Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
V-Day
At TMEA in San Antonio with the folks. Convention was great, different, but good. Heard lots of great concerts and a few good clinics. Enjoyed the exhibits and got some great resources that Steffanie and I will put to use next week.
This is my 2nd v-day completely alone and I was not really bothered by it at all. Don't know if that is because I never really had a good one, or that I realize that this day is just another day.....
Sure it would be nice to get a card or flowers, but I am loved and those thing fade. The love of family, friends, and my father Jesus Christ are the most important and do not change.
Happy Valentines!
This is my 2nd v-day completely alone and I was not really bothered by it at all. Don't know if that is because I never really had a good one, or that I realize that this day is just another day.....
Sure it would be nice to get a card or flowers, but I am loved and those thing fade. The love of family, friends, and my father Jesus Christ are the most important and do not change.
Happy Valentines!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Prizes for Boys
I am amazed at what kids will do for a prize. Boys choir is a challenge!!!! Every day is different. We have 6-8 grade boys all together mid afternoon. Their skill levels range from terrible, beginners, advanced, and some really talented singers. Boys are so different from girls and are harder to motivate. Today we gave away some really cool college shirts that the kids get to wear every three weeks on Friday with jeans. We told the guys that we were going to pick four of the best singers with great posture, hand signs, vowels, etc. WOW! it was the best looking boys choir all year. IT was so strange, but also exciting. If they could be that focused and hard-working everyday they would be unstoppable. UIL would be a breeze and I would send in a CD!!!
After this class we both said, "we got to get more prizes"
What would be some good things to continue to motivate the boys?
We have used stickers, pencils, girly crowns, shirts, gift certificates.
I wish that intrinsic motivation worked with boys and girls in MS, but I am not sure that they are mature enough to understand and have the character to do the right thing for no reward.
After this class we both said, "we got to get more prizes"
What would be some good things to continue to motivate the boys?
We have used stickers, pencils, girly crowns, shirts, gift certificates.
I wish that intrinsic motivation worked with boys and girls in MS, but I am not sure that they are mature enough to understand and have the character to do the right thing for no reward.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
School News
We have a principal, almost two weeks to the date that the assistant sup. told us they were interviewing. He is a young AA male with 15 years experience in education, but I think only one full year as a AP and he has never been a head principal. I am trying to keep an open mind, but it is really hard. We will meet him on Tuesday, Feb. 3rd and then his first offical day is Thursday, Feb. 5th.
As my mother always says, "keep your head down, mouth shut, and do your job"
If I stay in my room and just teach choir things are great. As in any business place there is so much drama, politics, gossip, and love triangles. I refuse to get caught up in all that. I was hired to teach choir and invest in the lives of teenagers. "I will be set apart"
As my mother always says, "keep your head down, mouth shut, and do your job"
If I stay in my room and just teach choir things are great. As in any business place there is so much drama, politics, gossip, and love triangles. I refuse to get caught up in all that. I was hired to teach choir and invest in the lives of teenagers. "I will be set apart"
Sunday, January 25, 2009
January Verses
Isaiah 33:6
He is your constant source of stability; He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; He gives all this to those who fear Him.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.
He is your constant source of stability; He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; He gives all this to those who fear Him.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.
Jesus Year
As I have dubbed this a "Jesus Year" and as I try to focus only on Christ things get harder. It is a combination of the devil and my strong will.
Change is hard and does not come fast. Reading God's word daily, memorizing scripture, attending church/bible study, controlling my tongue, relationships, the list goes on....... are all things I am working on.
Making this a Jesus Year also involves my thought life. What is really important? Will it matter in five years? Does it make a difference in eternity? In a world that has become fast and all about self it hard not to become like everyone else.
We are called to be "set apart" and in come days it is going to become more important. How do I set myself apart with out isolating myself?
Change is hard and does not come fast. Reading God's word daily, memorizing scripture, attending church/bible study, controlling my tongue, relationships, the list goes on....... are all things I am working on.
Making this a Jesus Year also involves my thought life. What is really important? Will it matter in five years? Does it make a difference in eternity? In a world that has become fast and all about self it hard not to become like everyone else.
We are called to be "set apart" and in come days it is going to become more important. How do I set myself apart with out isolating myself?
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Weekend
Mom is in-town to see Schoonie and have a visit with me. I have Monday off for MLK and have taken Tuesday off because of the inauguration. So mom and I have lots of time to spend together. Yesterday on her way to the doctor her car was side-swiped by a hit and run. The car is not that badly damaged, but it made for a very stressful day for her. We went to Barryhill for dinner and had a great time. Them came home read and went to bed. I was tired and have major congestion in my chest. I am hoping to go to some cool places to eat, catch a movie, and maybe go to the museum. Well see.....
I doing research for cool places to eat I asked some people that I work with for suggestions. People that have lived in Houston all of their lives and love to eat. Here is some of what I got.
I doing research for cool places to eat I asked some people that I work with for suggestions. People that have lived in Houston all of their lives and love to eat. Here is some of what I got.
Most of them are inside the loop, which is great, but I am sure that there is fun and great food to be found outside of the loop. That may be another posting/mission.
- Tafi
- Onion Creek
- Rainbow Lodge
- Tony's Mexican Restaurant
- Barnaby's Cafe
- Baba Yega
- Pronto Cucinino
- Rioja
- Thai Pepper
- The Chocolate Bar
- Collina's
- Mia Bella
- Good Company Seafood
- The Hobbit Hole Cafe
- Ziggy's
- Rickshaw
- Dharma Cafe
- Empire Cafe
- Michelangelo's
- Black Walnut Cafe
- D'Amico's
- Kubo's Japanese Sushi
More to come. If you have suggestions please post.
Change is Gonna Come
School has been an interested ball of wax lately. Our principal resigned before Christmas, which to some was a good thing and to others was bad. I think it was a good thing for all. My principal was a smart young AA woman with two young children and a husband that also has a carrer. This new job will allow her to make more money and be home with her family more. We were led to believe both by her and other members of the A-team both before break and after break that the leadership and direction of the school would rest in the hands of the leaders that were already at the school and new it well. On Wed of last week someone from Central Admin. came over and stated that they were interviewing and it could be as soon as two weeks or May when someone was placed as our new principal. Karen was named lead admin, Mary was named in charge of all CI and Gary will "round out the triangle". We were ALL (includeing the a-team) shocked and not pleased. What I saw happen in the next seven school days was hard and sad. Some cloose friends, who are leaders and teachers were crying, yelling, walkin' out of school, talking about quitting, fighting with others on the staff, talking about others, and becoming apathatic. Well.....
Yesterday was a half-day and at the end of the half-day there was a Jerry Maguire meeting or for those of us that are not huge movie buffs a "Come to Jesus Meeting" and it was led by the rounder of the trinangle, who is a great speaker and leader. Many left feeling yelled at, or the hammer falling on them. I left feeling good and excited about the Change that is Gonna Come! Something the Lord has really been teaching me over the last three year in paticular is that you MUST acept the things that you can't change and work on what you can change. You are responsible for you, not what ANYone else does or doesn't do. That is so hard to really believe and live out, especially when you see injustice, wrong doing, or you know you could do a better job.
I hope that what this means is that we are going to have a school run by professionals that care and will do what they belive is right until the Lord places someone else in a position of leadership over them. "I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I will put my faith in the one who does"
Yesterday was a half-day and at the end of the half-day there was a Jerry Maguire meeting or for those of us that are not huge movie buffs a "Come to Jesus Meeting" and it was led by the rounder of the trinangle, who is a great speaker and leader. Many left feeling yelled at, or the hammer falling on them. I left feeling good and excited about the Change that is Gonna Come! Something the Lord has really been teaching me over the last three year in paticular is that you MUST acept the things that you can't change and work on what you can change. You are responsible for you, not what ANYone else does or doesn't do. That is so hard to really believe and live out, especially when you see injustice, wrong doing, or you know you could do a better job.
I hope that what this means is that we are going to have a school run by professionals that care and will do what they belive is right until the Lord places someone else in a position of leadership over them. "I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I will put my faith in the one who does"
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Class Action
Check out this site. GO get the free stuff on Jan. 20th.
http://www.cosmeticssettlement.com/
http://www.cosmeticssettlement.com/
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Jesus Year
Monday and Tuesday have been busy and filled with the unexpected!
On Monday, Steffanie and I started a new program in our classroom in self-defense. So much of our day, because of the number of students that we teach is spent policing the rules. Rules that are important, but don't apply to music. Tuck your shirt in, put your ID on, be on time in your seat when the bell rings, take off that jacket, no gum, etc. When we added it up (and I am sure this is an under-estimate) we have spent over 6 hours in the last 17 weeks repeating ourselves instead of teaching music. The system is to hard to explain here, in short it is the ideas from several different good teachers with Steffanie's and my twist on it. Boy, we were not expecting to have such an impact. Monday was hard, but better than we expected. Tuesday, we were met with less resistance and taught more music and had more fun because of it. THE PASSION, Creativity and Dedication that Steff and I have is spreading. We had no intention of getting recognition, praise, or starting a school-wide system, which is what may be taking place after the word spreading in just two short days. We are just two teachers that want to make a difference not only in our content, but in the ethical, moral, and character of the students that we teach. A great start to what I want to be a JESUS YEAR.
Tonight, a new Beth Moore bible study started and the topic is "The Inheritance". The music was great, I saw a college friend that sings in the praise team, which was cool and yet again I was taught and brought to JESUS by this faithful woman. I could write pages about what was said, the jokes, my thought, verses..... I will only say this "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance" Psalm 16:6
In a previous post I spoken of KSBJ's "One Thing" challenge and my prayer that the Lord would lead me to my one thing. I am feeling a theme or direction, but need to pray and ponder more before I "put it in stone" so to speak on this blog.
I am excited to see what the rest of the week holds. Riding instead of driving is hard for me. If I can let go and tilt my head back and allow God to drive, it will be one wild and crazy ride.
On Monday, Steffanie and I started a new program in our classroom in self-defense. So much of our day, because of the number of students that we teach is spent policing the rules. Rules that are important, but don't apply to music. Tuck your shirt in, put your ID on, be on time in your seat when the bell rings, take off that jacket, no gum, etc. When we added it up (and I am sure this is an under-estimate) we have spent over 6 hours in the last 17 weeks repeating ourselves instead of teaching music. The system is to hard to explain here, in short it is the ideas from several different good teachers with Steffanie's and my twist on it. Boy, we were not expecting to have such an impact. Monday was hard, but better than we expected. Tuesday, we were met with less resistance and taught more music and had more fun because of it. THE PASSION, Creativity and Dedication that Steff and I have is spreading. We had no intention of getting recognition, praise, or starting a school-wide system, which is what may be taking place after the word spreading in just two short days. We are just two teachers that want to make a difference not only in our content, but in the ethical, moral, and character of the students that we teach. A great start to what I want to be a JESUS YEAR.
Tonight, a new Beth Moore bible study started and the topic is "The Inheritance". The music was great, I saw a college friend that sings in the praise team, which was cool and yet again I was taught and brought to JESUS by this faithful woman. I could write pages about what was said, the jokes, my thought, verses..... I will only say this "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance" Psalm 16:6
In a previous post I spoken of KSBJ's "One Thing" challenge and my prayer that the Lord would lead me to my one thing. I am feeling a theme or direction, but need to pray and ponder more before I "put it in stone" so to speak on this blog.
I am excited to see what the rest of the week holds. Riding instead of driving is hard for me. If I can let go and tilt my head back and allow God to drive, it will be one wild and crazy ride.
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