I knew that teaching Highschool would be a challenge. What I didn't realize is where the challenge would lie.
I thought it would be more along the lines of curriculum issues. Was I going to be able to teach the skills needed to do the work? I was so encouraged by Bradon's teacher, and there is a multitude of resources to help where skill sets are concerned.
Nope the challenge is, and I guess always was with the student. Not that the skills are not attained. Not that work is misunderstood. It's the actual "get your self down to work" part. That's the challenge. How do I get this young person to complete the task at hand? There are no amount of incentives or punishments that motivate. I've even resorted to yelling at moments in my frustration, which get us no where.
Then miracles! I've seen progress! He's actually finished this report, and it's great. I make some corrections, fixing run on sentences, spelling mistakes, giving suggestions on using new words. Now suddenly he wants to rewrite the whole thing differently. He does not want to make the corrections I gave, he'd like to start again with the same subject but different angle.
I gave him a deadline of having the good copy in by tomorrow. I can not see how he has time to rewrite a report that took him two weeks (or longer) to complete.
Why does he want to do that? Is it because he doesn't like me correcting it? It's not like that's anything new, I always correct his work. Is it a form of perfectionism? I'm confused.
This is the first time he will be handing in his work to someone else. Is that it? I don't get it.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Love Creative People Who Invent Useful Things!
3 years ago when baby #5 was born I discovered a whole lot of new baby and mom things that had been invented since the fourth baby.
I love all the useful new things, and so glad that some Mom invented it, and shared it!
I found a new one today!
I've used the Bella Band to help with modesty in nursing, and have found it sometimes lacking.
Now there is Modest Middles. A tank top that is super low, the top sits under your bra (you wear it under your shirt) so you can easily pull up your shirt and nurse your baby without showing your back, side and belly!
NICE!
You can visit Life in a Shoe to see her giveaway!
This is for sure on my list of baby gear for this baby!
I love all the useful new things, and so glad that some Mom invented it, and shared it!
I found a new one today!
I've used the Bella Band to help with modesty in nursing, and have found it sometimes lacking.
Now there is Modest Middles. A tank top that is super low, the top sits under your bra (you wear it under your shirt) so you can easily pull up your shirt and nurse your baby without showing your back, side and belly!
NICE!
You can visit Life in a Shoe to see her giveaway!
This is for sure on my list of baby gear for this baby!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Are We There Yet?
Well maybe I should say are we done yet? I think we are, but I'm afraid to say "Yep done!". Just in case we aren't.
You see my sweet little Madalyn has been my most challenging potty trainer. Well I'm suppose to be the trainer I guess, but it really wasn't working out that well.
Never before had any of the previous 4 put up such a big stink about NOT sitting on the potty. The first day I could bribe her with chocolate chips, but only if I gave her some every time she sat on it. Otherwise, no way.
I gave up for awhile. Then once she turned 3 I thought, I really gotta get this girl on a toilet. Seriously!
So I bought books, and stickers and treats. For the first day (second try) she sat and got her treat and read the books. She was the potty princess. But we produced nil, nada! She saved that for the floor.
I gave up for another week. I decided I would have to just accept the fact that this was going to be messy. We would have to stay home, not have people over, and just get this done.
Oh and I bought playdough, the little tubs that you give out in goodie bags. I had to really stick to my "No playdough till you put something in the potty". She kicked up quite a fuss with that.
Thankfully she was really good at number two on the potty. I can handle cleaning up pee off the floor, but not the other!
Once she caught on that she could have a new little playdough each time she went potty we had no more accidents!! It was like magic! For a week we stayed home just to make sure, then the big test of wearing no diaper on an outing of more that 3hrs. She made it! She even told me when she had to go!!
So are we there yet? Is she potty trained? Can I stop holding my breathe?
Well today we ran out of playdough, so I guess we'll see what tomorrow brings.
You see my sweet little Madalyn has been my most challenging potty trainer. Well I'm suppose to be the trainer I guess, but it really wasn't working out that well.
Never before had any of the previous 4 put up such a big stink about NOT sitting on the potty. The first day I could bribe her with chocolate chips, but only if I gave her some every time she sat on it. Otherwise, no way.
I gave up for awhile. Then once she turned 3 I thought, I really gotta get this girl on a toilet. Seriously!
So I bought books, and stickers and treats. For the first day (second try) she sat and got her treat and read the books. She was the potty princess. But we produced nil, nada! She saved that for the floor.
I gave up for another week. I decided I would have to just accept the fact that this was going to be messy. We would have to stay home, not have people over, and just get this done.
Oh and I bought playdough, the little tubs that you give out in goodie bags. I had to really stick to my "No playdough till you put something in the potty". She kicked up quite a fuss with that.
Thankfully she was really good at number two on the potty. I can handle cleaning up pee off the floor, but not the other!
Once she caught on that she could have a new little playdough each time she went potty we had no more accidents!! It was like magic! For a week we stayed home just to make sure, then the big test of wearing no diaper on an outing of more that 3hrs. She made it! She even told me when she had to go!!
So are we there yet? Is she potty trained? Can I stop holding my breathe?
Well today we ran out of playdough, so I guess we'll see what tomorrow brings.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Thankfullness
Missing Church today, sore throats, coughs and stuffy noses. Well 3 of the children who are healthy managed to make it thanks to their wonderful Oma.
We, those left at home, sit listening to Keith Greens Lord You're Beautiful. I like Keith Green. His no nonsense, tell it like it is, style. His passion for Jesus.
We had our Thanksgiving dinner on Friday so Dad could be there too. It was Josh's idea actually, so that his Dad didn't have to miss out. I love that he was thinking of that, cause my thinking is really not there. I also love that Mom did the Turkey, Josh baked the pumpkin pie, I made stuffing and Maiya did the rest. It was a group effort that makes it so nice.
It does feel strange this year not heading to Houston for my family's dinner. This is the first year without Bob. I'm glad my Mom went to my Sister's, she's not alone:)
I am so thankful for the wonderful people God has placed in my life. For the bounty of food. For the roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs.
We, those left at home, sit listening to Keith Greens Lord You're Beautiful. I like Keith Green. His no nonsense, tell it like it is, style. His passion for Jesus.
We had our Thanksgiving dinner on Friday so Dad could be there too. It was Josh's idea actually, so that his Dad didn't have to miss out. I love that he was thinking of that, cause my thinking is really not there. I also love that Mom did the Turkey, Josh baked the pumpkin pie, I made stuffing and Maiya did the rest. It was a group effort that makes it so nice.
It does feel strange this year not heading to Houston for my family's dinner. This is the first year without Bob. I'm glad my Mom went to my Sister's, she's not alone:)
I am so thankful for the wonderful people God has placed in my life. For the bounty of food. For the roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
My Do and Don't List and Some Parenting Ramble
Things I don't like about being pregnant;
~Being so tired
~Being irritable
~Being emotional
~Gaining 12lbs in 12 weeks
~Being tired
~Pregnancy brain (I forget EVERYTHING)
Things I like about being pregnant;
~The fact that there is a little soul in there growing and getting ready to join us
~Everyone already knows I'm tired so they let me sleep
~Eating for two (hence the 12lbs)
~Guessing if it will be a girl or a boy
~Knowing Madi won't be an only child (I know she has older siblings but they are really more like parents)
~Stretchy pants
Being pregnant is not easy, being a Mom is not easy. It comes with lots of sacrifices. It comes with lots of joy.
The heart breaks never end, as little babies grow into little people, who grow into big people. My heart is glad and sad all at the same time.
I read it once that having a child is like having your heart walk around outside of you. Or something like that. And Ann Voskamp said something to the effect that the pain of child birth never stops. That's something they never tell you about. The pain of children growing up.
My oldest is 15 and I feel the tug of his independence, to be his own man. And I hope that for him and I rejoice with him as he moves from the boy man into the man. But my heart fissures too. Our dance has been a hard one. We both hard headed and strong willed. And yet a love that conquers all. Maybe it's not that way for everyone but it seems like my first born was the hardest to parent. The hardest in labour and delivery, and I struggle to understand him. I fight in prayer for him, for wisdom to parent him. And just as I called out to God in birth for him, I call out to God still. He is not a malicious child, nor is he terribly rebellious. In most respects he is perfect and wonderful. For him and I it's a mess of words and misunderstandings. From the first moment I saw him I wondered who is this little person, I was in awe of him and totally in love with him. If I stand back and just take in who he is, I am still in love and awe of him. And just as I said back then, that I would do the whole long hard labour all over again, just for him. I say it now that I would do the whole battle of love to parent him all over again, just for him. I do realize we're not done yet, there are still three more years until he's officially an adult. Right now he's the first young adult in my house. And I'm learning how to be his Mom, just as I've done since the beginning of him. In retrospect I think it's actually him whose taught me, well the Lord using him anyway;)
~Being so tired
~Being irritable
~Being emotional
~Gaining 12lbs in 12 weeks
~Being tired
~Pregnancy brain (I forget EVERYTHING)
Things I like about being pregnant;
~The fact that there is a little soul in there growing and getting ready to join us
~Everyone already knows I'm tired so they let me sleep
~Eating for two (hence the 12lbs)
~Guessing if it will be a girl or a boy
~Knowing Madi won't be an only child (I know she has older siblings but they are really more like parents)
~Stretchy pants
Being pregnant is not easy, being a Mom is not easy. It comes with lots of sacrifices. It comes with lots of joy.
The heart breaks never end, as little babies grow into little people, who grow into big people. My heart is glad and sad all at the same time.
I read it once that having a child is like having your heart walk around outside of you. Or something like that. And Ann Voskamp said something to the effect that the pain of child birth never stops. That's something they never tell you about. The pain of children growing up.
My oldest is 15 and I feel the tug of his independence, to be his own man. And I hope that for him and I rejoice with him as he moves from the boy man into the man. But my heart fissures too. Our dance has been a hard one. We both hard headed and strong willed. And yet a love that conquers all. Maybe it's not that way for everyone but it seems like my first born was the hardest to parent. The hardest in labour and delivery, and I struggle to understand him. I fight in prayer for him, for wisdom to parent him. And just as I called out to God in birth for him, I call out to God still. He is not a malicious child, nor is he terribly rebellious. In most respects he is perfect and wonderful. For him and I it's a mess of words and misunderstandings. From the first moment I saw him I wondered who is this little person, I was in awe of him and totally in love with him. If I stand back and just take in who he is, I am still in love and awe of him. And just as I said back then, that I would do the whole long hard labour all over again, just for him. I say it now that I would do the whole battle of love to parent him all over again, just for him. I do realize we're not done yet, there are still three more years until he's officially an adult. Right now he's the first young adult in my house. And I'm learning how to be his Mom, just as I've done since the beginning of him. In retrospect I think it's actually him whose taught me, well the Lord using him anyway;)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)