A new hobby

As the cold temperatures kept us inside for most of the winter, Dave and I quickly realized a void we needed to fill.....a hobby. As we were currently filling the void with TV shows and more planning for school, an idea popped into my head. "Why not bring up an old skill that has been dormant for about 10 years?" Sewing! Back when I was in middle school I used to sew things for home economics (gym bags, aprons, etc.) so I was already familiar all of the sewing machine lingo. While yes it was a bit impulsive to just go an buy a sewing machine, I was amazed at how fast I was able to pick it up! Here are some pictures of the first thing I made just hours after bringing my new toy home:

This adorable little machine has kept me quite entertained all weekend!

Realizing that the only scraps in my house were from school decorations (curtains and chair bags), I decided to work with it and see what I could come up with. Why not make a bag? Who couldn't use another bag?

With the denim on the outside, I can wear it with more outfits!

The next morning when I looked at it, I felt like it was missing something. I decided to cut and handstitch a flower to the front. I guess I'll have to rock the denim/rough fabric look.

Ever since this new machine has entered my house it has began a world of innovation! The next day I created a matching wallet and started on re-fashioning some old t-shirts. Crazy to think that I could pick this up that fast. I guess it's like riding a bike...once you have the basics, you will always be able to pick it up. I'll have to keep you updated with some of my new creations :)

Showing love in the Phillipines

As most of you already know and have heard, Dave has been in the Phillipines with a group of high schoolers and 3 other adults for the past week and a half. The amount of work that they have been able to accomplish is mindblowing, and it just breaks my heart for how much the students are pouring out their hearts to these people. They have been showing His love as they play with orphans, visit refugee camps, feed the hungry, and build for the homeless.

You can follow what they have been doing at syisteam.livejournal.com. They have lots of pictures as well as comments from students and how their hearts have changed from this experience...it is well worth a read.

While I am so happy and proud of their hard work, I think it is time to bring my husband back.......

The Writer's Suitcase

I hope I don't throw my students off by how many new things will be up and running after break. Looks like I'm going to have to give another tour around our classroom, yet instead of it in September, it's in February! With new mini lesson materials, guided reading area, literacy work stations, post-it questions for Mrs. Evans, and now our "Writer's Suitcase", their heads are going to be spinning!

I formulated my latest idea from collaborating with my good friends in the elementary department. Some of them have instilled the idea of sending a stuffed animal and journal home every weekend with a special student. After they return with the journal, they get to share it with the class. I took this idea and changed it up a bit to fit the needs of my classroom and now we have the "Writer's Suitcase". I found this antique looking suitcase/briefcase at on of the local markets and filled it with different writing tools (pencils, little dictionary, editing pencil, a shared journal, whisper phone to read their writing, etc.). Every weekend, one of the students will be able to take it home and write about any topic that fits their interest - a favorite memory, cool recipe, how to directions for their favorite game, or a funny story. Hopefully this will work collaboratively with the parents to become a part of their learning in a way that is exciting and effective. When the special student returns on Monday, he/she get to display their writing along with a bio about themselves for they will be the "Author of the week".

Isn't this little suitcase so adorable? They are going to be so cute going home with it each weekend.

It works out perfectly that our display for each author is right where we all stand to line up. It will always be in sight for everyone in the class! Why not add a comments jar for friends to share what they like about the writing?

The "Writer's Suitcase" display :)

Changing seasons...

I love long walks. Especially on days with blue skies, nothing scheduled, and I don't have to wear long underwear anymore. I love walks because it's time for me to just think. Think about life. Think about connections to people I'm watching, things I'm observing or wondering. It's almost this wierd complex inside my head with a 2 year old always asking "Why?" and then me trying to find an answer to my own questions. At least I don't talk to myself...not in public that is.

I had a moment where it felt like I was standing in two places at once. A part of me was observing bundled layers, frozen river, dirty snow...Winter. The other half was feeling warm air, hearing birds chirping, and seeing more people outside...Spring. The idea of seaons changing is so magical. Watching the dead come to life with a new purpose and new meaning. My thoughts trailed to the Nicole Nordeman song Every Season when she sings:

"And everything that's new, is bravely surfaced

teaching us to breathe

and what was frozen through is newly purposed

turning all things green

So it is with you, as you make me new

with every seasons change

and so it will be, as you are re-creating me

Summer, autumn, winter, spring."

What a joy it is to notice the perfection and timing of His plan. How everything, every time and season, every storm and trial are in such timed precision. Looking forward to the new things that will blossom in this year!

Nothing to do = room for creativity

One thing I do love about breaks is that I finally have a chance to step back and look at how to make things more effective in my classroom. On the day to day schedule of things, I will easily notice when things are not as effective or smooth, yet I simply do not have the time to just sit back and ponder a creative way of changing it. I need a lot of empty unscheduled time for my brain to really just....well, for lack of a better word...brainstorm.

1) Handling the random/off-topic questions in the middle of the day:

"Mrs. Evans, can you publish my paper during recess time?" or "I have to stay inside today because I am sick" and "I think I need another homework paper because I lost it" are all perfectly fine statements/questions from 1st grade students. The only problem is that they are all usually asked when I am either teaching a lesson or talking with someone else. What oh what should we do about this problem??? All of my students are pretty familiar with working with post-it notes to reflect their opinion about books and such. Why not use them to ask Mrs. Evans all of the questions that can maybe "wait until later"? I decided to make my filing cabinet the destination for all of their post-it requests so that I will make sure to see it throughout the day. I will respond to their request or statement by answering it in marker and putting it on their desk. Who knew you could teach patience and communication through writing while keeping my sanity all at the same time?

2) Managing Mini-Lesson Material (Reading/Writing workshop):

I had no idea that just by adding two students to my reading/writing group I would have to rearrange and change my whole system for doing things. I thought the whole "making a procedure" for things would be a one time deal in the beginning of the year, badda bing badda boom....apparently not. When we would read and "dissect" a read-aloud or shared reading together, I would normally have the students take their clipboards, post-its and pencils from their books boxes to get ready to respond (book box is like a cardboard magazine holder). My reading rug is not that big, and now with the students and book boxes, it is a bit more snug than we would like....and then less manageable. Instead of wasting time, and possible arguements from the lack of personal space, I decided to get innovative with my materials. I wanted to create a "catch all" clipboard...but out of cardboard (to save money of course). In just seconds, the students now have all the materials they need. A piece of cardboard is their clipboard with a pencil already clothespinned to the top. On the front I covered the post-it codes with contact paper while having a handy pocket with their post-its on the back. No more wasting time! No more "Wait Mrs. Evan's I can't find my pencil!" or "What is the code for Text to Text again?". And without the book boxes sitting beside them, that is practically 3 students wide of space we are saving!

The awesome thing is that my mind is all fired up and we still have one full week left of break...how comforting :).

The 110 rules of Uno

What do you get when you put seven adults around the table with the game UNO? Why of course! Seven (deeply rooted) childhood traditions of rules and regulations that all collide at the same time.

Although it created for a few moments of confused tension, it was extremely fascinating to me how there are truly SO many ways to play UNO. The most intriguing part of it all was how dibilitating it was when none of us were on the same page. We all had a different way of going about each step, and held on to it like it was the very fabric of the UNO game.

1. When you don't have a card, do you pick up just one or keep picking?
2. When you don't say UNO when you have one left, do you pick up two cards or the whole discarded deck?
3. When someone lays a card against you (draw-2 or draw-4) can you stack it with the same card?
4. After an action card is played against you, do you still get to play a card?
5. If you have two of the exact same card, can you play them at the same time?
6. Can you lay a card out of turn if it is identical to one that was played?

These were just a few of the questions that humorously roadblocked our efforts in playing a simple game. With so many perspectives colliding at the same time, it was nearly impossible to continue playing without a pause in the game to clarify how something is played. The irony of it all is that when someone actually looked at the directions, NONE of us followed them! Every single "rule" that was mentioned during the game was created down the line one way or another. So very intriguing. I almost think that the simpler the game, the more people put a twist on it with other add-ons and rules. But hey, why not make a game more interesting?

The Best of Both Worlds

Last night was the infamous Chinese New Year celebration. All of China comes together with their celebratory firearmor and simutaneously lights them one after another. The result you might wonder? Let's get this mental picture: You're seeing and hearing the finale to the 4th of July firework performance and everyone is clapping and cheering. Yet after 10 minutes of exhuberant applause, everyone looks at each other realizing the same thing "Let's save our voices and energy, this is not stopping anytime soon".

This is my second year of marveling at the firework display. The awe factor of the "never-endingness" of the celebration was a bit less dramatic, yet my experience was given a new perspective. Since the tradition of staying at the hotel was still alive and well, we were able to get the best of both worlds. We could watch from the 10th floor witnessing the fireworks literally at point of explosion while getting a more "ear-protecting" muffled sound. Or we could run out onto the street in an adrenaline rush filled with "on the scene" energy and excitement. I felt like a little kid running from one activity to the next "Now let's do this! And now that!". Even when you give adults a variety of stimulating activities, we all react the same....unless we are so tired from trying to stay awake until midnight that the only energy left is "Wow......cool."

I was able to actually capture a few pictures of the fireworks that were hitting our window that night. While you may think to yourself that it is just a picture with the flash glaring off from the window, it is actually the middle of the firework exploding inches from our faces. Enjoy!

I took quite a few videos from the night, but the internet is being stubborn and won't upload them. Once I figure that out, I will share with you all!

Motivation...where are you?

I have realized something about myself. Without the physical presence of someone around me, I seem to lose all drive to move forward. It appears that I don't even need to be talking with these people for my whole sense of "purpose" to be there. It could be random strangers only seen in my peripheral, a close friend sitting by working on similar work, or even my husband sitting in the next room. Whoever it is, being around people just drives me! I have tried to change this mental state I find myself in when left alone for hours on end, I just don't think I can change something so deep in the fiber of my being. I remember even as a kid, my mom would punish me by sending me to my room. While my other siblings might have thought "Hey, we can sit here and play with our toys!", I would just sit there and sulk "Everyone is downstairs, and I'm all alone!".

It's just that without needing to serve, love on, or mentally share with someone else, my purpose slowly disappears....and so does my motivation.

Since it has only been a couple of days without Dave here, I keep forgetting the huge role he plays in making this "teamwork" of a marriage work. When we go grocery shopping together, we are obviously always able to carry more things home (logically). I didn't quite realize this until I had all the bags in my hand and stood staring at my bike in bewildered confusion. "Hmmm....how am I supposed to carry four bags of groceries when I only have a book bag and a basket on the bike?" Let's just say I used every bit of that bike (handles included) to lug that stuff safely back our apartment.

Don't worry honey.....I'll survive......just with a heck of a lot more appreciation for you :)