Oh that I were popular!

It's one of those days that I just need to VENT!

Here we go...

As a teacher I have a difficult time balancing the desire to be well-liked or "popular" and the desire to be effective.

A well-liked/popular teacher at my school looks like this:

• Bends the rules and allows cell phones/ipods during certain activities
• Lets the kids eat food and have constant class parties
  
• Watches movies without educational value
• Gives students chill time
• Watches movies with educational value but without having them take notes
• Assigns no Homework
• Classwork consists of worksheets and busy work that only last half the period
  
• Tests can be taken with notes
• And the list goes on...

Me, on the other hand, I try to hold my students to high expectations (as noted in one of my blog posts several months ago). Sure, I have my days when one of these slip, but mostly, I am a tough, meanie of a teacher.

Yet, it still bugs me that I'm not as well liked as other teachers. Why does it matter to me what my students think about me?? My job is to teach, not to be your bestie. But words have that affect on me. I hate that I am so sensitive.

When I hear: "I hate this class. I want to switch out. This class is so boring." (In the best ghetto voice you can possibly imagine) it gives me so much anxiety and anger. I want to burst out:

"No, you have to like me! I do all of these things for you. I care about you. I want you to succeed. I bust my butt for you!"

But those words, although said a lot, do not register in many 14 year old's brains. Yah, all they can think about is their shopping spree to Forever 21 and 'which guy hooked up with which girl.'

So now I'm just mad. Mad that I want to be popular amongst the students when it really doesn't matter and mad that there are teachers that do squat in their classes, so the kids like them.

oh that I were popular. Why do I care??

(Deep breath)

a happy thought for today...

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! One of my favorite songs is this one by Bruno Mars. As I listened to it as I drove home from work today, I thought: "You know, when I find a man that feels this way about me, all the waiting will be completely worth it." And it made me happy; to know that it will happen and also to realize that I'd rather be single than to be with a guy that doesn't truly love me for who I am.

So if you're reading this and you have found your sweetheart (yes, I just entered General Authority vernacular), then I hope you remember why you love them and I hope that you're grateful for them.

And if you're reading this and you're like me who hasn't found the right person quite yet, hold off until you do find that person who truly loves you just the way you are...and it will be worth it. What a joyous thought!

Bruno Mars, you inspire me.

Success #1: Moonlight Swim & Skate

Being part of the Institute Council is fun. We organized an ice skating and swimming activity at a local rec center and invited all of the YSA's in the area to come and join us for a nice time. I only snapped a few shots but this is what I got. Don't get thrown off by the wig, it is me.

In my normal dance groove...it's hard to dance on ice by the way...

Eric, president of Institute, friend, and awesome DJ. He even dedicated a song to me. Now, that's what I call friendship.

My dancing ladies of love, Kathryn and Kelly. It's nice to fit in with the red heads.

I told Ryan I wouldn't post on facebook. But I never said I wouldn't post it on the blog...muhahaha. He looks sooooooo good. That's my boo.

And here's a quick video of the happenings from last night. So memorable for all of us.



So glad it was fun. So glad it's over. Now I can breathe a little better.

Success #2: Field Trip with Freshman

Here's success #2 of the week. I organized a field trip to a few of the Smithsonian museums with 60 of my students and 4 teachers, plus 2 parent chaperones. We managed to have a fun-filled day at the Library of Congress, the Natural History Museum, and the Air and Space Museum. The kids were troopers and enjoyed themselves. The best part was seeing the Early Americas Exhibit and having them recall all the information we studied in class. Every time they answered the question correctly, I shouted "Yes, I taught you something!" in my head. Such a great feeling. Definitely a successful day to be teaching in DC.

Yay me. Yay them.

The Chocolate Bump

This post is in no way designed to mock, scorn, or even make fun of my friends out there who are expecting a baby. Let me first say this: 1. I am super excited for you and your soon-to-be-fully-developed baby and 2. In all honesty, I would LOVE to be in the stage of life you are. So, with that said, and you knowing that I love you all dearly, let me proceed.

So while checking out facebook and friends' blogs I feel like there has been an ONSLAUGHT of baby bump pictures. I feel like it's expected as I am 26 (and many of my friends are around the same age) and a lot of my friends are expecting their first, or second kid. Again, VERY happy for you. I mentioned this to a group of girlfriends the other night. They had noticed a similar trend and you know, us being single and LDS, we're not likely to be pregnant yet. So there we were, checking out our tummies, and all of a sudden we realized that we have some kind of bump. Nope, not from a creature stirring inside of us, but from the amount of chocolate that we all like to consume (probably because the older we get, the lamer the boys are = increased chocolate consumption).

So because I do not want to be left out of this "bump" trend, I give you...

THE CHOCOLATE BUMP

Yep, there you have it. No kid in there. Just pure, unadulterated chocolate.

When it's the real deal maybe I'll post another one.

Happy Tuesday!

A good week in the teacher-sphere

Teaching update. Here it goes.

This week has been a great week. A week like this makes me want to shout "Hallelujah" to the teaching gods. Here's why:

• It's the start of the 3rd Advisory (quarter) and so I feel at this point that the students know me, understand how I work, and I know them better. I keep the same kids all year and that is such a blessing because I can continue to foster a relationship with them.
• We had a snow day. It never hurts to NOT be at work, right?
• I have a student teacher working with me. She is the bomb.com and we get so much done together. When I teach she will grade and help needy students and when she teaches I do the same. I am all caught up with my grading, when does that ever happen? Almost never.
  
• I switched seats and arranged my seats differently. Note to self: 9th graders need to be facing towards the teacher. In a semicircle spells "You are nuts." Now that they face me, and not each other, they are WAY more focused. Plus, I put my needy kids next to some very self-sufficient kids. Brilliant, they can help each other! God bless assigned seats!
  
• Problem students are starting to show signs of progress. They are coming in to see me, we talk, we are civil, and there is hope that they can pass this quarter.
• We are moving on to the Middle Ages/Renaissance. Info I know about. Yes.
  
• We are going on a field trip in 2 weeks to the Library of Congress. I am excited for them to see the Mesoamerica exhibit.

Wow, I have a great job! Lets hope I feel this way next week!

Mostly Martha

Here's another honest post; Stop reading now if you want to remain ignorant regarding my weaknesses. :)

Have you ever analyzed whether you are a Martha or a Mary? Well it never really occurred to me until recently how much of a Martha I am. In this Mormon culture of ours, we often look at Martha as the one "cumbered about much serving,"or in my interpretation, "worrying over the details of dinner, and stressed that that you don't burn the casserole." While Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and who "chose that good part" or in my interpretation she chose to chill with the Savior and soak in his divinity. Everyone's interpretations of these two may be different, but these are mine, or these are the ones I have been taught.

Though I have a strong testimony of the Gospel and have had the "sat at the feet of Jesus" moments, I often call myself a Martha.

I totally see this with my job and with my calling as Institute PR person. I worry over the details and I have a hard time sitting still at times. Sometimes I'd rather be in the kitchen making sure the refreshments get on the table rather than sit for fifteen more minutes of Institute. At work, I often get preoccupied with my lesson plans, if everything is flowing, and if everyone is working/behaving that I don't always chat with my students and build a better relationship with them. I do get "cumbered about" in many areas of my life. I was also this way on my mission; stressing about which areas we should contact in, wanting people to accept the Gospel, and not being willing to let the Lord work His magic. I don't know, it's me.

A few weeks ago I really thought about this aspect of my personality. I was stressing because I wasn't more like Mary and us Mormon folk give her such a bad rap. I want to be more of a Mary and so I looked to the scriptures to find some inspiration and found this:

"20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will ^agive it thee. 23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25Jesus said unto her, I am the ^aresurrection, and the ^blife: he that ^cbelieveth in me, though he were ^ddead, yet shall he ^elive: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never ^adie. Believest thou this? 27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the ^aSon of God, which should come into the world. 28And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him."

As I read this, I realized that Martha was the one that got up and met Jesus, while Mary sat still in the house. Because Martha decided to find the Savior, she had this amazing experience with Him; where the Lord told her that her brother would rise again, she believed him, and she was blessed for her faith. Cool, right?

So it dawned on me: Being proactive isn't such a bad thing. Actually, it's great. I am a fairly proactive person. I talk to random people. I ask the Lord for miracles. I step out of my comfort zone and take a leap of faith. All in all, this proactive business has brought me countless miracles and blessings. Sure, I may miss the mark at times. But don't we all?

As a result of this realization, I'm not feeling bad of being mostly Martha. In fact, I am proud to call myself a "Martha." I will strive for some Mary moments, but being mostly Martha ain't so bad after all.