wall of shame

Had a great chuckle at the thought of creating a wall of shame today, right beside the save a wrapper save the world cabinet in my room....it may become a reality!! I mean honestly guys....why skip...YOU KNOW I WILL BUST YOU!! best to just COMPLY...sometimes it is the best option. So if you are sick...go do it the right way...officially....What is integrity to you?? Who is your example in your life for this thing they call integrity??

Webster says:
in·teg·ri·ty
Pronunciation:
\in-ˈte-grə-tē\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English integrite, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French integrité, from Latin integritat-, integritas, from integr-, integer entire
Date:
14th century
1 : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility
2 : an unimpaired condition : soundness
3 : the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness

SO WHERE IS YOURS???

first storm of the season

Well we saw the first flakes of white stuff today...it was pretty to look at but wasn't fun to maneuver through.

I wonder sometimes what makes stuff just stick in your head the first time you hear it, and what is it about stuff that you can't wrap your brain around, no matter how hard you try.  Is it just a question of confidence??  Is it as simple as accepting that everyone remembers stuff differently??  Is it a matter of repetition??  I can't say  if it is all or any of these things....I just know that it is my ultimate goal to help make you wonderful future global citizens ready to deal with the multi-lingual world out there...and I know I can do it!!  

Are we ready for another week??

What a beautiful day today...nice, sunny and warm!!

The thought of another fun filled week with you guys makes me smile still...I am sure that feeling will only grow exponentially over time!

super soaker of a Saturday

It is kinda nice to be hold up in the crib all day today....let the rain fall...and the wind blow....I am just sitting back and watching it all happen.

We shared another great week together guys...I hope that you all feel the same way!! I would like to begin having discussions about our Christmas Project...if we plan it all well, executing it will be a no brainer....I made a short playlist with some songs I think we could use...if you have any tunes that you think might work better...speak up!! I mean you guys spend so much time surfing the Net I am sure that hunting for cool world music may be more productive for your brains than just idle mindless clicking....N'est ce pas?

See ya Monday!

...So they call it ENTHUSIASM.....

en·thu·si·asm
Pronunciation:
\in-ˈthü-zē-ˌa-zəm, en-, also -ˈthyü-\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Greek enthousiasmos, from enthousiazein to be inspired, irregular from entheos inspired, from en- + theos god
Date:
1603

1 a: belief in special revelations of the Holy Spirit b: religious fanaticism2 a: strong excitement of feeling : ardor b: something inspiring zeal or fervor

Someone thought of me today because they felt that I was so ENTHUSIASTIC that it has to work!!

I am so proud of my enthusiasm, I wear it as a war hero would a silver star! You see, when I left Hunter, I didn't quit because I wanted to....I left because I had to. My father, a person who I spent a large chunk of time quite estranged from, is going blind, and he needed me to move closer, so he made me an offer I could not refuse. So needless to say, I left a job that I loved as much as the air I breathe...to come back to the town that I RAN away from so many years ago...ran away so fast that the inertia took me around the world twice!!

I separated from this renowned institution of higher learning with such a bittersweet sense of regret and hope for grander things....and as we all know, life happens....so I took my lemons and with the faith of your Principal and his first mate....and other powers that be....I think we got LEMONADE guys!! Again THANK YOU for that....and I want you all to know that you can always count on me....because in my eyes, it is all about YOU and all the you's to come...*soft smile*
¡Saludos!

CLICK MY LINK....melding of languages....can we be as open minded??

...in the midst of my administrative duties today I was given a great complement...there seems to be an actual question on some formal form that talks about a person's ability to get to know the people that they teach...I don't think that it is a duty for me to try and get to really know the students that travel through my classroom, but I feel that it's my natural, innate desire to figure you out before I figure out how to teach you....I don't know if it is because I was once one of YOU...inside each and every one of you, there I see a little piece of that younger me....and maybe over time, I realized with age what I was lacking in my youth....and moved passed it...but now as your teacher...I think it is important that I provide you guys not only with my take on language acquisition...but also I feel it is my obligation to teach in a way that you get it....and above all like getting it. We all have responsibilities...YOURS is going to school....I am just trying to keep it fun!! :))

Thanks guys....for just being you...and trusting that I have something to give you...confidence....be it en Esapñol or en françes....right??

What a great day!!

Nudged someone to give of themselves and help out so she can begin to feel how great it can be to help someone just because.....Have my posse that have to check in so I don't call out the search party to snuff 'em out of hiding...*giggles*.....or beats 'em outta the bushes!! ROFL..okay exaggerating a bit, but you know who you are..*smiles*

You guys make it so worth the ride!!

Let's hope that I feel the same way about my commute come wintertime...LOL!!

senza pietá....NO MERCY!!

Tutti voi sapete che io sono un sacco furba!

Non credere che ci cascheró per tuttle le vostre balle e promesse di far del vostro meglio...Fate me lo vedere....caspita!!

Ho dovuto cedere e dinnunciare che un ragazzo ha saltato la mia classe di nuovo...quanto mi scoccia dover farlo...ma non vi adzartate a pensare che io coprirei il fatto che qualcuno abbia fatto una cosa che non doveva!! Vi guardo sa!! Atenti!

Non mi fermeranno le paludi o la neve,
la tua capitale oramai s'intravede,
giorno dopo giorno verso la tua vita cavalco...
Sono il generale più crudele del fronte,
non faccio prigionieri e la mia spada è lucente,
terra dopo terra ad ogni tua fortezza io assalto...
Ti troverò...
Ti prenderò...
Ti porterò...
Per sempre con me...
Ti stringerò...
conquisterò...
proteggerò...
E senza pietà
io ti amerò con tutto questo amore mio...
E senza pietà
diventerò una fonte
nel deserto...
ti disseterò...
Le mie mani, le tue mani in questa battaglia,
è un agguato a tradimento in questa boscaglia,
rotolare insieme lungo il fiume dei sentimenti...
Ti troverò...
Ti prenderò...
Ti porterò...
Per sempre con me...
Ti stringerò...
Ti conquisterò...
proteggerò...
E senza pietà
io ti amerò con tutto questo amore mio...
E senza pietà
diventerò una fonte
nel deserto...
ti disseterò...
Non avere paura di me...
anche il buio più fondo
può valere un azzardo...quel brivido in più...
che sei tu...
Senza pietà
io ti amerò con tutto questo amore mio
e senza pietà
diventerò il tuo regno
dolce sogno...
io ti vincerò...
io ti darò me stessa e questo cuore mio
e senza pietà...
ti bagnerò le labbra
con le labbra
ti disseterò...

are you a fighter??

How easy is it to just not care anymore? How easy is it to not face the challenges the new day brings? How easy is it to not want to do any work because it is Monday and you want it to be the weekend still? How many of you guys will think about skipping school, or not participating in class only because it is Monday and you are still in the weekend swing? Or even better how many of you will try and do their math homework in MY Spanish class tomorrow?? Or tell their English teacher that we have parties on Fridays in French, then tell me they went to hand in the English assignment you fixed and NEVER EVEN GO to the class!!

It all goes back to how much of a fighter you are??

Do you fight for what you want and need, or do you just expect it because you breathe and occupy space in society....it is hard to reflect on all the challenges I face on a daily basis just living true to myself, and then it dawns on me that there are folks that freak out if they get gum on their shirt during class...and they are upper class men...OMG!! Am I old or is it REALLY the end of the world??

Was it only in MY generation that assignments were to be handed in and there WAS NO OTHER OPTION!!! Well again, I still wait for packets from some of you and have had to integrate it into class time because you guys think when I say something is due....YOU decide if it is important enough to do or not!!! I will just make it a zero sooner or later by default.

SO....are you a fighter?? or not.....another thing to make you go Hmmmm......

up with the birds...

yep, it is Saturday and I am up at the crack of dawn, dogs have been out, fed, and I am on my second latte. I have my Teacher Certification exam today, the Content Specialty Exam in Spanish. Funny how little anxiety I have about sitting for this test, when I took my Language Arts and Sciences portion of the exam, I swear I was a wreck!!

I guess it is all about confidence. The thought of taking a three hour long standardized test that ascertains your abilities for success in the field of teaching, with a content base as vast as EVERYTHING I LEARNED IN SCHOOL, shook me to the core to a point of immobility!!!

Today I sit and sip my latte, looking out into the morning darkness, watching the light of day break through over the horizon....and quietly thank the powers that be for my just knowing. Do I feel smart?? Heck NO!! But I do feel fortunate that my head just works that way, and happy that I figured out how to make it work in my favor. :))

High Ho...High ho...it is off to Syracuse I go.....exam starts at 1 o'clock and is three hours long...so send positive vibes to the universe that your Miss Ridikas doesn't have a major meltdown when she looks at this thing...and doesn't blank out and tank the exam....old habits die hard guys....remember I mentioned my profs giving me oral exams??? *giggles*

Hope I outgrew that habit...LOLOL

¡Saludos!

when will you know that you are rising to the challange???

...I forget that you all are still so new....or maybe I have to realize that I am getting old...but I asked of you today and some rose to the occasion swimmingly and others didn't fail to show their conventional hard headed nature....was it that hard to shine??

...it shouldn't be that hard for me to wrap my brain around though, seeing that each and every one of you thinks that you are the first ones to invent that type of reaction and response....well...ummm....NOT!!

...I think even those that came before me laughed when I attempted it...and I am now in their shoes...go figure!! Karma is a great thing...or can it be the action and reaction thing Einstein came up with...whatever be your take on it....trust me...been there...way done that....and it don't fly in my learning environment....okay I am off my soapbox....and Monday is a new day...and there is no handing in old work from the first five weeks...ZEROS will be put in by default in all the holes in your personal assignments portion of your grades and there is nothing I can do about it!!

Happy Weekend!!

how cool is that????

As the days meld into weeks and the end of the first marking period begins to show itself on the horizon....I feel more and more a teacher than just a person who speaks a slew of languages....and I have all of you guys to thank for that.

From the official visit for an unofficial dip into my candy cabinet, to the habitual walk through after last mod to just chat, or wait for friends....all the way to having my name be the answer to the who is your favorite teacher question in the lesson packet...it all adds up to personal validation of a major life choice!! Thank you.

Being your teacher is the second best job that fate has given me....the first is being my girls' mom!! :))

...every action has an equal and opposite reaction...

Credo che a quest'ora sia meglio che vi scrivo in italiano perche i pensieri mi scorrono cosi stasera. Se vi interessa sapere ció che ho da dire, trovate un dizionario!! LOL!!

Certe volte noi siamo messi alla prova nella vita, e ci tocca affrontarla punto e basta. In questi ultimi tempi credevo che le mie responsabilitá fossero un po meno complicate....ma ora me ne rendo conto che nella mia vita le cose belle non venganno senza tanti sforzi....beh ragazzi...mi tocca sforzarmi anche a me da oggi in poi....perché é vero che le cose piú belle che abbiamo nella nostra vita....ci vengono soltanto dopo TANTI SFORZI!!! Chi lavora sodo sempre ottiene ció che merita....buona notte a tutti!!

Non vedo l'ora di rivedervi domani a scuola :))

Brain teasers...eso es lo que me pasa por la cabeza ésta noche. Mi tarea cada día es preparar para mis clases del día sigiente....y cada noche, me pregunto siempre la misma cosa...¿Qué hago mañana?

Yo estoy trabajando con mucho querido para todos Ustedes y quiero qué lo sepan...es un papel muy importante para mí...que Ustedes me dejen en junio más cultos y sabios que antes deconocerme. ¡Hasta pronto! :))

what wonderful weekend weather!!

I remember watching these kinds of sunsets every night in Europe...these past few evenings, as these holiday weekend nights came to an end, I was fortunate enough to be out and about at just the right time and witnessed such breathtaking panoramas here at home.

In moments such as these I find myself teetering on the border of existentialism...these natural phenomena make me just stop a minute and just think....makes me realize just how small I really am in the scheme of all things...and eventually in the end, it makes me think deep and hard about making each and every day count for something!!

So as we begin another short week together....let me just say again...how happy I am to be able to share what I know with you guys!!

check y'all mañana...lol!! :))

Some food for thought...

I found this on the Net and figured it worthy to post here
for you guys to review.  I mean after all this is what
"they" say is what you should be able to do
after studying foreign languages since Junior High School

STANDARDS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

The 5 C's:

COMMUNICATION

Communicate in Languages Other Than English

Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations,
provide and obtain information, express
feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.

Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret
written and spoken language.on a variety
of topics.

Standard 1.3: Students present information, concepts,
and ideas to an audience of listeners
or readers on a variety of topics.

CULTURES

Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures

Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding
of the relationship between the
practices and perspectives of the culture studied.

Standard 2.2: Students demonstrate an understanding of
the relationship between the
products and perspectives of the culture studied.

CONNECTIONS

Connect with Other Disciplines and Acquire Information

Standard 3.1: Students reinforce and further their
knowledge of other disciplines through
the foreign language.

Standard 3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the
distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the
foreign language and its cultures.

COMPARISONS

Develop Insight into the Nature of Language and Culture

Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the
nature of language through
comparisons of the language studied and their own.

Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the
concept of culture through
comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.

COMMUNITIES

Participate in Multilingual Communities at Home & Around the World

Standard 5.1: Students use the language both within and
beyond the school setting.

Standard 5.2: Students show evidence of becoming
life-long learners by using the language
for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

Happy long weekend

Ahhh...the first long weekend of the school year could not have come at a better time!! I think you all would agree with me...N'est pas?

I plan on staying on the ponderosa all weekend and just catching up with life's duties and chores. I hope that you all enjoy the beautiful weather that is in store...I know I will!! :))

See you on Tuesday!

Oh lay your hands...lay your hands on me!!!

On a personal note....My little man came through his surgery okay and is recovering....phew!!

Happy hump-day...and what makes it better is that it is a short week!!  Yippeeee..For YOU...LOL!!  We guys have schoolie-duty Friday, so we have a regular work week.  I look forward to seeing my peeps from ACS as well as mixing with all the educators from our area to learn from each other and to be the best we can be....ALL FOR ALL OF YOU!!!

On my way in today as I drove over hill and dale, I wondered if you guys wanted to do something to cheer up Mr. Reed....lets put our thinking caps on and start brainstorming about how we can make him feel among us even though he is not???    LAYING ON OF THE HANDS....your hands....they are our future!!  Okay getting sappy time to say good night!!  :))  

How much do you show YOUR teachers that they are valued??

How many of you go through your day at school not wanting to be there....and letting EVERYONE that surrounds KNOW that you that you hate it???

I think that people give off a vibe...and I feel that negative vibes really resound longer and harder than positive ones. Ever notice that if you are in the presence of someone in a bad mood, or a "glass half full" type....you kinda catch their drift...and have very few positive things to say??

Where does this fit in with my title of today's blog you ask??? Well I offer yet another Pearl of Wisdom to you all, and that is....I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.... again it is a swiped pearl....not my own but belonging to a wonderful lady named Maya Angelou. I had the pleasure of witnessing her speak at Hunter College, and once she made this declaration I have quoted here....it STUCK.....like that proverbial light bulb that goes off in your head when you finally "get it".

I have tried to be a feel person much more than a said or a did person....and I hope that, what is sometimes misconstrued as being hyper...is interpreted by you all as nothing more than my enthusiasm and my love of what I do, exuding from every pore of my being....and hope that you kids can feel it!! :))

Getting back to the title of today's blob....I was shown today.....and it FEELS great!! Thank you :)

Yet another week begins...

And so another Monday among you great leaders of tomorrow has come to an end.  I was asked how I am today and honestly, it was Monday and I was so glad to be there!!  Who could ask for anything better???  I feel very lucky to be your teacher and thank the powers that be for my good fortune!!

My wish for each and every one of you is that you find that niche in life where you can feel as much exhilaration as I do at the mere thought of making a living doing something so satisfying. 

5 Mondays down, 35 to go!!  :))