I saw this on Facebook and absolutely loved it. I have been out of the classroom since 2005 but I still remember the days leading up until Christmas. I loved them!

This poem below is dedicated to all the teachers with which I work.  As we head into budget times, please remember:  You do make a difference!


The teacher looked ahead with misgivings, but with hope. Would the way be smooth or rough? Would it end in success or failure? And she stood and looked and wondered. And a voice said, answering: "There will be no end." 
And the teacher smiled and said: "I know it will end. I may teach one year, two years, Or possibly many years, But this I know: Someday it will end." And the teacher went forward to teach. 
And many gathered around her, And they all had need to learn. And the teacher looked into their eyes and desired to fill their needs And she taught them with mind and heart and voice --
A mind filled with knowledge, A voice speaking wisdom, And a heart overflowing with love.
Then life changed, and the teacher taught no more. No more did eager students gather around her. 
"It has ended," said the teacher, continuing on the road of life. "This is the end of my teaching." And she believed this until... 
A doctor stood and said: "I am here because this teacher taught me." 
A lawyer stood and said: "I am here because this teacher taught me." 
An astronaut stood and said, "I am here because this teacher taught me." 
An engineer stood and said, "I am here because this teacher taught me." 
A teacher stood and said, "I am here because this teacher taught me." 
And many in good positions stood and said, " I am here because this teacher taught me." 
And the teacher looked ahead of those who had been taught and saw the continued steps of progress, work, and success before each one. And joy filled the teacher's heart, and she said, "This is not the end. 
There is no end to my teachings."

~ Author Unknown ~ 

Several years ago Gail and I went to a one day tech conference at Smith Mountain and were exposed to an awesome site called Trailer Mashup.  The site is a repository of YouTube movie trailers that have been re-worked to suggest a different genre of movie.  For example, The Shining is no longer a horror story.  It is a sappy drama.  My favorite is Scary Mary.  This is a remake of the Mary Poppins trailer.  When I was in the classroom, a former vice-principal told a parent that I reminded her of Mary Poppins.  That has always stuck with me and on my bad days it helps me remember why I went into this profession.  Of course, on my bad days, I could still be Mary. . .  .It just depends on the day and what has happened as to what Mary you can expect.  Today the Mary below is the Mary you will find in me.

Mikhaila  says that she wants adults to know that digital life is not her whole life, it’s a very small part of it. She acknowledges that teens do tend to look at their phones more often than they should but that adults who didn’t have this much technology when they were teens themselves believe current young peoples spend their entire lives online.  She insists that is not the reality.  Read more about what teens are saying about their online lives in this article composed by the NEA.  

Thirty years ago she began teaching young children in their threes and fours;  she didn't know much about children at first, but over time learned more and more. 

She gave them hugs and wiped their tears, and never left them alone; 
she guided them through the small things, which often turned out to be milestones.

Her first students are all grown now, and she waves to them when they pass; there's a banker, a writer, a lawyer, an artist, and parents with children in her class. 

To those who ask if she plays all day, she says with a gleam in her eye 
that she teaches bankers to add and subtract, and artists the color of the sky. 
She teaches the alphabet to writers, and lawyers what it means to be fair; 
she teaches politicians to take their turn, and executives how to share. 
She knows that what's learned in the sandbox will influence them for years to come; 

it's the little things that shape them, so impressionable are the young. 
If you, too, work with children, and dance and sing and play, 
don't forget that you shaped the future by whom you teach today.

First graders at MHES drew pictures of elves.  We learned to scan them and then Mrs. Lewis uploaded them into Blabberize so we could make them talk.  Check out our talking pictures!  Link to Christmas Elves.

It is the first day back after Thanksgiving Break and I am sitting in the computer lab at Monelison. My goal today was to make myself available in case someone wanted help with some of the new tools that have recently been showcased.  It has been a slow morning with only a couple of "customers".  Since my lesson plans are all up to date, I have used the time to comb through Twitter looking for new resources and ideas.  Boy! Did I find one that I like!  It is a lesson plan from Edgalaxy on Christmas Customs.  This lesson allows students to gain awareness of various Christmas traditions around the world.Students are then asked to reflect on their own traditions and customs.I plan to do this in the computer lab.  I am not sure yet if I will set this up through Edmodo or have students blog but either way, it sho  Click here to download the complete lesson plan