1. I want to read new things,so I'll list those books below that right now I really do want to read, and I think it will be fascinating reading. I can't afford it however, grrr.. I was in the stacks of the UC Santa Barbara Library today but couldn't take out books, needing Jack to get his card thing figured out, and I can't afford some of this on-line (a few at over $100), so I'll be waiting for him to figure out the card. Or ask Syl to check them from her school. Just the same I'm going to put these here, as want to reads and you might think of them as fascinating as well....:


    Book Image

    Agony in Education: The Importance of Struggle in the Process of Learning

    Author(s): Kuhlman, Edward L.
    ISBN10: 0897893743
    Summary from here.


    "Enchanted with novelty and obsessed with power, control, and efficiency, technocrats eagerly and imprudently plow under what they deem anachronistic relics. Utility and ease are their passwords, and the poor individual with sole recourse to personal resources and ingenuity is viewed as a waste of time and energy. What this means for education is that uniformity, predesigned programs, and abdication to an elite corps of experts have come to dominate and characterize our institutions. As antidotes for the technological age, Kuhlman suggests motifs and imagery from the classical world, such as agon, arete, and paideia. He reminds us of the agonies of the artist in the gestation of the great, soul-fulfilling creations of our past. He wonders if truly great accomplishments are possible without the pain and agony of individual struggle. He suggests that the individual psyche is withering on the vine because it is not expected to undergo the suffering necessary to transform it into an educated self.

    Kuhlman exposes the dangers of excessive reliance on technical efficiency and avoidance of pain in the individual struggle to become educated and calls for renewed recognition of the importance of effort and agony in human accomplishment."



    I read awhile it looked fascinating.

    Stories from Response-Centered Classrooms (Language and Literacy Series)

    Stories from Response-Centered Classrooms (Language and Literacy Series)

    by Barbara Smith Livdahl (Author), Karla Smart (Author), Joyce Wallman (Author)

    What struck me of this in my brief view was the validation of a person telling their story. How from there we move into hearing another and understanding what is taken from learning experiences.
    Eyes on the Child: Three Portfolio Stories (The Series on School Reform)


    Eyes on the Child: Three Portfolio Stories (The Series on School Reform)

    by Kathe Jervis First Sentence:
    Teachers across the country are creating new knowledge in their own classrooms, but as the editors' introduction to the Spring, 1994 Harvard Educational Review special issue "Equity in Educational Assessment" makes clear, researchers' preoccupation with large-scale assessment policies leaves out any vital discussion of teachers' efforts, experiences, and insights. Read the first page

    The Tao of Teaching: The Special Meaning of the Tao Te Ching As Related to the Art and Pleasures
    The Tao of Teaching: The Special Meaning of the Tao Te Ching As Related to the Art and Pleasures
    I cannot tell you that this book has changed my life or changed my teaching understandings yet, because I just met it yesterday on a journey that seemed to lead me to it on a stack filled with thousands upon thousands of possibilities. It was found in the stacks of UC Santa Barbara as my daughter toured and I waited there tired of walking, anticipating the start of my 29th teaching year. (I'm as Tina Turner, Jimi might sing or Aretha in another vein, "experienced.") And that could lead to being jaded.

    This summer I've warred internally with that, loss of hope, angers over being forced into bad educational directions, warred within self about remaining "for the money" warred over the cost to kids of systems not self reflective or societally resolved in purpose and structure that is blind to so darn much.Yesterday the wind blew over my life perceptions, shifting my centering away from this non productive waste of energy. In these words from the Tao I'll allow you my insight yesterday as I thought about the course for the new year.
    " See with original purity
    Embrace with original simplicity
    Reduce what you have
    Decrease what you want" from Tao te Ching
    That's what lead me to stay with this one book there a long time in the library. It quietly addressed "what can I do." It would seem as I have often known, transforming self in relationship to that one encounters is the only possibility.

    The book is organized presenting the precepts of the Tao very briefly at the top of the page, then a part now re-interpreted into the classroom setting or how that might speak to a teacher life, followed by this writer teasing out a situation she actually saw one of three excellent 25 year veteran teachers applying in this their work, not as a conscious application, perhaps at all as is the Tao, but as a natural way of their being reacting within a living application. The effect this had with children is fascinating but briefly presented. That's terrific for snatches of time.
    So three parts to each precept.I am inclined to threes. It's natural for me. It's great because you can, if you want, just read the top precept, you can however read the way that's applied in a classroom, or into notions of teaching, or you could just read the exemplars of teaching situations. Or engage all of this in a page. Perhaps raising a head at lunch to still and center the day. As I was scanning the book for 30 minutes, hoping to check it out later which they dis-allowed, I read the pieces that described application into the attitude or stances one takes in teaching. Extremely resonant.

    I, myself, was looking for something new, yet familiar, to take into this year. My particular issue is the battle to remain present, aware, unjaded, balanced and not provoked by the poor or uneducated behaviors that often overwhelm me/anyone in the setting where i work very hard to do a good , reflective, honest, fair job.( including my faults, mistakes, apprehensions, cog. distortions, the great difficulties with politics entering the fray, in poverty) This was really a gift towards that.

    Nothing in the Tao has ever seemed to me other than a deeply constructive positive approach to living your life. You need nothing to begin to find your way but inner awareness and self belief in your way. Whatever beliefs systems you have it has value to hear this teacher. Lao Tzu is a teacher of profound simplicity.Because the book could not be checked out at the time I found on it here and ordered. It is seemingly the kind of book one opens at reflective moments within the days to consider how you approach the experiences with children and your peers. I'm considering opening a journal, or a blog to address how it becomes a part of my year, a third "project" the Tao of my 1st graders, briefly reflecting on the experiences as I relate them to the precepts. Done once or twice a week, or as they jump forward asking to be written as the currents take us this year we flow towards our understandings...... it would be of value.

    I believe that I'd recommend this to teachers as a kind of centering or balancing scaffold for their work. Right now several teachers are friends that do sometimes read my pieces here, please consider this book, it has far reaching depth not immediately apparent in it's simplicity. Too often the "why we are here" is left the unspoken question in teaching at the deeper level, of the experiences, this might well engage a teacher reader in allowing you to answer this for yourself.


    Teaching As a Performing Art

    Teaching As a Performing Art

    by Seymour Bernard Sarason

    I did not spent too much time on this one but the forward was very interesting. In 1st grade I often am a performer, as well as within the interactions. That said one needs to not see this persuasion aspect as a subtle trickery or a way to lie...I've realize that I sometimes deal with others deep in performance. It's important to consider with this work.....here is the foreword.
    (Foreword) "In 1985 I wrote Caring and Compassion in Clinical Practice about physicians, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, lawyers in family practice, and teachers..." (more)

    There were others I looked at more briefly...
    Full Circles, Overlapping Lives: Culture and Generation in Transition

    Full Circles, Overlapping Lives: Culture and Generation in Transition

    by Mary Cather Bateson (Author)"Home is the heartland of strangeness," writes anthropologist and English professor Mary Catherine Bateson; there are always parts of others, even our closest intimates, that are utterly unknowable." from a review on Amazon...

    Stories Lives Tell: Narrative and Dialogue in Education (Paperback)

    by Carol Witherell (Author), Nel Noddings (Editor)



    This book I looked at briefly but I did want to begin to understand the "other" sie of the coin.


    Child-Centred Education and Its Critics




    Child-Centred Education and Its Critics (Paperback)

    by John E M Darling
    0

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  2. I pulled long lists today addressing a troll from the net of more positive things to do, I have to go ready a classroom for a new year, maybe this can help me recall the "whys.' So here is what I found. I'll try and get the links to the sites . Need to write mine for sure.....so list time....PLEASE READ HERE , it is a wonderful reason to tackle a list with 100 ideas and how to go about it, brilliant.
    100 Ways ...to... 100 IDEAS FOR KINDNESS Acts:

    1. Deliver fresh-baked cookies to city workers.
    2. Collect goods for a food bank.
    3. Bring flowers to work and share them with coworkers.
    4. Garden clubs can make floral arrangements for senior centers, nursing homes, hospitals, police stations, or shut-ins.
    5. Adopt a student who needs a friend, checking in periodically to see how things are going.
    6. Volunteer to be a tutor in a school.
    7. Extend a hand to someone in need. Give your full attention and simply listen.
    8. Merchants can donate a percentage of receipts for the week to a special cause.
    9. Bring coworkers a special treat.
    10. Students can clean classrooms for the custodian.
    11. Buy a stranger a free pizza.
    12. Distribute lollipops to kids.
    13. Sing at a nursing home.
    14. Offer a couple of hours of baby-sitting to parents. 15. Slip paper hearts that say "It's Random Acts of Kindness Week! Have a great day!" under the windshield wipers of parked cars.
    16. Have a charity day at work, with employees bringing nonperishable food items to donate.
    17. Serve refreshments to customers.
    18. Draw names at school or work, and have people bring a small gift or food treat for their secret pal.
    19. Remember the bereaved with phone calls, cards, plants, and food.
    20. Treat someone to fresh fruit.
    21. Pay a compliment at least once a day.
    22. Call or visit a homebound person.
    23. Hand out balloons to passersby.
    24. Give free sodas to motorists.
    25. Be a good neighbor. Take over a baked treat or stop by to say "Hello."
    26. Transport someone who can't drive.
    27. Mow a neighbor's grass.
    28. Say something nice to everyone you meet today.
    29. Send a treat to a school or day-care center.
    30. Volunteer at an agency that needs help.
    31. Wipe rainwater off shopping carts or hold umbrellas for shoppers on the way to their cars.
    32. Give the gift of your smile.
    33. Send home a note telling parents something their child did well.
    34. Adopt a homeless pet at the humane society.
    35. Organize a scout troop or service club to help people with packages at the mall or grocery.
    36. Host special programs or speakers at libraries or bookstores.
    37. Offer to answer the phone for the school secretary for ten minutes.
    38. Volunteer to read to students in the classroom.
    39. Write notes of appreciation and bring flowers or goodies to teachers or other important people, such as the principal, nurse, custodian, and secretary.
    40. Incorporate kindness into the curriculum at area schools, day care centers, or children's classes in faith organizations.
    41. Give a hug to a friend.
    42. Tell your children why you love them.
    43. Write a note to your mother/father and tell them why they are special.
    44. Pat someone on the back.
    45. Write a thank-you note to a mentor or someone who has influenced your life in a positive way.
    46. Give coffee to people on their way to work in the morning.
    47. Donate time at a senior center.
    48. Give blood.
    49. Visit hospitals with smiles, treats, and friendly conversation for patients.
    50. Stop by a nursing home, and visit a resident with no family nearby.
    51. Plant flowers in your neighbor's flower box.
    52. Give another driver your parking spot.
    53. Leave a treat or handmade note of thanks for a delivery person or mail carrier.
    54. Give free car washes.
    55. Clean graffiti from neighborhood walls and buildings.
    56. Tell your boss that you think he/she does a good job.
    57. Tell your employees how much you appreciate their work.
    58. Let your staff leave work an hour early.
    59. Have a clean-up party in the park.
    60. Tell a bus or taxi driver how much you appreciate their driving.
    61. Have everyone in your office draw the name of a Random Acts of Kindness buddy out of a hat and do a kind act for their buddy that day or week.
    62. Give a pair of tickets to a baseball game or concert to a stranger.
    63. Leave an extra big tip for the waitperson.
    64. Drop off a plant, cookies, or donuts to the police or fire department.
    65. Open the door for another person.
    66. Pay for the meal of the person behind you in the drive-through.
    67. Write a note to the boss of someone who has helped you, praising the employee.
    68. Leave a bouquet of flowers on the desk of a colleague at work with whom you don't normally get along.
    69. Call an estranged family member.
    70. Volunteer to fix up an elderly couple's home.
    71. Pay for the person behind you in the movie line.
    72. Give flowers to be delivered with meal delivery programs.
    73. Give toys to the children at the shelter or safe house.
    74. Give friends and family kindness coupons they can redeem for kind favors.
    75. Be a friend to a new student or coworker.
    76. Renew an old friendship by sending a letter or small gift to someone you haven't talked with in a long time.
    77. For one week, act on every single thought of generosity that arises spontaneously in your heart, and notice what happens as a consequence.
    78. Offer to return a shopping cart to the store for someone loading a car.
    79. Invite someone new over for dinner.
    80. Buy a roll of brightly colored stickers and give them to children you meet during the day.
    81. Write a card of thanks and leave it with your tip. Be sure to be specific in your thanks.
    82. Let the person behind you in the grocery store go ahead of you in line.
    83. When drivers try to merge into your lane, let them in with a wave and a smile.
    84. Buy cold drinks for the people next to you at a ball game.
    85. Distribute kindness bookmarks that you have made.
    86. Create a craft project or build a bird house with a child.
    87. Give a bag of groceries to a homeless person.
    88. Laugh out loud often and share your smile generously.
    89. Plant a tree in your neighborhood.
    90. Make a list of things to do to bring more kindness into the world, and have a friend make a list. Exchange lists and do one item per day for a month.
    91. Use an instant camera to take people's photographs at a party or community event, and give the picture to them.
    92. As you go about your day, pick up trash.
    93. Send a letter to some former teachers, letting them know the difference they made in your life.
    94. Send a gift anonymously to a friend.
    95. Organize a clothing drive for a shelter.
    96. Buy books for a day care or school.
    97. Slip a $20 bill to a person who you know is having financial difficulty.
    98. Take an acquaintance to dinner.
    99. Offer to take a friend's child to ball practice.
    100. Waive late fees for the week.

    Or if you need to do something artistic or creative you might try
    :
    1. Blow bubbles
    2. Draw with Sidewalk chalk
    3. Make a comic book
    4. Draw or color pictures
    5. Make puppets and put together a puppet show
    6. Feed the turtles - we have pond across the street
    7. Play in sprinkler
    8. Hula Hoop
    9. Make a treasure hunt
    10. Dance
    11. Plan a picnic
    12. Make a board game
    13. Make ice cream
    14. Watch a movie
    15. Write in a journal
    16. Get a pet rock
    17. Go to the aquarium
    18. Watch and listen to the birds
    19. Write a letter to your grandparents
    20. Make up a song and/or sing to some music
    21. Play hide-n-go seek
    22. Ride your scooter
    23. Have a water balloon fight
    24. Go to the library
    25. Have a tea party with your teddy bears
    26. Play yard games
    -croquet
    -badminton
    -bocce
    -soccer
    -volleyball
    27. Make paper airplanes
    28. Go to the park with the cool playground
    29. Read a book or magazine
    30. Find a spider web and try and make your own web with some string
    31. Catch bugs
    32. Watch the squirrels and try and figure out what they are doing
    33. Pick flowers in the yard
    34. Find a four leaf clover
    35. Pull weeds out of the flower beds
    36. Make a self portrait
    37. Make a watercolor painting
    38. Work out by doing 10 of the following 3 times:
    -push ups
    -squats
    -sit ups
    -run in place for 10 seconds
    -jumping jacks
    39. Build your castle(s) and knock it down
    40. Work in your summer bridges workbook
    41. Play school with a class of dolls
    42. Make a Fruit Loops necklace
    43. Practice spanish
    44. Cut up a catalog and make a collage
    45. Make your own instruments and play some music
    46. Learn some American Sign Language
    47. Set up a tent out of blankets and pretend to camp
    48. Practice a magic trick
    49. Set up or plan an obstacle course
    50. Turn a box into something fun
    51. Make the alphabet with your body
    52. Hopscotch
    53. Keep the balloon from touching the ground
    54. Protect a water balloon from braking when dropped
    55. Play lazer tag
    56. Make a sculpture
    57. Plan our menu of meals for a week
    58. Walk around the mall
    59. Practice yoga
    60. Make bread
    61. Make up a dance routine to your favorite song
    62. Think of a business to start and everything you'd need for it
    63. Pretend you're in a circus and make up an act or show
    64. Dust the house
    65. Make the tallest LEGO tower you can before it falls
    66. Organize a Kids Olympics for a play date and make winners medals
    67. Have a science experiment
    -Think what you want to test
    -Figure out the best way to test it
    -Guess the results
    -Do the experiment
    -Compare results with your guess
    68. Find shapes in the clouds
    69. Practice gymnastics on floor mat
    70. Stare at a patch of grass for 15 minutes and see what bugs do
    71. Practice blowing bubbles from bubble gum - outside of course
    72. Come up and draw a crazy creature with special abilities
    73. Do a leaf/grass/flower/coin/ect. rubbing
    74. Make something out of popsicle sticks
    75. Make and do a scavenger hunt
    76. Make a paper mache craft
    77. Make a mask
    78. Decorate a box to put personal stuff in
    79. Sink-Float Game
    80. Learn to draw something from the Learn-To-Draw books
    81. Play with the parachute
    82. Listen to music CDs and/or tapes
    83. Run around the house
    84. Wash my car
    85. Practice origami
    86. Find how many things around the house that are
    ___ (Pick a color) ___ or starts with __ (Pick a letter) __
    87. Make a graph of common things you see around the house or yard
    88. See what you can make with scraps of fabric
    89. Be a cowboy/cowgirl and try and lasso something outside
    90. Make cards for a Memory game
    91. Go to the park across the street
    92. See how high you can count
    93. Make and play with a felt board
    94. Practice writing your letters and numbers
    95. Make shadow puppets
    96. Make an art gallery - make sure to frame your art
    97. Make a paper quilt
    98. Color a black and white photo
    99. Set up dominos to knock down
    100. Trace your body on big paper and color it in

    great ways to help the rainforests on earth...all found on the net....:

    1. Ask your parents to buy foods -- like bananas and coffee -- that are grown in a sustainable way -- In a way that is safe for the environment, for wildlife, and for people.
    2. Ask your school to buy environmentally friendly paper.
    3. Have a bake sale or school fundraiser to raise money to donate to an organization that works to conserve rainforests.
    4. Read about other children who live in and near the rainforest -- See how they and their families depend on the plants and animals in the rainforest.
    5. Tell your friends and family about how important the rainforests are, or ask your teacher to teach your class more about rainforests.
    6. Use less paper -- re-use paper instead of throwing it out. Cut it up to use as a notepad, or recycle the paper you use. Ask your parents and teacher about how they recycle their paper.
    7. Do a class project to learn more about rainforests and the plants and animals that live there -- Create a skit, write a story, or decorate your classroom to look like a real rainforest.
    8. Write a letter to an organization or company that is working to protect the rainforest and tell them they're doing a great job!
    9. Look at a map of the world with your parents or teacher, and point out the places where rainforests exist.
    10. Look around your home for things you use or eat that originate in the rain forest -- Think about how many things that we use every day originate in the rain forest,and how it would affect you if they were no longer around.

    Or ideas about Your Home - Conserve Energy

    1. Clean or replace air filters on your air conditioning unit at least once a month.
    2. If you have central air conditioning, do not close vents in unused rooms.
    3. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120.
    4. Wrap your water heater in an insulated blanket.
    5. Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods.
    6. Turn off unneeded lights even when leaving a room for a short time.
    7. Set your refrigerator temperature at 36 to 38 and your freezer at 0 to 5 .
    8. When using an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door.
    9. Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses less energy.
    10. Unplug seldom used appliances.
    11. Use a microwave when- ever you can instead of a conventional oven or stove.
    12. Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
    13. Reverse your indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations as recommended.
    14. Turn off lights, computers and other appliances when not in use.
    15. Purchase appliances and office equipment with the Energy Star Label; old refridgerators, for example, use up to 50 more electricity than newer models.
    16. Only use electric appliances when you need them.
    17. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs to save money and energy.
    18. Keep your thermostat at 68 in winter and 78 in summer.
    19. Keep your thermostat higher in summer and lower in winter when you are away
    20. Insulate your home as best as you can.
    21. Install weather stripping around all doors and windows.
    22. Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
    23. Plant trees to shade your home.
    24. Shade outside air conditioning units by trees or other means.
    25. Replace old windows with energy efficient ones.
    26. Use cold water instead of warm or hot water when possible.
    27. Connect your outdoor lights to a timer.
    28. Buy green electricity - electricity produced by low - or even zero-pollution facilities (NC Greenpower for North Carolina - www.ncgreenpower.org). In your home-reduce toxicity.



    In Your Home - Reduce Toxicity

    29. Eliminate mercury from your home by purchasing items without mercury, and dispose of items containing mercury at an appropriate drop-off facility when necessary (e.g. old thermometers).
    30. Learn about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use hazardous chemicals.
    31. Buy the right amount of paint for the job.
    32. Review labels of household cleaners you use. Consider alternatives like baking soda, scouring pads, water or a little more elbow grease.
    33. When no good alternatives exist to a toxic item, find the least amount required for an effective, sanitary result.
    34. If you have an older home, have paint in your home tested for lead. If you have lead-based paint, cover it with wall paper or other material instead of sanding it or burning it off.
    35. Use traps instead of rat and mouse poisons and insect killers.
    36. Have your home tested for radon.
    37. Use cedar chips or aromatic herbs instead of mothballs.

    In Your Yard

    38. Avoid using leaf blowers and other dust-producing equipment.
    39. Use an electric lawn- mower instead of a gas-powered one.
    40. Leave grass clippings on the yard-they decompose and return nutrients to the soil.
    41. Use recycled wood chips as mulch to keep weeds down, retain moisture and prevent erosion.
    42. Use only the required amount of fertilizer.
    43. Minimize pesticide use.
    44. Create a wildlife habitat in your yard.
    45. Water grass early in the morning.
    46. Rent or borrow items like ladders, chain saws, party decorations and others that are seldom used.
    47. Take actions that use non hazardous components (e.g., to ward off pests, plant marigolds in a garden instead of using pesticide).
    48. Put leaves in a compost heap instead of burning them or throwing them away. Yard debris too large for your compost bin should be taken to a yard-debris recycler.

    In Your Office

    49. Copy and print on both sides of paper.
    50. Reuse items like envelopes, folders and paper clips.
    51. Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.
    52. Set up a bulletin board for memos instead of sending a copy to each employee.
    53. Use e-mail instead of paper correspondence.
    54. Use recycled paper.
    55. Use discarded paper for scrap paper.
    56. Encourage your school and/or company to print documents with soy-based inks, which are less toxic.
    57. Use a ceramic coffee mug instead of a disposable cup.

    Ways To Protect Our Air

    58. Ask your employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting.
    59. Recycle printer cartridges.
    60. Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
    61. Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency.
    62. Don't use your wood stove or fireplace when air quality is poor.
    63. Avoid slow-burning, smoldering fires. They produce the largest amount of pollution.
    64. Burn seasoned wood - it burns cleaner than green wood.
    65. Use solar power for home and water heating.
    66. Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
    67. Purchase radial tires and keep them properly inflated for your vehicle.
    68. Paint with brushes or rollers instead of using spray paints to minimize harmful emissions.
    69. Ignite charcoal barbecues with an electric probe or other alternative to lighter fluid.
    70. If you use a wood stove, use one sold after 1990. They are required to meet federal emissions standards and are more efficient and cleaner burning.
    71. Walk or ride your bike instead of driving, whenever possible.
    72. Join a carpool or vanpool to get to work.

    Ways to Use Less Water

    73. Check and fix any water leaks.
    74. Install water-saving devices on your faucets and toilets.
    75. Don't wash dishes with the water running continuously.
    76. Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and dishes.
    77. Follow your community's water use restrictions or guidelines.
    78. Install a low-flow shower head.
    79. Replace old toilets with new ones that use a lot less water.
    80. Turn off washing machine's water supply to prevent leaks.

    Ways to Protect Our Water

    81. Revegetate or mulch disturbed soil as soon as possible.
    82. Never dump anything down a storm drain.
    83. Have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly.
    84. Check your car for oil or other leaks, and recycle motor oil.
    85. Take your car to a car wash instead of washing it in the driveway.
    86. Learn about your watershed.

    Create Less Trash

    87. Buy items in bulk from loose bins when possible to reduce the packaging wasted.
    88. Avoid products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient. About 33 of what we throw away is packaging.
    89. Buy products that you can reuse.
    90. Maintain and repair durable products instead of buying new ones.
    91. Check reports for products that are easily repaired and have low breakdown rates.
    92. Reuse items like bags and containers when possible.
    93. Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
    94. Use reusable plates and utensils instead of disposable ones.
    95. Use reusable containers to store food instead of aluminum foil and cling wrap.
    96. Shop with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags.
    97. Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.
    98. Reuse packaging cartons and shipping materials. Old newspapers make great packaging material.
    99. Compost your vegetable scraps.
    100. Buy used furniture - there is a surplus of it, and it is much cheaper than new furniture.

    This List is sooo powerful

    101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators

    but you need to read it there, smart author.


    Umm....

    101 Romantic Ideas


    Things to do when you are bored..


    Okay here I go:
    100 ways to feel better about my teaching life:

    1. Recall I am not "on trial" do good works, use kindness daily.
    2. Have pets in the classroom.
    3. Use observation, use scientific method as the guide.
    4. Paste, glue, and cut everyday.
    5. Be gentle.
    6. Model the things that matter.
    7. Kids like to do things, design for their active language and participation.
    8. Organize and work for success of space.
    9. Continue project observing the sun shadow in some form.
    10. Expect others to pursue learning over pettiness.
    11. Use glitter sometimes.
    12. Get plants.
    13. Raise orchids.
    14. Draw daily, from observations.
    15. Keep daily journals.
    16. Create routines that aren't binding.
    17. Get crayons and coloring books for the room from 1st day teach AM routines.
    18. Allow all kids to be praised for effort.
    19. If having better teaching skills use them for kids not to intimidate peers.
    20. Log daily what we do.
    21. Blog carefully for student privacy.
    22. Blog daily and reflect on work you do.
    23. Work on precision and length, organization. But...allow the work to be "me".
    24. Praise everyone I can.
    25. SeeK no power.
    26.Laugh, plan laughter into the work.
    27. Is there a way for any part of the work to reflect student design, leadership, to reflect out their abilities in a positive manner to structure and carry what we do.
    Short version, seat power in kids.
    28. Listen.
    29. With extremely contentious leadership let go their issues, look for nothing, ask for nothing, expect nothing, be surprised then when good happens.
    30. Draw after work everyday.
    31. Find a friend.
    32. Ignore others unkindnesses.
    34. Use excellent books to support curriculum.
    35. Use reading logs, created them.

    will finish ...in a bit....


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  3. I have had a glamorous AM. 3 hours hounding down every flea on my poor ill kitten. And here's a tip, squash them between thumbnails. Hear that click sound. Im sure that goes in the ape grooming list someone keeps on me as a diagnostic. Fine.
    I have a kitten I'm trying to save.
    She drank today from her bottle, ate a little liver chicken baby food and cuddled. This appears to be what I'll be doing for awhile. Her Momma is a neurotic kind of messed up kitty that came with kidney issues. She's suffering actually, dried up cat's milk. So I feed and hold her. Or Sylvia does. Interestingly she'll allow anything. I'm changing her name.

    I'm now calling her Keyboard.

    I figure IT people will enjoy his story. This is for you.
    The thing about me is I lack discipline about my iMac, I let my fingers be sticky, I just take it everywhere. It's been perfect for a year. Today after feeding the tiny, tiny kitten and de-fleaing I just set her up on the table a second to try to get my back to unfold. I was late with my meds so feeling pain everywhere. Stiff, inattentive.

    I think that's how it happened. I think.....anyway the computer went black. At first he green little light on still then all black. Dead. I could not restart, new battery nothing but I noticed a fish smell and a bit of liquid at the battery switch. I deduce my kitten peed in it.

    Yep.

    So I get a blowdryer to try to deal with that.

    Melting five keys pretty soon,not seeing that coming. Incidentally they melt very easily.


    Now I have lost all my itunes, photos, documents, my computer. I don't feel good at all right now actually.

    No one cares, Syl I busily talking on her IM thing. I'm taking it to the istore but realistically cat pee and a blow-dryer probably isn't going to come out fine. And still have to feed the kitten that now looks like a walking computer virus, one of the best ever made.



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I'm a public school elementary teacher from W.V. beginning my career in poverty schools in the 1980's. (I have GIST cancer-small intestinal and syringomyelia which isn't what I want to define me but does help define how I view the meaning of my life.) I am a mom of 3 great children-now grown. I teach 3rd grade in an Underperforming school, teaching mostly immigrant 2nd Lang. children. I majored in art, as well as teaching. Art informs all I do. Teaching is a driving part of my life energy. But I am turning to art soon. I'm married to an artist I coaxed into teaching- now a Superintendent of one of the bigger Districts in the area. Similar population. We both have dedicated inordinate amounts of our life to the field of teaching in areas of poverty hoping to give students opportunities to make better lives. I'm trying to write as I can to the issues of PUBLIC education , trying to gain the sophistication to address the issues in written forms so they can be understood from my teaching contexts.I like to blog from daily experiences. My work is my own, not reflective of any school district.
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