BulgingButtons

Not bad for a fat girl


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Five More Things That Make Me Happy

greenthroatedmango
Gratitude is important. It reminds us that the world doesn’t totally suck. There is beauty and joy to be found, and it’s easier to find if you actively seek it. Here a few things that make me happy. And if you want more, look here and here and here.

Looking Through Old Photos

I have a digital photo frame in my studio, and it scrolls through photos while I work. I glance up and instantly I’m back in Hawai’i with my son, or I’m hugging my mom in London. A photo of my son’s first sleep over at camp reminds me of how much he’s grown up, and one of my high school friends reminds me that there are people I have loved for decades who love me back.

Hummingbirds

In general I’m not a huge fan of birds, at least not up close, but hummingbirds are different. They are petite and delicate and beautiful. The way they hover, then dart to the next location in space charms me. I’m fortunate to live in a place where we have these lovely little creatures. Every time I see one I feel as though it’s a sign that it’s going to be a good day.

John Hughes Movies

Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, and of course Sixteen Candles. Yes, I love them all. I’m required to, since I grew up in the eighties. And no, I’m not ashamed of it. And the music! Psychedelic Furs, OMD, Simple Minds… love it.

Silly Hats

Today happens to be Derby Day, the running of the Kentucky Derby, and therefore it is also unofficially silly hat day. The funkier the better. I don’t actually wear hats very often, but I enjoy seeing them on others.

Children Singing

There’s nothing quite like a group of children who have rehearsed singing a song together. It can be preschoolers or a high school choir, I don’t care. The blended voices of kids gets me every time. Tissue, please.


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Breathing a Sigh of Relief

It’s over. The end of the year testing is done. D.O.N.E. Thank goodness.

My little kiddos have spent hours and hours testing, and frankly, enough is enough. Some of the tests are very short, like the three minutes that they spend zooming through a text and circling words to complete sentences correctly. Others, like the state test, are administered over the course of days and are comprised of multiple sections and take hours. Then there are the tests that we previously administered to predict success on the state test, except that now we do those (reading and math are separate) AFTER the state test. And those are long too.

I’m not saying that was should eliminate all forms of standardized assessment. I’m just glad it’s over for another year. Well, partial year. After all, there’s a battery of tests at the beginning of the year to determine baseline levels and check for “summer slide.”

As a teacher, I do find some of the test results useful. It’s helpful to be able to pinpoint areas of strength and weakness, not just in individual students, but across the class and grade level. If they’re all weak in geometry, for example, we need to redesign the way we’re teaching geometry. Some of the tests help us identify trends over time, too, which can help to identify students who may need extra support services, no only for remediation, but also for enrichment and extension.

Still, I think that elementary age kids take too many of these standardized tests each year. They’re little kids, and when we give them test after test, the importance of each one becomes minimized in their minds. After all, “it’s just another test.” You can hardly blame them.


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Crayon Pop, Just For Fun

I was completely hooked on this video a while back. It’s not my fault, my sweetheart found it and played it over and over. If you’re ever in need of a pick-me-up, these girls are sure to do the trick.