Just Finished :Terminal 9

Hopefully I will have a real update over the winter break, but for now enjoy another book review.

Terminal 9 by Patricia H. Rushford


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book. I picked it up at my local Christian bookstore and I was expecting your normal all tied up happy ending and resolution. What I got was a gritty mostly gripping mystery with real characters and real questions. Not all of the characters were Christians who had their lives together, nor were the Christian characters having pages long conversations about why their non Christian counterparts needed God, which was a nice change from the evangelical heavy novels I usually read of this type.. In fact this was the middle of the series and I have a suspicion that this book is a bit low on the God factor due to characters and storylines being what they are. That's okay because the references to God didn't feel forced.

And a fun fact is that I thought I recognized the author's name and it turns out I did, I read a series for kids that she wrote and liked it a lot for many of the same reasons that I like this one even if I couldn't articulate it at the time. I am excited to find the rest of the series.

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What's Cooking: Applesauce Chicken

One of the things about being on your own is you have to cook for yourself. It's not a chore I dislike, but it is one I find time consuming especially with my commute. Fortunately, since there is only one of me I can make a lot and eat the same thing for a week or so. I also like using my crock pot so I can do other things while it cooks. I get most of my recipes from here.

Here is today's recipe:

Ingredients:
--4 frozen chicken breast halves or thighs
--1 1/2 cups of applesauce
--1 T dried onion flakes, or 1 yellow onion, chopped finely
--1 T apple cider vinegar
--1/4 tsp cinnamon
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--2 cloves garlic, minced
--1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I used them, and added more to the adult servings)

The Directions.

A 3 or 4 quart crockpot is the best size for this.


Put the frozen chicken pieces into your crockpot. Add the onion (if you are using the dried onion, wait and add it to the applesauce). In a bowl, mix the applesauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices together. Pour on top of the the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4.

Mishaps etc.

I didn't feel like buying a whole sleeve of Garlic which was all my store had and I didn't think of substitutions until I was already home again. Also forgot the onion flakes--whoops!

The Survey Says:

It's pretty good. I used thighs and I think this would be better with white meat because thighs already have a strong flavor. Also after cooking there was basically fat and apple scented water in my crock pot and it smelled bad even if the chicken tastes good so that is just a heads up.

Bittersweet News

I gathered the information slowly. Facebook updates with in minutes of eachother all Camp Sonshine counselors. I messaged a friend. Then I found the memorial group.

I am not a city girl though I plan on being here for the foreseeble future, I had friends die in high school, but it was in car accidents and from cancer. Never because they were shot. I didn't know Aaron as well as some other staff but he was always a laugh and always a friend and some how you can't work 12 hour a day summers without becoming close. There is something about doing everything with one another from scrubbing toilets to making 150 peanut butter sandwhiches that just brings you together.

And there is of course our God which makes us brother and sister. And that is why this is bittersweet. Becaus I will see Aaron again, I am convinced of it, but I will miss him until I do, his smile and his way with kids, and everthing else We lost a good man with loving heart, God gained the presence of one of His children.

See you on the other side brother.

Keep on Keeping on: A First Time Teacher's Perspective on the DCPS Fiasco

I am a first time teacher in DCPS. As a special education teacher my position was relatively safe from the recent cuts. Today was a professional development day one of the things my colleagues talked about were the hearings yesterday as they speculated on the future of Chancellor Rhee and the Fenty Administration as a whole. I sat back and listened because I am new to this game and listening makes it easier to get a feel for what is going on.

There is a lot I could say.

There is a lot I won't. First, because I can't find sources for my information and second because I am just not that stupid. But I was looking around for clips and articles about the hearing, and The Washington Post is always a good source. The following are excerpts from two articles that I found interesting.

From what I can gather the main issue that came to light was whether or not Michelle Rhee broke the law by disregarding the budget cuts the council suggested, creating the need to lay off teachers because she did not cut the budget for summer school. She says it is not in the best interest of the children. Post contributor Jay Matthews agrees.

"Take a look at the studies compiled by the National Summer Learning Association and see for yourself. At the very least, there is a one month loss of learning because of the traditional summer vacation. Several studies, including some from Johns Hopkins University, have noted the startling difference in the loss of learning between impoverished urban children---like the majority of kids in the D.C. schools---and affluent suburban kids. Suburban parents manage to inject more learning into their children's summers than low-income urban parents do."

I haven't read the research although we always suggest summer school to our students and it certainly can't hurt them. I am more worried if the move did in fact break the law. I know the Chancellor is a big proponent of accountability and I think that is a good thing, but what example are we setting for our students if we are not held accountable to the law? I am also more worried about the quote in the article that follows this one.

"I have interviewed about two dozen leaders of KIPP public charter schools around the country. They have told me that the more experienced teachers they hire out of urban systems have difficulty raising their expectation for children to the high level that KIPP demands. That is one reason why they, and Rhee's principals, are so apt to hire smart and energetic, but less experienced, teachers who don't need an attitude adjustment."

I have seen this happen and I think I know the reason behind it. Teachers are under a lot of stress especially right now with performance and things that are at stake. Some times kids have a bad morning and they don't have the coping skills of an adult who could put it behind them and move on. Instead other students are given independent work while there is an attempt to deescalate a behavior that may have an unknown trigger. Instructional time is lost and the only thing you can do is to keep moving. Is it any wonder that veteran teachers struggle to hold high expectations when they are the ones that are battered with a tiring job and what seems to this newcomer to be a lack of support in the highest ranks. (I want to be clear that my school administration is excellent and I feel very supported by my Principal, VP's and Special Ed Coordinator.)

Valerie Strauss' article is a good summary of how the whole situation has deteriorated. And while the politicians in the city of politics take this to the courts I, like most of my colleagues, will hunch my shoulders against the wind, pull up my collar, and keep on keeping on. Because after all it is all about the children.

Play Ball!: Reflections of a Philadelphia Sports Fan

I love the Phillies, I have since I was young enough to own a glove, although I am no good at actually playing baseball. I used to read Dan Gutman's non fiction books about The Greatest World Series Games and hope that oneday the Phillies would star in a story like that.

And they finally did. Somehow last season they won the world Series. I like many acted indifferent throughout, knowing that if I hoped all was lost. This year it is the same I am a skeptic till the end, but I will say that the air is changing it is easy to see. Charlie Manuel (bless him) has finally gotten the boys to see that it ain't over til it's over and that there are 27 outs in a ball game. I'm glad that it is players like Jimmy Rollins who have stuck around, that get to really reap the rewards of this new attitude.

Because you know last night when one of the most memorable plays of the season went down-- Manny was in the shower, and I think that is the reason that I'll allow myself to imagine a Philly win tonight (though it feels taboo).

Because the Dogers don't seem to want it enough, but Lord knows Philadelphia does.

Just Finished: Seeing Stars by Nanci Bell

Seeing Stars: Symbol Imagery for Phonemic Awareness, Sight Words and Spelling by Nanci Bell


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Excellent book on an exciting method to teach reading. It's a supremely well written book with superb examples throughout so that you can really see how the whole method is done (no pun intended).

In brief this is a method to help students learn to read by creating pictures in their minds of letters and then associating the sounds with them. It starts with individual letters or sounds (sh and similar combos are their own 'letters') and moves on to simple and complex syllables. It also has a sight word component. Underlying the whole process is the theory that the students need to learn to hold an image of a what they are reading in their heads so that they can compare and self monitor as they read. This skill is specifically taught on easier levels and then students earn to apply it to their more complicated reading material.

My co-worker has used this and we have really seen it work. I just started using it with some students and I am pretty excited about it.

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Additional information: The Seeing Stars Program

Defining a Patriot

1. A person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.

September it seems is a month for reflecting on the War on Terror and the inevitable changes it has brought to our country. At times 9-11 seems so long ago, I was an underclassman in high school, my brothers were three, and some of my younger students had not yet been born. (My oldest student turned one the day after.) Yet it is still all around me, in the people I know who are off fighting in two wars, in the immediate and swift response to anything that happens with in a radius of the Hill, and in the news.



2. Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism

I was fortunate to have excellent history teachers in high school and one of them insisted that each and every one of us read the Patriot Act as it was signed into law (complete with gigantic margins). We were young and didn't understand much but we questioned it and debated for a while before we stored it away and moved on, but I have actually read it. Today, the AP released an article announcing that President Obama supports some extensions to USA PATRIOT ACT which would last 10 years. The text of the bill is here, but an excellent understandable explanation is given by Rep Smith (R- Texas) when he introduces the bill here.

I'll be interested to see where this goes especially with one of the most controversial provisions about libraries and such seems to have administration support for renewal.

3. It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the agitator, who has given us the freedom to protest. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives that protester the freedom to abuse and burn that flag.”~Zell Miller

I wanted to know a little more of the administrations thoughts then was released in the article so I went looking on www.whitehouse.gov. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I did find this:

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, September 17th, the President will award Sergeant First Class Jared C. Monti, U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sergeant First Class Monti will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat in Afghanistan. Then-Staff Sergeant Monti displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor - eventually sacrificing his own life in an effort to save his comrade. Sergeant First Class Monti’s parents, Paul Monti and Janet Monti, will join the President at the White House to commemorate their son’s example of selfless service and sacrifice.
(From here.)

I happen to remember from the wonderful exhibit at the Museum of American History that there have been few medals of Honor awarded for the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (the most were given during the Civil War) and there is a group of Veterans advocating for that to change so I found this interesting and worth mentioning.



4. “A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.”~Edward Abbey

I think I like this definition best of all. Enough said.

Red Pens

It is considered "best practice" by most teachers not to mark in red pen (although other colors are acceptable). Today one of my students was writing a journal entry in pen that he found in my caddy, and I told him I didn't use it. He asked why and unable to explain the psychology behind people being scarred about markings with red pens, I just said I didn't like them. His reply?

"Do go you to church? Because in the Bible God's words are in red and those are important. "

A nine year old might have just turned my philosophy about marking pens on it's head.

Welcome/ Introduction

So I decided that it was time for a new blog and one that I could send to family and friends as I seem to be so far away from everyone and staying in touch has become harder, especially since I don't talk on the phone. If you don't know me and you want to know what I will write about read the about me section. That pretty much sums it up. The title comes from an inspiring talk I heard this past weekend at a retreat and mainly this blog aims to chronicle my journey of attempting to live up to the challenge to "jump off the roof." I hope you will join me.