Candy Thefts!

Often times, when one works in education, you take on things you don't really want to do involving kids you don't really want to be around at the end of you working day.

For example, I took on being the advisor of the Freshman Class activities. Today we are having a "Freshman Class Halloween Bash!" in which we are having a pumpkin carving contests and music and candy of course.

My despise for this activity began yesterday when I went to Macey's to pick up the pumpkin's Macey's so kindly donated. The pumpkins came straight from a farm, weighed well over 20 pounds each and were still quite covered in dirt. I, of course came from school and was wearing a black skirt and tights. By the time I had hauled 15 pumpkins into my cart and checked out,  was dirty and hot.

The next thing that really annoyed me is I brought some candy that Tyler bought for our trick-or-treators to school to share at the pumpkin party. I ran out of my classroom for about 5 minutes during lunch and some of my best students came into my classroom and took that very candy without asking! I was totally disappointed.

They were caught within minutes of course. I was so irriated because I felt like I had done a lot for these kids and that was really disrespectful, so I laid into them. They were so embarassed, not one of them would look me in the eye.

Although, after I talked to them I thought about what it was like being a Freshman. For some reason, Freshman boys in particular, just loose their ability to think through their actions. They are incredibly prown to peer pressure and are not sure exactly where to go once they realize they have done something wrong.

Although initially I wasn't sure if I felt good or bad about calling them out on their behavior and making them feel so clearly guilty and embarassed, I am glad I did, because it is not something that should be laughed at or ignored. I hope this was a teaching moment in which they can look back at next time they want to do something that would be funny or sneaky, yet offensive.

It is interesting to me that it is teaching moments like this one today, that will determine and build my students character much better than 1,000 history lessons. The scary thing is, you cannot really plan or prepare for these teaching moments, they just happen and you have keep your temper steady and do what you think is best for the kids.

When did I become so intimately involved with teaching teenagers what is wrong or right?

If your child were in my classroom would you be afraid? :)

Where I have been....

Since the school year started, I have had significantly more things to do and less time to do them. So here are a few of the fun things I have been doing, rather than blogging.

#1. Coaching Cross Country. It has been fun, but I never knew how time consuming and exhausting teaching all day and then coaching could be. I really came to love my team and am so proud of their success. Sometimes I wondered why I ever got into teaching....the real reward comes from coaching because the kids actually care about their success!

#2. I now spend close to two hours in the car commuting each day. I just got a subscription to audible and bought Athem and The Partly Cloudy Patriot. I think these book subscriptions will decrees my monthly phone bill and make my time in the car a little more enjoyable. :) Plus, who doesn't want to improve their mind while they idly sit anyway?

#3. The square footage of my residence is 6 times larger than my previous residence....more windows, carpet, toilets and everything else to keep up with!

#4. I am my own landlord. That means any time something breaks or a bill needs to be paid I need to spend the hours on the phone and come up with some sort of organization system to get everything paid on time. I guess I always took it for granted when I was a tenant. :)

#5. I run and exercise much more regularly than ever before and I love it! It is interesting because in the past I always had a love/hate relationship with exercise...I loved being able to eat more but I hated exercising. Now I pretty much have a love/love relationship with exercise. Whether I am tired, frustrated, content or restless exercise makes me feel better and happier. Plus, I have discovered that I am not a total athletically challenged!

#6. I have been reading a great book. I don't think any class, lecture, movie or book has taught me as much about southern society (including slavery, the confederate army, Sherman's March to the Sea, Reconstruction, the freedmans bureau and much more) before, during and after the Civil War as Gone With the Wind. The book is excellently written and the story is enticing! Although, I have about 100 pages left and am about sick to my stomach with how incredibly selfish and without morals Scarlett O'Hara continues to be. If it weren't for the goodness of Melly and cocky wit of Rhett I would have stopped reading the book long ago. In anycase, I recommen the book to anyone. Especially history lovers like myself!


Although I am busy, I am happy and life is good. Tyler and I have great jobs, a beautiful home and lots of supportive loved ones.