For the love of Ikea

Hubby and I made yet another trip to Ikea today to get some artwork for our walls. Ikea is a staple in Germany not only for furniture, but all kinds of home decor, bedding, and kitchen supplies. It is close, not too expensive, and has tons of stuff to offer. Considering this is a temporary home for the next 3 years or so, I feel like I get to care a little less and have a little more fun with our choices. Here are some of the pieces we got today to brighten up the place and make it look a little more "decorated."

This will go above our bed in our "master" bedroom. I put master in quotes because it's not all that big and does not have a bathroom directly attached to it, but Germans don't really do the whole master bedroom thing. They are all just bedrooms, or zimmers. Our sheets are light green as is the quilt that I have draped over the bed, so I thought this print would look nice and coordinate with the green in the bedding.

This one will go above our couch in the living room. We have mostly neutral colors in there, chocolate brown leather sofa, dark wood TV stand etc, but we both liked it (which is rare) and it reminds me of CT where I grew up.

This photo did not come out that great because of the glass in the frame, but this one is going in the hallway over a small shelf (which will house some of hubby's shoes). I am hoping to set up an entryway table of sorts where we can leave keys so the hallway is not entirely long and empty.

It is a series of pen and ink animal prints done by Picasso. I like the simplicity and it reminds me of kid art, which I like.

Here are a few close ups of the animals.

I wish I had decorating "skills," but I really don't. I definitely like everything to be organized and because of that I don't have too many decorative items out and about in the rooms. I think I need to fix that, but like I said, I don't really have to much of an eye for what looks good, goes well together, or makes a profound statement of style.

Any tips for making a place look homey but not cluttered?

It's a good thing I heart reading!

It's also a good thing I have this week off for fall break because I have been getting lots of work done for my courses. Yes, I am the quintessential overachiever and I am getting some work done ahead of time, but considering I am starting a new job next week, which is no longer only 3 hours a day, and time is flying by as always, I don't want to be freaking out come the end of the quarter when all my papers/assignments are due. One of the great things about this whole "independent study" doctoral stuff is that I have one big assignment for each course due at the end of the term. I am expected to keep up with readings, a lot of reading, which is why I say it's a good thing I heart reading, but as far as actual "assignments" they are not weekly. I check in via skype with my advisor once every other week and I join certain segments of his classes via skype as well, but I am on my own for the rest.

I am following the syllabi (is that the correct plural of syllabus?) for the weekly readings, but there are no weekly assignments gradually building to the final paper. Nothing to assist me in keeping on schedule, yet considering I often have to read an entire book or 3-4 long chapters from a text in a single week plus a short novel for Global Literature, it is very easy to neglect the larger written assignments! I am completely responsible for my own success or failure in this endeavor because at this level, it is expected that I can figure it out and take care of business! I think I am doing fine, but the point is I am really happy to find that everything I have to read is really interesting to me, so it doesn't feel tedious and I am really thankful to have had the last few days to really crack down on moving forward with my long projects.

I have to write a 20 page cultural autobiography (I am 9 pages in and it has been really fun to write so far because it's basically a narrative in my own voice, not an "academic voice" about my life. Who doesn't like to talk/write about themself?!) and I have to write a 20 page paper on an issue in education as well as put together an annotated bibliography of my sources which means I have to critically evaluate/explain each source rather than just listing it. Fun times!

I want to share a piece of what I read last night. A little background is that I am studying a lot about multicultural education which will probably be the general area of study for my dissertation. This is an excerp from Affirming Diversity by Sonia Nieto & Patty Bode.

"The lesson for teachers and schools is that contrary to conventional wisdom and practice, it is not students and their familes who must always do the accommodating. The misguided belief in one-way accommodation explains the tendency among educators to view unsuccessful students as either genetically inferior or culturally deprived. When students do not automatically accommodate to the school (or other) system, their intelligence or ability or that of their families or communities is questioned. The perspective of mutual accommodation allows schools and teachers to use the resources all students already have to work toward academic success. In this model, neither the students nor the teacher expects complete accommodation. Rather they work together, using the best strategies at the disposition of each. In the process of mutual accommodation, teachers and students are equally enriched. Using students' languages, identities, and experiences as the basis for student learning might mean that teachers have to expand their own repertoires of teaching. Doing so is an advantage for everyone."

Everything that I am reading seems to be woven together, but this really ties into the idea of critical pedagogy that I have been reading about in Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The relationship between the student and the teacher should reflect a reciprocity in which the teacher learns from the student in addition to helping the student learn.

Seems ideal, of course, that we can use students' backgrounds to help them learn, yet with research based, "canned," curriculums that many of us have to use, this become a bigger challenge! I have been thinking lately how frustrating it is that we cannot just teach. Just plan our own lessons rather than getting a script from a manual. I get lost in this world of fantasy about what my ideal classroom would be like, but then I get frustrated because there are constraints on what creativity and innovation we can bring to the classroom depending on expectations for fidelity in implementing programs. I am also reading Black Ants and Buddhists, written by a first/second grade teacher, which is about how she weaves cultural awareness and critical thinking into amazing units for her students. She mentions community volunteers speaking to her students, amazing field trips, letter writing activities and a mixture of innovative and creative lessons, but I can't help but wonder when she does all this. This year is a bit different, but in my previous three years teaching first grade, there was no extra time to go above and beyond the adopted programs and we were expected to follow the programs.

rock.hard place.hello

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Bloggy Awards and ExPat articles

Thanks a million to everyone who commented on my post from yesterday about teacher preparation. I am still interested in hearing about other experiences in teacher prep programs, so if you haven't commented yet you still can ====> click here.

Also a big thanks to Nicolasa from Low Expectations for bestowing upon me two fantastic bloggy awards. I am particularly excited about the first one because I have never seen it before.

This award goes to Loyal Bloggy Followers

I would like to pass this award to:

Kelly @ She Wears a Red Sox Cap

and

Jen @ Following the Footsteps

They were two of my very first followers and I can always count on great comments from them both. If you are a loyal follower of Sneaker Teacher too, go ahead and grab the award for yourself as well! Leave me a comment telling me what parts of Sneaker Teacher you like and feel free to leave comment love as often as you like so I know you are following! :0)

The rules for accepting the Your Blog is Fabulous Award are to list 5 things that you are obsessed with and pass the award to 5 blogs that are **fabulous**

oBsEsSiOnS!!

1. I would have to say I am pretty obsessed with blogging. The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is check to see if I have gotten any comments. Since Germany is so far ahead of the US, I usually get comments while I am sleeping, so it's fun to wake up and receive some love <3.

2. amazon.de and Amazon Prime shipping. I have ordered a LOT of books since we moved here because I need textbooks for my classes. With a free trial of Amazon Prime, I get next day shipping for FREE.

3. Nutella-it's amazing.

4. Baking-I have not baked in months because it has been months since I have had an oven! I love making treats like decorated sugar cookies, banana bread with cream cheese frosting, cupcakes, birthday cakes, and most of all cake balls. If you don't know what a cake ball is please visit www.bakerella.com.

I also love eating said treats.

5. SKYPE- I heart skype for so many reasons. I love to see my mom's face. I love to see my bff Cristina's face. I love to participate in doctoral classes in Portland when I am sitting in my office in Germany. Technology is SO cool!

I would also like to pass this award to:

Peanut Butter & Jenny- a peanut butter lover & future teacher (girl after my own heart!)

All the Weigh- a girl on a weight loss journey lovin' life in NYC

{ae Filkins}- what would we do without Friend Makin' Mondays?

Theta Mom- this cool mama tried out for the Radio City Rockettes

Windowboxes and Weissbier- a fellow Expat living in Germany

Mixing it up a little...did you notice not all of these bloggers are teachers this time???

Last but not least, I am very excited because I submitted a piece to an online Expat forum and I just found out it was published with October's articles!

Check it out here

Are you accredited??

I am doing some research for my Issues in Education course regarding teacher preparation programs and the lack of preparation teachers receive with regards to the diversity that exists in today's classrooms. My interest in this topic stems from my experience in my own teacher preparation program which, I felt, did not prepare me at all for the realities of teaching. Because of my lack of preparation for the linguistic and cultural diversity I found in my classroom, I returned to graduate school to get my master's in SPED and an ESOL endorsement, so I would be a more capable, well rounded teacher. In other research projects, I have also come across data reflecting teachers not feeling they were adequately prepared by their teacher prep programs, so I feel like this is an unfortunate trend in education.

My advisor recommended that I take a look at The Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education which is "the standard of excellence in teacher preparation." How fancy. I had no idea that there was a council with specific standards that gives (or doesn't give) accreditation to institutions with teacher preparation programs. Click here to view a map of the US on which you can click any state and view all accredited institutions in that state.

I was very interested/appalled to find that my college was NOT on the list. Yikes! Hope Dad never finds out about that because he always encouraged me to go to UCONN, a state school, which by the way...is ON the list. I will admit, when I originally applied to Villanova, I applied to the business school and was accepted. Villanova is an excellent business school and is ranked #11 in the nation, however sometime during the summer before freshman year, I decided that being a businesswoman was not my fate of choice and I requested to switch into the college of arts and sciences so that I could participate in the elementary education program. I should have known, based on the fact that I had to take my classes at another all female college down the street, that it was not the best ever teacher program, yet I put up with the nuns because I was happy at Nova and I completed the program. I met my best friend at Nova. I met my husband at Nova. In no way do I regret selecting that school for my college experience, but I can't help but feel like I wish someone told me about the standards in a teaching program I should be on the lookout for...

Now, I am not saying that because I went to a non-accredited school that I am a less effective teacher than other teachers out there, but I am bummed! I mean, I have a teaching license, I have endorsements, I have experience, I am a good teacher. I don't need "accreditation" to make me feel worthy, yet I just keep thinking I wish I knew! Thank goodness my grad school is on the list or I think I would just about die. Standards are created with a purpose and I don't ever like to be associated with something that is sub-par.

Now, here is where all you lovely teachers that read this blog come in.....

Help me with my research!

Where did you go to college for your teacher prep?

Did you do your program as an undergrad or grad student?

Is your college/university on the list? Here is the link again.

(no judgments....remember I didn't make the list!)

Did you feel that your program adequately prepared you to teach linguistically & culturally diverse students?

I really hope to see a lot of comments because this issue is really interesting to me!

Much love to all my teacher peeps!

This is what I call "positivity"

"We all need loving the most

when we deserve it the least"

don't know who said that, but I like it!

We all know that students respond well to praise, but sometimes our praising could use a little sparkle & pizzazz!

Instead of saying "good job" next time, try one of these

Excellent * Fantastic * Remarkable * Super * Hurray for you * I'm proud of you * I bet you're proud of yourself * Great * Beautiful work * Nicely done * Way to go * Wow * That looks spectacular * Marvelous * You did it * Great discovery * Outstanding * You rock * Exceptional * Well done * Bravo * Terrific * Neat * Looking good * Now you've got it * You figured it out * Awesome * You're on the right track * Nothing can stop you now * I knew you could do it *Fabulous * Stupendous * Phenomenal * Sensational * Magnificent * I'm impressed * Amazing

And if you want put some icing on that praise cake why not give some more specific praise

I noticed that you did your homework every night this week * I appreciate the way you followed my directions the first time * I saw that you helped clean up the mess on the floor * I really love the way you came right away when I called your name * You did a nice job hanging up your coat and backpack * You really tried to use your best handwriting * I like that you wrote 5 sentences in your journal

And everyone appreciates a little lovin'

Give your students a...

hug * high five * smile * thumbs up * wink * shoulder pat * handshake * nod * clap * funny face

Global Literature Week 5

This week's theme for my Global Literature course is Biography/Non-fiction. Below are the book choices. The only one from the list that my library has is Zlata's Diary, so I am going to read that one. It is the story of a ten-year-old Croatian girl's firsthand account of the changes she witnesses as her country slides into war and chaos from 1992-1996 during the Bosnian War.

Friend Makin' Monday

This week's theme for Friend Makin' Monday is:

If you were in a movie, which movie would you want to live in?

Check out Amber's blog to see the rest of the answers.

I would have to say that I would choose to be in the original Step Up.

I would love to attend a school were dancing and choreographing was part of my education! Of course, as long as we are playing make believe, I would have fantastic dancing talents like Jenna Dewan.

Not to mention that dancing with this guy would be pretty fantastic...

::sigh::

It would also be pretty fun to live in Clueless. I would die for Cher's closet!

Weekend Workout Review

My goal lately has been to workout 4-5 days a week. I usually plan not to workout on the weekends because we usually end up being lazy and if I plan not to workout then I make sure to get a workout in everyday during the week. This week I skipped on Thursday and Friday so I wanted to make sure to workout both yesterday and today. Yesterday hubs and I went to our local gym and I spent 70 minutes on the recumbent bike. I have a lot of reading to do for my courses, so I like to kill two birds with one stone. I finished up Lies My Teacher Told Me and got in a good hour+ of cardio as well. My husband took a look at how far back I was putting the seat and recommended that I adjust it farther back, so I wonder if sitting too close has caused my knee to bug out?!

I just finished Shred level 1 with Jillian and I am happy to say that my knee felt really good today. I did make sure to be extra careful with my form for both the squat press and the lunge with bicep curl because doing exercises improperly can certainly lead to knee pain or injury. I also went really light on weights for the multi joint exercises because, even though my knee is feeling good right now, it has been bugging me a lot lately and I don't want to do anything to elicit more pain!

I guess I have been doing a few things differently, so maybe that is what is making my knee hurt less. I have been drinking one can of this stuff everyday.

Have you heard of it?

We used to get it at Costco and we had an extra case that got shipped along when we moved. It contains glucosamine which is really good for joint health.

"Glucosamine helps provide the building blocks for healthy cartilage and maintain structural integrity of joints and connective tissue." *source*

I am not sure if drinking this really has an effect on my knee, but unfortunately we only have half a case left and once I run out I won't be able to get anymore. Each can has only 25 calories and it tastes fruity and delicious. I never got around to trying to find fish oil caplets, so for now the JJ will have to do.

I have been wearing my orthotics all day everyday not just for workouts. No matter what pair of shoes I put on, I put those inserts inside because I know they are helping my feet which therefore should help my knees.

I am also planning on incorporating some pilates into my workout routines a few times a week. When I was consistently doing pilates (twice a week for an hour), I was in the best shape of my adult life. That was a few years back when I was recently dumped and 21, but I think pilates exercises are great. I am especially interested to incorporate some pilates because I feel like the exercises will be less stressful on my knees. I have this Winsor Pilates Sculpting Bun & Thigh DVD which I really like.

The whole routine takes about 20 minutes. It is all mat work which means none of the exercises are weight bearing. I still want to keep up the rigor of my workout routine without as much stress on my knee.

This week is fall break, so I don't have to go to work! I have tons of papers/things to work on for my doctoral courses though, so I am sure it will be a busy week!

Lessons from the Field

Check out my "Lessons from the Field" interview on Cerftification.com.

Tell me what you think!

International Halloween

Wow. That is just about all I can say. Wow.

(Hey all you elementary teachers...what book is that from??)

The school where I worked back home forbade any Halloween costumes involving weapons, blood, violence, or gore. This year, they decided to forego costumes altogether as part of their decision to not celebrate holidays at school.

My new school. Total opposite. Let me paint you a picture.

This morning, the students arrived in their costumes which were a mixture of blood, violence, gore, death..all those fun things. The principal enters the third grade classroom dressed as Dracula with fake teeth and fake blood dripping from his mouth. The children, very excited by his costume, shouted out his name, "Mr. L!" Then he said, "I am not Mr. L. I killed Mr. L and drank his blood and now I am looking for more!"

Then the kids all carved pumpkins with the knives they brought in their backpacks from home.

Yup. Knives in backpacks. Kids having knives at school.

A little bit different than home...

Just Like Riding a Bike

At some point in your life, it's likely that you have heard this phrase. It refers to something that you once learned that you will never forget how to do. Something that is so ingrained, so automatic, that you could easily do it after not having done so for a really long time. The analogy of riding a bike is given implying that once you learn how to ride a bike, it will never again be a skill that you don't have. Anytime you get on a bike, you will automatically be transformed into a carefree, uninhibited, joyful child speeding along with ease....

or not....

After today, I would definitely hesitate before suggesting to someone, in hopes of encouraging them that something will be easy, that whatever they wish to do is "just like riding a bike."

Today around 11, the HR lady at my school approached me and said I needed to go to the Rathaus (townhall) to fill out a form for a new work permit since I am going to start working more than 15 hours and that is all my current permit allows. Because the processing may take up to two weeks, and my anticipated start date is Monday 11/2, she felt it was very important that I go today...before 2. Normally, this would not be a problem as I would just drive myself on over to the building and take care of business. That would not be a problem...if I had a car....which I don't. Neither does the HR lady who needed to come with me to explain in German what I needed from the office. Ever since we moved to Germany, I can count on my fingers and toes the number of times I have even been in a car. I walk everywhere. Everywhere. To work. To the gym. To the grocery store. To the post office. To the mall. Everywhere. I am completely happy with walking when places are relatively close, but the Rathaus is not super close. So HR lady suggested that we bike there. She said I could borrow a bike from one of the other teachers. Ok. No biggie. I know how to ride a bike. If riding a bike is the beloved analogy for easily returning to a long abandoned activity, then surely I can ride a bike.

It hasn't been THAT long since I last rode a bike. It's not THAT hard to ride a bike. This will NOT be a big deal. Can you tell I was seriously trying to pump myself up for this endeavor?

So off we went. She, carelessly riding her bike with ease...followed by me, pretending to ride my bike with ease, yet completely focusing hard on all aspects of bike riding in order to not fall off said bike and totally embarrass myself. Now on top of the fact that my bike skills were very rusty, I am in the midst of a population of bikers who seriously don't even hold on when they ride.

Really, no hands! Literally, neither hand touching the handles. Maybe one, but definitely not two.

I have seen bikers carrying takeout pizza in their hands, carrying grocery bags in their hands, smoking, enjoying coffee, or sometimes just casually resting their hands in their lap. You name it, people in Germany do it...while biking.

Then there was me. Two hands and a death grip on the handle bars. I am absolutely amazed that I did not cause a bicycle crash today. I would have been fine if we were the only ones out riding our bikes, yet I completely freaked out inside every time another biker rode near us or passed by us. I also freaked out when we passed walkers as some of them decided to walk across the bike path, directly in front of me. They must have thought I have the skill to easily maneuver around them as most normal bikers would. Ummmm. Yeah.

As if it wasn't hard enough to simply ride on the bike, stop at stop signs, and then quickly mount and start peddling as soon as the street was clear, I also had to follow someone taking a route that I was not at all familiar with on a bike that was not mine and was not fitted for my body. Too much....all at once....not fun.

I am happy to say that I survived this lovely bike tour in Erlangen and successfully filled out the necessary paperwork to get my new work permit without any major incidences.

I will also say that the next time I tell someone, "it's just like riding a bike" I will probably be referring to something that will seem really awkward, will be fairly embarrassing, and will require a lot of conscious effort as opposed to something that they will easily breeze their way through as if they had done it everyday of their life.

**snaps!**

I got an email today saying that www.onlineschools.org posted the list

"100 Blogs Every New Teacher Should Read"

How cool is it that blogs have become such a great resource for teachers to share and learn from!?

How cool is it that Sneaker Teacher is on the list!

Check it out **here**

I am not sure how this happened, but I am so excited! Sometimes I feel like blogging is like writing a diary that goes on the internet for everyone to read instead of being hidden in a drawer or underneath the bed. I am really thrilled to know that readers find my blog interesting and helpful when it comes to teaching.

And she's back in the game!

I am so happy to announce that I am rejoining the ranks of "real" teachers as the new support services teacher for my school! WOO HOO! It took a lot of patience to wait for their decision, but I am in! I will start the Monday after our fall break, which is the first Monday in November.

I am hoping to meet with the special services team this week to go over scheduling and job details so that I can prepare next week during my time off. It is a .75 position, so I will do 21 lessons a week instead of 28 which is what full time staff members do. That works out to about 4 45-minute blocks a day with some prep time (hopefully!) as well.

I am so excited to start this position because it just feels like it is meant to be both because it is a new challenge, yet something I know I will be good at. I am sure it will take some getting used to, but I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to work with older students. I think the most difficult part is starting a new position over a month into the school year because I missed out on all the new teacher orientation stuff and will still have to learn the ropes of being a teacher at the school while learning the new position at the same time. Being a TA is very different, so there is still a lot about the school and staff I have yet to learn.

Thanks for all of your kind, supportive words of encouragement as I waited and waited and waited to hear about this job! I really appreciate all the kind thoughts and confidence in my skills as a teacher based on my writing/stories on this blog. You guys rock!

Workin' It Out!

Two MckLinkys in one day...whew! Hopefully today will be a day to make some new bloggy friends!

Susana over at My Family My Forever is hosting a Get Excited About EXERCISE blog hop!

She wants to know what your exercise routine is!

I named by blog Sneaker Teacher because I am a teacher who loves to workout and stay fit. What I envisioned to be a blog with a good mix of fitness and teacher talk, turned into a blog mostly about teaching, being a grad student, and getting my doctorate. I am definitely interested in talking fitness/health more often, so this opportunity is great!

I actually just posted about my recent workout routines *here* and *here* but I am happy to talk shop again because I find talking fitness motivates me and keeps me going!

I love Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred workouts and she always kicks my butt! Go Susana for trying two of her workouts in a row. Whew! Don't forget your towel because you will be dripping sweat, I promise!

These other two workout DVD's by Jillian are also great. They are done in circuits with about 5 different exercises in each circuit that are repeated twice. These are longer videos, I think they last about 45-50 minutes, but the DVD does have options to select specific circuits instead of doing them all. I don't do these as much because there is a lot of jumping/hopping in the cardio and I now have people living under me since moved into an apartment. I don't want to make my German neighbors mad because they will complain!

Boost The Metabolism is all cardio and only a mat is needed.

No More Trouble Zones incorporates weights.

Both are awesome!

I also really like Jackie Warner's One-on-One Training With Jackie Workout DVD which has three twenty minute segments: upper body, abs, & lower body. Her ab workout is a killer and I am always *good* sore after doing her workouts. I like the flexibility of having the three choices because even just one of the segments is a good workout and all three together makes for a fantastic sweatfest!

I have been trying to incorporate some more Jillian and Jackie into my life because I tend to do up the cardio and neglect the weight training. Although it's good to do cardio and burn calories, weight training is what truly changes the body, so I need to balance out my workouts a little more.

I have really been enjoying the Treadclimber at my new gym here in Germany and occasionally, I will run. It is so fun to run on a German treadmill because the screen provides speed in km/hour so I always feel like I am super speedy even though I am running at my regular (6.5-7.5 m/hour) pace.

I am also trying really hard to keep my water intake up so I stay hydrated because my little friend Diet Coke (Cola Light here in Europe) is my vice in life!

Happy Workouts Ladies!!

Friend Makin' Monday

The theme for this week's Friend Makin' Monday is...

things that make you happy

Check out all of the other responses on Amber's blog.

1. my husband

2. my family

3. my BFF Cristina

4. being a teacher

5. getting into my cozy bed at night

6. reading/learning

Global Literature Week 4

This weeks reading theme for Global Lit. is War, Violence, Prejudice & Death. Sounds fun, huh? But the reality is that so many groups have experienced these four things throughout history, so there are many important stories to tell. The school library has The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ( I have seen that movie, so I already know the story), The Other Side of Truth, and Milkweed. I am thinking about reading Milkweed which is the story told through the eyes of a likeable orphan about the streets of a Nazi-occupied Warsaw ghetto.

Skype-fest

Last night I had my first experience Skyping into one of the doctoral classes. I have to say, I am pretty disappointed that the faculty voted not to let me do this for all of the core courses because I thought it went really well. Granted, there were only 8 students in the class, but I could see and hear everything and was able to participate in their discussion of the Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The teacher, who is my advisor and the one really helping and supporting my distance education participation in the program, also showed a video clip and I was able to watch that without any technical difficulties! The only real challenge was piping into the group discussion because I wasn't sure if there was any sort of delay and I was worried I would be interrupting, but at several points, the teacher specifically asked me if I had any comments and then I was able to chime in.

I can't get over how cool technology is!

Here I was sitting at home in Germany, magically transported to a classroom in Portland that I spent many hours in throughout my master's program. I could see out the window to the familiar street corner on campus. It made me nostalgic for home, but at the same time, how COOL is that?!

I am going to Skype into my advisor's Multicultural & Urban Education course tomorrow at 6:15 to watch some presentations that the students are doing based on case studies from the text. I have been doing a TON of reading for this course including chapters in the text Affirming Diversity, Other People's Children, and Lies My Teacher Told Me. I have over 150 pages left to read for tomorrow in Lies My Teacher Told Me which is about how social studies texts/curriculums leave out a lot of true information in order to glorify and heroize certain figures from our history such as Columbus. It outlines many particular instances of where the information typically taught to students is a far cry from the reality of what really occurred. Pretty interesting stuff, yet it's similar to reading a social studies text, so it is slow going!

I also just got this book called Black Ants and Buddhists which I have only read a small part of, but I can already tell I am in love with it. It is about "thinking critically and teaching differently in primary grades" and is written by a first/second grade teacher who has done an amazing job teaching in a way that really values cultural differences and teaches children to be accepting of and knowledgeable about differences. It is one of those books that is both inspiring and frustrating to read because you think, of course I want to teach like that, but I am constrained within researched based curriculum mandated by the district! I still come away with ideas and ideals and hope for changes in our educational system that will allow all teachers to be as creative as the author is.

All of those books are on my little Shelfari Bookshelf on the top right of the page if you want to take a look or get more deets.

A Little Shred Shred

Ahhh...Jillian Michaels never fails in completely kicking my butt. Sadly, her Shred workouts are now more difficult for me than they were when I first purchased the DVD. I did her Level 2 workout today and whew...the walking pushups were not happening! I feel like I have increased my lower body strength, but my upper body strength needs some serious help!

I always feel like doing one of her Shred workouts is not enough because they only last about 20 minutes, yet by the time I am finished my body is screaming, so I never end up doing anything else. I should...but I don't.

I've got a Skype appt. with my advisor tonight and I will actually be skyping into a class for the first time! He said he is putting my on the big projection screen so I can introduce myself to the class and then I am going to participate in some partner/small group instructions. (Better make sure I look decent for the big screen!) Despite the fact that it will be at 7 on a Saturday night because of the time difference, and I would rather be out with my teacher friends who will be chilling at the local bar, I am really excited to see what it's like to be part of the class.

Still hoping for job news on Monday!!

Moved to Germany..Became a Little Old Lady

I know I don't post a lot about health & fitness and I would like to start adding more posts along those lines. It just seems like there is always something to say about teaching!

When we first moved here, I joined a gym that is right down the street from our new apartment. I have been working out on a regular basis, which for me is about 4-5 times per week. 3 times a week at the least! My new gym has the treadclimber machine which is a combination of a treadmill and a stair stepper of sorts. The belt is divided into two sections that move independently and go up and down while the belt goes around. Does that make any sense???

This is what it looks like in case that gives you a better visual.

Anyway, I have been using this cardio machine a lot because it gets my heart rate up, gets a good sweat going, and it works the buns a lot because it feels like you are climbing stairs/walking uphill. Fun stuff! I have to hold on for dear life because I have tripped several times and I have a fear of falling off, but it's all good. I have this image of Jillian Michaels screaming "Let.GO.of.the.TREADMILL!," but honestly I feel like my safety is at risk, so I am good with holding on!

I have also recently been doing a lot of recumbent biking because I kill two birds with one stone by reading on the bike. I am using level 11, so it's not like I am just chilling and relaxing.

Sometimes, I use the weight machines, although the general smell in a German gym can get to me pretty quickly and this particular area is usually pretty stinky so I tend to hit the road after cardio.

Lastly, I am trying to incorporate some of my workout DVD's although I feel like I have to be careful because people live below me and I can see how me doing jumping jacks and butt kicks could be annoying to them. These videos do include a lot of lunges, squats, and the like, but again, I have been doing these vids for the past year, so they are nothing new to my workout routine.

So what is the point of this post? Ever since moving here, I have been having knee pain! I never ever had pain before and I have always been active. Even when I was doing hardcore boot camp classes, my knees were fine. I don't remember ever feeling like I did something to injure my knee, yet I feel like an old arthritic lady sometimes when I am climbing the stairs and feel it in my knees!

The only thing that is truly different is the fact that shortly before we moved, I got custom orthodics for my shoes. I was told that I have hallux limitus, which means the joints in my big toes are not as flexible as they should be. Although this is a condition that can lead to problems down the road, I never experienced any overt difficulties because of it. Heck, I didn't even know I had any issue until the lady doing my pedi told me I should see a podiatrist. $380 later, I have my custom shoe inserts that I am supposed to wear all the time in any pair of shoes I have on. I will admit, I don't usually wear them to work, but I am going to start. I always have them on when I am walking or working out.

They are really small and actually fit quite well, and discretely, inside dress shoes and ballet flats.

I am wondering if there is some correlation between the orthodics and my knee pain!? That is the only thing I can think of that is very different. Maybe using them sometimes instead of all the time is bad and has caused my joints to yell out in protest! I am just nervous because I don't want to mess around with knee pain. Being active is such a big part of my life that I would be very disheartened to have to cut back or take it easy. My blogging buddy Kelly talks a lot about her issues with knee pain on her blog. Check it out, she's great and very informative. She has made me aware of the foam rolling bandwagon that I absolutely must jump on.

If I were in the U.S. I would definitely call the foot clinic that gave me the shoe inserts and go back in for a consult, but I can't really do that. I don't have any doctors here yet and I am debating if I should wait it out or be on top of this so it doesn't become a bigger problem. My trainer always used to recommend taking fish oil capsules daily, because they are good for the joints, so I am going to see if I can find those at my local store. I am willing to try anything because this pain is bumming me out!

Sub for 1/2 day

Today when I arrived at work, I headed to the classroom that is on my schedule for the morning. The teacher pointed next door and said that the other teacher needed me because she was having an emergency. Luckily, it wasn't anything bad, but she needed to get back to her apartment asap because the service man who was supposed to come next Thursday to hook up her internet was actually coming today between 8 and 12. It was already almost 9 at that point, so she needed to try and get home quick so she wouldn't miss the chance to get her internet hooked up.

The school that I work at is accommodating to stuff like this. Especially, if there is a classroom assistant that can cover for the teacher. Well..I should say, at least if there is a trained teacher as the assistant, which I am! There are no substitute teachers, but the principal or the trained assistants can cover in the event teachers need to be absent for part or all of the day.

So the teacher left and I got to be in charge. Oh, I can't tell you how good it felt to be in charge! I am not on a power trip, just a teacher who misses doing just that....teaching....leading....being responsible for the whole group at once. It was a pretty easy 1/2 day. The students had English for the first hour which consisted of a grammar page, a journal entry, and silent reading. Then after their morning snack/recess break, they took a math test. Then we had a class meeting during which we talked about not touching other students' belongings when some of them switch to the other room during German class. Since that didn't take too long, I had them respond to the writing prompt: One day, when I arrived at school, I noticed all of my school supplies had gone missing! They enjoyed doing some creative stories about what happened during the night that cause the supplies to go missing. I made that part up because the teacher said to have them silent read, but most of them had already spent quite a bit of time silent reading after completing their math test and I didn't want the natives to get restless.

For all of my teacher readers... What is it about your favorite substitute teacher that makes them your first choice when you have to be away from your classroom?

Wow...they sure are thorough!

One of my first grade team members from my old school just got a call from Germany...the principal at my new school asking alllll about me! I will be super ecstatic if I get this position because they suuuuuuure are doing their homework when it comes to figuring out whether or not they want to hire me. If I get through all these hoops, I think I can officially do some major horn tootage!

Part of me is nervous that there is a reason they are going through all these extra lengths to check out my skills

maybe they have concerns about me

maybe they are hesitant

but...

I am confident that my references will be pretty darn convincing!

Cute

One of the students in the class I was working in today returned from the bathroom and proclaimed, "The toilet is overfloating!"

Thought that was pretty cute.

I still have not heard anything with regards to the job I interviewed for... I emailed the special services teacher to see if she would give me the dish, but all she could say was that she made her recommendation after meeting with the principals on Friday and that is all she knows. The director is still MIA so I guess nothing is going to happen until he returns.

So until Monday...I wait!

We've got a German lesson tonight and to be honest I am not all that excited about. I was kind of a boob today after work and caught up on some shows...The Biggest Loser & 90210. If anyone is into TBL and wants to discuss what went down I am still in disbelief! I went for an hour long walk outside and almost froze my buns off! Feels like we skipped fall and went straight to winter! Maybe Germany doesn't do fall..who knows! I would love to hit the gym tonight since I was lazy and snacking all afternoon, but no time for that because Martin comes at 7 to teach us to Deutsch zu sprechen.

Now, I am off to make some tacos for my hubs so that he can eat before German time.

MckLinky Blog Hop

During my time at Villanova University, we hosted Special Olympics for the state of Pennsylvania. The entire shebang was student planned and operated and it is one of the most memorable parts of my college experience. There is nothing better than the hug you get from an athlete who just won the gold and spending time with those heartwarming athletes is one of the reasons I wanted to pursue a master's degree in special education. At one of our meetings prior to the event, someone read this story and I swear, there was not a dry eye in the entire room!

And they call some of these people "retarded".

..A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back......every one of them.

One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes.

People who were there are still telling the story.

Why? Because deep down we know this one thing:

What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves.

What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.

source*

And now that I've got you all weepy, I will make you *smile*

My sister-in-law takes monthly photos of my niece on the date she was born. I just about fell over when I saw this pic because I can't get over how CUTE she is! It's like she already knows she is supposed to smile!

LOVE IT!!!

Friend Makin' Monday

Today's Theme for Friend Makin' Monday is..

What are you going to be for Halloween?

For the past two years, my first grade team and I dressed up as Crayons. We made the costumes ourselves and since they took a lot of time, we felt completely fine with the idea of repeating the costume usage year after year. Each year the kids thought they were fun and it was easy for us too! When I moved away, I left my blue Crayon costume for the next teacher because I felt it belonged with the group. Since I was moving to Germany, I figured I would not be dressing up this year since Halloween is an American celebration.

Well...I was wrong! Apparently my new school has a large celebration with "trunk or treating" (parents drive their cars onto the field and kids get to stop at each trunk to get treats) and pumpkin carving. Who knew!? Also, my old school has apparently decided to no longer celebrate any holidays so there will be no dressing up this year...I am really bumming that I didn't snag my Crayon outfit! Given that we just completely weeded out our belongings in order to move from a house to a small apartment, I have NOTHING fun or creative to use for a costume!

Sure, maybe I can go to a store and buy a costume, but that pretty much leaves me with the sexys. What do I mean by sexys? It seems like the only costumes available for adult women commercially are sexified versions of everyday occupations or characters. I could be a hot nurse with a short pleather dress and red hooker shoes, or a sexy pirate with torn clothing and exposed mid-drift. Now I may sound like a total boob, so let me just say I am not against being a little sexy. Who doesn't like to feel sexy? I am just not enthused with the fact that most creative ideas are thrown to the wayside in order to follow with this trend of spending Halloween dressed as the slutty version of something normal. I mean...sexy Hermione? C'mon!

Maybe when going to a party with friends those are fun choices and I might even dress up in that way in that situation, but I have to choose a costume appropriate for school....which means I have to be creative and kosher...and I've got nuttin'

Last year we went as nerds

The year before that we went as a bride and groom because we were newlyweds, but I was the groom and he was the bride. Those pics are scary!

So...this year, given the clothes/items I have to work with, I am going to be a tennis player. With a tennis playing husband who works at adidas, I have my fair share of tennis outfits and tennis shoes, so that is the best I can do! I guess I could try to add a little humor by being Roger or Rafa, but I will probably be a girl tennis player because I don't actually play, so I have to use the outfits for something!

Global Literature Week 3

This week's theme for my Global Literature course is "Struggles to Survive." Below are the books that we were asked to pick from. I will be reading Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan which is the story of a thirteen-year-old named Koly who enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage and must suffer a destiny dictated by India's tradition or find the courage to oppose it. Sounds interesting! I have to use the books that my school library has available, so I don't really get to make my own selections each week, but most of the books sound interesting and I am sure I would learn from any of them!

Bloggy Awards!

Nicolasa at Low Expectations has given me the Honest Scrap award! I just came across her blog a few weeks ago, but it was one that I immediately liked. Maybe it's because she is also a teacher, but I connect with what she is saying! She has a really pretty name too!

Thanks for the award!

The logistics:

1. Say thanks and give a link to the one who gave you the award.
2. Share 10 honest things about yourself.
3. Present this award to 3 other fantastically brilliant blogs of content or design, or peeps that have encouraged you.
4. Tell those 3 people they've been awarded and make sure they're informed of these guidelines

10 Honest Things About Me

1. I have been in love twice in my life & very happy that I had to go through heartbreak to get to my second love.
2. I am not really good at first impressions of other people--There have been many people who I didn't really like at first who ended up being some of my best friends (this includes my hubby!)
3. I cried a lot the day my parents took me to college.
4. When I was about two, my brother and I were making fireflies on the ceiling with flashlights in a dark room and he hit me with his flashlight by accident. I had to go to the hospital and I we thought I would need stitches, but all I got was a tiny bandaid under my eye. I still have missing eyelashes in that spot.
5. I have never smoked a cigarette or tried drugs...ever
6. Somewhat related to #5, I am allergic to alcohol and break out in a rash when I drink certain kinds. It has something to do with how it's processed, but I have no problem with top shelf brands. hehe.
7. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be ready to have kids.
8. I wish I lived closer to my best friend.
9. I was always a really good student, but in college I got a C+ in Physiological Psychology. I failed my lab where I had to identify parts of actual brains marked with pins.
10. Last but not least...I have a dual personality in that sometimes I can really go with the flow (in work situations) and sometimes I am a complete control freak (at home).

Now, I would like to pass this bloggy award onto:

It's a Wrap- if anyone deserves an award for being honest--it's her! She talks about healing herself and her relationship with food while recovering from anorexia. I really admire her strength to share her struggles and accomplishments and I would encourage you to check out her blog and the pics of her yummy meals! She is also a junior high math teacher.

Leslie @ Lamberts Lately- Leslie did the designs on both my blogs and her work is fabulous! She is a first grade teacher and all the $$ she makes from blog design goes towards her classroom purchases, so not only do you get a great looking blog, but you help out her and her students as well!

Katie@ Yes I Want Cake- Katie's is a healthy food blogger! She posts photos of her meals and lists ingredients and recipes. Frequently I read her posts and start drooling because her meals look so good! She posted about a pear & cinnamon grilled cheese sandwich last week, I made it, and it was divine! What a surprise...she is also a TEACHER (third grade).

Thanks also to Christie from Just the 2 of Us for giving me the One Lovely Blog Award! This is another blog I just recently came across and I am looking forward to reading it more.

The rules for the One Lovely Blog Award are:

1. Accept the award and post it on your blog with the name of the person who has granted the award.
2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered
3. Contact the bloggers and let them know they have been chosen for the award.

Wow! Choosing 15 blogs is a lot! I am going to take the liberty of reducing that number by a bit (okay a LOT). I have already awarded a few of the blogs that I just started reading above with the Honest Scrap Award and they are probably the same ones I would give this award, so....it's a daily double!

This award goes to...

It's a Wrap!

Yes, I Want Cake

Señorita in the City

I guess I need to be on the lookout for MORE new blogs!