Point Made!

One of the best purchases I've made to help me teach.  A pointer!  I can't reach very high so it works for me perfectly to reach high on the board or wall.  Not to mention the great attention grabber it seems to be since the students seem to follow it around more than my own finger. 

Staying Away from Throw Away

Got a gift for a wedding shower (left) and a baby shower (right).

No, I didn't get storage containers as their shower gifts.  The gift is inside.  I dare them to throw away the wrapping. 

Mothering Mother

Went home this weekend to stay with my parents and help them go to their granddaughter's wedding shower.  I hope I don't retire and take a couple of trips and then end up in chairs like they have for the past 10 years.  They had hard working lives and just tired and say they want to rest.  Mother hasn't been able to walk for about 7 years now.  Thanks to my sister for seeing their life is as comfortable as possible.  God bless their awesome daytime Caregivers.

More Than Enough

Found out today, this past summer our district took in over 3500 applications for teaching positions.  Only about 385 were hired.  Guess there's not a teacher shortage.

Animal Groups

First graders this week have been sorting animals into groups with Kidspiration.

Meetings.

Had 2 meetings after school today.  Faculty meeting that told us about Child Abuse, how to recognize, who to call and I can be put in jail if I don't report it.  Second meeting, which I've attended annually for the last 5 years about Digital Citizenship which involves cyberbully and cyber safety from weirdos.  I guess they think we forget this stuff?  Another thing I can mark off the list as the last time I have to sit through it.  But really, so sad kids have to deal with these things which I didn't have during my childhood.  So sad.

Hints of Fall

as some leaves start to fall around the creek in the back yard..

Still Building & Tweaking

Gotta keep tweaking so I won't see myself in the mirror when doing my business.  Crazy camera wouldn't focus.

Update on Closest G. is building.

Amazing how much taking out a post in a closet made the remaining part of the room feel larger.

Tomtato Time

It's that time of year when you can afford to eat a whole tomato all by yourself.  Stuffed with Tuna salad, yum!

Catching UP

No students today.  Checked off my check list.  Well, some of it.  Network not up most of time.

Need Help?

A positive note for a student that's following procedure when they need help.  Students are to put their cone on top of their computer and continue to try to solve their problem while they wait on me helping another student.  They also know they can ask a neighbor for help.  If that neighbor can help, the neighbor becomes a "backseat driver" by only touching the screen to give directions while the "driver" manipulates the mouse/keyboard.

Into It

Using United Streaming

End of the day and first graders the first week are so tired.  We watched a video from United Stream entitled "Animals, Colors & Shapes" then spent rest of lab time on the good ole Paint program drawing pictures of animals they observed which helped them practice beginning mouse skills.

Mouse Beginners

There are some students that do start kindergarten never having had exposure to a computer.  So the first skill the young or old must acquire is to manipulate the mouse.  What better than the age old program, "Paint." This child is painting pictures of animals he had just seen in a video.  It's amazing how much better & more colorful these little folks can draw a picture than an adult. 

Kitchen Almost Done

Before work started.  I had to use Photoshop to wipe out a person in this picture.  That's what the blur is about.

 First tried to clean the tile floor.  From black became a beautiful Tuscan brick color. But some of the grout was missing.  I really loved the floor.

But as Mr. G began to knock out the grout, tiles began to break.  I really wanted tile back but we didn't think we had time and weren't experienced.  So we tried the "pop together" laminate because it looked like it would be easy to install.  NOT!  We could have put in a tile floor with the time and money it took to put this small amount in.  Not too happy with the downgraded look.

Next I wanted to change the counter top but couldn't afford it until winter when a friend can come to help us.  So I thought I'd experiment with the color I think I want to see if I like it.  Black! I used paint especially made for counter tops.

 The counter top paint did a better job than we thought.  Just don't get up too close and look at it.  You can see paint marks.  From a distance, it looks nice.  I needed to paint the hood and change the dishwasher front before appliances came, but I didn't have the time even though I had to go through 2 dealers.

First appliance company deliver a new frig and scratched it all across the front bringing it into the house.  The washer and drawer were placed the wrong way so the doors conflicted when they were open and the installer didn't have his tools to install them.  I sent everything back.  When they came to pick them up they found the stove plug was screwed into the wall and was loose.

Finally, got the appliances but still didn't paint the hood.

Got it done and need to make some touch ups.  Don't tell anyone, but I'm using a magic marker.

Next, a window treatment.  Sorry, Mr. G. the UK flag won't work.

A Favorite Educational Website

Whenever in need of a new idea, I always go to Teacher First. com found at http://www.teachersfirst.com/index.cfm

Crowd Control

7:15 watching children as they stand in line to go to breakfast.

Nice Notes

It never hurts to find a positive note in your school mailbox.

First Day

I'm just saying, if my schedule doesn't provide the time, when do I get my assigned duties done?  I'm a person that wants to fulfill the obligations of my job.

Ready?

They'll be coming through this door in the morning.  Do I look like I"m ready? The computers are uncovered but that's about all the time I had.  Too busy helping others get their techie stuff ready.  I was told I'll have one free period a day this year to take care of the school's tech problems.  I'll do the best I can.

Dog Days of Summer

The last Dog Day for this summer at least.  Didn't spend as much time on this swing as I usually do.  A Mosquito and friend kept coming to visit me.  Might have had something to do with the City's budget cut and couldn't spray?

My Quiet, Cool, Calm & Dark Retreat @ the end of the day.

Last day off before it REALLY starts.

Got up early intending to get to the new house before new appliances were delivered so I could paint the hood and back splash for the range.  Right after I bought the paint, the delivery guys called to inform me they were on their way.  So I didn't get it painted until after they left.  I also got sun block curtains up in the sewing room to lower the heat sent in by the sun.

Really, my man is nowhere near college age.  He's just a huge football/basketball fan.

The best part of the hood/back splash project?  Cost: 92 cents!

The Beginning of the Last

Joy's Shots & Whatnots is a blog that started when my last year of teaching started,  finishing a wonderful career of 30 years.  Meanwhile, I created a new home to have ready for me by the end of the the final school year.  Pictures (shots) are worth a bunch of words.  I'll let the pictures do most of the talking with only a few jots. The Whatnots will include tips for computers, my lifelong interest of sewing & quilting & other things learned along the road of life.

First day back to school, kinda.  I get to pick one of 3 days called an Optional Work Day to work.  I do not have to work this day.  No work, no pay.  So I go!


The day began as a beautiful sunny morning!  

Parked my car in usual spot.  Door #1.

Door #2.

When I got inside I had to go around barricades. Hope that's not a sign of the coming year.

Long walk.  Exercise for day, done.

My Lab - Love it!

Halls blocked and District Network down.  Did I get a lot done on my Optional Work day?  Updated the school's webpage and set up a teacher with Elmo.