Hate Mail

As I was writing today's vocabulary test yesterday, I came across the following written in the 7th grade vocabulary book:



Aside from the obvious, I was disturbed by the errors in spelling. I mean, I'm a Language Arts teacher. Vocabulary and writing conventions are a part of what I teach. If students are going to express such displeasure, the least they could do is spell correctly.

All the evidence you need attesting to the fact that I'm a middle school teacher is the fact that the conventional writing errors bother me more than the actual message itself. I did not become a teacher to be beloved by my students. Yes, that can be a happy and favorable byproduct of my job, but the occassional hate messages...

I can live with them.

-- Post From My iPhone

Booknapped!

I enjoy reading. It's probably my favorite hobby. As a teacher, I also like being able to provide books for my students. For 7 years, I've enjoyed being able to do that. This year, providing books for my students has become something I no longer enjoy. Why? My books have been booknapped. Several of my books have disappeared off my shelves this year. I have spent a lot of money to replace them, created a book list so I can record who's borrowing them, and purchased extra copies of certain books as well so more than one student can enjoy them. Little by little, as the booknapping somehow continues, I have tightened security and finally, yesterday when another book went missing, I snapped. That's it. I'm done. Students will no longer be allowed to have a book from me. Alternative choices will be made available.

Today as my students come into my room, this is what they will find...a little note from the books on the shelf. Books who miss their friends. They've taken a stand and so have I.

(I realize the note is next to impossible to read. Here is what it says: HELP! Our friends have been booknapped. Please don't take us too. We won't let you borrow us until our friends come home. WE MISS THEM!!)

Spirit Week@SJMS-White-Out Day

Huh? White-out day? What could that possibly mean? Well, if you were wondering, so were we here at SJMS...but we figured it out lickety split. If you roam our halls today, you'll see an awful lot of people wearing white.

Spirit Week@SJMS-80s Day

Nothing more need be said...here's a little sample of what I wore...

Spirit Week@SJMS-Disney Day

What Spirit Week would be complete without a Disney Day? I am glad I was able to find a shirt that is quintessentially Disney...
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!!!

Spirit Week@SJMS-Hero Day

Today is Hero Day...I've seen some great outfits...super heroes from Captain America to Superman. Capes adorn the backs of teachers and students alike. Perhaps some of the greatest representations of heroes come from those who dressed in camouflaged attire. My own father is a veteran and his military service to this country has always been something I appreciated very much.

I told my PTSA students that my heroes are my mom and dad. I mentioned that it might sound cliche but it's true. They love and support me unconditionally and encourage me and express their pride in what I do. I look up to them and love them more than I could ever express and though I've only scratched the surface in listing a couple of the things I love about my parents, I could list many more reasons they are my heroes.

Spirit Week@SJMS-Hawaiian Day

We're kicking off Spirit Week here at SJMS with Hawaiian Day. Part of our festivities this week include a mini-olympics and some great lessons for our teacher advisory time. I was unprepared for today until Saturday when a trip to Walmart ended in success. I found a Hawaiian shirt for $3. Awesome!

Dress-Up Day

If anyone is familiar with the TV show "LOST" this costume I put together will be familiar. One can purchase a Dharma Initiative jumpsuit on the ABC website for a little more than $100. I went to Walmart where I found a much less expensive blue jumpsuit and then purchased a Dharma patch. Viola!

I hope you've enjoyed the trip through Ribbon Week.

Drugs and violence SOCK!!!

Well...they do.
Crazy sock day...here we come! And what could be crazier than socks for St. Patty's day near Halloween?

Don't sweat...

Don't do drugs!

Today we are moving through our Ribbon Week (fighting against drugs and violence). The students wanted a sweats day...so they got one.

There is a poster contest and games at lunch. This should be a fun day!

Ready or not...

Here we go...the first day of school is well under way. It's hard to believe I am back in the world of disclosures and copiers, printers, computers, desks, rules, procedures, students...

It promises to be a good year. I hope the promise is kept.

Diversity Week: Hawaiian Day

Today is Hawaiian Day. If I can get a full length shot of me, you'll see the full extent of my school spirit. For now, you'll have to make due with this:

Diversity Week: Hippie Day

We are celebrating Diversity Week here at SJMS. Monday was Sunglasses Day and, yes, I did wear sunglasses. Tuesday was Favorite Color Day. I wore blue...not my absolute fave but one of them. Today is Hippie Day! I am sporting a very homemade hippie look. Enjoy!

Around the World in 9 Posters

Many of my students complain about Geography. They are convinced that they don't need to know about Geography and that it won't help them in the years to come. How they came to have this opinion is due, in part, to a lack of exposure. A year or so ago, a dear friend of mine gave me a calendar that had pictures of places around the world. I decided to save the pictures I liked and make posters of them to post in my classroom. I have done that. I explained to my students how lucky we were to live in such a beautiful world and I expressed my hopes that they would be able to see some of that world for themselves. I encouraged them to come and look at the pictures and at least get a glimpse of some of the beauty this world possesses. I thought some of you may like to see yourselves. While you won't be able to distinguish places, you'll be able to get a small idea of what my students will get to look at.I hope you like it.

Fashion Disaster Day

Alas! Today is the last day of Spirit Week: Fashion Disaster Day. I have no sense of fashion really, so I suppose, technically, I could be called a walking fashion disaster every day. Today, however, I really went out of my way to look like a fashion disaster. Mismatched striped shirts and mismatched shoes (not pictured) are my fashion order of the day.
Apparently, I wasn't enough of a fashion disaster. With a little help from my friends, here is the final product.

Crazy Hair Day

Today is Crazy Hair Day. I'm posting this picture now in order to get it over with. Spirit week is fun and the students really like to see teachers participate. I think it's proof that we are as crazy as they are.

Sports Day

Today, for Spirit week, we celebrated Sports Day. Students have worn shirts from their favorite college sports teams, or professional teams, like the Utah Jazz. Students have worn shirts from their dance troups, and the high schools they will be attending.

This summer, I played softball with some friends for work. We wore our shirts today for Sports Day. Watch out for the Killer Smurfs!

Patriotic Day

Today is Patriotic Day. Here I am again, exhibiting some school spirit and, while I'm at it, national fervor.

Pirate Day

This week is Spirit Week here at SJMS (South Jordan Middle School) and since I have no pirate fodder, I went on line and googled some patterns. In about 15 minutes, I had myself a little school spirit. At the risk of making a fool of myself (something, I admit, requires no effort) I'm posting a picture of my creation.

TGIW

Thank goodness it's Wednesday! At three o'clock this afternoon, I'll be starting a little vacation. Fall Recess, formerly known as UEA Weekend, is set aside for teachers to attend classes and inservices put together by the Utah Education Association. We teachers can, if we want, attend and get credit or re-licensure points. I'd like to thank the UEA for their generosity...but no thanks. I plan to reboot my brain over this weekend and rest my weary body. It's going to be AWESOME!!!