Here's my latest project.  I tried to learn how to do an ombre paint effect on this scalloped shelf.  I give it a 7 out of 10, for a first try. 

So much has happened since 2014:

I lost Dayle to congestive heart failure and a host of other medical problems in June 2015.  That was a year of pain and confusion. 

Moved to Hana in June 2016, to teach at Hana School.  I was there until June of 2018.  Too many things to mention happened during those two years.  It really opened my eyes to how Maui has changed since the early 90's...

Lived in Haiku until March of 2019. Decided to leave the islands.  It's too expensive and just too many sad memories for me to spend the next twenty years or so. 

That's it in a nutshell.  I am a private person, so I won't go into too much detail. Suffice to say, it's been a long, rough road. 

1.  

   I ONE DOVE 'MADDAH!' 

    

   I am fostering these fledgling doves that blew out their nest on Saturday.

   I don't know if they'll make it, if I'm doing things right, except for keeping them clean and warm. I'm making formula for them with protein shake, baby rice cereal, water, egg yolk and walnuts. 

   
   Seeing these little cuties reminds me of a story my friend, Marianne, told me.  Her brother used to love to wade in the stream near their home on Maui.  One time he caught a crayfish and put it in a gallon bottle to keep. To his surprise, the crayfish had babies while in his care.  Thrilled beyond measure, he ran up to his Mother and exclaimed, "Ma, look!  My crayfish had babies!  I one 'faddah' crayfish!'

   I don't have much affinity for fresh water shrimp, so I guess I'm happy to be one dove 'maddah!'

I made it to tenure!! Thank you,Lord! 

I'm exhausted and I am told the MRI shows a deteriorated vertebrae in my neck(old injury) and it's pinching the nerves. 

Yuk. So, not good.

Just wanted to put forth what I know so far. 

Back to work tomorrow.  Gearing up for ELL testing.  It's a yearly thing and federally mandated. Another log on the fire that needs to be tended...

Working towards tenure

In January 2013, I hope to achieve tenure as a licensed secondary education teacher for the State of Hawai'i. 

Strangely, the closer the date looms, the worse my health becomes. 

Have to wait six weeks for an MRI because, I have such horrible claustrophobia, I need sedation.

Will post occasionally about this turn of events.  Also, interesting to note that 'the nearer your destination, the more you slip-slide away.'

Why is it so hard to keep kids from hurting themselves and each other?

When is 'horseplay' OK? When is too much rough housing too much?

As a teacher, I find it puzzling that NO ONE observes what is happening with our kids on the lower campus. Once in a while, a security guard is camped at the bottom of the campus. However, most times there are no adults and it is CHAOS!

Mom and Dad, did you know that your children go bonkers when they think no one is looking? Did you know that they push each other down the hill, put each other in headlocks and try to steal each others' money? I see it all day, every day. And when I step in, I am seen as the mean teacher by both students and other faculty members. Luckily, I don't care what they think.

I am also a mother of four children of my own. I KNOW the sound of over excited laughter, I know the meaning of high pitched screams that have gone from 'fun' to...uh-oh, someone's going to get hurt.

I know we're all overworked and underpaid. I know that public school students need more and more and more instruction time. However, please.....I repeat please...tell your children to chill out and treat each other with some humanity and respect. I promise you, it will pay off at home and as your children mature into, hopefully, responsible adults.

And isn't that what teachers and parents are being asked to do? Help create a responsible group of new citizens?

Just asking...

I have a full time job

I am now a full time ELL teacher at a school not far from my lair.

I love my students and think they are the best kids ever!

The meetings after school every Wednesday....them I don't love as much.

However, I am still a L.O.S.T. I used to be a member of the Legion of Substitute Teachers. Now I am a member of the Legion of Super Teachers. So, while I am still L.O.S.T., I am no longer a SUBSTITUTE.

Si vede? (you see?)

Women In Pain Petition

Women In Pain Petition

The Last Long Term Job this year

I had a long-term sub job at a local elementary school not too far from my LOST (Legion of Substitute Teacher's) lair.

Great kids! Ended up having about a half dozen who would stay after school and write on the white boards, record names of students who didn't clean up under their desks, and generally avoid going to A+.

The only trick the kids used time and again was the: I've got an 'owie' the size of a pixel on the tip of my thumb, so can I go to the health room? It got old quick, but I had a hard time refusing to send them. However, mentioning that they had a health card that was four pages long tended to make them quit asking quite as often. (Surprise! LOST's tend to figure things out pretty fast, since we're the brunt of 80% of students' trickery)

I got the distinct impression that there was a problem with misplaced loyalty amongst the permanent staff at the school. 'Mrs. A. did it this way.' Or, 'You don't understand our culture at this school.' (I've only been in the islands since 1974 and I'm married to a part-Hawaiian man, but, yeah,I don't understand how it works yet) :-{

However, it was an excellent learning experience and I did make a good acquaintance at this job. Having a steady paycheck for two months was a good thing, too. So, it was a positive experience overall.

My cat has 'issues'

It's official. My red cat, Punono, is bulemic. He eats his food. He eats Poki'i's food. He eats the dog's food. Then he regurgitates. It's sad to see a cat with an eating disorder. What have I done?

Job interview number four

Went to interview number four yesterday. The principal is a nice lady. The school, not so much. She admitted they have a number of behavioral issues with the students.

I need the job, just nervous that I will struggle with the out of control students.

Job hunting!

Interviewed today at 3 schools; two DOE and one charter. The first was a DOE school that in which I would like to teach. The second a charter school that I hope I would fit in, but I am doubtful. The third was a DOE school in which I would never like to visit, much less teach.

Interviews one and two went well. Interview number three was like watching something plummet from the sky in a heap. Why do some interviews go well and others go bad from the beginning? School culture or poor chemistry?

Received a call from interview number three saying that they had just received a memo telling them they couldn't hire a new English teacher. (True, false? I wonder)

Will wait to see what happens with the other two.

Punono the red cat

Just when you thought it was safe to enter
your room, Punono, the crazy, red cat reaches
out to touch the video camera's lens.

Hope you are all enjoying summer vacation. Remember to eat breakfast, and don't let the cat near your glass of milk...

Update-four months later

It's been four months since the last post. I've been living the life of a sub now for a while. Had a long term sub job with a school about a mile from home up until Spring Break. It's getting easier. Finally realizing that a lot of what subs do is psyching out the students.
If they smell weakness, if they see that you're easy to derail, the day will be a LONG one. If you go in with your guard up which, unfortunately, you must do, you will probably have a successful time in that classroom.
The kids are interesting and often lovable. The money is good, but, no benefits for LOSTs. :-{
If you've got a backbone of steel and enjoy standing on concrete for seven hours a day in a hot classroom, this is the job for you! Good luck.

What the district office says about having no Educ. Assistants for special needs students

After speaking with the district office for Sub. Teachers, I was informed that I should accept any assignment on the phone, and after arriving at the school, ask the principal if there are any Educ. Assistants in the classroom for the Special Needs students. If the answer is "no," decline the assignment. If the answer is "yes," ask if the E.A. will be present for the entire day. Again, if the E.A. is not there all day, and the students with special needs are, the sub should decline the assignment.

Again, the students deserve the safest environment possible. The substitute teacher deserves the option of accepting or declining an assignment they feel is risky.

That's the official info from those in the know at the Department of Education. Subs, don't be intimidated! You receive no benefits and very little thanks for the work assigned. Safety is always first!