Ode to the Christmas Card

I love Christmas cards - sending and receiving them. I get so excited when I open our mailbox and see the envelopes that I know contain Christmas cards. I hurry inside the house to look at them. I note the return address (love the holiday return address labels), the shiny seals on the back, and holiday stamps. I very carefully open them, admire the cover and read the verses to JC. I always display our cards. I place them all around the house - on the credenza, the mantle, and hang them from card holders on the backs of doors.
Everyone has their own taste in cards. I love red and green ones. I hunt through every shelf at Hallmark each year to find the perfect cards. Some people choose the snow scenes. I received one this year from my friend, Renelle, that is a blue and white snow scene. I received another that looks like a gingerbread house and one that is just a red door. Many people choose the traditional Nativity or Mother and Child covers. Still others choose the family picture which can later be placed in the photo album. I love them all and I look at them often during the holidays.
I send out around 30 cards each year. I sometimes write them out in early November and place them in a basket until it's time to mail them. I check the USPS website to see what the new holiday stamp choices are. This year I wasn't too happy with the designs. I let JC pick and he chose the ones with the Christmas ornaments. We get return address labels with Christmas clip art and I joyfully stick them on my envelopes.

I also enjoy the e-cards and we get a lot of laughs from the funnier ones and we enjoy the ones that play music - but they will never replace the real card. I think it says something to get a card that someone had to take the time to buy and sit down at their table and actually sign their names.

Each year that I've lost a loved one and that Christmas card that I used to get doesn't come, it makes me sad. I will get out the last one that I received from them and set it up along with the new ones.

I hope I never lose my love of sending and receiving Christmas cards and I hope it brings a smile to the faces of those who receive mine.

Setting the Record Straight

Teachers have been in the news a lot lately. NBC hosts Education Nation and there has been a lot of discussion about the so called "failing schools" and the new Trigger Law. We've seen video of picket lines and heard people "bashing" schools and teachers. Frankly, I'm sick of it and I need to vent.

In 2001 the No Child Left Behind Act was passed. It was proposed by then President George Bush. Here is a summary of what it's about. (If you can read and understand it - thank an elementary teacher that busted her butt to teach you reading comprehension).

No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, also known as “NCLB” is a US federal law that was originally proposed by President George W. Bush in 2001. The legislation funds a number of federal programs aiming at improving the performance of U.S. schools by increasing the standards of accountability for states, school districts, and schools, as well as providing parents more flexibility in choosing which schools their children will attend. Additionally, it promotes an increased focus on reading and math.
The intent of NCLB is that all children will meet state academic achievement standards to reach their full potential through improved programs. The funding is divided into several areas, known as titles. In 2008, OCVTS received funding in support of these titles:
•
Title I, Part A supports programs and resources for disadvantaged students. Title 1A funding is designed to aid districts in closing the achievement gap by placing highly qualified teachers in classrooms.
•
Title 1, Part D is designed to serve delinquent and neglected youth in institutions, day programs, and correctional facilities to assure they attain high academic levels of achievement.
•
Title II, Part A provides resources for improving teacher and principal quality. It focuses on preparing, training, and recruiting high-quality teachers and principals.
•
Title II, Part D facilitates improved student academic achievement through the use of technology in the schools.
•
Title IV, Part A provides resources for fostering a safe and drug-free learning environment that supports academic achievement.
To read more about NCLB including a complete description of all titles, please visit the NJ Department of Education at http://www.state.nj.us/education/grants/nclb/ or view the US Department of Education’s parent’s guide at http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/involve/nclbguide/parentsguide.pdf.
Title I
No Child Left Behind Act
Title I ("Title One") of the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (now known as No Child Left Behind Act) is a set of programs set up by the United States Department of Education to distribute funding to schools and school districts with students from low-income families.
Title 1, Part A funds enable schools to provide opportunities, programs, and resources for disadvantaged students to help them achieve state academic achievement standards. Some services funded through Title 1, Part A include:
•
Placing a highly qualified teacher in every classroom
•
Improving the qualifications of paraprofessionals
•
Develop effective instructional practices and materials
•
Professional development for teachers
•
Parent involvement activities
It also allows military recruiters access to 11th and 12th grade students' names, addresses, and telephone listings when requested.
***********************************************************************************

This act mandates that teachers teach to a set of standards, both national and state, and some schools even create their own set. The students then are tested yearly over these standards. The bar gets raised each year so it is more difficult to meet the standards. Why? The entire student population is tested - those with developmental issues, learning disabled, students that English is their second language and so on.

The standards are broad. My seventh grade standards have 135 learner expectations and the 8th graders 130. That' s a lot of material to cover each year. Do we master all of them? No. It isn't possible to master that much at this grade level. It is simply put "a flawed system."

Teachers take the standards and we create curriculum guides and pacing guides. We have vertical alignment teams to ensure that no standard is overlooked K-12. We try to choose lessons and assignments that cover more than one standard at a time. We do every thing that we can to make sure the students get what they need to be successful.

And it's not just the teacher's "job" to teach children - you have to have parental support and involvement. When parents complain that the teachers are assigning too much homework and that it's too hard, the message is being sent to the students that you don't have to work hard to achieve. Many times parents don't understand that school districts have policies that dictate how much homework is to be assigned. Or you may have an administrator that feels 3-5 assignments per week is required. Homework is reinforcement for what the child learned in class. It's also a gauge for the teacher to determine if the class can move on or needs to stay on the topic for another day or so. Teachers don't like grading homework any more than students like completing it. I grade every night for 2 to 3 hours and on weekends. I make lesson plans, type tests, lab reports, etc. at home. There's no time during the school day. Teachers have hall duty, bus duty, study hall duty, teachers meetings, parent conferences, club meetings.....during their "spare time."

Teachers also give up their time before and after school and weekends to sponsor clubs. I get paid the whopping sum of $200 per year to sponsor the Junior High Science Club. We stay after school 4 days a month for Junk Box Wars, 2 days a year we have a trash pickup (after school), we stay after school to prepare for the Science Olympiad, which is held 100 miles away on a Saturday, we hold fund raisers, and on and on. My point is - it's certainly not the money. It's the teachers' commitment to the students and the school. Last Saturday I saw a teacher (friend and former classmate) with her students picking up the trash at Turkey Trot. Do you think that's how she wanted to spend her day? No - she did it for the kids and the school.

And let's talk about money. I teach in one of the lowest paying schools in Missouri and probably the nation. I don't do this for the money, obviously, I do it because I love the kids. Teachers spend hundreds of dollars out of their own pockets each year for school supplies. I never go to Walmart that I don't have school "stuff" in my cart. Today it will be vinegar and spaghetti for a lab, post it notes, cookies and koolaid for my Science Club students to have when they stay after school this week. We get a paltry $400 deduction on our taxes for this - but that isn't a "drop in the bucket." We spend many $$$ on workshops registration fees and online classes to fulfill the professional development requirements mandated by the NCLB act. Arkansas teachers now have to pay $100 to renew their teaching certificats, that we spent $1000s of dollars on college to achieve. We use our own money to buy some kid's lunches, pay their admission to plays, pay for a club tee shirt. We stay after to school to stuff backpacks with nonperishable food for kids who don't get proper meals at home. We humble ourselves to ask for donations from the local businesses to help with funding.

Another thing that many parents don't realized. Teachers are observed by their administrators and evaluated yearly. The principals know how effective the teachers are. Our observations in Missouri are video taped and put on file with the state department of education. The principals sit down with the teachers and review the tapes noting both your strong and weak areas. Our principals also do unannounced 5 minute walk throughs to monitor teachers. We are not free to "do as we please" in the classroom.

Teachers post grades online and most every school has some type of Parent Portal that allows parents to go online and check the child's grade and see if all assignments are turned in. We post our daily assignments on line (many times attaching a copy of the worksheet) so parents can see what their child's assignment is. We attach online books so that they have a book to use if they forget their textbook at school We post test dates and attach study guides to our webpages for both parents and students. We offer a workshop each year to teach parents how to use the Parent Portal and the teacher webpages, but attendance is usually low. It's too easy to send the teacher a snarky e-mail or note demanding to know why their child's grade is low.

We will have parent teacher conferences next week and if the past trend continues, I will have about 20% turnout, usually the parents of the children who are doing well.

The bottom line is this. If your child isn't performing well, come to school and talk to the teachers. Ask what you can do as a parent to help because I assure you, the teachers and the school are already doing their part.

Respectfully,
A very tired and stressed out junior high teacher.

Small Town America Where Everybody Knows Your Name

I was born and raised WAY out in the country.  When we said that we were going "to town" we meant Yellville, AR.  It is the county seat and the largest "town" in the county.  It is where we went to school, after riding the bus for more than an hour each way.  It's a small town and just like any other small town everybody knows everybody, or is kin to half of them.

Growing up in such a small town everybody gripes about everybody knowing your business.  I imagine it's that way in every small town.  As a  kid I would tell myself that I couldn't wait to get away from that place.  I wanted to go where nobody knew me or my business.  That never happened.  Except for my college years I've lived in or near small towns.  Life is funny.  I'm now 56 and find myself living WAY out in the country once again.  The kids that live out here board the bus at 6:30 am to make it to school by eight.  Everybody here pretty much knows everybody or is kin to half of them.  Our nearest town is Gainesville, Missouri, the county seat and largest town in the county.  Now instead of going to school there, I teach there.  So it seems, I haven't changed my life a whole lot.  Is that fate or is it a decision that I've made? I don't know but it probably says a lot about my small town roots.

People in small towns do know a lot about everybody's business.  They know who lives where, where they work, go to church, shop, bank, and what kind of life they live.  We can get frustrated about it but it also has its merits.  Those same people know when you need their help, their friendship or support.  Over the years, regardless of which small town I lived in, I've seen pie and cake auctions, fish frys, and benefit tournaments of all kinds held to help someone in need.  I've seen neighbors and friends just show up to help a farmer get his hay in or take care of other chores because there was an illness or injury.  I've seen envelopes with money quietly slipped to someone in need.  This is what people in small towns do.  They look out for one another.  Yes they may know things you don't want them to know but it's good when they know things that they need to.

Today I went "down home" to Turkey Trot.  It's always the same and sometimes I will think about skipping it.  But I'm usually glad that I didn't.  So many times today as my sister, Judith, and I were walking around or sitting on the courthouse fence, countless people said to us "Well there's the Ott girls." or "How are the Ott girls doing?"  And they would ask "Where's your Mom?" or "Is your Mom doing OK?"  Because that's just what small town people do.

Kitchen Bouquet and Bacon Grease

I guess I never thought about how much  I post about eating and cooking on Facebook until one day a friend of mine said "You and your husband sure are country."  I guess I must have looked a little offended because she quickly added "The food you cook and eat - it's always country."  At first I was still a little offended but after I had to time to think about it I decided that it was my kitchen and I'd cook country if I wanted to.

We all come from different walks of life and although we change as our lives change I think most of us stay pretty close to our roots.  I grew up on a farm in a country home.  We made a big garden, picked berries, picked up walnuts and pecans, milked cows and churned our own butter.  Paula Deen would have been in Heaven at our house.  Everything was battered and fried or cooked down slow and seasoned with bacon grease or butter.  We lived with my Granny Ott until I was in the 7th grade and I loved coming home from school and smelling brown beans cooking on the stove and finding that she had made egg noodles.  I learned to cook those kinds of foods and never really saw a reason to change much.  Yes, I've added a few "new" foods and recipes as the years have gone by and I'm not scared to cook for people that I don't know - but my favorite is country food.

Last weekend I made pot roast with carrots and potatoes.  No I didn't add any red wine but I did make brown gravy with my trusty bottle of Kitchen Bouquet.  I don't steam and make sauces for squash and other vegetables - I usually flour them or coat them with cornmeal and fry them in bacon grease that I keep in Mason jars in my fridge.  I make cakes and pies from scratch.  When we get a sweet tooth I can usually go to the pantry and come up with the right ingredients to make a treat.

I'm not opposed to going out to dinner at a fine dining restaurant.  I occasionally like to pull out one of my little black dresses and have a nice dinner.  But that's the exception rather than the rule.  I enjoy going to more casual restaurants too but I just tend to mainly cook at home.  Partly because we live so far out in the country and partly because I enjoy cooking for JC and family.  It gives me a sense of satisfaction to see my husband and family enjoying a meal that I've cooked.

I may someday need to have heart bypass surgery to repair my clogged arteries from all that fried stuff but Granny lived to be in her 90s so I'm optimistic.  And to those who call me country, that's just fine.  Country  is what I am.

A Serendipitous Vacation

I love a serendipitous discovery! It’s so exciting to pick out an unfamiliar book that turns out to be such a good read that I can’t put it down. I just had a serendipitous experience while visiting Sioux Falls, South Dakota. JC and I went to visit his sister, LaVerna and her husband, Howard, who had recently relocated there. JC’s cousin, Mary and her husband, Bob had moved to Sioux Falls a few years ago and LaVerna and Howard visited them, fell in love with the area, and chose to move there as well.

I remember wondering why JC’s family members had chosen to move to Sioux Falls. We have traveled to Western South Dakota to see the Badlands, the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore so my image of Sioux Falls was biased. I had visions of a small, western town filled with trucks, farmers, and ranchers (not being critical here). I was so wrong. Sioux Falls is a mid-western town of 180,000. It is the largest town in South Dakota. Larger than the capital, Pierre, which they pronounce Pier not Pea Air, as I had mistakenly pronounced all my life when reciting the states and capitals.

But I digress – Sioux Falls is filled with fun things to see and do. First thing to see is Falls Park where the Big Sioux River cascades over red quartz (jasper). The park is gorgeous and the first night there I commented that I would imagine there are lots of senior pictures, engagement and wedding pictures were taken there. That thought was confirmed a couple of days later when we were there and saw a bride and groom taking their place in front of the falls for pictures. I’m “birdwaking” again, back to my story. There is a laser light show each night at 9:30 with narration that tells the history of Sioux Falls. I was so impressed looking around at all the families sitting on blankets or in lawn chairs watching the show. There were people just out walking the park and enjoying the nice weather. I learned later that Sioux Falls has around 20 parks. We drove by several and they were all well-kept, beautiful parks and there were always families and couples picnicking or walking. There is a park with an amphitheater where plays and music events are held.

There are pieces of sculpture all around the city. They are made my local artists and placed on big blocks of red quartz. Residents vote on the best sculpture and then the city buys them and places them in their permanent collection. Downtown Sioux Falls is bustling at night with people eating and drinking at outdoor cafes and bistros. The downtown area has been well maintained. There are no boarded up buildings or structures left to ruin. The flowers and grass are beautiful - I suppose because they don’t get fried by the hot sun. There are several museums to visit and several colleges in town. There was even an Andy Warhol exhibit going on at a pavilion. Every day there are activities. No one should be bored there.

There is a small lake, called Catfish Bay, where nightly water shows are performed and in the winter you can take advantage of Great Bear Snow Park to ski, snow board and tube. Winter doesn’t slow the people of Sioux Falls – they just transition from summer sports to winter sports. While visiting a motorcycle shop I asked why all the motorcycle helmets were on sale and the sales person told me that it was time to clear the shelves to put out the snow machine helmets. “Winter is just around the corner,” she said. We were also surprised to learn that you can drive four-wheelers on the roads along with the cars. And everywhere we went people would say “it sure is a scorcher out today.” (It was in the low 80s). Of course when it’s 30 below in the winter they are comfortable and I would be trying to get warm.

There are a couple of wineries in the area which surprised me. Living in Missouri I’m used to all the grape varieties and I hadn’t seen any vineyards. While grocery shopping at the local HyVee I checked out the South Dakota wine selection. The wines are made from elderberry, chokeberry, strawberries, rhubarb and pears. We attended a wine tasting at the Straw Bale winery and tasted the local wines. I guess my palette isn’t sophisticated enough to enjoy the non-grape varieties, but it was a fun experience.

Sioux Falls has lots of flea markets, antique stores and goodwill type stores. Some are neat and orderly and some are so full you can barely move. JC and I love to antique so we enjoyed digging for great finds. I found a piece of Metroiska (Russian nesting dolls), that I didn’t have in my collection and we also added a small wooden boat with oars and great detail to our collection of little canoes and boats. The good will stores turned up a brand new with tags Stearns life jacket and denim jacket for me. We didn’t have time to go to all the flea markets and I was in sensory overload by the end of our stay anyway.

Sioux Falls is about 50 miles from Mitchell, the home of the Corn Palace. This is a must see for anyone visiting the area. The Palace is changed each year and all the design is made completely of corn. It is amazing to think that all the beautiful pictures are corn cobs…and speaking of corn, we went to the Sioux Falls Farmers Market. It was filled with all kinds of produce, some things I had never seen before, baked goods, flowers, meats and even a coffee booth.

I could go on and on. ..but if you get the chance to visit Sioux Falls it would be worth your time. The winters are harsh and I don’t know that I would be able to live there but my hat is off to those who do. My image of the dusty little western town was shattered and replaced with a clean, culturally diverse, pride filled city. Just like that good book that I can’t put down, I’m not “through with” Sioux Falls. There is still so much left for me to see and experience, so for now I will just mark the page and come back when I have more time.

A Serendipitous Vacation

I love a serendipitous discovery! It’s so exciting to pick out an unfamiliar book that turns out to be such a good read that I can’t put it down. I just had a serendipitous experience while visiting Sioux Falls, South Dakota. JC and I went to visit his sister, LaVerna and her husband, Howard, who had recently relocated there. JC’s cousin, Mary and her husband, Bob had moved to Sioux Falls a few years ago and LaVerna and Howard visited them, fell in love with the area, and chose to move there as well.

I remember wondering why JC’s family members had chosen to move to Sioux Falls. We have traveled to Western South Dakota to see the Badlands, the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore so my image of Sioux Falls was biased. I had visions of a small, western town filled with trucks, farmers, and ranchers (not being critical here). I was so wrong. Sioux Falls is a mid-western town of 180,000. It is the largest town in South Dakota. Larger than the capital, Pierre, which they pronounce Pier not Pea Air, as I had mistakenly pronounced all my life when reciting the states and capitals.

But I digress – Sioux Falls is filled with fun things to see and do. First thing to see is Falls Park where the Big Sioux River cascades over red quartz (jasper). The park is gorgeous and the first night there I commented that I would imagine there are lots of senior pictures, engagement and wedding pictures were taken there. That thought was confirmed a couple of days later when we were there and saw a bride and groom taking their place in front of the falls for pictures. I’m “birdwaking” again, back to my story. There is a laser light show each night at 9:30 with narration that tells the history of Sioux Falls. I was so impressed looking around at all the families sitting on blankets or in lawn chairs watching the show. There were people just out walking the park and enjoying the nice weather. I learned later that Sioux Falls has around 20 parks. We drove by several and they were all well-kept, beautiful parks and there were always families and couples picnicking or walking. There is a park with an amphitheater where plays and music events are held.

There are pieces of sculpture all around the city. They are made my local artists and placed on big blocks of red quartz. Residents vote on the best sculpture and then the city buys them and places them in their permanent collection. Downtown Sioux Falls is bustling at night with people eating and drinking at outdoor cafes and bistros. The downtown area has been well maintained. There are no boarded up buildings or structures left to ruin. The flowers and grass are beautiful - I suppose because they don’t get fried by the hot sun. There are several museums to visit and several colleges in town. There was even an Andy Warhol exhibit going on at a pavilion. Every day there are activities. No one should be bored there.

There is a small lake, called Catfish Bay, where nightly water shows are performed and in the winter you can take advantage of Great Bear Snow Park to ski, snow board and tube. Winter doesn’t slow the people of Sioux Falls – they just transition from summer sports to winter sports. While visiting a motorcycle shop I asked why all the motorcycle helmets were on sale and the sales person told me that it was time to clear the shelves to put out the snow machine helmets. “Winter is just around the corner,” she said. We were also surprised to learn that you can drive four-wheelers on the roads along with the cars. And everywhere we went people would say “it sure is a scorcher out today.” (It was in the low 80s). Of course when it’s 30 below in the winter they are comfortable and I would be trying to get warm.

There are a couple of wineries in the area which surprised me. Living in Missouri I’m used to all the grape varieties and I hadn’t seen any vineyards. While grocery shopping at the local HyVee I checked out the local wine selection. The wines are made from elderberry, chokeberry, strawberries, rhubarb and pears. We attended a wine tasting at the Straw Bale winery and tasted the local wines. I guess my palette isn’t sophisticated enough to enjoy the non-grape varieties, but it was a fun experience.

Sioux Falls has lots of flea markets, antique stores and goodwill type stores. Some of neat and orderly and some are so full you can barely move. JC and I love to antique so we enjoyed digging for great finds. I found a piece of Metroiska (Russian nesting dolls), that I didn’t have in my collection and we also added a small wooden boat with oars and great detail to our collection of little canoes and boats. The good will stores turned up a brand new with tags Stearns life jacket and denim jacket for me. We didn’t have time to go to all the flea markets and I was in sensory overload by the end of our stay anyway.

Sioux Falls is about 50 miles from Mitchell, the home of the Corn Palace. This is a must see for anyone visiting the area. The Palace is changed each year and all the design is made completely of corn. It is amazing to think that all the beautiful pictures are corn cobs…and speaking of corn. We went to the Sioux Falls Farmers Market. It was filled with all kinds of produce, some things I had never seen before, baked goods, flowers, meats and even a coffee booth.

I could go on and on. ..but if you get the chance to visit Sioux Falls it would be worth your time. The winters are harsh and I don’t know that I would be able to live there but my hat is off to those who do. My image of the dusty little western town was shattered and replaced with a clean, culturally diverse, pride filled city. Just like that good book that I can’t put down, I’m not “through with” Sioux Falls. There is still so much left for me to see and experience, so far now I will just mark the page and come back when I have more time.

The Yearly Vacation

It's that time again - the yearly vacation. Time to pack, plan the route, service the car..... We never sleep well the night before we leave so we usually get up in the wee morning hours and take off on another big adventure.

This year we're headed to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We've been to western South Dakota to Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands (in the days before GPS and we got lost) but we've never been to eastern South Dakota. JC's sister, LaVerna and husband Howard, recently relocated there so I figured we should go check out this area.

This was my year to pick where we vacation. This is the situation; I love the cold climates and JC loves the hot, sunny areas. To make things fair we alternate years. Last year we went to Amelia Island, Florida. The Gulf Oil spill had messed up his favorite Alabama beach so we headed to the Atlantic side of Florida. JC, the beach bum, was in heaven while I however was not. I like the beach but I don't like the sand that accumulates in everything, carting the big beach umbrella (with UV protection), the chairs, towels, cooler, etc. to the beach, watching for jelly fish and SHARKS! But, I can't complain - it was his year to pick.

Our first real vacation was to Wyoming to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. It was the first week of June and when we got there it had snowed heavily, some places got 3 feet. JC shivered and shook and was miserable for much of that trip. He loved the gorgeous scenery and the wildlife, but not the cold temps. But that trip was nothing compared to the summer we went to Alaska. This was a self guided tour that took us to the Bering Sea, the Arctic Ocean then back down to Denali. It sleeted and snowed (in mid July) while we were at the Arctic and a cold rain fell for much of the trip to Denali and Anchorage. Then another summer I dragged him to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where the temps dropped to the 40s and we had to buy sweatshirts and the mosquitoes had just hatched out so we had to buy insect repellent. There was a big fireplace in the lodge and JC huddled next to the fire while I happily checked out the scenery and took pictures.

So here we are again heading north but luckily for JC the heat wave has hit South Dakota so I doubt we will be buying sweatshirts. The thrill of the pre-Sturgis rally and has him all excited and he hasn't complained much about trip.

Next year I'm sure we will be headed south - I've already seen him on the internet checking out beach cottages on Dauphin Island. He is visualizing long, sunny days and I can feel the sand in the sheets already.