Five Wonderful Things.

CNN, during the work week, has a running article that focuses on five news events to start your work week with. I find myself drawn to this article for numerous reasons, but I really like how easily it identifies five important events that may define your day - some are more serious than others, and there's always a token funny pet video, but it had me thinking about my own weeks and days, and how I can identify moments that can provided definition and clarity in a sometimes crazy world. The result of those brain-storming moments: Five Wonderful Things on Sunday evenings - a reflection on what made the week memorable or things that I am looking forward to. 

To the first edition of Five Wonderful Things: 

1. 50 Shades of Grey trailer premiered. Yes, this is a wonderful thing for me and countless other women (and men) who fell head over heels in love with Christian Grey in the hit serious. Today ran a two day series showcasing the trailer and behind the scenes footage that had me melting. I even re-read the whole series this weekend, hopefully sustaining my need until Valentine's Day 2015. Who doesn't love a megalomaniac CEO and his hopeless addiction to a bookish regular girl? 

2.  My best friend got a puppy. While this doesn't affect the world on a macro scale, it most certainly affects my micro world. He has been wanting a puppy for a while, and he finally got one - which is life changing! I am so in love with that little nugget, he fits in my hands right now and I am soaking up puppy snuggles until he gets too big. 

3. Back to school sales are in full swing. This is such an exciting time for me. I am obsessed with school supplies! As a teacher, I buy in bulk - spending a large sum to jump start my classroom, but I don't mind spending the money. If you know how to buy smart and which stores allow more than the limit for teachers and use price matching, you can make a huge dent in the sticker shock of back to school shopping. 

4. I get paid on this week. This is so important for so many reasons. I know money will not buy happiness nor does having money ensure that you will feel fulfilled, but that stretch from June till the end of July is a long time not to get paid. Thank God for parents and grandparents who are willing to still help you out when the times get tough. 

5. On Friday, I'm taking out some former students. On Friday, I am taking out a few of my former students from last year, and I could not be any more excited!! While I love all of my classes, I made such a connection with this class - I was so sure of myself as a teacher, which made for better relationships. 

So, here are my five wonderful things that are giving me hope or gave me hope. Think about your weeks and identify five things that keep you wanting more - the beauty in life comes from small things and moments. Don't overlook those - no one is going to come and remind you to be appreciative.


Have a great Monday, loves!
Till next time, 
-xo, Lucy 

Working Woman Wednesday!

It's been a while since we've celebrated a #workingwomanwednesday - hash tag and all. Today is as good as any, especially since today is the first Wednesday of summer vacation, and I'm still working. 

I'm attending a technology workshop for my district and while it does pay a stipend, I'm genuinely excited learn new strategies for technology in my classroom. I read a quote recently that teachers need summers to forget, or they'd never come back, and that teachers are solar-powered and recharge in the summer. I feel like both are true. Teachers need to forget the grueling hours and lack of encouragement from outsiders and we need to recharge ourselves, but also our toolbox of methods we use to teach our babes. 

Every artist seeks perfection, and I am no different. If you're a good or great teacher, you are always constantly seeking ways to better your performance and strategies. If you're a teacher, and you don't seek to improve yourself, then I have serious concerns about your performance in the classroom. 

So, here's to #workingwomanwednesday - here's to the ladies that do it all all the time, and never ask for validation - here's to the women who work on their days off and answer work e-mails while watching TV - here's to the girls who spend their summers at Food Lion and not the pool - today is for you! 

Dear cupcakes...

Dear cupcakes, 

Today, I had a thought - what if I had never met you? 

What if, by some fluke, you wouldn't have ended up in my class? What if I wouldn't have changed my major to education that day my sophomore year? What if I hadn't been so persistent to get hired at this elementary school? What if we had never met? 

Would I ever meet someone who has as special as you, who was so innately curious about the world? Probably not. 

Everything happens for a reason, and there was a reason that you were in my class this year. There was a reason you were picked for me. I needed to be reminded why I became a teacher. I needed to be reminded that real lives, real issues, real stuff bleeds over into the classroom despite how much we try to seal ourselves off into a safe place. I needed to be reminded that you need an advocate who isn't afraid to challenge the typical or travel the beaten path. I needed to be reminded of those things. 

This isn't a one-sided relationship; however, you benefited from me too. We learned the Common Core state standards so well that you told me you practiced fractions in your sleep. You learned how to learn vocabulary words easily and what you need to help you remember them - most of you speak two or three languages, the words you know can get cluttered. I helped you sort them. We had parties, treats, and I taught you selfless love. How do I know you taught me this? 

You gave me a surprise party. You planned it. You brought in money, asked other teachers, and begged for people to hide the treats in your room. You did that, without being asked or told. That's selfless. You learn to love others how I loved you, and isn't that the ultimate goal of school, to become a better person all around? 

We've taught each other so much, and now it's over - another year added to the books, and I am so glad I spent it with you. 

This isn't good-bye, it's see you later - you have my number, use it. Call me, text me - I will be there cheering you on every day. 

Love you, mean it - 

Miss Scott 

Filled hearts and refrigerators.

This weekend, my mom and dad came to see me and that was life changing in every way. 

It had been a very long time since I've seen my family. Trips home are expensive, and as a teacher, money is hard to come by, but time is also hard to come by, and for a whole host of reasons, this was our first visit in a while. 

I had surgery on Friday, and who doesn't want their mom to come when they have surgery? After a very long, long, long Friday, I finally figured out why I've been feeling so awful for so long. My stomach valve doesn't close, and so my body is constantly producing acid, which was making me feel awful all the time, but with modern medicine, I am already starting to feel better. I also moved this weekend, which is probably more interesting than hearing about my acidic stomach.

My new apartment is literally double what I was living in, and I couldn't be more happier! I have been looking forward to moving for a couple months - in fact, it's the only thing I've been looking forward too, given the state of my professional life. So, here I am, in a semi-unpacked apartment, with a heart and a refrigerator filled with love, watching The Little Mermaid, and attempting to relax before the EOGs start tomorrow. 

My students are ready. I am ready. I cannot focus on the anxiety that surrounds high stakes testing. A good/great/fantastic (whatever adjective you want to use) teacher does not let her students know failure is an option, because her attitude of excellence is so ingrained in herself and her classroom culture that her students do not know anything less. That is how I approach the next few days - by reminding my students that everything about them is amazing and that they are, by far, the smartest and most ready, because they're in my class. [: 

In other education news, this past week, the NC legislature presented a budget with an 11% raise! Can we believe our eyes? How generous of them? -_- 

Not. 

Don't be fooled by pretty presentation - they are offering a steak dinner on a trash can lid. Don't take the trash dinner. Don't eat their garbage. The legal jargon they have drowned the budget in is ridiculous - we get an 11% raise if we give up our tenure, if we challenge them in court, they put everyone back on the frozen pay scale - please, get your life, and take several seats, NC legislature. Go home. You're drunk. In a day and age, when teachers are leaving NC in droves, you are going to present this trash dinner - I'll starve. 

I don't know if I am going to teach for forever. At this rate, I'm seriously considering going to law school and fight them at their own game, but that's what they want - they want us to leave, so what do I do? What do we do, as a collective educational body? 

With the summer quickly approaching, everyone - educators and non-educators - need to be wary of anything that seems too good to be true, because more than likely, it is. 

In closing, it's the last week before the last week of school, and EOG week - I am going to make it one of the best experiences for my students that I can and with every action, attempt to show the world that there are teachers who do care and who do make this their life. 

Photo Credit: Google Images 

Teacher Appreciation Week!

Teacher Appreciation Week. 

This is probably my favorite week of the year, aside from my birthday week. It's a week dedicated to appreciation everything educators, all educators, do for America's students. People have this idea of a teacher being some old schoolmarm with a line of apples on her desk and no husband, and everyone thinks she is mean. 

THIS IS NOT A TEACHER. 

A teacher is someone who inspired you in school, and school can be elementary, high school, and college; a teacher is someone who drove you to do your best. That's a teacher. Teachers take all shapes and sizes and wear a lot of different hats, and they all deserve to be appreciated. This week means everything to my profession, especially in North Carolina. We have taken a beating this year, and there is a large group of us who keep coming back for more. 

Why? Why do I keep coming back? 

Because, my passion is education. Teaching is a life style. It's a large part of my self identity, and my heart is endless with how much I love my students. That's right - I love your child as my own. I haven't had my own children, that is irrelevant. My capacity to love and make your child believe in themselves is something I take very seriously about my job. It's my hope that this week you take time to appreciate that. Appreciate the teachers who hug your child when you aren't there, who encourage your child when you can't, who remind them that they have a million and one things to offer this world when you can't. We are a team. We aren't enemies. We both want the best for your child and that's the most success they can achieve. 

Appreciate your teachers. Appreciate our jobs - for most of us, it's our life. 

I may not ever have a lot of money. I may not ever get to afford to take a vacation, because my classroom needs pencils and glue or one of my babes needed new clothes or a backpack. I may not ever get to spend a weekend doing whatever I want, because my duty to my passion outranks binging on Netflix, but I know one thing - I will have impacted so many lives that the count is innumerable. I will have made a difference that will continue long after I am here. I will have showed a child that they are loved and valued, and that they are the most important person to me, not just for 180 days, but for their whole life. My oldest class will be in 8th grade next year, and guess what? They still run to greet me in Food Lion, and still tell me that they love me and they mean it. 

So, take this week to appreciate the people who educate your whole child. It's not about the presents. It's not about material goods - just say "Thank you." It will be enough. I promise. 

On a side note: The school from California is providing me a contract today or tomorrow. We will see what happens.