Happy Birthday Momma!

Happy Birthday Mom!

My mom is always looking for a local adventure. She made the most of everywhere we ever lived, and she made my siblings and I appreciate what is around us. Pam Pickert is a marvelous mom, a caring person, a bargain hunter, and an inspirational teacher. She has worked hard to become this woman, and she radiates positivity.

My mom taught me what it is like to deeply care for people. As a toddler, she brought me along to handicap preschool. In elementary school, she brought my brother and I to puppet shows. She put on these shows to explain what it is like to be handicapped to normal children. When I was in high school, she asked me to lifeguard for the residents of a group home where she worked. My mom has never been someone who just does a job. She showed me what it was like to create meaningful experiences for other people.

We moved about every three years. My mother was never your typical military wife. No one could confine her to a base, there was a new town to be seen. When we lived in Maryland we travelled to Washington D.C. once a month, she wanted to be sure we got it all in before we moved. When we lived in Ft. Walton Beach, she took us to the beach every Wednesday afternoon to picnic and play superman with our beach towels. She never told me I was being dramatic when I cried; she always listened. Then she would dispense advice that I would ignore. Inevitably, months later I would realize she was right.

Books are treasures, they hold adventures and lessons. My mother has been taking me to the magical place where you borrow books my entire life. She opened doors to worlds I will never have time to explore entirely.

My mommy is from a small town in Alabama. She was the first to graduate high school in her family. She went to college, and earned two masters degrees. Without knowing it, my mom was leading by example. My problems in life have been minuscule, because my mother protected me and loved me. She is an amazing woman and I am truly truly blessed to call her my mother.

I can’t begin to explain what my mother means to me. My rambly account of my mommy doesn’t give even a hint at her impact on her piece of the world. I love you momma, happy birthday.

 

 

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A Family’s Experiment in Extreme Schooling

READ THIS ARTICLE! And then WATCH THIS VIDEO!

I have spent the majority of my morning being fascinated with this school and this family. A New York Times reporter, Clifford J. Levy, moved with his family to Russia. He and his wife decided to immerse their children in Russian school. Not just any school, but a progressive Russian school. They came from public schools in Brooklyn, and became the only Americans in their school. Children truly rise to the occasion, and it makes me wonder how I would cope.

The article is lengthy, so if your short on time, do me a favor and at least watch the video.

 

 

 

 

 

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Reading = Better

Enough said. Borrowed from icanread.

 

 

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My Classroom

A year ago today, I was setting up a classroom. I was trying my best to get a room ready for 26 kids who would show up Monday morning. I was an absolute complete wreck, it was terrifying. I froze when asked where I would teach from. I froze when they asked where they should put their backpacks. I froze when parents asked what my name was. Preparing a classroom takes time, and time I did not have. Things worked out beautifully. I loved the kids and they didn’t seem to realize I wasn’t as prepared as I would have liked to have been.

This year I had time. Last week was mandatory back to work, but for the 2 weeks before that, I went and spent time in my room. My sister and Mrs. Oswalt came to help me. My mom and JMO came up to see all I had done. Time is a gift I am grateful for this year. I am also extremely grateful for the amazing support system I have in my life. The people I love gave me gifts for the room and worked hard to help me. I couldn’t be happier with the result.

This is a pop up shark, he is now the treasure box. Kara found him at Target. Thanks Kara!
Treasure BoxRoom

My mother and I spent half a day at JoAnn’s fabric looking for something for these curtains. I had fully intended to make them myself, but my momma took over. Moms are good that way. Emily helped me put up all my boards and border, helped me make letters and die cuts, and then decided she would free hand cut ‘Pickert’ out of fabric and fix it on my desk cover. Emily is an awesome little sister.

Desk and cubbies

Mrs. Oswalt took it upon herself to buy me shelves! Don’t they look great? JMO came up and put them together for me. Mrs. Oswalt also sorted all my books for me. She’s a nice lady. Emily also cut out “What are you reading?” out of construction paper, glued it to more construction paper, and broke my laminator trying to fit it through. It looks pretty great (laminator was then fixed by JMO). My Aggie Cheerleader bear was a gift from a kid last year; I think she looks perfect in the corner.

Library

 

So, after three weeks of doing a little here and there, my room is done. Lots of people helped me, and I am so thankful to have such fabulous people around.

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Adios Summer!

DSC03859

Devin at Guadalupe State Park

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icanread

As I’m getting ready for this school year, I am getting wrapped up in the tasks I love and am avoiding the activities that I don’t love (organizing). I get the icanread tumblr in my Google Reader, and truly enjoy many of the images. A lot of them make me think, and because I’m in the business of making kids think, I had an “AHA!” moment. I can share some of these with the kids. So, I’m borrowing some of the images for my classroom blog. The kids can think about and write what thoughts come to mind as they read.

Being judgmental is something I struggle with, so this one really made me think. The last thing I want to be defined as is judgmental. I hope these images help ten year olds start to think about the kind of person they wish to become.

 

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