amusing teaching moment #241

Part of the fun part of being a teacher is being amused by the funny little stories and random things that kids sometimes say and do... I've decided that I need to start writing these things down, because I'm beginning to realize that as much as I love working with kids, it's easy to lose focus with all the less enjoyable aspects of teaching... meetings, paperwork, politics, high-stakes testing, gossip, etc... It can get exhausting at times... BUT, I don't ever want to become one of those teachers that seem to have forgotten the reason they decided to teach and the joy of working with students... anyways, here's my funny little story from teaching this week that made me laugh:) 

...I was teaching a few students in my room about acrostic poems (if you don't know what an acrostic poem is click here... did I mention that this is 3rd grade curriculum, folks?... not to make you feel dumb or anything. ha;)  Anyways, the students were to create a web graphic organizer and write down words that describe them, things that they like to do, favorite foods/sports/etc... you get the point... then after they were finished brainstorming they began writing the poems... 

One of the girls really got hung up on the letter 'O' in her name and was really frustrated... I tossed out a few ideas off the top of my head, but none of my words seemed to satisfy her... So I handed her a dictionary and said, "There are lots of words that begin with the letter O in here, so search for one that you like!" ... Not too long after, I heard her excitedly yell "Miss Goodman!! I found a really good one!" So I went over to see what she'd come up with and written on her paper was the word "Opossum." ... I laughed on the inside, but trying to be a good teacher and not damage her self-esteem I said "Wow! That IS a great 'O' word, but we need to find one that describes something about YOU." She quickly defended her word and pleaded her case...  "I know Miss Goodman!!", she said, "I love opossums... I like to watch them all the time and study them at the zoo!" There are opossums are at the zoo, eh? Who knew!? I was always way more fascinated by the giraffes, monkeys, zebras, and polar bears...  to each their own, haha:) So yeah,  I'm pretty certain that this time I laughed out loud, whoops!... (I just couldn't contain myself) ...  I ended up telling the girl, "Well okay! Then write about why you love opossums in your acrostic." A few minutes later I went over to take a peek at her poem and next to the letter 'O' in her name it said this:

Opossums are really cool and I love to watch them and study them at the zoo! 

Haha, kids say the darndest things:) 

little reminders

Sometimes God gives me little reminders of Himself at just the right moments ... reminders that He is so much bigger & greater than anything I encounter, that He loves me, and that He will be right beside me throughout this sometimes messy journey called life... 

Sometimes the reminders are amazing friends and family that care and call at exactly the right moment, sometimes it's a verse that seems to specifically speak to my heart, or it's a song... sometimes it's a sunset, or the ocean (well, or the breathtaking Illinois River around here... ha) or it's a thunderstorm, or the wind... sometimes it's watching a family together, hearing a child laugh, seeing an older couple that's still so in love, or watching people worship with everything that's in them...  it can be all kinds of really random things... they're all around and sometimes I just need to stop and take a look around me... 

Today as I was on my way to work the song "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman came on... It's probably one of my all time favorite worship songs...  As I listened, I was reminded of His promises and felt Him saying, "Bethany, there will be lots of storms... life will get messy, it'll be hard, and you won't always understand... But Bethany, I'm not going to let you go and you won't have to go it alone...I love you... You don't have to be afraid... and I need you to open your hands and rely and trust in Me..." It's so easy for me to want to write things like this off as coincidences, but I know that I heard this song at the exact moment that I really needed to hear it... 

PS- This is a picture of my old desk at CAT with all the things that I had to remember not to forget... ha. 

PSS- ... no, this isn't really my desk... but sadly, it did probably look a lot like this... I mean, how else was I supposed to remember what all those crazy business acroynms stood for?... ah, memories...

I must be getting old because...

Top 10, now 12... reasons why I must be getting OLD!! (I was reminded of additional quirks today... these are in no particular order)...  

1. Renting a movie and playing Scrabble with my parents is an enjoyable Friday night for me.

2. I read the nutrition labels, unit costs, and lists of ingredients on nearly every item I purchase at the grocery store.

3. No, I don't wish Zac Efron was my boyfriend... even though I gotta give it to him, he was pretty outstanding in High School Musical.

4. Webkinz are kind of like Beanie Babies if you didn't already know...and you must spell Webkinz with a 'z' and NOT a 's'. These are facts I had to learn the hard way from 8-year-olds...

5. My friends... shoot, who am I kidding...even the 3rd graders comment on my wide variety of solid colored turtlenecks. 

6. No, I don't know what "FOFL" stands for ('falling on the floor laughing' apparently?)... "LOL" is really as far as I go... 

7. I'm far more concerned about cars' fuel efficiency and consumer reports than their "hot"appearance. It's what's on the inside that counts... Hondas for life, FO SHO! ha. 

8. I find it absolutely ridiculous to spend more than 30 dollars on a shirt... Come on people, sale racks, TJ Maxx, Target! You have options here!

9. I want to be able to understand the lyrics in the music that I listen to... and for goodness sake, I don't want YOUR music to vibrate MY car. Turn that ish down!

10. Why is it that some clothing stores put posters of nearly naked guys and girls in their window displays? I'll tell you why, because even their models can't bring themselves to blow 100 bucks on a shredded pair of jeans and little piece of cloth they like to call a shirt... Also, please turn down your music, turn up your lights, and it is completely unnecessary and wasteful to spray gallons of your new signature scent "hottie" all over the store...  (sorry, I got a little carried away on that one). 

**Side note: I have absolutely nothing against the fashion industry... I actually used to work at Express for a few years as a side job. I probably didn't make a dime, but I got great discounts on clothes, and it was probably the 2nd most fun job I've ever had (lifeguarding being the 1st)...not to mention I learned to fold shirts and pants like nobody's business...a talent that has served me well throughout the years:)

11. Just to give you a heads up, I'll probably correct your grammar and spelling... 

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, 12. I encourage others to take their daily multivitamins and I give herbal supplement recommendations from my oh so captivating book on alternative medicine and remedies... don't laugh, I'm being totally serious... multivitamins and herbs are the key to health and happiness... well, okay, maybe just the 1st one... :)

DISCLAIMER: This was pretty much a joke, I'm not QUITE this lame. Well, okay, I half way am... but hey, I still love a good party and will challenge you at Guitar Hero any time, any place... well, just as long as it's before 9:00 p.m. (I'm in the working world now...;)

bad news bears.

So after searching through my purses, my teaching bag, and tearing my room apart in search of my iPod, the thought occurred to me... either I'm really losing my mind, or sometime last week, prior to the "phone snagging" incidence, my iPod was also snatched at school... I could be wrong, and gosh, I really hope I am... but in the matter of a WEEK, my debit card, iPod, and cell phone have ALL come up missing! Now I certainly don't claim to be the most organized of persons, and would admittedly probably lose my head if it wasn't attached, but I can't help but see a little bit of a pattern here... 

Luckily my phone was found (refer to my previous blog post for the story), I cancelled my debit card so I'm good on that, BUT the loss of my iPod is kind of traumatic. And if it really was a week or so ago, it's far to late to go searching for it at school now...it's very discouraging... 

I'm really trying not be dramatic here, but my iPod is honestly probably the 2nd closest possession to my heart...  ALSO, did I mention I just spent 85 bucks getting it repaired?! YEP, I DID! Talk about a kick in the stomach. This is just plain ol' BAD NEWS BEARS! So, my classroom is now on lock down from here on out, and sadly, I've learned I have to keep a close eye on things, even with kindergarten through 4th graders. Sometimes you just have to live and learn... 

Note: If you don't know what "bad news bears" means click here for a credible definition. 

eye opener.

So, in January I started my new teaching job at a Kindergarten through 4th grade school in Peoria. I'm absolutely LOVING it so far! I get to spend my day with 1st through 4th graders giving one-on-one and small group instruction and help with reading, math, writing, and other areas that the they are struggling with. It excites me so much to hear these kids' talk about their lives, encourage them, watch them grow and learn, and see them become more confident in themselves. Not to mention, I get about a million hugs a day!:) 

There are definitely challenges though... Over half of the kids at the school are from low income homes and qualify for free lunch, while some are from pretty hard backgrounds and home lives... Last Friday, I had a pretty big eye opener... My cell phone came up missing.  At first I just figured I'd misplaced it (standard Bethany procedure), but after some extensive searching I realized it had been stolen when I wasn't in the room (which by the way, my phone was in the side pocket of my teaching bag, in the corner, under my coat)... I felt a little violated. I'd had candy taken before, but I would have never dreamed something like this would be an issue in a primary school. Naive me... 

So anyways, the principal, a few other teachers, and I spent a chunk of our afternoon searching kids' bookbags, coats, and pockets. Finally, a 9-year-old was caught with the phone as he was trying to slip it into one of his friend's coat. At first I was kind of frustrated because I thought I was going to have to drop another few hundred dollars on a new phone (which I just did a few months ago), then I was thankful it was found, and then I was just kind of sad for the boy... A NINE year old... stealing already. 9! It was just really discouraging. I mean, we can teach kids their spelling words, multiplication facts, and correct grammar, but how much does it really matter if they don't know or care to do the "right" thing?...

After he'd been yelled at and suspended, he was sent to my room to apologize and write sentences. I didn't even want to scold him as much as I just wanted to talk with him and help him to understand why it was wrong. I really had no idea what to say.... So I asked him what was something that he had at home that he really liked. He told me he loved playing his GameCube, so I did the best that I could to try and relate it to how he'd feel if someone stole his GameCube and he couldn't play video games anymore... After talking about it a while, a tear rolled down his cheek and he told me that he'd be really sad. So the best way I could relate my feelings to this nine year old's, was to tell him that was how I felt too. 

I have no idea what kind of home this boy came from, but he obviously had to have learned this somewhere. I mean, how can I teach kids to want to do the right thing if their heroes, role models, and people they look up to... dads, moms, brothers, sisters, friends, whoever... just, DON'T... ?

I have NO idea. 

make a difference.

So one of the reasons that I really liked Tony Campolo's Everybody Wants to Change the World is that it offered such practical ideas for compassionately responding to the needs of others... it's broken down idea by idea with chapters focusing on the elderly, the poor, prisoners, the sick, the hungry, people with disabilities, etc... there are over 100 ideas given and organizations that are listed to help move people from being talkers and brainstormers to real 'DO-ERs' that make an impact... 

Anyways, World Vision is just one of the organizations that was mentioned that is really responding to the needs of children and families and tackling the causes of poverty and injustice around the world... You can visit their website here...

One of the ways to help through this organization is by sponsoring a child or family in impoverished areas around the world... For as little as $30/month, about a dollar a day, you can sponsor a child and help provide them with clean water, food, education, & health care each month... less than a cup of coffee!... my goodness, what a reality check.... I really need to reevaluate my spending habits and needs vs. wants...

I know I know, we hear things like this and statistics but it doesn't always hit home or seem real because there's a Starbucks popping up on nearly every corner around here...or we just feel uncomfortable or guilty by it... seriously though, visit their site... you can click through pages upon pages of kids waiting to be sponsored and helped... you can see their faces and smiles, read their birthdays, favorite things to do, chores, etc... They are real kids!...

A few friends of mine decided to sponsor a child and I recently decided to do so too... Her name is Sylvia and she's a 7 year old living in an area of Uganda, Africa that's completely devastated by HIV and AIDS... Here's a picture of her. What a cutie:)... These kids and families need help! So think about it...  Sometimes it's little things like a dollar a day that can really make a difference...

romans

from church this morning in Romans 8:18, 26-28...

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us... The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, nor how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And the Father who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance to God's will.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

change.

Somewhere along the line I think we've (myself included) missed the point of what it means to be a truly transformed follower of Christ... Recently I've read and keep going back to a few books that are really changing the way I think about life and Christianity (Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne and Everybody Wants to Change the World:Practical Ideas for Social Justice by Tony Campolo). Both of these books have been kind of uncomfortable reads, but have really opened my eyes, challenged me, and helped me to gain fresh perspective on world issues and the type of Christianity that transforms us from the inside out and impacts others... 

Western societies, the U.S. in particular, has become so obsessed with ourselves- comfort, money, power, entertainment, me, Me, ME, more, More, MORE... Sadly, it's often the same story with so many Christians (again, myself included) and churches as well... We attempt to lure people into our churches and "hook" them with our comfortable and engaging productions, programs, sound systems, lights, big screens, coffee bars, etc... while their souls might remain lonely, broken, and starving... meanwhile people in the very same community and around the world are dying because they don't have food, water, or a place to live..."As many as 40,000 people die from poverty-related circumstances everyday. As many as 6 million children die every  year from hunger. And in the United States alone, 13 million children are said to be living in hunger."... how heart-breaking... I mean, we could go round and round about how wealthy churches choose to spend their money... and don't get me wrong, there are certainly many amazing churches that have been financially blessed and using their resources to further the Kingdom and transform lives...  I don't really know the healthy balance... Ultimately though, I need to be asking myself what I am doing with my time, money, and resources?...How am I being Jesus's hands and feet to people?

Although popular lines say "live for THAT day, not THIS day" and "be in the world, but not OF the world"...God has placed us right here, right now for a reason and we are called to be difference makers for Jesus... to get out of our cushy lifestyles, stop thinking about ourselves, take some risks, and love and show compassion to people that desperately need Him... 

Matthew 25:40 says "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me"

a lesson from David.

Lately I've been rereading through the Psalms and have been so captured by David's completely sincere and honest heart...  He pretty much lays all of his true feelings out on the table with no holding back or sugar coating as he says "God, this is how I'm REALLY doing and I need your help!"... it's raw, authentic, real, and i love it... David definitely didn't have all his ducks in a row, and was probably thought of as being all over the place and kind of a mess sometimes, a little crazy maybe, possibly even bipolar ... but God doesn't define David by his screw-ups and imperfections, and instead He calls him "A man after His own heart" ... awesome, what hope!...

Lately I've been really focusing on authenticity in my life and am so drawn to that quality in other people... Seriously, how many times a day do we do the "Hi, how are you?" "Good! You?" exchanges with people in passing so that we can quickly get back to our busy schedules or make it sound like we have it all together... Ugh, what an awful habit!... In my opinion, this mentality has really hindered the way we communicate with people and God...Not to say that you have to bear your soul to every person you see or anything, but do you know what I'm saying?...

But anyways, I just LOVE how the Psalms are so stripped of these shallow basic sharings of daily events and facts, cliches, facades, and worn out lines, and just really plunge into the depths of David's heart and soul... We can learn so much from David from his honest, sincere, and deep communication with God... So often he would basically cry out "God, this sucks right now!... I need you to get me out of this ASAP!"... Don't you hear what I'm saying?"...yet through it all he still praised God and knew that he could trust in His faithfulness and unfailing love... God loved David's genuine spirit and that he was willing to do some serious soul searching and drag up the hidden & often painful areas that were buried deep in his heart... Gosh God, you want to me to revisit and share THAT stuff with You? Really?? It's so much easier to put on a smile, gloss things over, and say what I think I SHOULD be feeling or WISH I was thinking right now... But no, He doesn't just want my worship, praise, and Sunday School answers... He wants my mess, my junk, my doubts, my hurt, ALL OF IT... I don't really get it, but what incredible LOVE... I recently read a quote that said "it's only when honest feelings and emotions are shared that people can be known, loved, healed, and helped." So God, help me to have a heart like David's...to be authentic, genuine, and sincere... Because this is what deep and connected relationships are made of... 

memory lane

This weekend has been a stroll down memory lane and I've totally been reminded of God's faithfulness and blessings... Yesterday we had my graduation party and it was awesome to have so many people that I love all together under one roof... family, old friends, new friends... chatting, laughing, eating, playing games... SOO much fun:) They have been there for me through thick and thin, laughter and tears... loving, encouraging, listening, and praying for me... I am so blessed!

Then this morning I went to my home church for probably the first time in maybe 2 or 3 years... It was great to be back, catch up with people, and worship in the church that holds so many dear memories. I have no idea where I would be today without people from that church that loved me and poured their lives into me... Oh my goodness, not to mention the kids I used to be a junior high leader for are now seniors in high school and telling me about where they're going to college and what they want to do with their lives!... crazy how the time flies by... 

God is so good.