Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Second Practicum

Like I said in my last post, I have not blogged in forever. I know I am letting countless people down lately! Seriously, for all four of my faithful readers, I shall do a recap of my life this fall beginning with my second practicum placement. This recap probably will take a few days.
I spent four weeks at this high school and absolutely loved it! I really enjoy working with high school students. The staff here is wonderful and I learned so much. During the majority of my time here, I worked with tenth grade students who were doing a research project on environmental issues. I helped teach them search techniques, how to evaluate sources (particularly websites) and how to cite their sources. I felt much more comfortable with this age group than with the younger children...although I know I could do that job well too.
The librarian I worked with has a wonderful sense of humor. You really must have a sense of humor to work everyday with students. She is a collector of amusing sayings and fun little toys that she has at her desk. Here is a picture of one of her favorites (and mine too)...the stress reduction kit that is necessary for every school librarian. Click on the image to read it. She has a great collection of toys at her desk that the kids enjoy playing with. She says it is a wonderful way to get kids to come to the desk and talk with her. They play with the toys (wind up toys, a shushing librarian action figure, bean bags with faces that talk upon impact, etc.) and stand at her desk and just chat with her. The kids really respond well to her sense of humor.
While I was working there, Halloween came and went. It is a tradition in this school for all the staff to dress up and parade before the student body on the morning of Halloween. Every year there is a theme. This year's theme was "fairy tales, folk tales or fables." Here we are dressed up as one of Aesop's fables: The Fox and the Crow. Click on the title of that fable if you are not familiar with the story. Jacquie (the librarian) is dressed as Aesop and is holding a fox puppet. Kathy who works in the library too is the crow. I am dressed as a piece of cheese...thanks to my second cousin, Kim who lent me the cheese hat. I wish I had a group picture of the rest of the teachers. We had Little Red Riding Hood, Granny, the Witch, Paul Bunyan, many of the seven dwarfs, Snow White, the troll for Billy Goats Gruff,...I can't even remember what else. It was a lot of fun.
Besides having fun and really loving coming to work each day, I learned so much. Jacquie has a wealth of knowledge after over 30 years of being a school librarian. I hope I managed to soak up at least some of it. I enjoyed working with the students and with the teachers. I just cannot wait until i get a job of my own one day. I have completed my studies in School Libraries...and am now eligible to get a job. I do know of a few possibilities for next fall. Please say a prayer for me that I will find just the right job for me.
I have technically finished this practicum, but next week I get to go back to this same library because the ninth graders are doing an interesting project that Jacquie thought I would benefit from seeing. I can't wait to go back there!

Friday, November 19, 2010

One woman's battle against dust and clutter

I have not blogged in forever and I thought of this great idea this morning. Post something! Let the world know you are still alive!
My brother-in-law has been redoing our one and only bathroom...and creating a new powder room besides. So to sum up my life in just a few sentences.
  1. Jamie, the kids and I empty one entire room into the living room. We need room for boxes that house bathtubs, toilets and also room for bro-in-law to put his tools and work.
  2. Next, we empty the bathroom of everything in it that is not nailed down-into the living room.
  3. There is dust and grime everywhere in the house because old plaster and lath walls have been demolished.
  4. A toilet...covered in grime sits alone in an empty shell of a room...TP in a zip lock freezer bag. Makeshift dusty curtain covers the window.
  5. No internet connection.
  6. Showers arranged at various homes of friends and the YMCA for two days.
  7. Lowes becomes our second home. We are on a first name basis with the guys who work in the kitchen and bath department. (Thanks Ken and Jeff!)
  8. I cannot find my favorite lotion anywhere.
  9. There are many things that no longer have a home-like toothpaste and contact solution.
  10. We take a family trip to Boston to "get away" for 4 days. Had a fantastic time!
  11. We come back to a functional new shower and a half dry-walled room!!!!
  12. Still washing our hands in the kitchen after using toilet, but I'm not complaining. I am so happy to see our old awful bathroom getting redone!!!!
  13. There are boxes and piles all over the house...has anyone seen the dictionary?
  14. Drywall dust is NOT the worst kind of dust in the world. (Dust from 150 year old plaster and lath IS)
  15. Luckily I have had a high school library to escape to every day...until Tuesday, when it ends. (bwah ha!!!! I miss it very much!)
  16. We have internet connection again!
  17. Drywall is all up in downstairs bathroom.
  18. We finally get a permit to start construction on the powder room.
  19. Walls of PR are being framed.
  20. I decide to download all the wonderful pictures I have taken of the school I have worked at, Allen's X-country sectionals and our trip to Boston...and then blog about my adventures.
  21. I cannot find my camera anywhere in this cluttered house!
  22. I settle for a pictureless blog entry instead.