FUNG-TASTIC Chapter 2

Monday, June 24, 2019

Beginning with the End in Mind...

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Six Crazy Days... In January

Six crazy days.
In the rain.
On the train.
At City Hall,
and around the block.
On my birthday.
All in red.
Marching.
Chanting.
Fighting.
Believing.
Synergizing.
Did we really gain anything?
Maybe awareness is enough.
For now.
I missed my students.

Friday, April 19, 2019

Better Late Than Never: Winter Break 2018 Review

I realized that it's been a while since I've checked in.
Life gets in the way when you are on your own
trying to balance work and family.
It's been a little crazy.

Much of my winter break can be seen here: https://flatstanleyvisitsca.blogspot.com
I was lucky enough to host another Flat Stanley this winter! This time from North Carolina!

Here's a quick review of my winter break in photos...

Always a treat to spend time with former students. Rosalia dropped into town for a quick visit to Noodle World.
I dropped by to meet her lovely daughter and say hello to her son Liam and hubby.
She's come a long way since White House Place Primary Center.
#Proudteacher #Thingsthatmakemyhearthappy

My mom was the glue that stuck our Chinese family together.

She made the phone calls. She checked in on others.

We hadn't seen our cousin and his family since her funeral.

It had been three years.

It was time to reconnect.

He is a lot older than us and son of my father's older brother.
His face always reminded me of dad's face,
Not so much now that he is older.

They have done well in America and always credits mom for being kind to them.

A picture of her hangs in Emily's kitchen.

We drove down to San Diego to visit Uncle Fred's family.

He is mom's youngest sibling.

The last time we took this photo,

at the same bar,

in the same restaurant,

mom was there.

After dim sum, we took pictures by the duck pond.

I can't believe these ladies are all grown up.

They are my favorite.

I love being their Dada.

I convinced them that it would be fun to work for 8 hours putting glue on flowers.

Our hardwork earned our city of Alhambra an award!

Some people are lucky.

They live close to family.

When you only see your siblings once or twice a year,

You value the time spent together.

I wish they were closer.

Ended my winter break appreciating art with Daniel and my dear friend Nicole.
Hello 2019...

Monday, December 17, 2018

Winter Break 2018

Winter Break Day #1: 

1. Awaken by big boy when he realized that we had all overslept!

2. Rushed boys to school in my jammies and no shoes.

3. Started about 10 different house projects... not completing any.

4. Noticed that the mouse in Bryce's room looks suspiciously round around the tummy today.

5. Picked up big boy who has half-days all week.

Stood in line at the post office on the official busiest day of the year at the post office.

Paid more in postage than the package content was worth to mail it to Brooklyn. (No cheap rate over 2 pounds)

7. Got another Starbucks envelope because the attendance lady that takes care of your kid at AHS's name is Brenda and not Debbie like he told you... Debbie/Brenda same thing right mom?

8. Back to projects...
And how was your first day of winter break?

November! #Year32

Some quick highlights of my November...

I have always loved to walk. I walk fast. I can walk everywhere.

I discovered that you can get four year olds to walk everywhere too!

We took the Metro.

Then I took them to view the city from the top of City Hall.

#experiencesmatter

I agreed to help level text for an exhibit at La Plaza de Cultural y Artes.

It was a wonderful learning experience for me.

I learned about our city and the history of Olvera Street.

In November,

I had the opportunity to take my students to learn from the exhibit too.

It's amazing seeing your words on a wall.

Thanks Calle Principal.

We discovered why Big Red is named Big Red.

There were four other crayfish in the tank.

Now there is only Big Red.

Yes. Science learning at it's best!

After two years of waiting, we got a scholarship grant to the Aquarium of the Pacific.

They were generous enough to give admission scholarships to all of ECE!

200+ students and chaperones spent a day observing and learning.

What could be more perfect?

#touchingsharksandjellies

Just when you think that Hamilton is the Broadway musicals of all musicals...

Along comes this one.

Maybe it's because I am a single mother of a special needs child.

Maybe because we all want the best for our children.

Maybe because we all just want to belong.

It's was beautiful.

#generousgiftfromakindsoul #thanksmere

Sometimes family adventures are more stressful than staying home.

But the experiences are worth it.

I hope they realize that later.

Long road trips to beautiful places.

When you start at 30 seconds and work your way up to nearly 5 minutes

of Read to Self with four year olds. It's special!

Midway through Thanksgiving break my BFF sends me a link to NPR.

They were looking for stories from teachers of their favorite gifts.

I have so many, not all objects mind you.

Wrote blogs about them.

But these two represent many gifts from students...

Paola was in my first grade class.

Fresh from Guatemala speaking no English.

She's given me many gifts over the years,

but this one symbolizes more than a trip she took to Paris with her middle school class.

This reminds me of all the places my former students have gone,

where my current students will someday go.

Places and milestones they continue to share with me.

That is the best gift of all for a teacher...

watching your students live out their dreams.

#blessed

This gift was a collaboration from my multiage class at White House Place.

To me, it symbolizes my other family.

I moved from a small apartment to a large apartment with a dining room.

I didn't have a table.

Anya and Ian's mom repainted and gave me their old one.

The other students in class chipped in for chair money.

It's over 20 years old,

and my favorite piece of furniture.

Oh, new project.

I'm learning to be a webmaster...

whatever that means.

#lifelonglearner #notatechie #havedesiretolearn

Sunday, October 7, 2018

This Week in ETK #Year32

This has been a busy week.
More so outside of school than in.
Life at home never stops for you to take a break.
But a mid-week...professional development day off does.
You get to take a "real" lunch when you're at a district training.
They give you an hour to go out and eat.
When I got back from lunch,
I had this photo sent to me.
It's my car.
And Humberto...
who was in my very first class...
at Broadous Elementary School in Pacoima...
over 31 years ago.
It was a tough first year.
But Humberto, and some of the other gems in Room 19,
saved me from quitting the profession.
He found my car.
Next time, I will look for him and we'll have lunch.
#reasonswhyIdowhatIdo #hesoneofthem

Every year is different.

This year our kiddos need more time and space to grow.

This week a few of them got it!

Maylen and Sergio started to make connections on their own.

I love when that happens.

It's kinda of what I live for.

And no matter how many times I am there to experience it,

the feeling is just as amazing.

So there's a garden.

It doesn't look like much,

but it's amazing!

The milkweed plants the Campa's donated last year

are thriving after a summer aphid infestation.

Without the aphids

we wouldn't have seen the entire life cycle of the ladybugs.

Next spring we will patiently wait for our monarch friends

to teach us about their life cycle.

And then there's the pumpkin plant.

A few seeds from our rotted pumpkin last year must have found their way.

Now that single plant has slowly taken over.

Lots of tiny pumpkins.

Not enough space for much else.

To cut or not to cut?

That is the question.

So every Friday I make sure I introduce an element of art.

This week we explore types of lines in my group.

My group usually works outside.
It's crowded inside and I don't mind being outdoors.
The PALS class usually comes out near the end of my group time.
There are a few friends that come and join us.
They are younger, but just as enthusiastic.
Yvonne found her way between my ETK kids and explored lines too!

Victoria's shirt says it all.
Smart girls do Rock!
We need to listen to them.
We need to support and encourage them to speak up and out.

I need to end with my favorite question and my favorite quotes of the week.
ME (to M after he just walked passed me to get in line): M! Did you just lick me? (He smiles)

After I reminded A that he had to share the marker with L he said to me: "I don't like this school! I'm not going to come back!" ME: "That's okay, you don't have to come back. A: "Can I go play now?

Never a dull moment.