The Thoughts of a Tired Teacher

I have gotten really behind on this blog....because I am always so tired as a teacher everyday.  This is what I was worried about when I started this challenge again.  It was hard for me to do it the first year I did it because my job always wore me out. Having to teach all day long with 120 students is a different ball game.  It doesn't wear me out as much some days--but intellectually yes.  So that makes it harder to really come up with good stuff to write.

I saw this today...and it really hit me today that this was my day!! I gave up my prep and lunch so that students could work in my room.  I didn't mind, but it was just one more thing.  Then I had a parent e-mail wondering why her son is failing my class--very often the answer is he didn't turn in his homework.  Yep exactly the problem here. Thankfully I didn't have someone throw up on me!!!

Thanks to Unique Teaching Resources

Annotating--It is a Reading and Writing Strategy!

So today I was really trying to decide what to write about--I didn't want to do another post about reading since I felt like I'd done that a lot this week.  I was looking at my Pinterest board of blog writing ideas and stumbled across a list of things to blog about--one of which being to re-post one of your old articles.  This made me wonder, what was I blogging about in January 2013--I was still excited about this project then and was trying to come up with ideas.  I stumbled across a post from January 10, 2013 which now has over 1,000 page views! I was surprised because I thought my knitting pattern review was still higher.  I read this post again, and it really fits with what I'm dealing with right now.  I'm trying to teach my 7th graders that reading needs a closer study and if they mark things then their writing and evidence would be better! Though the story is a bit old now, and I'm pretty sure this student has not thought once about reading since he left my old school--seeds are still planted and I will have one student some day go--I am so glad that she taught me that!

From January 10, 2013

Today I am inspired by a quote:

Books are not made to be believed, but to subjected to inquiry.  When we consider a book, we mustn't ask ourselves what it says but what it means...--Umberto Eco (Author of The Name of the Rose)

Honestly, never heard of that book or author, but I like the sentiment.  Part of reading is actively thinking about what you are reading and responding to it.  One of the things that is hard for students to do is actively respond to their readings--especially if it is a non-fiction reading.  With stories they can relate to the characters or the plot line gives them motivation to keep going. But with non-fiction readings students respond with, "It's boring!" or "It's too hard!" or "It's too long!"  Sometimes they will just skim it and then they do not do well on the project, analysis, etc. that you have after the reading.  As a result, I have started to make students write all over their readings. I taught one of my new students this technique because he struggled a lot with a Thoreau reading.  After working with him individually on the first few paragraphs, he began to figure out that as long as he was thinking about the reading and writing that thinking down he will understand it better. I call it active reading writing assignment with my students.  The cool thing is that after a while it becomes second nature to them and they respond without me prompting them.

What do you do to help students understand "what it means"?

Thank you to http://bestclipartblog.com/31-book-clip-art.html/book-clip-art-19

Five Minute Friday: Wait

Here comes the next Five Minute Friday:  the word this week is wait.

I feel like a lot of times we end up waiting for whatever comes next.  I am waiting for life to calm down so that I can down other things that I really want to do.  But if I keep waiting then I will never get to do that because we all know that life never really calms down.  I will then end up waiting for forever.  However, I often wonder if I need to let some of these to not fill up my plate so much.

I love music.  However, I don't often make time for music.  I joined the Uintah Basin Orchestra and Chorus so that I could enjoy my love of singing and continue to learn more.  This season I came back to the Roosevelt Pops--community orchestra here, because I hadn't gotten my violin out in way too long.  It was so nice to play it for the first time in years a couple of weeks ago.  However, it is very hard to remember to practice.  It is very easy to have other things take priority because they have to be done by tomorrow and push the practicing to the next day.  Did that yesterday....have I practiced today? Nope. I will be going to bed after I published and share this post.

I am also really needing to set up a gym membership and go so that I can be ready for trek come summer. And I know that it is something that I should do to relieve my stress.  However, I have been trying to go sign up since Wednesday and I still haven't.  We have a habit of waiting as procrastinators....but is it really worth it?  Is the stress really worth all of it or do we just stress ourselves out more as a result?

Book Review: The Brothers

Title: Prologue: The Brothers

Author: Chris Stewart

Genre: Religious Fiction/Drama

Rating: 5 out of 5

Why Did I Read? My book club suggested it.

Summary: It is before the Earth has been formed and the spirit children of Heavenly Father have just been presented the Plan of Salvation. This plan allowed for us to come to Earth and be able to grow and progress.  We meet four spirits: Samuel, Luke, Ammon, and Elizabeth.  They are getting prepared for their time on Earth, but are also being tempted to join the side of Lucifer.  Will they give up their chance for salvation or take the risk of going to Earth?

What Did I Love:

• I really love the story line--the fictional characters become very believable and the liberties that the author takes with sacred figures becoming characters in the book is done very tastefully. 
• I loved the insights that I learned about myself and why I am tempted the way that I am.  If you aren't LDS but just Christian, you will still benefit from the insights and the Spirit that is in this book.
• The narrator for the audio book does a great job!

What Did I Hate:

• Honestly nothing--I immediately wanted the next five books in the series. Currently listening to #2.  This is the Great and Terrible Series

What Challenges I Am Doing This Whole Year!

I loved my challenge post from before and it was a lot of fun to put the pictures together.  Okay so I might have just completely overwhelmed myself--but I want to motivate myself to read more!!  I am hoping I can read a lot over the summer too. So here are the reading challenges that I'm doing this year:

Challenge #1:
Absolutely am super excited for this one because I have been wanting to finish sequels/series! There are points attached to the books that I do finish so even if I don't get a lot done its not like I didn't do anything!

http://novelheartbeat.com/2014/12/2015-prequel-sequel-challenge-sign-ups/

Challenge #2:  This challenge is all about spelling out Mocha Girls 15 with the titles and author's last name of books.  This was is going to take some planning, but I really liked the concept.

http://www.mochagirlsread.com/2015-mgr-reading-challenge/

Challenge #3: 2015 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge---I liked this one because it is going to encourage me to get some variety. They picked 24 "tasks" and I am a little bit interested to see if I like all of the tasks...a couple will be really easy--others will be really hard.  I am excited to join the Goodreads group and Tweet with #ReadHarder

http://bookriot.com/2014/12/15/book-riot-2015-read-harder-challenge/

Challenge #4:


I am sure everyone has seen this....I am excited to see how many of these I can get.  I'm not going to necessarily try to do all of them...just see how far I can get!  http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-Challenge-2015-36071458

Challenge #5: 2015 TBR Pile Challenge

I talked about Roof Beam Reader's pile challenge earlier this month.

Challenge #6: 40 Book Challenge with school--I started this in August with the students--but I don't know where I am exactly and I need to figure that out!!  And I will finish with this school year and start back up again the next school year so I need to keep it on here so that I can keep track.



WOW LOTS OF READING!

50 Question Survey Part 1

From The Classics Club 50 Question Survey that I stumbled on awhile back--I am going to do this in two parts. 

1. Share a link to your club list.
2. When did you join The Classics Club? How many titles have you read for the club?  I joined the club in 2013.  I have finished five books....unfortunately I'm behind my idea of reading 10 a year.
3. What are you currently reading? I'm currently listening to Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot and reading Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor
4. What did you just finish reading and what did you think of it? I just finished listening to The Brothers by Chris Stewart-- I loved it and it is the first in the series so I'm excited to get the next books.
5. What are you reading next? Why? I want to read the second book in The Great and Terrible Series--the series I mentioned earlier.  The first book is really like chapter 1 of a six part series.
6. Best book you’ve read so far with the club, and why? My favorite Classics Club book so far would have to be 1984.  I loved teaching it to my six seniors!
7. Book you most anticipate (or, anticipated) on your club list? I am excited to re-read Little Women again. 
8. Book on your club list you’ve been avoiding, if any? Why? I am avoiding Pickwick Papers because I started it and it was very boring.
9. First classic you ever read? Um....not sure-I have read Classics since I was very young
10. Toughest classic you ever read?  The Fountainhead
11. Classic that inspired you? or scared you? made you cry? made you angry?  My favorite classic will always be The Blue Castle 
12. Longest classic you’ve read? Longest classic left on your club list? One I've read? Maybe Catch-22...actually probably The Fountainhead....left on my list? Probably Les Miserables
13. Oldest classic you’ve read? Oldest classic left on your club list? Not sure of the oldest....
14. Favorite biography about a classic author you’ve read — or, the biography on a classic author you most want to read, if any? I have read many sections of biographies on Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott and I have enjoyed both 
15. Which classic do you think EVERYONE should read? Why? I think everyone should read 1984.
16. Favorite edition of a classic you own, if any? I love Oxford Classic editions of my book
17. Favorite movie adaption of a classic? Love the newest Pride and Prejudice
18. Classic which hasn’t been adapted yet (that you know of) which you very much wish would be adapted to film. I would love to see a new version of Anne of Green Gables
19. Least favorite classic? Why?  Not a big fan of Steinbeck books
20. Name five authors you haven’t read yet whom you cannot wait to read. Emily Bronte, H.G. Wells, John Milton, A.A. Milne, and Tennessee Williams
21. Which title by one of the five you’ve listed above most excites you and why? Wuthering Heights 
22. Have you read a classic you disliked on first read that you tried again and respected, appreciated, or even ended up loving?  Catch-22
23. Which classic character can’t you get out of your head?  I love Mr. Darcy :)
24. Which classic character most reminds you of yourself? I have always related to Anne Shirley
25. Which classic character do you most wish you could be like? Valancy Stirling from The Blue Castle

Priorities

Today has been a day where I have been super overwhelmed with everything that I have to accomplish--and honestly I really don't feel like this blog post is a huge priority right now.  However, I am grateful that I have an outlet to write, even if I only write for a minute or two everyday. I feel like it is a lot of who I am--to express myself.  I don't see myself as a writer per se, which is why I think I like doing this blog because I would like to become a writer.