KATE: Update

Please tell me you caught the rhyme.

On Saturday I told you all about the wonderful time I had at the KATE conference.  Since then, I've rehashed the experience times 5 as I told each class.  I thought you might be interested in their responses...

• In response to the picture of my decorations:  
• "Oh wow, that's really beautiful, Mrs. Carlson." - 15 year-old boy
• "Are those real pumpkins?" - 15 year-old boy
• "That is legit."
• "Did you carve all the pumpkins?" (note:  the pumpkins were those itty bitty ones)
• In response to the picture of Jay Asher and I:  "Mrs. Carlson, he is totally mackin' on you." - 15 year-old boy (are you noticing a trend??) - this comment was followed by an awkward back-pedal performed gracefully by yours truly...
• In response to one of the group pictures:  "Hey!  Those are all English teachers!"  

Cute kids.  And full of charm, wit, and grace. 

KATE

No, silly, not THAT Kate...although she does have great style.

THIS KATE.  That's where I was last week.  And it was super fab.  And I spent lots of time with Jay Asher.  If you don't know who he is, stop reading this blog immediately, go to your local library or bookstore, and don't leave until you have a copy of his book, Thirteen Reasons Why, in your hands.  It's dang good...I read it in an afternoon.  Please return once you have a copy.  We'll wait...

Waiting...

Waiting...

Still waiting...

Oh good, you've returned.  Before you begin the book, check out some pics from the conference planned by my colleague, John.

For those of you who chose not to follow the multitude of links above, KATE stands for "Kansas Association of Teachers of English".  My colleagues and friends, John and Bryan, and both on the board.  And as I mentioned, John was the master planner of this year's conference.  In September, he swung (swang?  swinged?) by room and asked if I would do table decor for the conference.  And since I love me a good challenge, I answered, "Duh, yes."

Here, my friends, is proof that I slapped some arrangements together while my colleagues threw down some napkins, baby-sized gourds, tulle, and books taken borrowed from the school's book closet - do not fear fellow teachers, said books are not currently being used by any teacher.  Said books will also be promptly returned Monday morning. 

 

Here I am!  Scratch that.  More importantly, here Jay Asher is!!!  He signed my copy.  Lest you think that's the only fun I had with him, just you wait.  

 Jay Asher (it is humanly impossible to call an author by just his first name) mentioned at lunch that he wanted to enjoy some quality ice cream with us later that evening.  We, of course, imagined he was joking.  My friends, he was not.  So we scheduled a time to meet Jay Asher in the lobby of our hotel, and we ventured out into the grand metropolis of Wichita.  Because I claim to know Wichita like the back of my hand, I was nominated as the official tour guide...which meant I got to ride shot-gun in our enormous suburban.  I'll take it.

So here we are at Braum's in northish, eastish Wichita.  For those of you who want to know (aka:  Mom), mentor Courtney is on the left, co-presenter Jess is on the right, conference planner John is on the right in red, and department head Bryan is on the right in green.  Oh, and Jay Asher is between Jess and Courtney. And my head is the enormous one at the front. 

 Following our time at Braum's, I gave Jay Asher a few options.  My options were mostly lame...because it was a Thursday night and I doubted anything cool would be happening.  BUT he chose to check out Old Town.  So we ventured even further west.  Old Town was anything but hopping, so we re-loaded the suburban and ventured back to our hotel.

On our way back, I nostalgically pointed out every memory I had in downtown Wichita.  I'm sure I sighed a baker's dozen times.  I haphazardly mentioned that there was a donut store with a chicken on top somewhere in downtown Wichita.  Jay Asher proclaimed, "I love donuts!!"  My immediate internal reaction:  dangit, I do not know where this donut store with a chicken on top is.  My heart began racing as I reached for my space phone to use an app (suggested to me by mentor/friend Courtney who just presented on using space phones in the classroom) to locate said donut store with a chicken on top.  But when I looked up, I spotted the most glorious sight in the distance - a ginormous chicken atop a two-story building!  I knew it was the donut store with a chicken on top.  So into the parking lot we pulled, into the donut store with a chicken on top we walked, various-flavored donuts we ordered, and atop cheetah-printed carpet we sat.  For over an hour.  We enjoyed feeling like carefree college students eating junk food late at night and talking about random 80's/90's movies.  Being the baby that I am, many of the early 90's/80's movie/culture references I did not understand, but to be in the presence of these wonderful people while sitting atop cheetah-printed carpet in a donut store with a chicken on top made the moment absolutely wonderful.

 Following our exploration of Wichita, we ended the night at the bar of our hotel where we all enjoyed girly drinks, purchased by none other than Jay Asher himself. 

Jay Asher, if you're reading this, thanks for the memories.  It was truly a memorable night.  

And John, thanks for planning such a fabulous conference (please imagine a high-pitched squeal at this time).  You plan a dang good conference. 

And colleagues/friends, thanks for being who you are.  I can't imagine teaching alongside anyone else.  You've truly made the first 12 months of my teaching career remarkable.  I owe much of who I am as a teacher to you.  

Funny

Sometimes life gets in the way of posting hilarious scenarios.  Case in point - the last 3 weeks.  To make up for lack of posts, here are a few funnies from the past several weeks...

• Freshman student drops a book as he enters the class.  He responds, "Oh, I'm so sorry to the entire world of literature!"  
• Whilst trying to be entirely serious to my freshmen about the need to stay focused in the computer lab, I said, "You need to prove to me that you can sit wherever you want.  I do NOT want to move me.  Uh, I mean, I do NOT want to move YOU."  Fail.
• On October 12, the students were recording the date on a piece of paper.  One student asked about the date, and I responded, "It's 10.12.11.  How cool!  Yesterday was 10.11.12!!  Did anyone notice that!?"  Blank stares.  Awkward silence.  Immediate realization.  Embarrassed follow-up:  "Dangit, it's not 2012."
• My freshmen always provide me with hilarious moments.  I may or may not have scared them into submission last week by threatening to make them write an essay every other day if they don't stay focused.  I said, "We don't have to keep doing what we're doing.  It doesn't bother me either way.  It would NOT make me sad to assign you an essay 3 times a week."  Sweet, well-meaning, occasionally class-clown responds, "Mrs. Carlson, you know it would make you sad to assign that."  I may or may not have cut him off mid-sentence.  Perhaps because I knew if I let him keep talking, I would lose my focus and begin giggling uncontrollably.
• Last week, a student was texting in class.  I told him to put his phone away.  Normally such a request works like a charm.  Unfortunately, this time I was given the "finger".  I know what you're thinking.  Not that finger.  He gave the index finger...as if to say, "Wait a second.  I'm not done yet."  My response was a fierce march in his general direction to retrieve his phone for the duration of the day.  
• A few weeks ago, the fire alarm started ringing about 20 minutes into class.  Instead of chaotically heading out the door, my sweet students lined up single-file until I noticed and told them to get moving.  Sweet kiddos.  So compliant. 

That's all I have, folks.  Thanks for being faithful.  I'll leave you with a symbolic picture.  I'd like to think this is how I look/feel when a student has a light-bulb moment.  Filled with elation.

Happy weekend, friends!

Advice?

This week, I was asked to write a one-page essay of advice for novice teachers.  I love writing, but forced writing is not my favorite thing.  *Cue "now you know how your students feel".*  I know.  But as soon as I started writing, I couldn't stop.  I had well over a page and ended up trimming most of the stylistic aspects.  I'm certain I don't have all the answers for novice teachers, but I'm also certain that my advice is sound.  So new teachers, read this.  Be inspired, or, at the very least, know that better days are ahead.

After successfully completing your first year of teaching, what advice would you give a beginning teacher?

            First of all, just relax.  Your “to-do” list will be long, and it will not shrink until May.  And then you’ll start to think about everything you want to change for next year, and your list will lengthen again. Everything will get done, you just need to prioritize. 

            Utilize the resources around you.  Regardless of the size of your school, there will be at least one veteran teacher down the hall.  Teaching is not meant to be a lonely occupation, so spend time collaborating with your colleagues.  If you are still sitting at your desk banging your head against the wall at 5 pm because you are unable to think of an idea for tomorrow, call someone!  Someone probably has an idea that will give you direction for the next lesson. 

            Contact parents early on, and stay in contact with them.  Contacting parents does not need to be like swimming with sharks.  The earlier you contact them about something positive, the easier it will be to contact them if/when you have an issue with their child.

            Get to know the students, but do not stress out if you’re unable to relate to one.  While you may not have something in common with each student, you can at least let them know you care.  Recognize their birthdays, celebrate their accomplishments (academic, athletic, musical, etc.), and attend their events. 

            Don’t expect perfection from yourself or your students.  Inform them on day one that you are not perfect.  If you trip, forget things, mispronounce a word, or drop your supplies in front of them, laugh it off.  They need to see that you are a real person.  Tell them personal stories that relate to your lesson and show that you were once a teenager. 

            Last, but certainly not least, love your job.  Even on the hard days, love that you have an opportunity to make a difference in students’ lives. 

Fall Fabulosity

It's been a full fall.  Full of people, food, and celebration.

Time with the Beezie at Tossed 'n Sauced in A-town.  Dreaming.  Scheming.  Sharing.  Sweet time.

 Time with moms adding crap to the garage sale pile. 

 Time for celebrating the fall TV premieres.  We celebrate the little things, folks. 

 Time for the first Saturday of baking and the first batch of cinnamon rolls. 

 Time for celebrating our first Topeka friendships.  And time to celebrate new chapters in life. 

Ecclesiastes 3

 ¹ There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:  ² a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
 ³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
 ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
 ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
 ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
 ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

We've been laughing, mourning, healing, embracing, and loving this fall.  A good season, so far.