Thankful365 – Day 11: Teacher Clothes

Today (well, yesterday, but day 11) I went on a field trip with Fred to buy some “teacher clothes” for my upcoming student teaching experience. She gave me two pairs of dress slacks that she no longer wanted (one brown, one black), and I found two sweaters – one was black, more of a cardigan-type that stays open; the other was a light blue pullover, lightweight and soft. The latter will look nice with several of my skirts.

I also went solo and got two button-down-the-front shirts (one was a pretty blue cotton, the other an orange and tan plaid flannel), and two more pullover sweaters (dark gray, brown). They will all look nice under a vest I’m sure. I didn’t really need more clothes, but they will be helpful. Now all that’s left is my first pair of boots!

A Fond Farewell

The end of another school year came and went last Wednesday. Here in Pullman, we attend 180 days between August and June, which means (including weekends) I work for approximately 37 of the 52 weeks each year. That doesn’t seem like much when you say it that way.

Of the remaining 15, two are given to half days devoted to Parent/Teacher Conferences (so I’m actually still working full days those weeks we just let the kids go at noon), two are Winter Break (no longer called “Christmas Break” for those who don’t celebrate that holiday), and one week each is given to Thanksgiving and Spring Break. Mathematically speaking, that leaves nine weeks for Summer Break, but because of the starting and stopping mid-week and taking off a few days for New Year’s it’s actually 11 weeks of Summer. Both are odd numbers, but I can overlook that in this case because that’s a long vacation from kids!

Don’t get me wrong, I love kids, and I love teaching. I can't imagine not working in a school. What I don’t love, and most times can barely tolerate, is the politics involved in working for a Public School District, especially when it seems financial concerns take precedence over what’s best for certain children. Unfortunately, it’s part of the deal when working in Special Education, and if I continue down the path to being certified in this field I will have to learn more tolerance, as well as some creative ways to work around it.

Despite those issues (over which I have absolutely no control) I can honestly say this past year was the best so far here in Pullman. I started the year at Franklin Elementary, a switch from the past two years at Sunnyside, and I got to know some great teachers and amazing, interesting, and often hilarious kids!

I ended the year working mornings at Franklin and afternoons at Jefferson Elementary (due to the withdrawal of my main student during Spring Break) and met even more wonderful teachers and students. By the time Memorial weekend came around I was surprised to find that I still enjoyed my job (for the most part) and felt more relaxed and focused than I ever have at the end of a school year. This was due in part to my medication and the great steps forward I’ve taken on my wellness journey this past year (and continue to take), but it was also in part because of the many awesome people that have come into my life.

As a way to say thank you (and to selfishly practice my art), I made some canvases, and I’d like to share them with you for this week’s Mixed Media Monday post (which I’m going to write as soon as I finish this one). Each one was unique and meant to hold a special message for each of the recipients.

More than saying good-bye to another school year (and soon to a new friend who is moving to Boise), I was faced with the possibility of saying good-bye to this new group of students and Staff at Franklin that I have really come to love. Since my student transferred out of District, my position there has disappeared, and I’m not sure where I will be placed next year (it depends on numbers of students in Special Education and how many Paras the District is willing to pay for). I know I will have a place, and I would be happy to work at Jefferson full-time for a year, but I will greatly miss my Franklin family. For the first time ever, I felt like I belonged, like I was part of a team, that my ideas were being listened to and acted on. It was a great feeling and helped me grow in many ways. I really believe that this year I made a difference.

When I find out more about my job placement I will be sure to update you. I’ve asked the Principal at Franklin to do some research and find out what the process is in this situation – will I be placed somewhere, or have a choice? For now, I’m going to publish this and move on to sharing about my gifts.

Idle Hands

No doubt you’ve heard (and probably quoted) the old adage “Idle hands are the Devil’s tools” in one form or another. Though I can’t remember a specific instance, I’m sure I’ve said it to at least one of my students or the child of a friend. So I did some “research” (meaning I typed it into Google) and found this:

“‘Idleness is the root of mischief.’ This maxim has been traced back to [Geoffry] Chaucer's 'Tale of Melibee' (c. 1386). [It was] first attested in the United States in 'Collections' (1808). The proverb is found in varying forms:  ‘Satan has some mischief for idle hands to do’; ‘The devil finds work (or mischief) for idle hands to do.’ From ‘Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings’ by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996).” [italics mine]

Upon further “research” I found some information regarding The Tale of Melibee here. It was the second tale in Chaucer’s collection The Canterbury Tales, the only one that Chaucer did not write himself. In fact, it was a translation based on a story that was a translation based on another story. For that reason alone I would think it worth reading, although you apparently can’t find it in some contemporary versions of the collection (that link explains everything).

Like most maxims/proverbs/adages/clichés, it has lasted for centuries because it states a simple truth about human nature that will never change. In this case, referring to the necessity of constant forward motion. I find it very apropos (very appropriate to a particular situation) as an elementary Special Education teacher. When a child’s hands are idle, mischief is never out of reach! Which makes Fridays in our classroom particularly stressful some weeks [smile]

As many of you know, I work in the Resource Room at a local elementary school. Taking some time on Friday afternoons to cook something simple and delicious has become part of our routine; we only have four students from 12:30-2:00, as compared to our normal group of fourteen who come and go (most kids are served M-Th for one or two half hour blocks). These particular students are in greater need of some independent living skills than extra academic work, so we’ve been working on basic recipes. This past Friday, our resident supervisor of the cooking process was out sick, so we decided to try a Valentine’s Day-themed art project. Here are the hands at work:



I must say they did remarkably well for students with fine motor difficulty and short attention spans. The idea was to make a “mixed media canvas” using a cardboard base, Valentine themed scrapbook paper and embellishments, and some good old fashioned Elmer’s School Glue. I cut the paper into 6x6 inch squares and had them tear strips and/or pieces to collage the background. They used paint brushes to apply the glue and embellishments. It was my goal to have this take an hour; they finished up after about 50 minutes, and each one was as unique as its creator (these children happen to be in grades two, four, and five):



My instructions were simply to choose three or four of their favorite papers to layer on the background, tearing them (no scissors necessary) and gluing them down. They were given some embellishments, and the rest was up to them! I am so proud of their creativity and determination, and I know whomever they gift these to will receive them with big smiles and hugs. I look forward to future projects, and will try to share more photos of the great work they encourage.

For those of you with children, this might be a fun way to make an extra special gift for someone you love – it’s quick, easy, and allows for a great deal of individual creative expression. The possibilities for materials are cheap, easy to access, and endless! (I cut up an old box for the bases, and some paper I didn’t particularly like for the decoration! They can be any size or shape. Tearing paper is a good release of energy and helpful for kids who struggle to use scissors.)