End of an era {for now}

my 2013-2014 school pic

Today marks the last day of school for me. It also marks the end of my teaching days (for now). I have always said that Heavenly Father will let me know when it is time to leave my job. In January when I was looking ahead to the next school year and thinking about renewing my contract, I told my principal that I would like to go back to working part time. I did that the year after Porter was born and even though it was crazy, we adjusted and it worked out. This year, I made the decision to work full time. I don't know why. I felt like it was the right thing to do and I knew my kids would be in good hands with their sitter. But boy has it been a crazy year. I've had some difficult students (and some really great ones, too) that have made the days long. I have felt pulled in a million directions with work, trying to juggle time for errands before/after I pick up the kids, getting dinner ready, and giving my kids and husband the attention they need--all before bedtime. Why did I decide full time was for me? Little did I know it was a blessing in disguise.

My principal was great to work with me and try to find me a half-time teaching spot. Then came our big news that we were expecting another baby. In October--just two months into the new school year. I wrestled for several weeks with what to do. Would it work teaching half time? I love my job, and while some working moms would glady jump at the chance to stay at home, I really had conflicting feelings about it. But in my heart, I knew it was time. Brooke will be starting school this fall and adding a new baby to the mix...that's about has much craziness as I can handle right now. So, for now, I will hang up my teaching hat and be a full-time mom. I definitely don't think this is the end of my teaching days--so I'm just looking at it as a little break. It might be a year or 10 years, but I'm sure I'll find myself back in the classroom one day. Again, I'll trust that Heavenly Father will tell me when it's time. And looking back at this year working full time, I can definitely see our Father in Heaven's hand in my life--the extra savings and income will help as we make this new adjustment.

Adieu classroom and school that I've loved so dearly. 'Till we meet again!

Look Ma, two wheels!

This is from the beginning of May: Brooke learned how to ride her bike without training wheels! I was probably more nervous about it than Brooke was. She can be kind of a scaredy-cat about certain things, so I thought she would be scared about this too, but she wasn't! All it took was a little coaching from Dad and she was off!

Off she goes:

And not be outdone by his older sister, Porter decided he has to be a daredevil on his bike as well. He'll go down the driveway and let go of the handlebars. He's fell off his bike a couple of times doing this--I think we need to get a helmet for this guy!

 Blake caught me doing my favorite Sunday afternoon activity: sitting out on the deck and reading while sipping a soda. Nothing is better.

 Mother's Day weekend, the firestation did a free community breakfast. We ate pancakes, eggs, and sausage and the kids loved being able to climb in the firetrucks and their firehats they got to keep. Porter shed some tears when it was time to go.

My {deep} thoughts on..

Dogs: I loath barking dogs. In our neighborhood there are a lot of barking dogs. They drive me crazy. They ruin a peaceful evening out on our deck. They ruin lazy Sunday mornings when we are trying to sleep in. They ruin Blake's sleep cycle when he's trying to sleep during the day after working a night shift. See, Blake and I, we don't have a dog. We will probably never get a dog. We know that we would be bad dog owners. We wouldn't be able to give them the attention they need because we're already so busy. In my opinion, dog owners should be sensitive to the fact that we all share the air in a neighborhood. People don't like to listen to your dog bark incessently. And likewise, we (I'm speaking for Blake and I) sure as heck don't like it when you let your dogs out to run around without a leash or without being supervised at all and they come into our yard and pee and poop everywhere! There is an unresponsible-dog-owner-epidemic going on in our community and I feel like I'm the only one annoyed by it. Dog owners love their pets, but unless it is quiet, doesn't jump on me, and doesn't use my yard as a toilet, chances are I hate your dog.

Books: I have a pretty high (or low, I guess, depending on how you look at it) filter when it comes to books. Sometimes I feel bad about rating books on goodreads because I would hate for someone to try a book I recommend and be offended by it. Pretty much know that any book I read comes with a "read at your own risk" stamp across it. I always read a book with two hats. 1) as a book lover who just likes to be swept away by a good story 2)as a parent/teacher who would be horrified if my child/student picked up one of these supposed "YA" books to read. Some of them are really bad (i.e. language/sex/underage drug or drinking). I guess maybe that's why I can enjoy it (that sounds weird, I know). To me, these books are more like an adult book that just happen to have teenage characters--even though they say YA, they aren't for young readers.

 Has anyone read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn? This is actually a book meant for adults, not YA. One word: CRAZY!!! I loved/hated that book. I need someone to talk to about it.

Having 3 kids: We are anxious/excited to have a new baby in our home. However, having a boy and a girl complicates things just a little. We have a bedroom in our basement, but don't feel ready to send one of the kids downstairs quite yet--so we're going to have 2 of them share for now. But who? Does Porter share with the baby? Does Brooke? Do Porter and Brooke share? So many pros and cons to each option. We are also considering not finding out the gender--we already have one of each so we're ready for either a boy or a girl. I'm not sure if we'll be able to contain our curiosity once we go for the ultra-sound in a few weeks, but we'll try ;)

Technology: This topic has been on my mind a lot lately. It's interesting to think that my children will grow up in a world never knowing what it is like not to have things like cell phones, ipods/pads, regular access to the internet, video games, etc... This is a great, yet scary thing. A few months ago Brooke was playing on the ipad and we asked her to get off to help with a chore. She was so upset she threw the ipad down on the couch and stomped off. That was a huge reality check for Blake and I. Since then, Brooke has been grounded from the ipad. Obvioulsy it was becoming a problem and Brooke was demonstrating that she was not responsible enough to know how to take care of such an exspensive item. At firs,t Brooke would ask about using the ipad, but then she stopped and has found other things to do. This outburst of Brooke's has also helped Blake and I reevaluate our own technology use. I really had to look long and hard at myself and admit that I needed to cut back. I found this quote from Stephanie Nielson (NieNie Dialogues) and really liked it: "Don't teach your children you can multitask them and your social media accounts. Someday they will do the same to you and you won't like it."

The Common Core: just kidding! I won't be crossing that minefield again. My wise cousin told me, "a man convinced against his will, will be of the same opinion still...." 

Trick or Treat?

Blake and I have been pretty content with life. It's been just that right amount of normal mixed in with enough crazy to keep us on our toes. Of course, that's when life throws us a surprise!

To say that we were surprised is a huge understatement. But as we've talked about this, we really feel like Heavenly Father had a hand in this. Blake and I have both had feelings that there was a 3rd spirit waiting to come to our family. We were kind of in denial about it and content on just waiting another year (or two). I think if it had been left up to us, it may never have happened. We are excited, but nervous too. It definitely means some big changes to our family dynamic and schedule. Brooke is starting kindergarten in the fall so that just adds to the craziness of it all. I've heard baby #3 is the curve ball and Porter is a big-time mama's boy so I predict some major jealousy issues when the new baby comes in October (just in time for Halloween, my favorite holiday). 

We told Blake's family earlier in April. Blake's dad is always teasing us that Porter wants to be a big brother. So I bought him the shirt he's wearing in the above picture and took him to a picnic dinner we had. It didn't take long for them to figure it out!

Smart Bunny

Oh this boy of mine cracks me up. He loves wearing my shoes and when I'm putting on makeup in the morning insists that I put some on his face too.

 The other day I could hear Porter squealing in the backyard. At first I thought that Brooke was trying to take Porter's motorcycle toy, but no, Porter really wanted Brooke to hop on the back and go for a ride with him.

 This year, the Easter Bunny was smart. The first smart thing was popping popcorn for the kids to munch on while they waited for the eggs to finish dying. Usually the kids are super impatient and want to take the eggs out right away, so having a snack to distract them really helped.

 Brooke found a flat rock and told me it was her cell phone. She drew pictures on it and has been walking around holding it up to her ear and making phone calls.

 The second smart thing the Easter Bunny did was fill the eggs with candy that mom and dad like. Our kids find the eggs, but then we empty them into a family treat bowl for everyone to share. Usually we have nasty candy left over for months. Blake and I aren't much for jellybeans, so none of those this year! The Easter Bunny also decided not to hide the Cadburry Cream Eggs. Those were left just for mom and dad :) The third smart thing the Easter Bunny did this year was hide the eggs and baskets on Saturday. We enjoyed the afternoon egg hunt and the kids got to play with their baskets all Saturday instead of trying to rush and have time for everything before/after church. On Sunday, it was nice to just relax and focus on what Easter is really about. We also had our nice Easter dinner on Sunday as well.

Porter was so funny to watch during the egg hunt. He loved every minute of it.

 This was his expression everytime he spotted a hidden egg.

 Happy kids with their Easter stash.

 Brooke's Easter basket consisted of "Frozen" things. She loves her little figurines of the sisters.

 Porter got some tonka trucks for the sandbox and he is in heaven! These trucks have been in the sandbox, in the bathtub, and he's even brought a truck to bed with him. We can hear him pushing his trucks and making truck noises all over the house.

Our smart Easter Bunny sure made this holiday a stress-free success!

Sage Soapbox

I've decided to dedicate this post to talking about the common core and the Sage testing system that Utah has adopted. There is so much confusion and misinformation out there and it's really frustrating as a teacher when I hear things from parents or online that people post and wonder, "where did you see that? Where are you getting your information?" Perhaps I am the one who is misinformed, but my understanding of the common core seems to be very different than the public's opinion. So maybe I can answer some questions or clear up some confusion. If nothing else, I at least want to offer an alternative viewpoint.

First of all, the common core does not come from the federal government. It comes from the governors of each state. They got together and created this. So if you're going to be mad at someone for adopting it in your state, it's the governor,r not the president, you should direct your anger. 

Second of all, we've always had a core!! I don't think people realize this. The state has always had a set of standards they would like teachers to cover throughout the course of the school year. In the past, it has been up to each individual state to decide what those standards are. The only thing different with the common core is the word "common". This means that Utah and other states who've adopted it, now cover the same the set of standards for each grade. Why is this important? We live in a mobile society. I have students moving in and out from different states all the time. It's nice when a new student moves in that they are able to see that what they've been learning in their old town is similar and familiar. We also want students to be college and career ready--having a set of standards across the board helps students be college and career ready no matter which institution they choose after completing high school. 

Having a common core does not take away teacher creativity or make teachers mindless robots who spoon-feed our students the same information. For example, in the common core it says students will: "demonstrate understanding of figurative language...interpret figures of speech"(language standard 6.5 in the core) In my classroom, this means we are reading a book called Love That Dog by Sharon Creech (a book written in poems) and discussing poetic elements and finding examples to fill out on our graphic organizers. Students are also keeping their own poetry journals (like Jack does in the story) and we are practicing writing different kinds of poems using figurative language.

In the back of the core there is a list of "suggested readings" to use in each grade level. This caused some people some concern. Do you have to use these readings? No. They are "suggested" and if your school chooses not to use those readings then they should be comparable to the suggested readings in relation to text complexity (basically, choose books that are appropriate, yet challenging for your students). Choosing books for students to read is always an issue. Parents have been getting upset about novels read in schools since the beginning of time. A common core didn't start that debate.

Some people feel the common core is not rigorous enough. To that, I would suggest getting on the common core website and reading the core standards in each subject for your child's grade level. I feel that they are incredibly challenging. I am pushing my students more now than I ever did with the old state core. Do you know the difference between a reflexive and intensive pronoun or how to use and punctuate an appositive correctly? My 6th graders do. 

Some people feel that the common core is taking away student's creativity. Again, I disagree. It's true that at the middle school level and beyond that the focus starts to shift from narrative (stories) to more expository (informational). Students come to us at the middle able to write a story at the drop of the hat. And that's great. We spend an entire trimester (12 weeks) letting students practice that. Then during second trimester we introduce essay writing and the proper format of that type of writing. Isn't that important too? Unless your child majors in creative writing, they will need to know how to write a report in college and in their job. Even jobs that don't require a degree will still require them to write a report of some kind. Third trimester we focus on argumentative writing. We teach students how to do conduct research using reliable websites and books and how to use their research to back up their opinions (instead of just saying ...because it's the best or ...because I like it.) All three kinds of writing are important and being able to read all three kinds of writing is important too. Students should be well rounded. I don't know about other districts, but at our high school some of the electives offered include classes that focus just on creative writing or reading science fiction or reading memoirs. Students are also welcome to work on their interests outside of school. Nothing says they can't write stories at home. As parents, I hope we don't just leave it to the school to provide creative outlets.

Now the SAGE test. Another tool that is greatly misunderstood. Again, Utah has always had an end of the year test. In the 8 years that I've been teaching, this is the 3rd change in end of level tests I've seen. The other two changes were fine with no complaints. But this new test has gotten people all hot and bothered.

The old testing system (NWEA) was multiple choice test. The SAGE test has part of it that is multiple choice, but other parts that are not. For example, instead of asking students to read a passage and then select the main idea from options A,B,C,D. It will ask students to read a passage and then use their cursor to highlight the main idea. As a teacher, I love this. With multiple choice, a student can have no idea and still get the answer right. It's still possible to guess and get the answer right using the new system, but the chances are slimmer. Why are people freaking out about this? Yes, the questions are linked to the common core. But if your student has been taught the common core all year long, doesn't it make sense that they are tested on it at the end? There is also a writing section to the test which is new. Students are required to write 2 different essays on a different topics. Apparently people against the common core have found so-called "political agendas" in the writing prompts. I think you can read political agendas into almost anything.

Also, the SAGE test is not a federally mandated or created test. The SAGE test was created specifically for Utah by the Utah State Office of Education. Most other states are using a test called "SmarterBalance" for their end of year testing. Utah opted out of this and decided to create its own test. There are rumors going around the during the SAGE test, random personal questions questions pop up and students have to answer them before they can move on to the next section. These are RUMORS! Totally untrue. Do you think Utah, one of the most conservative states in the US, would create a test like that? The Sage test questions were also reviewed and approved by a panel of Utah educators and Utah parents.

In short, I feel like opponents of the common core are basing their information on fear. Fear that government is doing this big brother/1984 type thing and is watching our every move through our children and tracking our political views through testing and I just don't see that. If there's a question on the SAGE that says, "How many guns does your family own" then I'll start to get nervous. Until then, it's just a test and the common core is trying to help our students be college and career ready.

For more information on the common core go to: corestandards.org
For information on the Sage test and to see sample test questions in each subject area: sageportal.org

**Update April 28, 2014: Thank you for being concerned about your child's education. Also, thank you for realizing that I wrote this mostly to get my own feelings/frustrations out. Yes, the information is simplified bc I was not intending to write a scholarly article for the few readers (friends/family) who check my blog.I definitely don't claim to be an expert on the CC or Sage nor will I claim that it is perfect. And as someone pointed out, I know I am a teacher and this post is riddled with spelling/ grammar errors. I am a teacher, but also a wife and a mother--I write quickly when I get a few minutes. I also want to add that although many of you feel like I am just reiterating old points, where I live, these are some of the most common questions I get from friends and parents. Good for you if you know all this already, but many people still don't and have found this information helpful. If this information is not helpful to you, feel free to disregard it and continue with your day.

***Update 2016: Florida was ranked #1 on the Nation's Report Card with a score of a B+, based on how their students performed on end of year testing. Interestingly enough--Florida bought the SAGE questions/program from Utah to use as their own end of level test. Utah was #17 in the nation  with a score of a C+ and this score has improved over the last few years since adopting the common core.

Life in March

Blake: loves work. Loves his days off when he can fish even more.  His work schedule and mine sometimes overlap, meaning we don't get to see each other as often as we'd like. I always appreciate it when, on his days off, he'll watch the kids instead of going out and doing one of his hobbies. This summer will be a welcome break from our crazy schedules. We're excited to take our boat out this year and spend some afternoons on the lake together as a family.

Courtney: Life seems like it's going at full speed right now. Hard to believe the school year is almost over for me and we're down to the last 3 months. I feel like I just started the year with my students yesterday. After my stress fracture in September, I'm attempting to run again with slow results. Pretty sad that I could run 13.1 miles 6 months ago, but now running 2 miles leaves me feeling like I might die on the side of the road. Finding the time to run is hard, and so is finding the motivation. But since summer is coming and that means lots of days spent at the lake in a swimsuit, I better find that motivation fast!

Blake and I had a fun weekend without the kids recently. They spent the night with Nonna while we went to see the comedian Brian Regan. We had a great dinner at Tucano's first, followed by some shopping, then a night at the show on the 2nd row. We loved every second of it and it reminded us that we need to get away more often.

Brooke: Loves preschool and her friends and is really excited for kindergarten next year. Would wear her PJs or swimsuit everyday if I'd let her and sometimes getting ready in the morning is quite the challenge.
Some recent Brooke funnies:

•  "Mom, we have two new rules. One's about privacy and the others about popcorn. We need privacy when going to the bathroom and no stealing other people's popcorn."
• As she was trying to ride her bike up a hill, "Wait for me! I'm running out of gas!"
• She knocked on our bedroom door one morning and Blake and I didn't answer right away. Finally, I opened the door to find her standing in the hallway with her backpack on. She said, "Since you didn't answer the door, I thought I could go on a vacation."

Porter: I am loving that the weather has been nice enough lately that the kids can play outside! This boy could spend all day outside. This makes me happy thinking about the summer. Hopefully he's easy to keep busy. He's also recently discovered movies. He loves to watch them (which is why I hope playing outside this summer will also be a blessing, otherwise he'd just be a couch potato). Still has his car obsession. Now its morphed into walking around parking lots, touching other people's car while saying "car" to each one. Since getting his ride-on car for his birthday last month, he thinks all of his toys should be ride-ons too. He was disappointed when he sat on the stuffed horse and nothing happened.

Brooke picked her own outfit. Can you tell? ;)

Porter loves riding his car around the yard