As many of you may know, I spent last year working on a Master's degree in conjunction with applying for National Board Certification. National Board Certification allows me to teach in nearly any state without having to apply for a new certificate in a state if I should move from one state to another. We will be moving states for Vet school so National Board Certification is a really good idea for me to achieve. Some other advantages are many states put their teachers in the PhD pay lane if NBCT certification is acquired. Not Utah though, ARE YOU KIDDING? Yeah, right...
NBCT certification is a lengthy, grueling process. A teacher must submit a portfolio with 4 specific entries and a reflection section as well as take a 4 hour essay exam which includes 6 different sections at a Pearson testing center. Two entries require video taping yourself teach, and then a written commentary on your teaching. After everything is submitted you wait from June until the end of November for your scores. Each entry is hand scored by three teachers who have reached NBCT status in several different parts of the nation.
Scores were posted today. Needless to say, I was a bit NERVOUS! A year of my life summed up in a few pages.
I didn't pass on the first go round. I scored 270... You must score 275 to pass. 5 points. I dare say it's a bit aggravating to have to retake one entry for 5 points! I'm looking at it as a HUGE learning experience. On my written exam I had perfect scores in two areas. I blew them out of the water. As well as on two of my portfolio entries (not perfect scores but very GOOD scores!) One score on one portfolio entry was NOT so good. I'm having a hard time seeing why it was SO BAD! I'm not even going to look at it. I figure I'll get the new rubric and start from scratch... the new entry can't be anything like the old anyway... I might as well.
My PriciPAL had a few kind words to say to me: 1. She knows of no one who passed on the first try. and 2. Two perfect scores? Are you serious? That is unheard of!
I have to admit she made me feel MUCH better!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
According to Cheryl...
Lynn swallowed a squirrel.
I'm still laughing at that one. His mustache does remarkably resemble the summer color of a squirrel. He's contemplating sticking googlie eyes in it with Karo syrup the next time we visit his mom's house.
I've lived with the "mustache" before. He sported it for quite a few years. I think I may have been pregnant with the twins when he asked me why I didn't kiss him any more. I pointed at his mustache. Next thing I knew he came down stairs all clean shaven and looking like a baby face. Well, It's back. He says he's gonna miss me.
I think he looks good with a mustache. It just tickles and goes up my nose so, NO I don't kiss his lips as much. I tease him and tell him one morning he's going to wake up with half of it shaved off. I don't really mean it... UNLESS he starts waxing the ends into some sort of villanous twisted cowboy obnoxious THING.
He was riding with the vet the other day and holding a horse's head while the techs shaved it's forelock so the critter could receive stiches. The "girls" were teasing him about slipping with the clippers, he told them his wife would thank them for THAT!
Elise was MORTIFIED Lynn grew his mustache out just in time for her baptism. She wanted to know if he was going to shave it off just for her. Lynn teased her back that since she was a twin, she only got to choose what happened on half of her baptism day. AND since Abby liked his mustache, he would only shave half of it off. Which half did she want? The left, right, top or bottom? Elise was NOT amused!
I'm still laughing at that one. His mustache does remarkably resemble the summer color of a squirrel. He's contemplating sticking googlie eyes in it with Karo syrup the next time we visit his mom's house.
I've lived with the "mustache" before. He sported it for quite a few years. I think I may have been pregnant with the twins when he asked me why I didn't kiss him any more. I pointed at his mustache. Next thing I knew he came down stairs all clean shaven and looking like a baby face. Well, It's back. He says he's gonna miss me.
I think he looks good with a mustache. It just tickles and goes up my nose so, NO I don't kiss his lips as much. I tease him and tell him one morning he's going to wake up with half of it shaved off. I don't really mean it... UNLESS he starts waxing the ends into some sort of villanous twisted cowboy obnoxious THING.
He was riding with the vet the other day and holding a horse's head while the techs shaved it's forelock so the critter could receive stiches. The "girls" were teasing him about slipping with the clippers, he told them his wife would thank them for THAT!
Elise was MORTIFIED Lynn grew his mustache out just in time for her baptism. She wanted to know if he was going to shave it off just for her. Lynn teased her back that since she was a twin, she only got to choose what happened on half of her baptism day. AND since Abby liked his mustache, he would only shave half of it off. Which half did she want? The left, right, top or bottom? Elise was NOT amused!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Pictures of Drumming with Zinse...
This picture was published in the Salt Lake Tribune. It's one of my cute kiddos!
Here are two of my boys drumming with Zinse. This picture was also published in the Trib.
The whole class drumming with Zinse!!!! Thank You Utah Arts Council for your GENEROUS GRANT!!!!
Luckily, I can post these pictures because all the students in my class signed media release forms. :) One thing I noticed about myself is I chew my bottom lip when I am concentrating. My friend caught my intense concentration both times! You can see me chewing my lip.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Big News!
Lynn bought a new camera! I will be posting a bunch of pictures to catch y'all up on what we're doing! Love it!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Remote Control
Some of you may know, others, maybe not... Our beautiful Brayden was diagnosed, a year ago last Fall, with NLD, a very mild autism. As his mother, I actually wept with joy because I finally had a name for what I had been dealing with for the past 10 years, a diagnosis, and a way to get school support. That being said, one of the things Brayden struggles with is change, new experiences and any situation he feels he is not in control. Anxiety attacks are common. Lynn and I have become expert anxiety attack diffusers.
Lynn took Brayden hunting this weekend. Brayden LOVES spending time outdoors with his dad. He is a hiking machine and loves mountain trails. He is not opposed to riding the horses in the mountains either, although it takes a little cajoling. He went into anxiety mode the second he realized he wouldn't be riding Henrietta on a trail, but would be trail blazing through the mountains. The anxiety heightened when Lynn told him Henrietta could do it without a lead rope hooked to Lynn and Hank. Meltdown in T- 3 seconds...
Lynn is a joker anyway so you never quite know what he's going to pull next. Brayden climbed up on our mellow old mare and attached to the saddle horn was his old Game Cube remote control. "Funny Dad, funny." The anxiety attack was averted and Brayden looked at steering Henrietta in a whole new way.
Lynn said by the end of the trip Brayden was playing obstacle course with the Old Gal by weaving her through trees and over logs. It's a good thing he never tried to make her run, then the trouble would have begun... she likes a nice easy stroll.
Lynn took Brayden hunting this weekend. Brayden LOVES spending time outdoors with his dad. He is a hiking machine and loves mountain trails. He is not opposed to riding the horses in the mountains either, although it takes a little cajoling. He went into anxiety mode the second he realized he wouldn't be riding Henrietta on a trail, but would be trail blazing through the mountains. The anxiety heightened when Lynn told him Henrietta could do it without a lead rope hooked to Lynn and Hank. Meltdown in T- 3 seconds...
Lynn is a joker anyway so you never quite know what he's going to pull next. Brayden climbed up on our mellow old mare and attached to the saddle horn was his old Game Cube remote control. "Funny Dad, funny." The anxiety attack was averted and Brayden looked at steering Henrietta in a whole new way.
Lynn said by the end of the trip Brayden was playing obstacle course with the Old Gal by weaving her through trees and over logs. It's a good thing he never tried to make her run, then the trouble would have begun... she likes a nice easy stroll.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Cross 'Yer Fingers!
So far no one but Elise has come down with the H1N1 virus! I'm knocking on the pressed plywood laminate of my gorgeous desk. I'm thinking I must have gotten her in really quickly and kept her contained. The Tamiflu kept her from getting terribly sick. She was really only "sick" for 36 hours.
In other matters at my school we currently have an artist in residence visiting from Ghana, Africa. His name is Zinsie Agginie. He is teaching us how to drum and is sharing native Fables with us. Zinsie is spending most of his time with the Second Grade, which is my grade. So far our 2nd grade classes are becoming champion drummers. I'm not sure what to say about the hampered, 2nd grade teachers. I'm thinking we need some serious remediation. He was giving us grief at lunch today when he found out 3 of the 4 of us hold Master's Degrees. I gave him grief back when I told him our degrees certainly weren't in drumming. If he wants an educational psychology consult we'd be happy to help out. I'm not surprised at how adept the 6th grade students were at drumming. Too much time on Rock Band?
I will post pictures if I can get one of my fellow teachers to take some photos of me drumming. Hopefully they will bring a smile to your face.
In other matters at my school we currently have an artist in residence visiting from Ghana, Africa. His name is Zinsie Agginie. He is teaching us how to drum and is sharing native Fables with us. Zinsie is spending most of his time with the Second Grade, which is my grade. So far our 2nd grade classes are becoming champion drummers. I'm not sure what to say about the hampered, 2nd grade teachers. I'm thinking we need some serious remediation. He was giving us grief at lunch today when he found out 3 of the 4 of us hold Master's Degrees. I gave him grief back when I told him our degrees certainly weren't in drumming. If he wants an educational psychology consult we'd be happy to help out. I'm not surprised at how adept the 6th grade students were at drumming. Too much time on Rock Band?
I will post pictures if I can get one of my fellow teachers to take some photos of me drumming. Hopefully they will bring a smile to your face.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Scholarship Dinner
Last week Lynn and I got to go to Utah State University's College of Agriculture's Annual Scholarship dinner. Why? Lynn was awarded the Dale P. Bateman Dairy Science scholarship. We went to meet the people who provide the money for his scholarship. Only, we didn't meet them. We don't think they were there. Instead, I got to meet his very young comrades in arms. They were very interested in meeting me. It seems they couldn't imagine WHO would marry Lynn and keep him in line. I wonder the very same thing myself at times. It was interesting to note I am closer in age to the parents of his fellow students than I am to the age of his friends. I very well could have been their Second Grade teacher. If that doesn't make me feel my age, I only have to look at the backs of my hands.
On a different note... as I am writing this blog today two things are happening. First, it is currently snowing. They say Utah has 4 seasons. Not so, only two. OK, I might give it 3 seasons. Hot, Hot, Hot, dry summer. WINTER that lasts forever and maybe spring for a day or two before it gets HOT. It seems we go straight from summer right into the snow. I used to love snow as a child. The older I get I seem to loathe it. It's cold and makes my body ache. I have to shovel it. I have to drive in it with stupid people who don't know how to drive in it, along with big orange snow plows. I'm thinking Florida with Lynn's sisters is sounding better and better. :)
The second thing happening today is I am taking a sick day. I had to drive in the nasty slushy rain to school and get substitute plans ready this morning so I could stay home with Peanut. She has the H1N1 virus. Yep. It's hit our house before we could get the vaccination. In fact, none of the pharmacies had Tamiflu to treat the virus. My pharmacist (to whom I will be eternally grateful) called all the other pharmacies in the area until she found one that was willing to make the generic form of Tamiflu. Elise has been wearing her little mask from the clinic around the house and washing her hands every 5 minutes. We've Clorox wiped and Lysol ed everything we could think of. Now, we wait. I'm sure Abby will be sick by Wednesday. They're in the same class at school, the place of infection. Elise is the 5th one in her class to come down with it. Mrs. K told me she had the custodian in the classroom twice spraying the room down with the bathroom cleaner that kills ecoli and all other sundry bugs. I called my custodian too... my classroom is getting sprayed down today too...
BTW I haven't posted any pictures because my camera took one spill too many across the pavement and has yet to be replaced. You'll be the first to know when I get a new one. There will be pictures everywhere!!!!
I almost forgot... Lynn helped Dr. Rood at the animal shelter in Logan last week. They were neutering dogs. Lynn got to neuter his first dog start to finish. He was so excited. Dr. Rood said Lynn did it the fastest he has ever seen a student complete their first neuter. :)
On a different note... as I am writing this blog today two things are happening. First, it is currently snowing. They say Utah has 4 seasons. Not so, only two. OK, I might give it 3 seasons. Hot, Hot, Hot, dry summer. WINTER that lasts forever and maybe spring for a day or two before it gets HOT. It seems we go straight from summer right into the snow. I used to love snow as a child. The older I get I seem to loathe it. It's cold and makes my body ache. I have to shovel it. I have to drive in it with stupid people who don't know how to drive in it, along with big orange snow plows. I'm thinking Florida with Lynn's sisters is sounding better and better. :)
The second thing happening today is I am taking a sick day. I had to drive in the nasty slushy rain to school and get substitute plans ready this morning so I could stay home with Peanut. She has the H1N1 virus. Yep. It's hit our house before we could get the vaccination. In fact, none of the pharmacies had Tamiflu to treat the virus. My pharmacist (to whom I will be eternally grateful) called all the other pharmacies in the area until she found one that was willing to make the generic form of Tamiflu. Elise has been wearing her little mask from the clinic around the house and washing her hands every 5 minutes. We've Clorox wiped and Lysol ed everything we could think of. Now, we wait. I'm sure Abby will be sick by Wednesday. They're in the same class at school, the place of infection. Elise is the 5th one in her class to come down with it. Mrs. K told me she had the custodian in the classroom twice spraying the room down with the bathroom cleaner that kills ecoli and all other sundry bugs. I called my custodian too... my classroom is getting sprayed down today too...
BTW I haven't posted any pictures because my camera took one spill too many across the pavement and has yet to be replaced. You'll be the first to know when I get a new one. There will be pictures everywhere!!!!
I almost forgot... Lynn helped Dr. Rood at the animal shelter in Logan last week. They were neutering dogs. Lynn got to neuter his first dog start to finish. He was so excited. Dr. Rood said Lynn did it the fastest he has ever seen a student complete their first neuter. :)
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