the emotional pain of the funeral as if it was yesterday-- images that will never be erased from my mind--

I don't mean to be morbid... but I do declare that when I die... I want to be cremated... I want a room full of pictures of me laughing and doing all of the things I love to do in all of the places I love to be... and my ashes are to be spread in my favorite places... Land O' Lakes... and maybe a few from the pontoon boat on Lake Camelot... and maybe a few over the Grand Canyon... and maybe a few at Disney World... just imagine the list by the time I am 80... someone will have a lot of work to do dividing me between all of my favorite places :)

so hugs and kisses and love to all... death brings appreciation for life... and all of those that make life as wonderful as it is... and you are some of those people...

Oh, for lazy Saturdays!

Jason and I had 'date night' last night. We went for nachos and a drink at Joey Buonos and then home to the couch. We were both asleep by 9pm. We talked about watching a movie too, but the movie never actually made it into the DVD player (because that would have meant that one of us would have had to stand up). It was a perfect Friday night date for me!

This past week was a bit of a struggle. We are nearing the end of 'student teacher sandy'... and I think she's nearing the end of her teaching career too. I think she had high hopes that teaching a classroom of 20 eight year olds in the ghetto would be very similar to raising four wonderful children in a Mequon suburb... and the reality is that teaching is only part 'mom'... it is also part 'dad' and part 'mentor' and part 'disciplinarian' and part 'friend' and part 'role model' and part 'teacher' and part 'organizer'...etc. If you lean too heavily towards any one of those roles-- urban children eat you alive-- and then laugh at you while you struggle!

The other struggle is the time commitment that a new urban teacher has to make in order to be successful. It cannot be a 7-4 job... it will never work if that is the only time you are willing to commit. You have to make the commitment to reflect on what is working and what isn't and what you are going to do to make it better... every night... every morning.... until you get it closer to a manageable working and learning environment. The students know when you are ready and when you are not. They know when you have found a new way to make things work and when you are just going to keep struggling with the same systems that don't. And most students... especially the really tough ones... love to see a teacher flounder... and love to see a teacher unprepared for the disruptions of the day...they see it as their opportunity to shine!

So, needless to say... the really tough 3rd graders have had more than their chance to shine the past few weeks with Sandy. Don't get me wrong, she's a really nice lady. She has a very friendly personality--- and she smiles a lot--- and she's very helpful and easy to get along with. She is obviously very confident and successful in her 'other' life. We have just both agreed that urban teaching is probably not her call in life... at least not right now.

I guess it also makes me feel like I did a horrible job trying to mentor my first student teacher... I guess I was hoping for the perfect scenario that she would enjoy our school sooooo much that she would want to work there next year.... and everything would be great....

maybe I'll have better luck with the next one.... if there is a next one :)

Not until you're 30!

The famous last words about relationships from Mrs.Brock... not until you're 30! I continuously tell my students that they should wait until early 20's to date... late 20's to marry... and no babies until you've celebrated 30! These conversations are usually followed by, "my cousin has a baby and she's 12".... or "Mrs.Brock, my mom isn't even 30 yet"... or "Mrs.Brock, I already have a boyfriend"... and yes, these are 8 and 9 year olds we're talking about-- but in order to be pregnant at 12--- you don't even want to think about what happens at 8!

I'm jumping on my soap box about relationships for just a minute... it has been proven to be nearly impossible to stay married today... I think you have a better chance of winning the lottery than staying married...

let's take for instance our friends that were married last Halloween... they dated for years... engaged for a couple of years... great wedding... honeymooned over the holidays... end up in a drunk fight a couple of weeks ago... and the new bride sleeps with her husbands best friend (who was also the best man in their wedding)...

or we could talk about the couple that was married right before Jason and I.... great wedding... seemingly perfect couple... great jobs... great future... great first house.... adorable baby that was born last October.... and I guess a great-er bartender from some dive bar in Waukesha... that's right... in this scenario Mr.husband just confessed to having a mistress on the side for the past 12 months.... I guess the word leaked out when Mr.husband called really nice friend to see if Mr.Husband and dirty-bartending-'mistress' could spend the night together at nice friend's house... (hotels were getting expensive I guess)

I mean, really... you do not have to get married... why go through the heartache and headache if you still had a little 'itch'? I mean, really... take care of the itch before you get married!

Thank you... amen...

The Kiss...

Tuesday morning began with a bang today! Sandy (student teacher) called in sick... the first 20 minutes of the day were spent reassuring third graders that she did not leave forever... she still loves our class...she is actually going to come back... she is just sick. Have I mentioned before that third graders are not very flexible or receptive to a 'change in schedule'?

We actually had a great day today. There was a calm sense of 'normalcy' with just me in the classroom. Don't get me wrong-- I love and appreciate all of the great things that Sandy has brought to our classroom--- but there is certainly something to be said for those moments that we can sit in a circle together as a class--- take a deep breath--- and just appreciate the calm and comfort of 'just us'.

But, of course, that only lasts for so long before somebody comes unglued. And today takes the cake! As we neared the end of a near perfect day--- we started to organize our desks, floors, room, etc. During this time students are often making trips to the garbage can or getting the broom. We only had 10 minutes to go... 10 minutes... and then it happened...

Mikhai bent down to pick up a piece of garbage off of the floor... and as he stood up... Isaiah was bouncing around the room in front of Mikhai... and as they both looked up at each other... startled by the proximity to one another... they accidentally kissed! That's right, kissed! I can't even begin to tell you what an 'accidental kiss' between two boys does to 20 third graders... they write books about these kind of events...

Anger and tears emerged... followed by shouting and stomping and teasing and face washing/scrubbing in the back sink... yeah... did I mention that 3rd graders also struggle with self-control and anger management and appropriate responses to emotions? Well, in an urban setting, the only known emotion is extreme anger. And this extreme anger weighs heavy on an 8 year old's shoulder as he leaves school for the day--- not to mention the parents that seek out the teacher--wanting to know why their child is scowling--- and the teacher that has to try and explain an accidental kiss---

yeah--- is there any question in your mind why most of my posts are about margarittas and jagerbombs?

My friend is back!

I was just thinking that I haven't posted anything about my reproductive system lately... but don't fret...today is your lucky day!

I had my first mini menstrual cycle since the miscarriage! I actually got a little excited about it! There is comfort and reassurance in knowing that the time will soon come to try for babybrock again. We are doing anything and everything we can to avoid getting pregnant before our spring break cruise...and I'll leave it at that...Jason can post something if he would like to share any additional details :)

Life is great otherwise! Jason and I are still trying to find as much time as we can to exercise at the 'Y'. It feels so refreshing to exercise. It's one of those things that you absolutely hate to do... and make as many excuses as you can to avoid it... but then once you do... you think to yourself, 'why don't I do this more?' And really--- 42 days is all I have until swimsuit week!

School is going well. I had a second meeting with the principal and the other principal candidate today to discuss our 'future' together. We had a great discussion about cares and concerns and goals... and next steps. We decided to begin our focus and time together with the politics of charter schools in Milwaukee and Wisconsin. I expressed my lack of confidence in discussing these issues, so we thought it be a great launching point into the big picture of essentially running your own charter school. We are going to meet every other Thursday night for dinner. My job in the meantime is to do a little research into some of the other charter schools in Milwaukee-- to know who our allies are!

Sandy, the student teacher is still pecking away at the third graders. I think she's just about ready to see if her last job in Marketing is still available. It's amazing how ruthless 8 and 9 year olds can be! She tried to do a fun webquest with them last week on the laptops... it was great until one student started searching google images for 'backyard sex'... you can imagine the rest of the story.

8:30-8:47am

I bought this great teacher book over the weekend... hilarious!

The author and his friend were having one of those 'teachers have it so easy' conversations-- time off-- summer..etc. The teacher tried to argue that teachers need the breaks to 'recharge'.... and of course the friend said, 'recharge-- for what?' So the two men challenged each other to make a list of everything that happened one day at work. The teacher began taking notes at 8:30 just as the kids walked in. Here's what he wrote:

Ryan told me he had to leave early for a dentist appointment,
Matthew asked to use the bathroom,
I started taking attendance,
Ronny handed me a note from his mom,
Aaron told me about his sleepover, and Micheal asked what was for lunch.
Katie ran in late,
Kevin gave me a picture he drew of Spider-Man,
Peter said he didn't feel good,
Aaron asked to borrow lunch money,
Amanda asked me how to spell 'octopus',
Natalie showed me her new Girl Scout patch,
I picked up a glove off the floor,
Kenny showed me how he could write 'HELLO' on the calculator when you turn it upside down,
I ordered three boxes of Girl Scout cookies from Melissa, and Melanie ran in with a frog.
Everyone ran over to Melanie,
Tomoya asked to get a drink,
I felt Peter's forehead,
Ji Soo made fun of Katie's new haircut,
I began collecting their homework,
Joshua asked if I'd seen his sweater,
I handed Aaron a dollar for lunch,
Matthew wanted me to read his story, and I taped Spider-Man on the file cabinet.
Katie started crying,
I sent Peter to the nurse,
Joshua went to the lost and found to find his sweater,
I refilled the tape dispenser and finished taking roll,
Amanda announced that her dad is mad at her mom for leaving the car lights on,
I pretended to read Matthew's story,
Ji Soo apologized to Katie,
I told Matthew his story was wonderful, and Ryan told me it was time for him to leave for the dentist.

The teacher stopped writing at 8:47

Later the teacher showed Troy, his friend, the list. They compared days. Between 8:30 and 8:47, Troy waited at the coffee machine for his latte.