The kids were in another chess tournament this weekend. Both performed quite well! Our Kohler team had 4 kids in the K-5 group. The K-5 group took home the 4th place team trophy. We had two kids from the 4th grade, my daughter in the 3rd grade and my son in the first grade.
The boy child won 3 matches, had a stalemate on one match and lost two matches. He came in 13th place. The girl child won 1 match, had stalemate on one match and lost 4 matches. She came in 31st place. I am so proud of both of them! The both try so hard and do not give up trying to learn more strategies.
Also, the kids were in the local paper for a previous tournament. Click on the link and scroll down to "page 16" of the Kohler Villager. It was just about a full page article. Pretty cool.
Kohler Villager
We have two more tournaments in the next two weeks. We will be doing a lot of practicing. Wish them both lots of luck!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
My Mother gave me a "Gasp"
My mom complemented me on my hair.
She didn't do that much as I grew up. She liked my hair short. I grew it long. No complements.
My hair is long now. A real nice style - my hairdresser does wonders. She has even custom created the color it is right now.
Anyway, my mom complemented me on my hair, then came in for a closer look because I told her that it has been three months since my last cut and color.
She saw my gray strands.
I heard a "gasp" as she stepped back.
Yes mom, I am almost 40. I may not act it but my hair constantly reminds me that I am getting older.
I need to get to my hairdresser more often or my mom may suffer a heart attack the next time.
She didn't do that much as I grew up. She liked my hair short. I grew it long. No complements.
My hair is long now. A real nice style - my hairdresser does wonders. She has even custom created the color it is right now.
Anyway, my mom complemented me on my hair, then came in for a closer look because I told her that it has been three months since my last cut and color.
She saw my gray strands.
I heard a "gasp" as she stepped back.
Yes mom, I am almost 40. I may not act it but my hair constantly reminds me that I am getting older.
I need to get to my hairdresser more often or my mom may suffer a heart attack the next time.
Monday, March 24, 2008
They may look like us...
Our daughter - a reflection of her father. He cannot deny her as his.
She's becoming her own person.
1. She's read this book called Crossing the Wire as her independent project. She found it in the school library. I've done some research now that she is done (a little late). Middle and high schools have this book on their lists to read. Ok, be impressed at her reading ability - I am, but I don't think she understands the content. It is about a 15 year old boy (she hasn't lived that long) and his journey to the US from Mexico - illegally. I rationalized that she cannot understand the plight he endures, the stories of those he meets nor the wrongness of his actions for whatever his intent might be. I am just about finished reading it myself and there will be a discussion when I do. I may learn something about my daughter!
2. She is not like other kids. She didn't get all excited about Easter this year. Most kids are excited about the easter bunny - eggs - egg hunts - baskets - all the sensationalized and commercialized aspects of Easter. After all, she is a kid and kids are sucked into that more than adults. Except this year she said on several different occasions "Easter is not about the bunny, it is about how Jesus rose from the dead to give is eternal life." When I talked with her, she knew exactly what occurred on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. She didn't just spout off information - she created her own viewpoint - one with wisdom beyond her years. I need to keep talking with her. She inspires me!
Our son - a little like me. He is just as retentive and has my bright blue eyes.
1. I am anxious. I may need to someday come to terms that our son may grow up to be (sigh) a vegetarian. My husband and I are omnivores. We eat our veggies with our meat. It's a side dish. I don't know how to plan vegetarian meals and quite frankly - I don't want to learn. I am happy making pork tenderloin or chicken breasts or beef tacos. I don't like replacing beans that have a "meaty" flavor for the real thing. Right now, I just keep offering meats, and if he eats it, great; If not, it's more for the rest of us. I just hope that the eggs in the morning and the peanut butter sandwiches provide enough protein for him.
She's becoming her own person.
1. She's read this book called Crossing the Wire as her independent project. She found it in the school library. I've done some research now that she is done (a little late). Middle and high schools have this book on their lists to read. Ok, be impressed at her reading ability - I am, but I don't think she understands the content. It is about a 15 year old boy (she hasn't lived that long) and his journey to the US from Mexico - illegally. I rationalized that she cannot understand the plight he endures, the stories of those he meets nor the wrongness of his actions for whatever his intent might be. I am just about finished reading it myself and there will be a discussion when I do. I may learn something about my daughter!
2. She is not like other kids. She didn't get all excited about Easter this year. Most kids are excited about the easter bunny - eggs - egg hunts - baskets - all the sensationalized and commercialized aspects of Easter. After all, she is a kid and kids are sucked into that more than adults. Except this year she said on several different occasions "Easter is not about the bunny, it is about how Jesus rose from the dead to give is eternal life." When I talked with her, she knew exactly what occurred on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. She didn't just spout off information - she created her own viewpoint - one with wisdom beyond her years. I need to keep talking with her. She inspires me!
Our son - a little like me. He is just as retentive and has my bright blue eyes.
1. I am anxious. I may need to someday come to terms that our son may grow up to be (sigh) a vegetarian. My husband and I are omnivores. We eat our veggies with our meat. It's a side dish. I don't know how to plan vegetarian meals and quite frankly - I don't want to learn. I am happy making pork tenderloin or chicken breasts or beef tacos. I don't like replacing beans that have a "meaty" flavor for the real thing. Right now, I just keep offering meats, and if he eats it, great; If not, it's more for the rest of us. I just hope that the eggs in the morning and the peanut butter sandwiches provide enough protein for him.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Using blogs in the classroom
I want my students to not forget everything we've been working on the last two weeks. See, spring break starts in three days and we will not get to the chapter test before break. My plan? Get the kids to blog. I created a ChemChat blog site. The purpose is for me to disseminate information and for the students to share what they find or comment on a question that I may pose. If any of my friends/family have any other suggestions as to how I can use it, I'd love your input!
Here is the website!
http://chemchat.blogspot.com/
Here is the website!
http://chemchat.blogspot.com/
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Happiness turns to __?__
I was mad.
No, more frustrated - grading quizzes and they really suck (not my quiz but how the kids did).
My hubby tries to cheer me up.
He sees me eying his skin - I have a pen - he says "You want to draw on me?"
YES
I'm blissful!
The kids come in.
Daddy's back is showing and I imitate drawing on his back and the kids want to draw now.
They do...
They are now ecstatic!
They ask us to draw on their feet and toes.
(I am accustomed to doing that to them - they'd make up "toe shows" - we're too poor for puppets)
The joy continues...
Daddy makes a boy face on the bottom of the boy's foot.
The boy asks me to make a mom on the other - so I draw me.
Here is when we become embarrassed...
The boy pushes the bottoms of his feet together and says "They're kissing"
He follows that with vim...he moves is feet into the horizontal position - the drawn faces still touching..."guess what they're doing now?"
Horror
Shock
Embarrassment
"They are having the 's' word"
We started a talk...
There will be more tomorrow.
Have we had an audience?
Gasp
No, more frustrated - grading quizzes and they really suck (not my quiz but how the kids did).
My hubby tries to cheer me up.
He sees me eying his skin - I have a pen - he says "You want to draw on me?"
YES
I'm blissful!
The kids come in.
Daddy's back is showing and I imitate drawing on his back and the kids want to draw now.
They do...
They are now ecstatic!
They ask us to draw on their feet and toes.
(I am accustomed to doing that to them - they'd make up "toe shows" - we're too poor for puppets)
The joy continues...
Daddy makes a boy face on the bottom of the boy's foot.
The boy asks me to make a mom on the other - so I draw me.
Here is when we become embarrassed...
The boy pushes the bottoms of his feet together and says "They're kissing"
He follows that with vim...he moves is feet into the horizontal position - the drawn faces still touching..."guess what they're doing now?"
Horror
Shock
Embarrassment
"They are having the 's' word"
We started a talk...
There will be more tomorrow.
Have we had an audience?
Gasp
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Dear Grandma and Grandpa
So, I called my grandparents yesterday after speaking to my father. He had given me both the good news and the bad news. Good News! My grandmother's cataract surgery went well. She was able to drive the next day, which was good since she had to take my grandfather to see the doctor. Bad News! My grandfather had surgery the same day as my grandmother - only his was because of a pain he was having in his abdomen. The doctor found cancer. He sees an oncologist this week. Grandma filled in all the details. Then she asked some questions of me. She didn't hear me very well. I remember one time talking to grandma and when we were just about finished I heard grandpa yelling to her in the background, "Next time let her do some talking!" Now I realized something...she talks more because she cannot hear what I have to say and that frustrates her - so, since grandma and grandpa have my blog as their favorite, I am going to write about the current goings-on of my family. Oh - I do not use names, for the kids' safety. This is for you Grandma and Grandpa!!
We are in our third quarter of school - it is hard to believe that half of this school year has already gone by. The girl child is doing so well with school - she is reading books well beyond her age level. The librarian loves that our girl child likes to challenge herself. She has completed all her multiplication tests and when the rest of the class does as well, the whole class gets an ice cream party. I have recently become concerned with ADD (attention deficit disorder) based on her concentration at home and the teacher sees many of the signs as well - so we are going to take her to the doctor this month. I do not want to medicate her, just diagnose it if true and use alternate methods to redirect her attention. The boy child is doing great in school as well. He doesn't like to read as much as the girl but he loves math and science. He's trying to do the same math work that his sister does. He has really enjoyed school this year - I think a lot of it has to do with his teacher, she is just so great with him. I believe that is why is has taken to chess. The level of thinking and planning in chess is what pushes him and he desires that! My husband has been working so hard. When he has free time he is working on home improvement tasks. He has already completed the hardwood floors and painted our daughter's room. His next project is the stairs and the walk-through room upstairs. In addition to his business, he's been working at a part time job during the day - to get him out of the house and the extra money is helping. He does his just drive work most evenings and Saturdays - doing at least 60 hours of driving a month on top of the 6 - 8 hours classroom teaching he's doing each week. I know that for some people, when you think of only 60 hours a month that it doesn't seem like a lot, but all his work is after school hours, so he works from 4 to 8:30 most days of the week and all day Saturdays. That is a lot of time away from the kids and me - but we do fine. We look forward to Saturday evenings and Sundays. Also, we look forward to summers because he doesn't work weekends at all then. Speaking of summer, I have both of the kids signed up for 4 weeks of camp at the local YMCA camp. In addition, the girl child will have a small stint at Camp Evelyn (a Girl Scout Camp) and the boy child will have a week at chess camp as well. I hope this gives them plenty of things to do this summer. As for me, I am staying busy raising a family and teaching. I am still a troop leader for our daughter's Girl Scout troop. I recently organized the Father-Daughter Dance for all the Girl Scouts of Kohler. I have been exercising a lot. The good news is at my last screening, all the numbers for my HDL, LDL, triglycerides and such that indicate heart and blood health were off the charts in a good way! I am still chunky and overweight, but I am a healthy fat person! I still try to scrap when I have time. I haven't been able to do many of my Friday scrap nights this year and I will also miss the weekend getaway next month. (Kohler is hosting a chess tournament and both the hubby and I are to be monitors - when the match is done, the kids call us over to determine if one person is really in a check mate.) One thing that we've been doing a lot of as a family is playing games. The kids love it! Anything from chess, to board games to a video game where we play instruments to songs...it is real fun when the hubby plays drums, the boy plays the bass guitar, the girl plays lead guitar and I sing.
Grandma and Grandpa - I hope that you enjoyed reading this. We hope to get up to Marinette to see you soon. We miss you very much and the kids are very concerned about both of you. We Love You Very Much!
We are in our third quarter of school - it is hard to believe that half of this school year has already gone by. The girl child is doing so well with school - she is reading books well beyond her age level. The librarian loves that our girl child likes to challenge herself. She has completed all her multiplication tests and when the rest of the class does as well, the whole class gets an ice cream party. I have recently become concerned with ADD (attention deficit disorder) based on her concentration at home and the teacher sees many of the signs as well - so we are going to take her to the doctor this month. I do not want to medicate her, just diagnose it if true and use alternate methods to redirect her attention. The boy child is doing great in school as well. He doesn't like to read as much as the girl but he loves math and science. He's trying to do the same math work that his sister does. He has really enjoyed school this year - I think a lot of it has to do with his teacher, she is just so great with him. I believe that is why is has taken to chess. The level of thinking and planning in chess is what pushes him and he desires that! My husband has been working so hard. When he has free time he is working on home improvement tasks. He has already completed the hardwood floors and painted our daughter's room. His next project is the stairs and the walk-through room upstairs. In addition to his business, he's been working at a part time job during the day - to get him out of the house and the extra money is helping. He does his just drive work most evenings and Saturdays - doing at least 60 hours of driving a month on top of the 6 - 8 hours classroom teaching he's doing each week. I know that for some people, when you think of only 60 hours a month that it doesn't seem like a lot, but all his work is after school hours, so he works from 4 to 8:30 most days of the week and all day Saturdays. That is a lot of time away from the kids and me - but we do fine. We look forward to Saturday evenings and Sundays. Also, we look forward to summers because he doesn't work weekends at all then. Speaking of summer, I have both of the kids signed up for 4 weeks of camp at the local YMCA camp. In addition, the girl child will have a small stint at Camp Evelyn (a Girl Scout Camp) and the boy child will have a week at chess camp as well. I hope this gives them plenty of things to do this summer. As for me, I am staying busy raising a family and teaching. I am still a troop leader for our daughter's Girl Scout troop. I recently organized the Father-Daughter Dance for all the Girl Scouts of Kohler. I have been exercising a lot. The good news is at my last screening, all the numbers for my HDL, LDL, triglycerides and such that indicate heart and blood health were off the charts in a good way! I am still chunky and overweight, but I am a healthy fat person! I still try to scrap when I have time. I haven't been able to do many of my Friday scrap nights this year and I will also miss the weekend getaway next month. (Kohler is hosting a chess tournament and both the hubby and I are to be monitors - when the match is done, the kids call us over to determine if one person is really in a check mate.) One thing that we've been doing a lot of as a family is playing games. The kids love it! Anything from chess, to board games to a video game where we play instruments to songs...it is real fun when the hubby plays drums, the boy plays the bass guitar, the girl plays lead guitar and I sing.
Grandma and Grandpa - I hope that you enjoyed reading this. We hope to get up to Marinette to see you soon. We miss you very much and the kids are very concerned about both of you. We Love You Very Much!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
I really like to teach
I really do! I have often wondered what impact am I really having on these kids - these students that walk into my classroom for Chemistry or Physical Science. Do I really teach them anything? Will they remember the skills I try to impart on them? Why are they in my class?
I know that I have a greater influence on my own children than their teacher, even though they spend more time with their teacher than me in any given school day. The thing is, I love my children more than anything. I want them to be happy. I want them to be independent learners... to be self motivated... to think through consequences... to know someone will always care for them... to know that I will always be there for them and love them.
I have so many students who do not have that at home, or worse, try to be away from home because it is so miserable there. So I teach. I teach a content that I believe is relevant. I’m not really going to make the case. I have to assume that you already know that every object has chemical composition and that chemicals trigger every feeling you experience. Chemistry and its methods are everywhere, from the toothpaste you use after you wake up every morning to the toothpaste you use, after which you go to bed at night… But more importantly, those skills I want my own children to have...to be self motivated...think through consequences... to be an independent learner...that is what I want from my students!
As that teacher, I want my students to know that even if there is nothing at home, they are welcome at school - and people care - teachers care. I want my students to know that I care. That is why I teach. I was lucky to grow up with two loving parents. Two people who taught me everything I am today. My husband and I are that to our kids.
I am lucky - I get to be a parent and a teacher.
I know that I have a greater influence on my own children than their teacher, even though they spend more time with their teacher than me in any given school day. The thing is, I love my children more than anything. I want them to be happy. I want them to be independent learners... to be self motivated... to think through consequences... to know someone will always care for them... to know that I will always be there for them and love them.
I have so many students who do not have that at home, or worse, try to be away from home because it is so miserable there. So I teach. I teach a content that I believe is relevant. I’m not really going to make the case. I have to assume that you already know that every object has chemical composition and that chemicals trigger every feeling you experience. Chemistry and its methods are everywhere, from the toothpaste you use after you wake up every morning to the toothpaste you use, after which you go to bed at night… But more importantly, those skills I want my own children to have...to be self motivated...think through consequences... to be an independent learner...that is what I want from my students!
As that teacher, I want my students to know that even if there is nothing at home, they are welcome at school - and people care - teachers care. I want my students to know that I care. That is why I teach. I was lucky to grow up with two loving parents. Two people who taught me everything I am today. My husband and I are that to our kids.
I am lucky - I get to be a parent and a teacher.
Monday, March 3, 2008
I do not mean to aggrandize, but...
I am just a proud mother!!!! We had another chess tournament that we participated in this past weekend. This time both of the kids played. It was a grade level competition, so first graders only competed against first graders and so on. Our son captured the 10th place metal, earning 3 wins, one stalemate and one loss. He, along with the other first grader from Kohler were the first grade team and took third place. They received a trophy for that honor. These boys were so proud of that trophy...they would not let go of it. It was cute how they were attached to each other via the trophy. Finally, I told both boys to give it to their coach and then let go of it. It was hard for them, but they did it. The Kohler teams earned a second trophy for the 7th grade level as well. Our daughter had two other third graders on her team. This was the first tournament for all three of them. Our
daughter earned a participation metal for coming in 60th place. She wasn't so impressed, but I was so pleased with her games. She did not win any matches but did stalemate on three of them. This was good for her to see other players and meet new people. She seems to be more attentive to the moves she makes after this experience.
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