Experience the Joy of Discovery!
1. Fill my interim classroom with joyful things: fresh flowers, music, fun pictures of Ryan and I.
2. Be ready and willing to make lots of mistakes. Recover quickly.
3. Office hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:30-3:30
Thursday 7:30-5:00
Saturday-Sunday CLOSED
Thursdays will be my afternoon to plan for the upcoming week and get materials together.
4. I will not take work home with me under any circumstances.
5. I will only grade two assignments per week to put into the grade book (for a total of 20).
6. Saturday and Sunday are dedicated to Ryan and I. We will do fun things together (i.e., farmer's market, hike, paint, write, work out, and cook extravagently. I will rest.
7. I will continue to work out at least 4 days per week.
8. I will start a garden.
9. I will not take myself too seriously. Laugh daily.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Life Update
Well people, I got a job (another long term substituting assignment).
This job will take me through the end of the Burbank Unified school year which ends on May 27th. As of Tuesday, I am a special ed (RSP and SDC) teacher for science (biology/geology) and basic math teacher. Not my dream job. In fact, for the last twelve or so hours since I officially accepted the position, I have had regrets and fears. I have wanted to run in fear, resending my decision. I took the job for several reasons.
Number one: It will significantly increase our income and will help to pay off at least half of my student loans!
Number two: I have no shortage of confidence that I can do the job and do it well.
Number three: I feel for the students. Their regular teacher was out for the entire month of February and combined weeks in the first semester, so they have seen a lot of substitutes this year. This is difficult for regular ed students, but especially difficult for students with behavioral issues and learning disabilities. Consistency is key with this group.
Number four: I have compassion and Christ. I don't want to over-spiritualize or judge, but many substitutes (and regular teachers) have little patience and lack of care for special needs students. In my experience in other special ed classrooms, I have demonstrated my ability to have patience with these sometimes difficult students.
Number five: I know this opportunity came from God (again not wanting to over-spiritualize). If you refer to a blog I wrote in August, you will remember me preaching on God's perfect provision demonstrated through his feeding of the five thousand. I came across that study on Monday morning as I was doing my quiet time and I confessed to God that I was afraid to pray for his provision like I had during the summer because I knew he would provide, and consequently, I would have to work. I admitted that I did not want to have the stress or responsibility that came along with a full time position. I also admitted that I wanted to grow out of my perfectionism and constant worry that I am not good enough. I told got that I want to be able to have a job and have peace. God's response: "You must learn to have peace under pressure when you are experiencing pressure."
Sure enough, Monday afternoon, I got a call from Burbank's district office offering me the position. Of course, once I confessed my fears and asked for God to change me, he provided an opportunity.
Number six: As you may have noted earlier, science, math, and special ed are not my areas of expertise. I feel that this is the perfect climate for me to relinquish control of what I know and trust myself to do the best job I possibly can without feeling the intense pressure of having to do it perfectly. It also gives me opportunity to rely on God's grace. Though others have shown tremendous grace to me during my other long term positions as an English teacher, in this position, I will be forced to give myself grace and rely on God.
Number seven: Opportunity for growth. I am determined to grow, specifically in trusting God to sustain me and trusting that he has given me what I need to be successful in all circumstances. I also want to grow out of perfectionism. In my other assignments, I planned for hours upon hours for each class. For this job, I want to prepare well, but I plan to set boundaries for myself, so that this job does not take over my life.
****My guidelines for maintaining my joie de vivre will be published soon.****
This job will take me through the end of the Burbank Unified school year which ends on May 27th. As of Tuesday, I am a special ed (RSP and SDC) teacher for science (biology/geology) and basic math teacher. Not my dream job. In fact, for the last twelve or so hours since I officially accepted the position, I have had regrets and fears. I have wanted to run in fear, resending my decision. I took the job for several reasons.
Number one: It will significantly increase our income and will help to pay off at least half of my student loans!
Number two: I have no shortage of confidence that I can do the job and do it well.
Number three: I feel for the students. Their regular teacher was out for the entire month of February and combined weeks in the first semester, so they have seen a lot of substitutes this year. This is difficult for regular ed students, but especially difficult for students with behavioral issues and learning disabilities. Consistency is key with this group.
Number four: I have compassion and Christ. I don't want to over-spiritualize or judge, but many substitutes (and regular teachers) have little patience and lack of care for special needs students. In my experience in other special ed classrooms, I have demonstrated my ability to have patience with these sometimes difficult students.
Number five: I know this opportunity came from God (again not wanting to over-spiritualize). If you refer to a blog I wrote in August, you will remember me preaching on God's perfect provision demonstrated through his feeding of the five thousand. I came across that study on Monday morning as I was doing my quiet time and I confessed to God that I was afraid to pray for his provision like I had during the summer because I knew he would provide, and consequently, I would have to work. I admitted that I did not want to have the stress or responsibility that came along with a full time position. I also admitted that I wanted to grow out of my perfectionism and constant worry that I am not good enough. I told got that I want to be able to have a job and have peace. God's response: "You must learn to have peace under pressure when you are experiencing pressure."
Sure enough, Monday afternoon, I got a call from Burbank's district office offering me the position. Of course, once I confessed my fears and asked for God to change me, he provided an opportunity.
Number six: As you may have noted earlier, science, math, and special ed are not my areas of expertise. I feel that this is the perfect climate for me to relinquish control of what I know and trust myself to do the best job I possibly can without feeling the intense pressure of having to do it perfectly. It also gives me opportunity to rely on God's grace. Though others have shown tremendous grace to me during my other long term positions as an English teacher, in this position, I will be forced to give myself grace and rely on God.
Number seven: Opportunity for growth. I am determined to grow, specifically in trusting God to sustain me and trusting that he has given me what I need to be successful in all circumstances. I also want to grow out of perfectionism. In my other assignments, I planned for hours upon hours for each class. For this job, I want to prepare well, but I plan to set boundaries for myself, so that this job does not take over my life.
****My guidelines for maintaining my joie de vivre will be published soon.****
Monday, March 1, 2010
Food is Divine and Left-overs are a Godsend.
The meal I made for date night was amazing! Well, that is what Ryan told me anyway (I had difficulty tasting any of it, because of nasal congestion). I can say first hand that there is nothing like homemade bread. As my olfactory glands have revived in the last 24 hours, I have enjoyed its flavorful richness.
I had second thoughts about even attempting to make bread, as I traveled to three stores before finding active yeast, and then spent fifteen minutes strenuously mixing the dough and kneading it. I almost hoped the bread would come out flat and tasteless so I would be less compelled to attempt this process again.
I am glad the hard work paid off and that we have two loaves of whole grain herb bread to show for it! YUM! I did not have whole wheat flour (it was whole wheat pastry flour), so instead I used a mixture of unbleached all purpose flour, wheat germ, and flaxseed, then I added fresh chopped parsley and dill along with dried thyme and marjoram (a spice I have never used before). The results were heavenly.
The bread came out crisp on the outside, hollow sounding on the inside, but soft and dense to taste. A wonderful compliment to our portobello and green bean ragout and artichoke parfait.
Though this meal took a tremendous amount of effort; both Ryan and I chopping and stirring away. It has yielded delicious left-overs.
For the first year of our marriage, I detested left-overs. For one, I have heard that bad bacteria grows in left-overs, so I tried to keep a safe distance and only cook what was necessary for the night's dinner. This is a good strategy, but it becomes tedious to reduce recipes (at the cost of flavor sometimes) and it takes the same amount of work to cook less without the added convenience of instant lunch or dinner the following day.
I especially love the instant lunch part, because I tire of packing my lunch for work after cooking dinner. Now, I often make an extra large salad for dinner that yields enough left-overs for a tasty lunch the following day.
In the recent weeks, I have become a friend of my slow cooker. I love it! Last week I made lentil sloppy joes for dinner. Though they had a nice flavor, the lentils overcooked a little, so the slop was a bit dry. This however did not stop Ryan or I from re-inventing the tremendous amount of leftovers (I think the recipe made six servings).
The night following the dry lentil sloppy joes, Ryan made his famous date infused basmati rice which is always moist. This rice has spicy notes of garlic and onion combined with sweet hints from the Medjool dates. The freshly chopped parsley also adds to its unique and satisfying flavor. While Ryan whipped up his rice, I heated the dry slop on the stove, adding water, hoping to give it back some life, and it did!
Wow! The combination of the date pilaf and lentils was surprisingly delicious. We opened a bottle of cabernet-sauvignon to add a little elegance and both of us felt like royalty at this modest feast of left overs. Ryan commented that the rice and the lentils paired perfectly, one was incomplete without the other.
I had second thoughts about even attempting to make bread, as I traveled to three stores before finding active yeast, and then spent fifteen minutes strenuously mixing the dough and kneading it. I almost hoped the bread would come out flat and tasteless so I would be less compelled to attempt this process again.
I am glad the hard work paid off and that we have two loaves of whole grain herb bread to show for it! YUM! I did not have whole wheat flour (it was whole wheat pastry flour), so instead I used a mixture of unbleached all purpose flour, wheat germ, and flaxseed, then I added fresh chopped parsley and dill along with dried thyme and marjoram (a spice I have never used before). The results were heavenly.
The bread came out crisp on the outside, hollow sounding on the inside, but soft and dense to taste. A wonderful compliment to our portobello and green bean ragout and artichoke parfait.
Though this meal took a tremendous amount of effort; both Ryan and I chopping and stirring away. It has yielded delicious left-overs.
For the first year of our marriage, I detested left-overs. For one, I have heard that bad bacteria grows in left-overs, so I tried to keep a safe distance and only cook what was necessary for the night's dinner. This is a good strategy, but it becomes tedious to reduce recipes (at the cost of flavor sometimes) and it takes the same amount of work to cook less without the added convenience of instant lunch or dinner the following day.
I especially love the instant lunch part, because I tire of packing my lunch for work after cooking dinner. Now, I often make an extra large salad for dinner that yields enough left-overs for a tasty lunch the following day.
In the recent weeks, I have become a friend of my slow cooker. I love it! Last week I made lentil sloppy joes for dinner. Though they had a nice flavor, the lentils overcooked a little, so the slop was a bit dry. This however did not stop Ryan or I from re-inventing the tremendous amount of leftovers (I think the recipe made six servings).
The night following the dry lentil sloppy joes, Ryan made his famous date infused basmati rice which is always moist. This rice has spicy notes of garlic and onion combined with sweet hints from the Medjool dates. The freshly chopped parsley also adds to its unique and satisfying flavor. While Ryan whipped up his rice, I heated the dry slop on the stove, adding water, hoping to give it back some life, and it did!
Wow! The combination of the date pilaf and lentils was surprisingly delicious. We opened a bottle of cabernet-sauvignon to add a little elegance and both of us felt like royalty at this modest feast of left overs. Ryan commented that the rice and the lentils paired perfectly, one was incomplete without the other.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Becoming a Conscious Omnivore
After completing several books on nutrition, ranging from vegan/raw foodist to vegetarian to omnivore, I have decided that I am an omnivore who eats a heavily plant-based diet. In the last book I read, Michael Pollan makes compelling claims in his best-selling "The Omnivore's Dilemma" that got me thinking about the American diet, food production, and what it means to eat. I agree with Pollan that food is a cultural, ritualistic, and social experience and I believe, to America's detriment, we have turned it into a life-less commodity.
Many of us spend our days avoiding or resisting this or that food and indulging in the latest diet trend. I have been a culprit of this American tradition. In fact, with each of the books I have read on nutrition, I have made new declarations about what I am going to put into my body and what I am going to avoid. This approach to nutrition has proven to be silly and a little psychotic (just ask Ryan). So although, I want to avoid processed foods (flour and sugar) and dairy products (because they make my stomach hurt), I do not want to swear off cappuccinos, sautéing with butter, or enjoying the occasional home-made chocolate chip cookie (Ryan makes the BEST).
The only diet/lifestyle change that makes sense is committing to eating locally grown food and grass-fed meat/dairy. Decreasing the amount of fuel that goes into my food and getting to know the producers of what I eat will benefit the environment and myself. I feel blessed to live in Southern California where so many wonderful foods are grown (some of them year-round). I want to taste what Southern California has to offer rather than what Mexico, Peru, or Spain can produce to fill in our gaps in production of red bell peppers, blueberries, or tomatoes. This lifestyle change will not only benefit my diet, but will make traveling necessary especially if I want to taste the fresh, delicious sweetness of a local banana.
My favorite founding father, Benjamin Franklin, reflects in his autobiography "the greatest advantage of being a 'reasonable creature' is that you can find a reason for whatever you want to do.” Being a conscious omnivore and a ‘reasonable creature” means that I must make responsible choices about what I put into my mouth. I want to enjoy food and enjoy it with my family and friends. I don’t want to put so many restrictions on my diet to suck the joy out of one of life’s greatest pleasures and only reap guilt or frustration when I break my own rules. I also don’t want to make myself a burden on my family and friends because of what I swear off. I do, however, propose that my friends and family consider the ramifications of our food choices (just because the price tag is cheap or it is convenient in the moment does not mean it is the best choice). I challenge you to consider what you put on the dinner table, where it came from, who grew it, and who is benefiting from your eating it?
Tonight is date night. I am making a fresh vegan meal. On the menu is:
Whole grain herb bread
Artichoke salad parfaits
Portobello and green bean ragout with a California dry red wine
Many of us spend our days avoiding or resisting this or that food and indulging in the latest diet trend. I have been a culprit of this American tradition. In fact, with each of the books I have read on nutrition, I have made new declarations about what I am going to put into my body and what I am going to avoid. This approach to nutrition has proven to be silly and a little psychotic (just ask Ryan). So although, I want to avoid processed foods (flour and sugar) and dairy products (because they make my stomach hurt), I do not want to swear off cappuccinos, sautéing with butter, or enjoying the occasional home-made chocolate chip cookie (Ryan makes the BEST).
The only diet/lifestyle change that makes sense is committing to eating locally grown food and grass-fed meat/dairy. Decreasing the amount of fuel that goes into my food and getting to know the producers of what I eat will benefit the environment and myself. I feel blessed to live in Southern California where so many wonderful foods are grown (some of them year-round). I want to taste what Southern California has to offer rather than what Mexico, Peru, or Spain can produce to fill in our gaps in production of red bell peppers, blueberries, or tomatoes. This lifestyle change will not only benefit my diet, but will make traveling necessary especially if I want to taste the fresh, delicious sweetness of a local banana.
My favorite founding father, Benjamin Franklin, reflects in his autobiography "the greatest advantage of being a 'reasonable creature' is that you can find a reason for whatever you want to do.” Being a conscious omnivore and a ‘reasonable creature” means that I must make responsible choices about what I put into my mouth. I want to enjoy food and enjoy it with my family and friends. I don’t want to put so many restrictions on my diet to suck the joy out of one of life’s greatest pleasures and only reap guilt or frustration when I break my own rules. I also don’t want to make myself a burden on my family and friends because of what I swear off. I do, however, propose that my friends and family consider the ramifications of our food choices (just because the price tag is cheap or it is convenient in the moment does not mean it is the best choice). I challenge you to consider what you put on the dinner table, where it came from, who grew it, and who is benefiting from your eating it?
Tonight is date night. I am making a fresh vegan meal. On the menu is:
Whole grain herb bread
Artichoke salad parfaits
Portobello and green bean ragout with a California dry red wine
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
A Sunday Stroll
Ominous black clouds rolled over the mountains in the north threatening the highly anticipated weekend showers, while electric blue skies stretched south generously sprinkled by cotton candy clouds. The sun peaked its head out in spells and the air smelled crisp and dewy. It was the perfect LA morning for a stroll.
Ryan and I started on our usual path across Avenue 64 away from speeding cars into the quiet neighborhood hugging the Arroyo. After traversing the first hill my itch for adventure took us in a new direction. Instead of a usual left, we went right. This path led us to the Arroyo bridge where we stood for a long while watching people jog, walk, and ride horses on the dirt path below us.
As we stood above and observed the rain water run, we watched a mom push her baby, a dad jog, and two equestrians leisurely trotting. It is a simple pleasure to watch people go about their daily business and make choices that mean nothing to me but have been reflected upon by them because of their preferences or responsibilities.
Ryan and I started on our usual path across Avenue 64 away from speeding cars into the quiet neighborhood hugging the Arroyo. After traversing the first hill my itch for adventure took us in a new direction. Instead of a usual left, we went right. This path led us to the Arroyo bridge where we stood for a long while watching people jog, walk, and ride horses on the dirt path below us.
As we stood above and observed the rain water run, we watched a mom push her baby, a dad jog, and two equestrians leisurely trotting. It is a simple pleasure to watch people go about their daily business and make choices that mean nothing to me but have been reflected upon by them because of their preferences or responsibilities.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Interview Update
I had my interview for a foreign language exchange program. I did great answering questions intelligently and thoroughly, until they asked me to teach a lesson on Thanksgiving pretending that the panel of interviewers are my new non-English speaking school children.
I was caught with my pants down. I did not know what to do, so I started by sharing my name. I wrote Mrs. Green on the provided whiteboard and overheard one of the interviewers say "Ahh, Mrs." To teach my name I pointed to a green paper on one of the "student's" desks. (At this point I should have repeated my name and had them repeat it, then had them share their names but in the moment I was lost). While I stood speechless in front of the panel of "school children," one of the interviewers played her part perfectly... calling out in her native language to me and the other "students."
This role playing went on for a good five minutes before I had the bright idea to sing Happy Birthday to the American Colonies. They watched me perform this universal sing-song with looks of disbelief or pity, I am not sure which better describes their faces, I tried not to look. Finally, after another couple of grueling minutes, they relieved me of my embarrassment and lack of preparation.
I am undecided on whether or not that was a brilliant follow-up to their question: "What American holiday would you want to teach our students?" or if it was a cruel way to weed me out of the selection process.
What do you think?
I was caught with my pants down. I did not know what to do, so I started by sharing my name. I wrote Mrs. Green on the provided whiteboard and overheard one of the interviewers say "Ahh, Mrs." To teach my name I pointed to a green paper on one of the "student's" desks. (At this point I should have repeated my name and had them repeat it, then had them share their names but in the moment I was lost). While I stood speechless in front of the panel of "school children," one of the interviewers played her part perfectly... calling out in her native language to me and the other "students."
This role playing went on for a good five minutes before I had the bright idea to sing Happy Birthday to the American Colonies. They watched me perform this universal sing-song with looks of disbelief or pity, I am not sure which better describes their faces, I tried not to look. Finally, after another couple of grueling minutes, they relieved me of my embarrassment and lack of preparation.
I am undecided on whether or not that was a brilliant follow-up to their question: "What American holiday would you want to teach our students?" or if it was a cruel way to weed me out of the selection process.
What do you think?
Monday, November 2, 2009
Update
Don't worry I am still alive, though my life consists of grading papers and planning lessons. I am still grateful for the blessings that God has generously given!
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