The Remodel Chronicles- Part 1 (Before)

Summer is finally here. How can I tell? I drank a hot cup of coffee (teachers develop a taste for lukewarm coffee since it takes a whole day to finish a cup), I'm still in my PJ's, I got to watch the Live with Kelly, and I have time for a blog post!

It has been four months since I last posted here, how can that be? I had such high hopes to be able to blog regularly, since writing is like therapy for me! Maybe I should have been blogging because then I would have rationalized the incredibly ambitious remodel we have begun. Although, the picture I see when I walk into the dusty, open room that is now our kitchen would have talked me back into it. Actually, that picture looks a lot like this:

Our Inspiration Picture
via

I can't wait to post an After picture like this! Before pictures are sad, During pictures make me tired, but the After is where it's at.

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So, as to not put the cart before the horse, or the wood floor before the orange shag, here are the Before pictures to show where we began...

Kitchen & Mudroom

Kitchen Sink Area

Kitchen Peninsula

Pantry

Pantry

Kitchen & Dining Room

Dining Room

Dining Room

Doorway to Dining Room

Fun Features to Note:

• Blue flowery wallpaper- reminiscent of my grandma's blue German plates! I kept a piece of it to show proof of its awesomeness!
• Orange carpet- actually, it's reddish in some areas, yellow in others, and not the original flooring- it's actually sitting on some linoleum that wasn't all that bad!
• Brown paneled walls- darkness descended even with the giant sliding glass door!
• Brown appliances- original to the house, push-buttons instead of dials

Up Next: The Remodel Chronicles- Part 2 (The Early During Pictures)

Snowballs, Football, and Skinny Buffaloes

I teach middle school now. 

(Insert typical gasp/ obligatory, "I don't know how you do it" comment.) 

Once upon a time I was sure I'd love teaching middle school, I almost made that my major, but then decided to get my degree for grades 6-12 so I'd have more freedom.

And then I started teaching high school and LOVED it...love, love, loved it! And now I miss it. I miss the deep conversations-Becky & Jen who'd walk in often and say, "Mrs. A, I need you to plan my life". I miss working at the Football games and starting the "We are!" "Lancers!" cheer each game. I miss block scheduling like you can't believe! I miss celebrating and joking, "Stay off the roads", when my students get their driver's license. I miss the other amazing English and Resource teachers I got to work with.

And now, I live in middle school land. And I've learned that I still get to have deep conversations, when a student asks how to deal with something going on in her life. Though football games are a thing of the past, I get to see them compete in Speech tournaments, Scholastic Bowls, and treat their basketball and volleyball games like it's the NBA and National Championships. Though block scheduling isn't realistic for middle school, I now have a good schedule and a teacher's aid on occasion that helps me work with individual students more often. I write recommendations for high school Honors English class and celebrate when they 'get in'!  I'm now a one-man show when it comes to middle school English, but I get to find ways to incorporate other disciplines into the lessons I teach, which helps make me a better teacher.

So now, in my middle school world, I've discovered that it's not the age or grade level that I love, it's teaching. I just love teaching, regardless of who the kids are. (However, don't ask me to wipe noses or teach anyone younger than 6th grade, I may change my story!) I love being with students all day! I love seeing them succeed and helping them make better choices. I love being a teacher!
                 
So what do "Snowballs, Football, and Skinny Buffaloes" have to do with anything? This is actually the subject of an email I received this week from our Middle School Division Coordinator about some behavior issues at recess that we need to be aware of from our Middle School students....and I thought the title was hilarious! One day, maybe I'll share the whole story behind the email, but since it involves students I can't right now. I may even make this the title of my book one day (if I ever write one...can I say bucket list!). This email title would never be necessary at the high school. Isn't middle school fun?!

Very Good Grasshopper

Recently, my school rolled out a plan to have tablets in the hands of every 6th and 7th grader to be used consistently in the classroom. My first thought was, wow, that'll be pretty cool, we don't have to worry about sharing computers anymore. And then I thought, uh oh...internet at the fingertips of every student in my room- the number of possible distractions to middle school minds will exponentially increase! So, I went to work scouring the internet for the best ways to incorporate the technology my students would be toting to class, while not relying entirely on technology in case it happens to fail. Yikes!

First, I typed in every Google search phrase I could think of: 'Using technology in the classroom', 'Best Apps for Teachers', 'Best Websites for Students', 'Top 10 uses for Google in the classroom', 'HowInTheWorldDoITeachThisWayAndKeepMySanity'?

And then over winter break I found my answer: Google Webinars for Teachers. This is a site with real teachers who have become Google Docs Masters (I think they're really called "Google Certified Teachers", but they are "Mr. Miyagi" to me). What's great is they are now helping the rest of us learn how to really utilize the resources we have at our fingertips.
And. It's. Amazing.

And after watching this whole video (and about 6 more like it)- I'm proud to present:

My Five Go-To Tech Resources for the Classroom
1) Google Docs- I've had each student create Google Docs named "Bellwork"  and "Homework" and have dropped them into a Collection specific to their class(Instructions here and here). Now, everyday when they walk into class, I have a Bellwork assignment posted, they open the same document, scroll to the very bottom, write the date and begin their Bellwork. The same goes for homework. This has revolutionized the way I grade! When I am ready to grade these assignments, I open the student's Doc, read the newest assignments,  then add a comment with a grade or feedback to the last post (instructions here). I have been able to give my students more feedback using this method than ever before and it takes so much less time- very important for us English teacher-types!

2) Class Website- I live on my class website...and so do my students. I have my site set up like a blog, with a page for each grade/class I teach. I create a daily post that basically looks like my lesson plans, with a list of the Bellwork, Grammar, Daily Lesson, and Homework that we will discuss in class. I include links to every video, PowerPoint, and document I will use during the class. Then, when my students enter the room, I open their web page for the day and project it. I start at the top with their Bellwork, and we work our way through the steps for the day, clicking on links and reading instructions. It keeps me on track and saves time in my planning. What's great, too, is that absent students (whether physically absent from school, or those who just may not be paying attention) can refer to the website at home and know exactly what occurred in class. I no longer have to answer the question, "What did I miss?", my website does for me!

3) Skitch/Whiteboard Apps: I inherited a set of 12 personal-sized whiteboards in my classroom and 3 working dry erase markers. Unfortunately that means I'm about 5 boards and 14 markers short of using them during class. Now, I could probably request more and the school would hook me up. However, I've discovered the genius of technology when helping students review. Take, for example, my 6th graders who were learning about prepositions and conjunctions. As a review one day, I had each student open Skitch or another Whiteboard app on their tablets and use them just as we would the whiteboards. I said a sentence, they wrote down the preposition to review. It was great...AND they were able to save their answers to go back and review them again before the test. Genius!

4) Evernote: I went on an App Hunt for the best note-taking app that would work with the Thrive tablets my students have now and Evernote gets my vote. In the past, my students were required to have a notebook divided into four sections: Bellwork, Grammar, Literary Terms, and Notes. In Evernote, they can do that exact same thing in folders and create notes pages just as they would in a real notebook. I have seen Evernote transform some of my most organizationally challenged students into neat freaks. They're addicted to technology at that age, I'm just using it to my (and really, their) advantage.

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Side note: My students are living in an age where they don't have to memorize every bit of information they will need to know in life, like many students have had to do in the past. The key to education now is finding a balance between teaching them the information, and teaching them how to find the information. Now that being said, there are just some things they have to learn, memorize, use, and store in their long-term memory (grammar and usage come to mind), but for so many aspects of education, it is vital that they become highly-qualified researchers.

So, in that spirit, I have learned not to answer many of the questions my students ask of me. This is so counter-intuitive for me because I'm a teacher. I was taught that I need to be prepared for class, a.k.a. know all the answers-- anticipate what they might ask and be ready with a well-developed answer to every question that arises.

Exhibit A:8th Grade Student: Why does Romeo say it's like cutting off his head with a Golden Axe? What does a Golden Axe have to do with anything in this play?
Me: (internally: oh crap, how could I ever anticipate that question? Hmm...Mythology maybe?) Of course, Student, the Golden Axe is an allusion to Greek mythology, which contributes to the belief that Shakespeare must have been familiar with writers like Homer. (internally: Hey, that sounds good, it's totally bogus, but it sounds intelligent, phew...crises averted!).

Even if I didn't give that bogus answer and said I'd find out, I would just go to Google anyway and start my research into the Golden Axe. I may consult an old Shakespeare textbook to double check my findings, but I'd do the research. Now check out what really happened...

Exhibit B:8th Grade Student: Why does Romeo say it's like cutting off his head with a Golden Axe? What does a Golden Axe have to do with anything in this play?
Me: I don't know, I never noticed that before. Why don't you look it up and see if you can find  info about why Shakespeare included the Golden Axe.
Student: Ok...(and tap, tap, tap begins on his keyboard)

You know what we all learned that day? Shakespeare used silver and gold as contrasting images for life and death. Betcha didn't know that one. It's ok, I didn't either, but my student does now because he's become a master researcher.

Which leads me to my fifth, and final Go-To Tech Resource:

5) Google: Enough said.


If five just isn't enough for you, check out these other cool sites:
Study Blue
Google Scholar
EasyBib
Story Bird
Flubaroo

Do you have any favorite teacher sites?

My husband thinks I'm a freak...

> I watch TV and movies, not for the feeling it gives me, or the punch lines, or the story, necessarily. I watch shows expecting the writing to wow me!
> I have actually said the words, "That alliteration was incredible!" in regards to a line of a show.
> I am constantly looking for parallel structure in shows, especially when a they bring back a line or comment used in a very early episode.
> I comment on characterization, and often wish for additional air time for a character that needs to be developed.
> I audibly fill in lines that they "should've said" and wonder why they chose not to (because if I thought of it, obviously one of the show writers had to have thought it as well).
> I prefer to watch TV episodes in order because the plot line fits better in my head. It's even better if I can do marathon weekends with multiple episodes to remind me of the nuances and intricacies of the plot.
> I notice the smallest details of the set and camera work because I love that someone spent that time to include these perfect little additions.
> I am always watching for an example to use in class, whether it's the alliteration, hook, foreshadowing, etc.

For Christmas, Mark got me the best gift ever~ The West Wing Complete Series DVD box set. Speaking of incredible writing- it's a show that features writers and great writing! He has since been forced willingly watching The West Wing (how's that for alliteration)! 



So last night as we're watching West Wing, the episode where Bartlett announces he has MS and is preparing for the live interview, I noticed probably the smallest detail  I've ever noticed on a show, but it made an incredible difference, at least to me.

Usually when Bartlett is seen in the Oval Office, the scene is shot from a low angle, looking up at the President to give him a taller and larger appearance in such a huge room (since Martin Sheen is so short). But, during this episode, the point of view was shifted dramatically higher so that it made the President look smaller, highlighting the disease he was about to reveal.

         

     




How many of the millions of people who have seen this show noticed that shift? Was it just me? Am I the weirdo who appreciates the characterization that just a shift of a camera can create? Thank you West Wing for wowing me once again.

Like I said, my husband thinks I'm a freak. 

I have a confession to make...

Our Christmas decorations are still up. Yep, that's right, I said it. It is January 15th and we have not taken down a single decoration. I feel like we're the house on our old street that left their giant-sized multi-color flashing lights up all year- yeah, we're those people.

But really, there has to be some reasonable explanation why we are still looking at tinsel and lights weeks after the socially acceptable deadline has passed! It must be that we're crazy busy, or the boxes are in storage, or it's more fun to read blogs than take down garland, or, or, or....

Really, we just didn't feel like it. Our decorations have been up for 51 days. That may be a Guinness World Record! (Just so we're clear- our standard plan is Thanksgiving Day to New Years or the weekend right after it- 51 days is so not normal!) 

So rather than sit here for another week looking at the beauty old news that is our Christmas decorations, I'll put all the pictures up and make you look at them...I'm off to get some boxes out of storage.

Charlie's favorite spot

"Momma, why are you taking my tree away?"

Our Red and Gold Theme

Chicago's Christkindlmarkt candle find

Someday I will add our names...someday.

 And now, for my favorite part of our Christmas decorating...drum roll please!

Our Nativity set! (It is no longer made and took me almost a year to track down all the pieces on eBay, Amazon, and Christian bookstores, but I now have the complete set and I love it!) 

Shepherd and Sheep- the original piece of the Nativity

 Come to think of it, maybe my love for the Nativity is why we haven't taken our decorations down yet!

Sledding

Sledding sounds like fun, maybe we'll put the decorations away next week!

Today's Blog Post is brought to you by the number 5.

I can't believe it has been 5 months since I last wrote here. There are oh so many reasons why I haven't been able to blog (I feel a list coming on, that's another post, another time).

For me, New Year's Resolutions are like candy to a small child. They make me happy, fill my eyes with wonder and then leave me running around in a hyper state for longer than I'd like to admit. Lists are beautiful, checked lists are better, but no list might just be 'obedience' this year for me. How is that even possible??

Don't get me wrong, I definitely made a list, but rather than 'resolutions', my list turned in to a list of things I want to do this year, like buy a house again, be good at guitar again, BLOG, have an accountability friend to help me not make resolutions!

So as I sat down to write my 2012 Resolutions, I found the list becoming more of a to-do list, rather than a goals list. So, being the perfectionist I am and wanting to really nail it when it comes to a resolutions list, I grabbed a new piece of paper to scratch out some resolutions. I wanted 5, a nice number- my usual number, same ol' same ol'.

God had other plans...again. (Have I mentioned on here that I dubbed 2011 as "The Year That God Had Other Plans"? I'll add that to the list of future blog posts).

I was reading some of my favorite blogs over New Year's and I saw a trend of choosing a word to be your 'Word for the Year', like Awaken, Create, Splash. Pretty cool, I thought to my overly-wordy-nerdy-English-teacher-all-I-can-think-about-is-poetry-units-and-novel-discussions-self. Yeah, maybe 'no' on the whole one-word thing!

So I sat there frustrated, upset that I couldn't find some perfect word or even a list of 5 things- I'm not asking for much here God!

And then He handed me my resolution- over my bestie, Pandora, came this song:

I love this song. I love the message and I love the music.

I knew that moment that I can't do a New Year's word or a list (because those are MY typical behaviors), but in HIS typical behavior he spoke to me in a song.

So, my Song for 2012 is "Remind Me Who I Am" by Jason Gray.
This year, it is my desire to be the person God has created me to be regardless of what is going on around me. This will be the year that He reminds me who I am and who I was meant to be.

P.S. Don't worry the lists are still around- that's part of who he created when I came on the scene!

Genealogy Scavenger Hunt

Last night I decided to take a break from planning my lessons and instead thought I would waste some time doing some ancestry searching. I've done this before, a couple times actually, but last night I was again inspired. I watched "Who Do You Think You Are?", the TV show where they search for a celebrity's ancestors. They of course have next-to-unlimited resources and Ancestry.com as a sponsor, but I love the stories they learn about their family members. For me, it's fine to know the names and birthdates, but I'd rather know the stories, the personalities and the lives of these people.

Unfortunately, before I got to the good stuff, I had to figure out who these people are! So below is the very basic family tree on my mom's side- the German, but originally Italian, name Ernesti. I traced back through the fathers only, keeping with the Ernesti name, though I could've spent years tracing each of the wives.



And now for the stories...(to pay homage to my favorite show "How I Met Your Mother", I will call them Fun Facts...)

Fun Fact #1: I learned that every Ernesti in this list before the younger Carl was born in Haaren, Westphalen, Germany and was baptized at St. Vitus Catholic Church. Everyone before Philip was married and then buried at St. Vitus as well. Add that to my bucket list: see the records at St. Vitus Catholic Church, Haaren, Germany.

Fun Fact #2:  Seven of the nine children of Carl and Angela (my 3x great- grandparents) immigrated to the US around 1882. I know that Philip for sure came in 1882, and the tale goes that he wrote a letter to his brothers in Germany telling them to come to America and to bring women. This is documented in a book called Voices of the Prairie that chronicles some of the Ernesti stories, among many other families. I do want to find out if the seven all immigrated together because it looks like they might have come at different times. The two sons that stayed in Haaren, Germany (Ferdinand and Fritz) stayed because Ferdinand was the oldest and would inherit the farm, which he did, and Fritz was in the service.

Fun Fact #3: Another interesting fact was that all of the records I saw listed everyone as "farmer", and when they came to America they settled in Nebraska and became farmers. I still have relatives who live on farms. So, the love of farms and the land is something deeply rooted in our family, for generations, even though I've lived in the city my whole life.

Fun Fact #4: Friedrich and Anna (at the top of the tree) were given special permission by the church in Haaren to get married in Easter. They were married December 10, 1739. This is the farthest date I traced last night.

Fun Fact #5: The average number of children my family members had was 5. This was skewed a bit because there were three generations- my grandparents (Ambrose & Kathleen) and then my 2x great (Carl & Angela) and 3x great (Anton & Elisabeth) grandparents all had at least 8 children. Other than those three generations, everyone had 1-3 kids.

So, in about 3 hours time, I traveled all the way back to 1739. Now, if I was on the show "Who Do You Think You Are?", I would have hopped on a plane this morning for Haaren, Germany to discover more stories of my ancestors. Instead, I have to look at pictures. Here is what St. Vitus Catholic Church looks like now... it was rebuilt in 1861.

The point of ancestry searches is not to get a list of where you came from, but rather to learn who you are, underneath the layers of the present. So, what did I learn from my Fun Facts, you may ask?

1) I am German to the core...stubborn and strong.

2) I am independent...like Philip who immigrated to Nebraska. Not sure I'm independent enough to move to another country by myself, but I could at least visit!

3) I have just moved to a farming/urban community- I had to have a little of both and God knew that when he brought us here. I crave the perks of a city (population, activities) and the perks of a small town (community, farmer's markets).

4) My family has always tried to get around the rules, albeit in a law abiding way, but we like to go outside of the norm. I am no exception.

5) I want to have two kids. Having more than three kids is a fluke...it's only happened 3 times in the lineage I know of. That reaffirms my preference for having two kids, three at the absolute most!...someday...no this is NOT a pregnancy announcement(: