Breathe Deep

It all begins and now the schedules change. We won't have a set schedule for a couple weeks until Don's 12 week classes start. But we will have to get something set up with getting him to work and me getting home early so he can get to school.

Last week was hectic but not unbearable. Training for me was interesting. Lots of things about how the brain remembers and learns. Remember this was very teacherish, brain research talk. We talked about how the brain craves novelty. How the cooperative structures we use are novel, but then there are so many different learning structures that are so common to one another is because it also loves repetition. We also talked about that you can only hold 10 things in your working memory and they need cleared out/moved into other memory to remember them and learn more. We also learned that you remember episodes best and that is your episodic memory. The brain also remembers the first & last things best.

We also used a mnemotic device to remember 10 things our partner told us. It was a visualization thing but we both remembered 10 things each without seeing one another's list.

We learned about the 4 different types of memory too. We also learned 3-4 new structures for use with out students. Also about the aymegdale and how it can cause kids to be anxious and fearful. If it fires then you have a more difficult time remembering and learning things. The goal is to keep kids happy, fearless, and calm so they can learn more. If they are relaxed and not in a state of fear/anxiety they should be able to learn more.

I can see that if I can remember all of this when 25ish new personalities all come into a new environment. Not that the environment is conducive to learning just yet. That was what I worked on Friday, unpacking my class. I rechecked and had 84 boxes. Over 50 of them were larger boxes and were put up on the new counters. They were stacked 4 high and they needed moved. So I moved them all and opened them all and sorted them. They are now on the longer counter, 2 high, and sorted by contents. So when I get to work in my room tomorrow I can keep going. My desk is I'd say 90% complete. I need to work on bulletin boards, covering an old, yucky, green chalkboard, and before I can put away tons in the closet I need to clean out what the retired teacher left. She is a wonderful lady, but yikes she left a lot. I guess after 19 years in 1 school you acquire a lot.

Brief mention about a few other events of last week. We got Doug moved back to school. You could just see that he was back in his element. Everyone say a prayer that he finds a job.

Don worked 3 days last week as a produce guy at one of the local supermarkets. He also started college. He took his first math class. I could tell before we left that he was freaking out. I could tell that everything was good when he got done because he said, "I'm the teacher's pet." He chatted with the instructor for about 15 minutes after class then came by my class. Then on the way home he was talking, talking, talking. Chatty Cathy there, he was non-stop. More than he'd talk about something in a long time. We bought 2 of his books yesterday. Yikes 2 books, one used was almost $200. Books are such a rip-off.

For my class, I can't believe I only have 7 students. That is like an ideal scenario, but for book discussions it doesn't work as well as I'd like. Hey, deal with what we are given and I can help these 7 become better readers.

This next week Brian heads back to school. YIPEE!

I hate this time of year because there are so many expenses. I know asking for money to grow on trees is a bit much, but could my tree in the back just sprout about five 100 bills? Just enough to get Don's car fixed? I know the extra money would just make things a little less stressful around here. I'll keep praying and I know God will take care of us, but just not as quickly as I'd like. I know it's on God's time, not my time.

As things change and start falling into place, I know I just need to remember to stop and breathe. Some deep breaths and remembering to pray will get me through.

To all of you...breathe deep. You'll make it through too.