I know that one reason I started this blog was to track my career changes and by goly there have been many! I have been so busy with said career changes and haven't had much time to document, so here's my attempt at that... It's one of those things that if I wait much longer there will be SO much to say that I won't be able to get it all in...
So August Professional Development-
The 18 days that my staff and I spent together was invaluable. We got to know one another personally and we started setting up the structure for how iTech would operate. Not many times in ones career do they really get to develop something from the ground up, we mainly start in an existing community of professionals. What a great experience!
Start of school year-
Back to school nights, curriculum night, first projects, meeting the students, all amazing! I truly love middle schoolers. Sure they're quirky, and goofy, but they are also loveable, sarcastic and for the most part, can do what I tell them to do... even it still takes as many times to tell them as it does elementary kids.
I teach 6 courses, one section each of our other 'content experts' as I shall call my colleagues. This has been quite the endeavor in many ways. I equated myself to being a long term sub in many ways. I needed to stay on track with them and give similar learning experiences because when the kids get mixed up next year and we're in a 3 year cycle, I need the kids to have had common learning experiences. I found two courses that this was working great for- English and World studies. Naturally I enjoy these topics being a booky type person. Additionally, I have my prep periods on those days so if I had a point of confusion, I could just quickly ask for clarification. Two courses I started just kind of traversing my own road- PE/Health and Global forum. This turned out to be quite easy because the kids I was working with were AMAZING. A great group of students who made it a delight to craft projects that would naturally pique their interest. My biggest challenge became Math and Science. I have always been naturally good at doing math, but not necessarily the best math teacher. I used the curriculums for both math and science and then I would consult the internet for further tips when needed. This was challenging for me because I couldn't seem to get a step ahead, in fact I always felt a step behind or to the side, oy!
I am proud that I try to diligently use my preps to get things ready (I notoriously frittered my time away at elementary chit chatting!) I really do love the creative outlet here at iTech and I know that I can do great work, if I am given the time to get it ready. I just am starting to crack a bit with the stress of planning 6 periods well!
Now we're almost at the end of October-
Conferences are this week, hooray! It will be a different experience because I will just wait at a table and if parents would like to talk to me about something specific, they just come sit down or wait for me to be available. This is freeing in a sense because it puts the responsibility back onto parents to come check in, but it's also stressful because there's no way to be prepared except to be ready for anything ?!
Good news about that whole 6 courses to teach thing...
As of Monday the 29th, I will be reduced down to just 3 different courses. I will still teach 6 classes, but it will be 1 English, 1 World Studies, and 4 Global Forum. This is SOOO amazing! I am bummed about a few things... 1- the circumstances that this position was available- one of our staff members has decided to work only part time which means I won't see her. 2- I had to give up my PE/Health section as well and that was a GREAT group. I still have them for global forum, but I did have that group for basically half the day. I am so looking forward to what it will actually be like to prep materials for a class and teach the same thing over and over. What a great idea :)
Additional Tidbits of greatness--
The kids at iTech are all great- not just geeky video-gamey kids like one might expect, (sure we have those too) but genuinely interested kids, willing to dig in and try
I love my staff. Its always a risk to jump out into a new job where you're not sure if you'll fit in, but I really feel like I can connect with everyone on some level or another.
Our school is so small that it's like a little second home. There are only 120 students this first year at the middle school so I know almost everyone (I will know everyone now that my schedule is changing)
We have a rockwall to access and I have already used it with 60 kids on one of our C schedule days
This whole A/B schedule thing is like second nature now.
80 minute periods are just right, we can get down and into a project, and leave before getting bored with our work
Our families rock, when we ask, they deliver! whether it's snacks, glue guns, or dinner for the staff for conferences
We have already showcased our students in the community painting sundials at elementary schools, showing projects at Harvest Fun Days, and we've been in the newspaper when an engineer came to talk to students about careers (HS only on that last one)
Well that's about all my brain can think of for now. I will try to give an update at least every other month.... :)
Monday, October 22, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Peyton's 13 Month Update
Weight- We'll go ahead and say just over 20. Today I was lugging you around and you seemed extra heavy :) Still pretty petite for your age, but you're just perfect for us :)
Hair- We still haven't done much with your hair yet... It's almost getting past that baby stage where it just lays and so we should start to 'train' it in a certain direction, but it still just looks silly... It's getting too long to just comb forward, but if you try to part it, well... that looks even goofier. Certainly happy you have hair, we just need it to get a tad longer...
Clothes- Solidly in the 12 month clothes pretty much all around, I just pulled out an entire diaper box full of clothes that are too small, or too summery now that it's fall. There were a few outfits that I was sad to see go, but I know they'll get good use with someone else.
Teeth- You indeed now have three teeth! Two on the bottom and one on the top. I don't see anymore close to the surface, but it's not like you let me dig around in there either.
New Skills- You've mastered going down the stairs now as well! Such a great learner :) You slide down feet first on your belly. I am also super impressed with your 'test' to see which way you should proceed. Let's say you're on the couch and you want down, you put your arm out. If you can't touch the ground, you turn around and slide down feet first. If you CAN touch the bottom, you will proceed head first. This causes a bit of confusion with a flight of stairs because you can touch each individual step, but we don't want you going down head first!
You still don't walk on your own. I'm in no rush, but I do think you'll be pleased with yourself when you can. You will walk far distances when supported with two hands, and short distances when we only hold one hand. You walk along and behind things like a champ! I'm sure it will be soon :)
Foods- Foods are still going great, although you seem to get 'backed up' fairly often (sorry for the potty talk) but I can't quite figure it out... You drink about three bottles of milk each day and other than that you pretty much eat what we're having. You have a good healthy appetite and love to feed yourself. You are even getting pretty good about using the spoon. We will put food on it, and then you take the spoon and feed yourself. It's pretty cute :) Maybe we need to get you some forks soon...
Favorite moments- You're getting really good with 'dada' and I am pretty sure it identifies daddy so that's good. In addition to 'Boo' that's about it so far with words.
We went to the pumpkin patch this year with grandma and grandpa Holm. We went to Kruger farm over on Sauvie Island. We had one of the online deals that got us all sorts of goodies. You were SOOO good. You just chilled in the stroller while we wheeled through the corn maze, ate roasted corn on the cob, had some lunch and picked out some pumpkins. As a result we don't have any great pics of you in the pumpkins from that day, but daddy and I did take you to a different pumpkin patch on a nice sunny day... maybe I will find those pics...
I just love to watch you play! We went to the library the other day, and they have an amazing play place that I can tell you are going to enjoy for years to come. It is already a delight to watch you crawl around and interact with stuff. You'll swing this thing, or clank that thing and you are so pleaseed with yourself that you turn with a big giggle and grin! so precious.
Least Favorite moment- Well remember this part was about getting shots last month... well those shots didn't treat you so nicely... You went through about a week or week and a half where things were just not so good for you... runny nose, didn't nap well, woke up in the night a few nights, and just needy and grumpy when you were awake! I want to blame the shots, but you were also cutting that top tooth so who knows! I do know we were glad to get you back to normal though :)
Anything else? Just like getting to rock you last month, I did get to do that a few more times this past month. It's always nice to cuddle with you (when you're really awake you rarely cuddle because you're on the move so much!) Rocking you to sleep those few times was amazing, however I don't really have the magic touch that gets you from my rocking arms into your bed without fuss. You usually wake up completely, cry loudly for a few minutes, then settle back into sleep. It's so rough because I don't want to disturb that sleeping little angel, but I can't sleep like that all night!
Our attempt to do the cute face in a pumpkin shot...
No we didn't spend the whole month at the pumpkin patch (although that's where most of our pictures took place!) Who can resist that cute smile. That's how she greets us each morning also, cute smile on her face
Hair- We still haven't done much with your hair yet... It's almost getting past that baby stage where it just lays and so we should start to 'train' it in a certain direction, but it still just looks silly... It's getting too long to just comb forward, but if you try to part it, well... that looks even goofier. Certainly happy you have hair, we just need it to get a tad longer...
Clothes- Solidly in the 12 month clothes pretty much all around, I just pulled out an entire diaper box full of clothes that are too small, or too summery now that it's fall. There were a few outfits that I was sad to see go, but I know they'll get good use with someone else.
Teeth- You indeed now have three teeth! Two on the bottom and one on the top. I don't see anymore close to the surface, but it's not like you let me dig around in there either.
New Skills- You've mastered going down the stairs now as well! Such a great learner :) You slide down feet first on your belly. I am also super impressed with your 'test' to see which way you should proceed. Let's say you're on the couch and you want down, you put your arm out. If you can't touch the ground, you turn around and slide down feet first. If you CAN touch the bottom, you will proceed head first. This causes a bit of confusion with a flight of stairs because you can touch each individual step, but we don't want you going down head first!
You still don't walk on your own. I'm in no rush, but I do think you'll be pleased with yourself when you can. You will walk far distances when supported with two hands, and short distances when we only hold one hand. You walk along and behind things like a champ! I'm sure it will be soon :)
Foods- Foods are still going great, although you seem to get 'backed up' fairly often (sorry for the potty talk) but I can't quite figure it out... You drink about three bottles of milk each day and other than that you pretty much eat what we're having. You have a good healthy appetite and love to feed yourself. You are even getting pretty good about using the spoon. We will put food on it, and then you take the spoon and feed yourself. It's pretty cute :) Maybe we need to get you some forks soon...
Favorite moments- You're getting really good with 'dada' and I am pretty sure it identifies daddy so that's good. In addition to 'Boo' that's about it so far with words.
We went to the pumpkin patch this year with grandma and grandpa Holm. We went to Kruger farm over on Sauvie Island. We had one of the online deals that got us all sorts of goodies. You were SOOO good. You just chilled in the stroller while we wheeled through the corn maze, ate roasted corn on the cob, had some lunch and picked out some pumpkins. As a result we don't have any great pics of you in the pumpkins from that day, but daddy and I did take you to a different pumpkin patch on a nice sunny day... maybe I will find those pics...
I just love to watch you play! We went to the library the other day, and they have an amazing play place that I can tell you are going to enjoy for years to come. It is already a delight to watch you crawl around and interact with stuff. You'll swing this thing, or clank that thing and you are so pleaseed with yourself that you turn with a big giggle and grin! so precious.
Least Favorite moment- Well remember this part was about getting shots last month... well those shots didn't treat you so nicely... You went through about a week or week and a half where things were just not so good for you... runny nose, didn't nap well, woke up in the night a few nights, and just needy and grumpy when you were awake! I want to blame the shots, but you were also cutting that top tooth so who knows! I do know we were glad to get you back to normal though :)
Anything else? Just like getting to rock you last month, I did get to do that a few more times this past month. It's always nice to cuddle with you (when you're really awake you rarely cuddle because you're on the move so much!) Rocking you to sleep those few times was amazing, however I don't really have the magic touch that gets you from my rocking arms into your bed without fuss. You usually wake up completely, cry loudly for a few minutes, then settle back into sleep. It's so rough because I don't want to disturb that sleeping little angel, but I can't sleep like that all night!
Dinner Club has been happening for over 5 years now, and look how it has expanded! Keegan, Makena, Peyton, Hudson, Roman and Maia :) (Missing a new baby B, who we didn't actually get baby B in the pic because we were all so pleasantly surprised at the new expecting news!) Quite the feat to get this picture, notice the daddies in the background. Peyton was trying to steal poor Makena's headband right off her head (to save her from it, not because Peyton wanted it :)
Mama's failed attempt at a photo shoot
Daddy and Peyton at the Pumpkin Patch, we were visting the animal barn. Peyton loves to look at animals.
A Peyton sized pumpkin :)
Sittin' in some straw (ouch mama this is pokey!) (my response- sit still it's going to be a cute picture)
My pumpkin in a sea of pumpkins. She was totally distracted by the straw so I was holding a piece up, just to get her to look up!
Ooh lots of straw!
Super baby with her straw!
A boy and his toys... oh and Peyton too. I am fairly confident that Chris would have climbed on the tractor himself if he'd had more time :)
Peyton on a rocking horse! This is one of the first pictures where I think she actually looks like me. Perhaps it's the expression, I'm not sure. I have been told by more than one person that she only looks like me when she's crying...
Alas, until next month!
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