Wednesday, November 11, 2009

who knew....again

First of all yesterday was my brother Joel's birthday so Happy 18th Bday Wolly!

I know that I have had this title for a post before but you will notice that I put "again" at the end because lets face you learn A LOT in an elementary school.


My friend Drew who we you should be fairly familiar with by now has decided he likes the word sexy now.

I was told by student that he was saying that word and that he had been saying it earlier today as well so I told him that probably wasn't school appropriate.

Well turns out he used this word at home...with his mother who he evidentally referred to as a big fat sexy woman.

When she heard this she asked Drew what he thought the word sexy meant....hot was his reply so she then asked what he meant by the word hot and he answered cool.

So long story short....the kindergarten definition of sexy is cool just so you know!


One last thing.....yestserday in Kindergarten one girls kissed another girl. The girl who was kissed (who is one of my favorite students) went up to the teacher and commented "she just kissed me and I am not very comfortable with that."

Enough said!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Elementary kids can make you feel bad...

So as some you know I work in the Kindergarten room at my school every afternoon. One of the students happens to be moving to a new school so all the kids were making a page to go in a book for her when she leaves, that include their favorite memories they had with her.

One of these students asked me if I would help draw a flower on her page, so of course I said sure. I asked her what type of flower she wanted and she said a rose. So I grab the red crayon and she grabs the green and draws the stem. I draw what I think is a pretty good rose (especially for using a crayon and also for a kindergartener!) Man was I wrong....SHE WAS NOT HAPPY!

She got really mad and told me that it didn't look like a rose! So of course I retaliate and say yes it does and she says no it doesn't and starts to get all pouty. I tell her one again that it does look like a rose and tell her that she should find a book with a rose in it and see how close it is. I was not happy either. She asked me again to help and informed her that I would let her work alone, because if she was going to ask for my help and then tell me it wasn't good, then she could work by herself and I walked away.

Surprisingly enough it actually hurt my feelings....a kindergartener hurt my feelings because she said something bad about my drawing. I wasn't even mad about another kindergartener who noticed my not always clear complexion, but man I was not having this!

Friday, October 30, 2009

Just this week.....

So here are a few conversations that I encountered at school this week......

My third grade class was interrupted by a bus evacuation so I had about five minutes with them so they wanted to ask me some questions about myself

Student: What is your real name?
Me: Jenahlee

Student: What is your boyfriend's name?
Me: Todd

Student: Has your dad ever been to jail?
Me: No

Student: Where were you born?
Me: Washington
Students: COOOOOOL!
Me:Washington, Iowa
Students: OOOOOHHHHHHHH......(clearly not the Washington they were thinking)

During my fifth grade class....who were not acting right so I told them that if they wanted to waste class time then they could spend time with me on the bench at recess.....

Boy: Well what if you can't find us?
Me: Oh I'll find you
Boy: Well what if you don't?
Me: Well I know where you eat lunch and I know what door you have to come out and the playground isn't that big....
Boy: What if we get hit by an invisibility ray?
Me:......................?

While I'm tying a Kindergarten boy's shoes at recess.......

Boy: Sniff Sniff....mmm you smell good
Me: Oh yeah what do I smell like?
Boy: sniff...oranges
Me: Oh well thanks
Boy: sniff...and maybe strawberries too

and finally Todd encountered my same fifth grade friend with the invisibility ray when he came to drop off my coffee

To set the scene this boy is hiding behind a plant in the lobby of the school when Todd walks in

Boy: Peaking out from the plant...Are you a spy?
Todd: Yep....and he keeps on walking

Friday, October 2, 2009

What's next.....

So I am sitting in the Cedar Rapids airport, which is probably one of the smallest airports there is. I'm sure everyone is frustrated with the security check procedure and I wonder what will come next.....nakedness?

I have a carry on bag and one other bag that I brought with me....I had to have three tubs just for myself. My computer has to be by itself, my shoes have to be on the belt, my suitcase goes through by itself, my bracelet has its own little bin (which I put it in after the metal detector went off for this tiny little bit of metal (what could I possibly hide in there?) and then my phone has to be out of my bag and my other bag has to go through in a bin.....and then I feel bad because I have to repack everything as people are waiting to get through. I shouldn't be concerned about waiting though because it takes all of 7 minutes or less to get through security here.

I was happy that I wasn't required to wear a mask in case someone was spreading H1N1 although I think they should have some concern about spreading foot fungus since everyone has to walk through without their shoes on....SICK!

Well there is my rant for now....I'm on my way to Memphis for a little Chi Omega alumnae adventure, which should be a good time!

Friday, September 25, 2009

I'm back....!

So sorry I've been away...I think every day that I need to write on this and oh do I have the material to do but teaching is a busy lifestyle I'm attempting to keep up with.

I'm currently the elementary librarian in Hills and I love my job! I work in the library in the morning and have the pleasure (most days) of working with Kindergarten in the afternoons.

I am still living at home with my parents, saving a little money on the whole rent thing and actually getting a paycheck now! I'm also taking two grad classes that keep me busy as well with web design and reading all kind of wonderfully great young adult books!

Life at home is as eventful as usual and I wonder every day how some people would react to our lifestyle for example.....

My poor younger brother has been outnumbered by women for a few years now and is adapting well as are the rest of us. My sister, Joel and myself all use the same upstairs bathroom and it becomes quite the communal and I emphasize communal place in the morning.

Normally I am the first one up unless I am way too tired and keep hitting the news....but on a normal day I get into the shower and am out of the bathroom when Joel is making his way out of his room (normally in skivies) to the bathroom. Johannah may be up shortly after this, but it depends on the morning. Once I figure out what I am wearing, it's back to the bathroom where Joel is still taking care of business (if you know what I mean) we don't have a lot "boundaries" when it comes to mornings in the bathroom because there is not enough time or space to have them.

By the time he is done Johannah is more than likely up and getting ready or going to the bathroom. We each take a mirror, swapping back and forth to use the sink that actually drains at a normal rate or use each other's stuff etc. Joel has started the shower and instead of asking us to leave he just hides under the curtain, gets undressed and hops in. Like I said he is adapting well. Once he gets out he used the "bathroom brush" as he calls it to comb out his hair. Watch out if this brush is gone because it is his favorite one (I'm guessing this comes from living with girls?)

Eventually we are all pretty much ready and headed out the door to work or school...I'm sure to some people this routine would seem a little strange but that's our life an so far its working out pretty well!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

So close I can taste it

So I am one on campus session away from being completely done with my first summer of grad school classes and I am psyched! The summer has flown by and hasn't really felt like a summer so far so I am looking forward to three solid weeks of enjoying what I have left of it.

Next week I go on vacation with Todd's family to the Wisconsin Dells and it should be really fun. I think it will just be nice to be able to relax and doing absolutely nothing that involves cataloging, reading a textbook or anything related to school....except maybe some reading but it is all fiction reading so I tend to enjoy that anyways.

I haven't really had anything funny to write about lately but I've been super busy with my classes....although if I could record what some people say in those classes and put it on here you would probably die! It is ridiculous.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Potterwatch at the Burrow

So I'm currently taking part in a Harry Potter marathon at Todd's sister's apartment. We are calling it the Burrow and our marathon or movie watching is called Potterwatch. We are doing this in preparation of going to the newest installment in the HP movie series, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

I can't even tell you how excited I am to go see this movie and how much it has been killing me not to be able to go until now (since it came out on Wednesday). I just finished re-reading the book and I'm excited to see how they put it in to movie form. As with all book to movie remakes I'm sure there will be a lot of changes but I still think it is going to be amazing. I think if you go into knowing that it will be different then it will be even better.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Twitterfeed

So I'm posting this to see if it will work on twitterfeed.

If this comes up on twitter take a look at my blog!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

I think I'm talking to myself

So I'm sorry for the delay in posting but I just started my grad program at UNI in school library studies and I've been pretty busy!   The funny thing is that I have to have a blog for a class I'm taking, along with a facebook page, a ning  page, etc. etc.

It's also hard to really write a lot when I'm pretty sure I'm just talking to myself on here anyways!

I do have a funny story to share though....

As most of you know I started living with Jacayla up in Cedar Falls and the other day we were shopping for groceries at Fareway.  Jacayla decided that we should have some beer in our fridge so this conversation took place in the alcoholic beverages isle.

Jacayla grabs a 12 pack of Bud Select bottles....

Jack: Aren't you going to get some Coors Light?

Me: No I can just drink that....I don't think we need 24 bottles of beer in our fridge.

Jack: Well what if we want to get really.....naughty some night?

So by itself this doesn't seem to bad but as she is saying a semi young man in walking right by her and she was basically making us sound like we were lovers!

After I looked at her like what in the heck did you just say?  We took our cart and ran in to the next isle!  She then tells me she didn't even mean to say that, she was wanting to say trashed or some word along those lines but naughty is the word that came out!

HAHAHAHA!  The first of many stories to come from the new version of Sister Sister!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Summer is here...but not for long!

So I've finally finished up my undergrad schooling and my "summer" has begun.  My summer will consist of three weekend worth of weddings in June (one of which I am in and very excited about), starting my graduate program at UNI & spending three days a week in Cedar Falls, doing a little babysitting and working on a manual for the good old UBO.

To start off my summer I had the pleasure of taking a trip to L
as Vegas for my good friend Lindsay's bachelorette party....which might I add was a blast!  I felt like such a VIP for the whole trip....being on lists for clubs, eating on the roof of a hotel and being the stars of the piano lounge. Needless to say the 11 of us girls who went had a great time and I think the pictures will help explain it more than I can!




















Me and the Bride to be in front of the water ballet at the Bellagio!




















Dale Chihuly glass....a famous artist just so you know!










On top of the Rio where we ate at the Voo Doo Lounge






















Me and "Jack Nicholson" at the dueling pianos lounge.....a group of us didn't sleep the entire night and hopped on our shuttle to the airport at 5am!!!

Can't wait for the wedding!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

All good things must come to an end....

So...during the past couple of weeks it has really been hitting me that one I'm about to enter the "real" world, two my brother Joel is just about a senior, three my sister Jacayla is getting ready to start grad school, and four my other sister Johannah looks like a 20 year old and some days acts like one to even though she just about to be a Freshman in high school.

As I head in to my last week of student teaching, I won't lie it makes me a little nervous and excited as the same time, so I guess a good word to sum it all up would be anxious.  I check out the teaching job website just about every day, only to find nothing new that I would be interested in and sometimes it is to my relief, because the thought of interviewing makes me super nervous as well.  I was accepted in to a grad program for school library studies, which I can start this summer so if I don't find a job I can always go to school full time instead of part time and substitute teach as well.....but either way I'm still feeling quite anxious.

Joel had prom yesterday and even though I spent the whole time after grand march following him around like a puppy dog taking pictures, I knew that soon it would be his senior year and senior prom and if we didn't all the pictures we could of everything he was doing he would be upset later on.  It makes me pretty sad to think that little Joel or Wolly as I call him sometimes will be going on to "bigger and better" things, but I know when the time comes he will be ready, even though there is a small chance he will go to ISU (my least favorite school in the world) it probably is the best fit for him as a farm boy from small town Iowa.

Jacayla graduates from her undergrad at UNI this weekend in just three years (yeah she puts me to shame) but she is starting grad school right away and we are all very proud of her and I know she loves what she is doing so the time will fly by!

As Johannah gets ready to soon enough have a license and becoming a top of the food chain freshman at the junior high, she is way beyond her years (most likely thanks to me and Jacayla and the lack of editing that goes on in our household)  I know she will be a senior way before I know it!

So the moral of the story is life does go on and all good things come to an end, but then a new good thing begins and so the story of life goes!

Well this is one of my more sentimental blogs, but I thought for it being this time of year it was only fitting! :)

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Gas....Fart....Toot...Pass Gas...Fluff......etc.

So I think I hear a kid fart at least 5-10 times a day.

Today in one of my kindergarten classes ONE kid farted about 4 or 5 times during time on the carpet, which is about 15 or 20 minutes.  You have no idea how hard it is to keep reading my book and completely ignore the fact that this kid is farting and of course they are all giggling.

One kids finally says man you are really gassy today.

Then of course I have to say alright calm down, we all do it so let's just move on.

OH kids....

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Who Knew....

Who knew....

You could be a monkey when you grow up....

Paper Towel tubes could be a weapon (literally....a kid tried to hit me with one)

A pneumonic device for knowing North, East, South, West could be......
Never Eat Red Wheat (guess we aren't going south)

Just thought you should know!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

When one letter can make all the difference....

So as you all know I am currently in my elementary art student teaching placement, which I am loving! Plus it makes for some good stories....

My fourth grade class has been working on puppets for the past couple weeks.  The first day they made the head and arms out of clay.

The second week they took time to create a sketch and persona for their puppet, they could pretty much do whatever they wanted.

So one of my students decides he wants to do a rapper and comes up with a great sketch with lots of money signs and descriptive words like nice, friendly, etc (which I was glad to see that this was his take on what a rapper should be)

I didn't see it right away when he turned it in, but when I was looking through them later I found a small but BIG mistake.

At the top of the page he had attempted to write the position of his puppet....rapper

But instead, he forgot one letter and this is how it was spelled....

R-A-P-E-R

Needless to say, even if his rapper is now a raper, his puppet looks awesome  complete with a bling necklace and sideways hat...when he's finished I'll have to post pics.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Don't punch Art Work!

So  I know it has been a little while since I have written, but student teaching has been very time consuming, especially when we were getting ready for the GIANT art show that was tonight!

I have learned a lot from my young students and I thought I would share some of it with you....definitely facts everyone should know....

My cooperating teacher was talking to the students about the art show and how the school was going to be like a museum and how they should treat the art work and act at the art show.

Teacher: What should we not do to the art at the art show?

Student: Don't touch it

Another students raises their hand

Student 2: Don't punch it!

and another

Student 3: Don't pinch it

Lesson 1: Long story short don't touch, punch or pinch art work.

Lesson 2: Pipe cleaners look like snakes, tigers, bears AND bats.....who knew!?!?!?

Lesson 3: Thorough directions don't always cut it....see story below

The teacher gave a demonstration on how to make a sculpture by sticking pipe cleaners, beads, old pens and other thing into styrofoam.....basically they have a lot of freedom to stick a bunch of stuff in styrofoam to create a pretty cool looking sculpture.  After the demo the students go back to their seats to start working

A student sticks one pipe cleaner in the middle of his foam piece walk up to the teacher and says, "I'm done, now what?"

This same student was having a pretty rough day in art and was asked to return to his seat several times...I think he kind of gets in trouble a lot :(  The next morning we see him and another extremely cute little girl walking down the hall together and she says, "Larry's said he's going to get it together."

Lesson 4: Kindergartners=Hilarity



Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Art is a verb....

So I just started my second placement for student teaching, but now I am at the elementary level and oh man these kids are FUNNY!

Today I had two sections of 4th grade and four sections of 1st grade.  One of my first graders told me this "story" while he was putting his artwork on the drying rack. (We were doing crayon wax resist with watercolors.)

"I am an artist I um I art a lot.  I um have arted um 13 things. I'm um an artist an I art a lot. I don't do paintings like this one but I do do paintings like this one.

Me: Everyone is an artist in the artroom

(Nodding his head) But I'm an artist and I art a lot.......


On a different note I also watched a little boy write a love note...it said "I luve you (so & so) will you mary me?

Stayed tuned for more stories! 

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Girl bonding

So we took off for Davenport yesterday, my mom, Jacayla, Johannah and myself and we were having a conversation about bachelorette parties and this conversation took place....

Jack (to me): Don't worry I'll throw you a slammin bachelorette party

Me: Well I guess Johannah will have to use a fake then

Mom (to Johannah): We are going to have your bachelorette at Disney World

Johannah: Um no

Mom: laughs

Johannah: Who would strip for me?.......Mickey Mouse?

WAY beyond her years!

Friday, March 20, 2009

"Fast Food" and White American Cheese

So we made the journey back home to good old Iowa today and oh was it a treat.

We get to the airport in Las Vegas two hours early and got through check-in and security in about 30 minutes.....so we obviously have some time to kill since our flight wasn't supposed to leave until 3:15.  Jacayla and I had not really eaten so once we got into the terminal we found a Pizza Hut Express and decided to eat there.

This is the type of Pizza Hut where they have four things on the menu to make the process of filling orders as easy as possibly, hence the "express" in Pizza Hut express.  So we wait in line and decide we are going to get the number 3, a personal pan pepperoni pizza, breadsticks and a drink for 9 bucks.  We step up the front of the line and before we can even order the lady asks us to look around on the floor and see if there is a dollar there because the lady who ordered before us told her that she didn't give her enough change and she just couldn't believe that she would have done such a thing...there was no dollar.  We tell the lady we want to 2 #3's and she says really loud so everyone behind us can hear "WE DON'T HAVE ANY BREADSTICKS" as if we should have already known that.  Ok fine, no problem so I decide to get a buffalo chicken pizza and Jacayla wants a pepperoni pizza.  Of course there is no pepperoni available so the cashier says it will be seven minutes before its ready....so we wait.  

Clearly there was NOTHING express about this place!!!  They have four things on the menu! In a busy airport there should be a constant flow of pizzas going through the oven, I don't work at Pizza Hut and I realize that this is how things should work.

SO......we get back to Iowa

My mom and Johannah pick us up from the airport and Johannah has a dance competition this weekend so she needed some stuff from Super Wal-Mart.  When we get there, none of us had eaten so we decide to hit up the Subway in the store before it closes. When we get there it appears as if only one person is working and there is a group of women in front of us with their two kids. Now for the purpose of this story I must tell you that the lady who worked there and these women and their children were black and I'm pretty sure one of them worked in Wal-Mart as well.  So they are ordering and the Subway sandwich "artist" asks what kind of chesse they want.  The women who was ordering asked what kind the white triangle cheese was and she was like American...and then repeats herself with a little bit of sass and says White American.  We all started laughing, maybe because in a sort of awkward situation like this that was all we could do.  So they finish up and get their food for free because they all must know each other.

So now its our turn to order.  The lady who had taken the order for the people in front of us yells out to the girl mopping the floor and tells her to come take our order because she needs to clean...or power clean as she called it.  The next thing we know some young boy comes in, walks right behind the counter and they both go outside to have a smoke.  So we are left with this one girl to take our order.  Jacayla orders a 6inch turkey on wheat bread....pretty simple right?  OH NO! This girl took a good 5-7 minutes just to get the bread cut and the meat on the sandwich and then she had to put the vegetables on and wrap it up and then she came back to take my order (ten minutes later)

So I order a 6 inch tuna on wheat bread.  She gets the bread out and goes to put the tuna on but the scooper is gone.  So she looks around for a few minutes and then heads to the back to look there.  Five minutes later she comes back with no scoop and looks at my empty bread.  So I'm starting to wonder what she is going to do about not having a scoop.  Is she going to use her hand or what or the bread itself?  Finally the first subway lady comes back and Jacayla asks he if she can help us because we don't know what is going on.  The girl who was helping me has since gone in to the back again to look.  SO the lady yells at her and says you can do the dishes in the back and I'll take care of this.

So we all get our sandwiches ordered and mom is the last to go.  Mom gets to the part where they put all the extras on and a phone (that the people who had come in before us left behind) rings and the lady answers it with her gloves on.  Then she decides to ring up the kid behind us who just wants chips, and gives him his change with the gloves on....THEN she comes back and finishes mom's sandwich WITH THE GLOVES ON!!!

What is society coming to??  No wonder there was a sign hanging up that say "Hiring."  Hopefully their screening process will be better the next time around.

So for the record our two "fast" food stops for the day took about 45 minutes total.....what part of this statement doesn't make sense?

Glad to be home.....

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Out of towners

So yesterday Jack and I decided to pamper ourselves a little bit and get pedicures....at Super Wal-Mart.

Of course we could barely understand the two Asian MEN that were doing our nails and this conversation ensued....

Nail Man: Where are you from?

Us: Iowa

Nail Man: Do you model? 

Me:(Keep in mind I had no idea what he said so I just did what anyone would I said yes an smiled)

Nail Man: Super Models from Iowa.....

Me: Oh no we are not models

Nail Man: oh beautiful girls...(or something like that)

I guess you probably had to be there but it was pretty funny, but my ego was taken down a notch shortly after when the nail man had to get out what looked like a Dremmel tool for my toe nails....it sounds more disgusting that it really was, he was just smoothing out the uneven surface of my nails but needless to say it didn't make me feel very good about myself


Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Meet Rocco

So in our time here in AZ we have gotten to know our brother's dog Rocco an Italian grayhound and he isn't your typical dog.  This dog eats carrots for snacks, he has to be invited before he will come lay with you and rather than sitting down and catching food in his mouth he has to jump up (usually pretty high) to catch it in mid-air.  He is a little hyper and taking him for a walk is more like a brisk jog, which is a good way to force you to pick up the pace in your exercise regimen.  In true dog fashion he does chase one of their cats Nala every once in a while and he likes to wrestle with Jonathan just about every night, which I might add he looks pretty vicious when he does.

I think my favorite thing about him is that he was born and raised in AZ but his favorite toy is a bean filled furry sweet corn toy.....like father like dog I guess....



 


Monday, March 16, 2009

Who likes lobster?

I hate lobster but I sure look like one!  After a day down in Lake Havasu I think I've had my fill of sunshine for a couple of days.  

We decided to take the trip down to the Lake to take in some rays but we definitely took in a lot more than sun.  Obviously, it is spring break time around here and Havasu is a pretty popular place.  The channel was full of boats and half naked people for our viewing "enjoyment."  I guess they did have some good advice to give though, I received a few yells from boats about how red I was and I didn't think a lot of it....I should have.

I'll post some pics later! Off to eat lunch with Sherry!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Nerdy boyfriends are SWEET!

So I'm not sure how I functioned before I met Todd.  Besides all of his wonderful personality traits he also has quite a knack for computers and anything that goes along with them. (I needed to preface the story I'm about to tell with this tid-bit of information)

So after a very lazy day of hanging out at the Harley store BBQ, shopping at Wal-Mart, trying to nap, running and trying to nap again my brother came home from work.  After having some troubles with the internet for part of the day I asked him what his router was named and he said he wasn't sure and he also mentioned that he needed to put a password on it.  Their internet and cable provider has been broadcasting these super corny commercials about protecting your router from people so they can't steal your identity, so I guess he felt like he should and rightly so.  So I did the only thing I knew to do I called Todd (or Skyped him...this is our way of talking for free and it has video chat so its kind of like we are hanging out)

So I log on to what I think is Jonathan's router and Todd remotes in to my computer, which means he was controlling my computer all the way from Iowa.  He gets everything all figured out and a new password on the router.  So after I hang up the phone the internet was not working as well I thought it should be so I called him back.  Come to find out we have not only logged in to the wrong router but changed the password and everything!  WOOPS!!   So after a lot of working and Todd magically taking over my computer several times we got it all figured out.

I highly encourage everyone to get Skype is has lots of great qualities...like me being to give Todd who is almost 2,000 miles away a video tour of my brothers house...its almost like he's here!As you can probably tell my nerdy boyfriend has rubbed off on his girlfriend aka me.

Well we are getting ready to watch Role Models and chill so I will update again tomorrow with details from my spring break trip.  I think the plan is to head to Lake Havasu to spend another lazy day in the sun!

The Joys of Airport Security

So Jacayla (my sister) and I have made it safely to Las Vegas and now to Kingman, AZ to visit Jonathan (our brother)  We flew out of Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids and if you have ever been there it is sort of a joke.  Our flight was at 8:55 PM.  Most airports say to allow for a couple hours to get through check in and security....with this airport if you allow yourself 2 hours, come prepared with things to do or get ready to saddle up to the bar and throw back a few beers.

We arrived at the airport around 7:30.  Before we went in I said oh maybe we should have come earlier, I forgot about spring break travelers. We get to the check in desk....no line.  It takes about 2 minutes to check in.  The next 20 minutes are spent listening to dad make fun of people who walk by and saying look there's your mom in twenty year (as some old lady walk by) or that's Todd (my 6'4" boyfriend) in 20 years as a short fat security guard saunters past. My question was how many people were saying the same about him in his grungy work clothes and a sweatshirt that has a whole in the stomach, which I called his belly shirt...:)

Airport security took a couple minutes longer than normal since I got pulled aside for a bag check on my computer....I was hoping Todd hadn't hid anything in my computer that I didn't know about :) and we head to one of the 3 terminals.

The flight was about 3 hours and we had to sit two rows apart due to a full flight and not wanting to pay $30 extra dollars to sit by each other.  I sat next to a father and his son who didn't say a single word to me...so I guess I can't complain too much.

When we arrive in Las Vegas, we head to baggage claim where we see our brother jumping up and down waving.  We get out bags and Jack wants to pull her first slot.  She puts in a dollar and as it was her first time she didn't know how to run the machine so after showing her she didn't win anything...and said well that was about the extent of gambling I wanted to do so we headed for the car.

1 1/2 hours later we arrive in Kingman, I think we both slept most of the way and after a greeting from Jonathan and Crystal's dog Rocko we hits the sheets both of slept late according to our time zone but with the two hour time difference we slept till 8:30 AM AZ time.(I don't feel quite as lazy now)

Looking forward to a week of relaxation and warm!
 

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The little things...

It is amazing to me how high schools students react when you take them back to their childhood in some way.  Today was my last A day with my students and I brought cookies.  You would have thought it was Christmas.  Note to self...if I get a high school teaching job or any job for that matter, invest in stickers and have a snack day every once in awhile because these simple little things can brighten someone's day.

Quote of the day: "Miss V are you a baker in your free time?"

Unfortunately I can't take credit for the cookies, I have my mom to thank for that, but I did help frost and sprinkle...which some would say is the best part!  Needless to say the cookies were a big hit with my kids and I am sad to be leaving them...the kids that is.


Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Part of my inspiration...

So I come home from school today....I actually got to come straight home!! (The simple joys in life) and my mom has made 14 dozen cookies for me to take to my students on my last two days of student teaching at my high school placement....isn't that nice?  She told me that my dad came home earlier today and asked her what she was making all the cookies for and this conversation ensued....

Dad: What are all these cookies for?

Mom: Jenahlee is taking them as gifts for her students since this is her last week.

Dad: are they high school students?

Mom: Yes

Dad: Well give 'em rubbers then


She also points out the recently defaced Corn Flakes box....courtesy of my dad...(see the picture below)



Left: Weed Flakes Right:I smoked grass & Be Cool smoke dope


Surprisingly enough all of his children have turned out pretty normal!

The Joys of Student Teaching Part 1

So I am just about to finish up my current student teaching placement which is in a high school in small town Iowa.  I grew up in a small town so I was happy to be placed in an environment that was similar to what I knew growing up.  Kids have changed so much since I was in high school, which I expected but not like this.  Kids have SO much to deal with these days, that it is pretty amazing that some of them even make it to school at all.

Not only do these students make it to school almost everyday they are also dealing with all kinds of other things going on and home, with their friends and their own personal problems.  In my 8 weeks at this school I have come in contact with students who have tried committing suicide, kids who are now special needs because of tragic accidents in their lives, kids with parents in prison, parents without jobs or money, divorced parents, parents married to spouses only a few years older than their kid, druggies, felons, you name it I've probably had a student who has dealt with it and I only have around 140 students in my art room over the course of two days...not good odds.  Most of the time you would never know that some of these kids are going through all this unless someone else told you or you took the time to talk to the kids.

Outside of these not so great things that kids have to go through, its obvious that most of them just want a little bit of love and attention.  I can honestly say I was scared to come into a high school building to student teach, but now I wish I could stay longer.  I have so much love for these kids, especially those I have built relationships with, that I wish I could stay longer.  Even though a lot of the times these kids may give me a hard time or act like they don't want anything to do with the art room, there may be one day that you know they appreciate you or they may say one thing that lets you know that they do care that makes it all worth it!

This scenario comes from one of my students who I am convinced gets his kicks off giving me a hard time (we'll call him T)
Me: Hey T, I bet you are glad that this is my last week here.
T: What?
Me: I said I bet you are glad this is my last week, I won't be back after spring break.
T: Really, that means the real teacher is going to be teaching then
His table mate: Well that wasn't very nice
T: Yes it was I just said I liked her better than the real teacher.

We all show appreciation in different ways...