if i had binoculars, i would live in my own little diorama

cane's won again. on the way home i kept thinking i could make it all the way to my apt to make my own dinner...but i don't know what happened; must've been the rain. HAD to be the rain.

so it's been awhile. i guess i kinda imagine myself in a confessional (not that i'd know what that is like, as i am not catholic, but i've seen enough movies...) i might start out with something like, "forgive me blogger, for i have not blogged..." i don't know where it would go from there, but i don't think it would be pretty.

so. school ended. on the last day of professional development, we had the privilege of a training with real school gardens. they began with a drum routine that sounded like a sacrificial interlude from the gilligan episode with the head hunters...luis loved it.

there was a time when i really wanted to purchase a jembe drum

 but the instrument that caught my eye was the rattle...even from a distance, i recognized the beads on the outside. they were the beads that we used to pick off of weeds in costa rica to make bracelets. there was a specific little park that we would go to and then you had to pull the threads of weed out. i was so excited about it! good memories!

amazing weeds!

 we proceeded to have a great training. i think i was a little aloof because i had agreed to move to 3rd grade to teach and so i was going through the training with the 3rd grade teachers. well, that morning, i was asked if i was interested in becoming the reading coach at school. so you must understand that i had run through several emotions at that point. i wasn't as involved as i should have been, but i hadn't accepted the offer at that point, and i wasn't really sure how i felt about anything.

i called my parents and then i had a conversation with lorraine, our former reading coach (who has since accepted a vice principal position-congrats lorraine!). i then went through the arduous process of applying for the position of reading coach. i'm excited because i know it will be a growing and learning process.

the next week we began training for summer science discovery camp. the training went well. i'm going to refrain from saying to much about the actual summer school portion, as i was under the impression that i would be able to stay in my classroom...and i ended up having to move out of my room. but i didn't have anywhere to go, so i had a makeshift classroom on the stage. mood lighting. one side of the 'room' was in the depths of despair-a huge shadow of gloom and doom encompassed them. i had to rig up an easel-using a ladder and duct tape. 

 in fact, one boy's mother actually made him ask me if we were going to be in there for remainder of the summer. i told him he could let her know that we would be moving into a classroom after the first week. it was a long week and i was bitter; but i don't think it was too evident...the kids were having fun.

we have actually covered a lot of information, and i am pretty sure they got it. most of them will be in 5th grade next year, and i have been fortunate to have 5 of my former students. 

i'm pretty sure the 'mouse' in this diorama cannot hear...disclaimer: i am not responsible for teaching them to draw..only teaching them about ecosystems and food chains...and they GOT that!

other than that, we've been very low-key, playing it cool. i have been going to the shooting range-which has been fun.

today we went to the environmental center for a mini field trip. we got to pull out the binoculars and do some bird-watching. i had a blast. i had more fun just looking into the little wooded area-it felt like i was in a real live diorama with 3d trees and such. i realize that sounds silly, as in real life these things are 3d, but when you look through binoculars, everything is so much cooler!!

oh, did i forget to mention that we have trainings that we have to attend with the science camp...well, today the song that kept running through my mind was fugees killing me softly and when he suggested a warm up activity...it was more of a death-warmed-over activity. i thank him for trying, but i'm pretty good at hooking and engaging my students. and today i was counting down because i had some errands to run.

i've also gotten together with some other educators who are excited about ensuring that we have effective teachers in every classroom-and working toward a goal of ensuring that voices our voices are heard and we have a seat at the table when it comes to legislation concerning our students. we can either react to what happens to us, or we can be proactive and help guide the conversations and actions that are in the works. i choose the latter. in essence, this is an extension of what was brought to light in our ed policy program.

good day!
julie