No good deed goes unpunished.

I became a teacher because I like helping others learn something new. My whole life is about helping others. All day I help, I guide, I figure, I solve, I coddle, I encourage, and I listen.

I also get all the mainstreamed students. That's students that are special needs that the other classroom teachers don't see. With my normal size class, I get special need students to work with. This means many have a physical limitation of some sort along with a mental limitation. I have one student that I help. I help put his shoes on after tumbling. I help him with activities that need to be modified for his needs like a softball instead of a heavy shot put. I have to think ahead and plan for him as well as the other special needs and non special needs students in the class. That's a lot to do. This student did well on a run day, he has a physical limitation, and I was very happy with how hard he tired. I gave him a free ice cream after school for his hard work.

Then I get this email from his Special Ed teacher.

Hi!

We had a parent conference with Giovanni parents yesterday. The parents have the impression that there are times when teams are picked that Giovanni is put on a girls' team. They said that Gio is picked at the end. There was talk about any activity that Giovanni calls "the donut" where Gio is placed with primarily girls. Mr. M***** thought that he had observed this happening. I am not clear on exactly what was being described or how teams are arranged, so I told the parents I would contact you to find out what the procedures are. This is something that is upsetting to Gio, but I did remind the parents that the students do not always interpret events accurately. If you can email me or give me a call, I will explain to the parents (or you may talk to them directly - just let me know, please).

Thanks for your help!
~Kim

OMG, I try so hard every day with ALL the students in the class. All the Special ED kids and with him. I was not a happy camper when I read that. So here is what I wrote in return.

I have yet to pick teams. I ask the students to pick teams for themselves. This is part of the teamwork and problem solving aspects of class. I ask them to find a group of 6 or whatever number is needed. I will then ask them to challenge another team. This is also a coed PE program (p/ the state of CA.) and girls and boys can be on either team. Sometimes I will change things up when a unit seems to drag on and have maybe a girls only game and a boys only game. The students like the change up now and then. This is not often, but may happen 2-3 times for the whole year.
We will be starting football next week. Once again Giovanni will be asked to find a team ON HIS OWN. The class seems to be supportive with him and open to him being on their teams. HE needs to work on his social skills and speak up to find a team. I do sometimes place students by skill. I don't see gender when teaching my students. I see skill level. I will have one girl on a football game of top guy players because she picked it and has the same skill level as that group of students playing. Sometimes a boy is with a group of girls. Again, skill level. Safety, and playing time are all factors that go into grouping students. I may have to use my judgment to ensure the safety, and skill development. I really enjoy having him in my class and think he is doing a wonderful job. I am accommodating him in many ways so he can not only develop his skills, but feel successful. They can come to my class if they like instead of sitting in their car watching from a distance making assumptions on what is going on in my class. This may help them to better understand the structure in the class and see how well he is doing and how he is accommodated.
Thank you.

So there you go. Another day of trying to make magic happen and getting kicked in the head for it. I will tell you this, I take pride in my teaching. I also take pride in the fact that I can think long term. When his parents are no longer with him, where will he be? I'm a dang good teacher that cares about the kids. So I will carry on. Next time you think someone could do more, think of all they are already doing.

( The worlds greatest teacher)hahahahahaha

XOXOXOXOXOXO :-)

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Last Supermoto race @ Qualcomm

A little wet in the rain.
Talking smack with the boys. Ok, not really, just watching a guy put tire warmers on.
Up at 5:00AM and home at 8:00PM. I could use a nap.

It was a nice weekend. I think I rode about the same as last month with a little more fire under my butt. I was taking it easy in the practice and the heat races (they have more than one heat, I don't know why. This makes for a long day and can wear you out. Two practices, a qual race, two heats, and a main. All being just over a mile a lap. Wanted to save myself for the main.). Then I heard that someone was happy because,"I beat her" in the last heat race. I did not know I had a target on my back, but that just made me want to ride harder. I have to say I never did see that rider in the main so there you go. lol.

There was one funny thing. I was first on the pregrid. The worker told me that we can do 10 laps instead of the 8 laps of the last heat race. I said I did not want to do 10 laps, but I would do whatever the group wanted to do. (saving my energy for the main race) Everyone wanted to do 10 laps. So the man says," Everyone is ok with 10, but Lisa wants 8" I said it's fine and then I said, "Sorry, it must be my estrogen." Everyone laughed and off we went. Darn girls. Who let them race?

Oh and this girl got FIRST PLACE. I'm all for that estrogen. Ha Ha Ha

:-) Ti Amo xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxo

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The Road of Life

I have been on a journey of sorts as of late. I have had time to reflect on where I have been and where I want to go. Life leads you down so many paths. When I look back I wonder where time has gone. I am mad at mistakes I have made and I am trying to remember all the things that I have achieved. It’s easy to forget those. I have always thought that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes it for my growth or another person’s growth. I feel that life will never give me anything I can’t handle. Not that it’s going to be easy, just look at the scars on my left foot and you know that to be true. I just know that life is what you make of it. Life is a gift and it should be one that is lived in a state of happiness. Not saying life will always be happy, but your mental outlook on life should be a positive one.

I know on my blog I talk about myself, and state facts about things I have done. I don’t think I have taken the time to look back at them and remember all the hard work it took to get there. So let me share with you something’s that I remember working hard for.

I have run track since I was in 7^th grade. I did most sprints, but for some reason picked hurdles. Not many people can deal with hurdles. They are technical, fast, and tiring. I did very well at them. High Jump. Why would I want to jump backwards over a bar, head first off one foot? I don’t know, but I made it to state with that.

I started to do Run, bike, runs becasue running track and cross-country was not enough. Speaking of Cross County, why would a true sprinter want to run 3 miles when the 200M seemed far? Desire and will to conquer something that was hard for me.

I did a triathlon. Im not a good swimmer, so what was I doing? Same thing, to try something I had to work at.

Motorcycle I have loved since I first sat on one. I never see that I am a woman among men. I know I am the only lady there, but when the helmet goes on I want to beet them badly.

So here I sit. I am a high school CIF person. I am a Jr. College State Champ on cross-country and track a few times over. I am a NCAA Div 1 Champ. I am a top mini bike race in my level. I race supermotos and can finish in the top spots. ( so far) I can bake bread and have placed in the fair.

I am a teacher that had learning disabilities growing up, and straggled with school.

It takes hard times to bring you down, but it takes yourself to look at where you have come from and find the light that you have inside. So this blog is for me. For my growth. I had a blog where I vented and now I have a blog where I have recognized my assets.

I want a life……

full of love.

A family of my own

A warm home

A garden

Lots of time with my family

Meet my cousins in the USA and Italy.

I want to wake up knowing that I am someone’s Sunshine and they are mine. Balance. Peace. A best friend. A soul that touches mine.

I want to laugh

I want to laugh at myself

I want to be silly

I want to see the world for it’s beauty

Stop and smell the roses

Sometimes a rough road is good for shaking out the cobwebs.

Thanks for helping me down my road.

Love you very much. Xoxoxooxoxo to my family.

:-)

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My inner child (Disneyland)

DISNEYLAND!!!!!

I made a new friend.




Haunted Mansion

Matterhorn
Buzz Lightyear
Welcome to Disneyland.


I don't know how I made it out of the park without eating one. Shocking, I know.



I think I can....... I knew I could.......

All dressed up.


In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tikiroom, in the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tikiroom....... ( you know your singing along)
999 Happy Haunts

It’s been 8 years since I have been to Disneyland. This seems odd since I worked there for a total of 5 years. Even though I would go to the park every day for work or the hotel, I still loved the park. It is always so clean and nice. The plants and flowers are always a joy to look at. I was happy to be going to the park this weekend and looked forward to the holiday decorations. They have really gotten into the Halloween sprit. It used to be that Christmas was the big time to come to the park. I found that I liked Halloween just as much. I love Christmas there, but the color and the change of rides for Halloween was a pleasant surprise.

The Haunted House (one of my all time favorites) was transformed into the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas. I thought they just added a few things, but the whole ride inside was changed. It was very cool, and filled with amazing colors and decorations. Even the hitch hiking ghost part was different. I loved seeing Zero floating down the hallway that normally would have a candelabra. The outside was over the top with decorations.

Space Mountain got into the act with Ghost Galaxy. The ride had all different lights (or lack there of) and projected images of this space monster. It would reach for you as you flew past it in the darkness.

The best part was seeing the things that have not changed. Seeing the things that I know so well brought back all the feelings of my childhood and when I worked there. The best thing was Captain EO. They brought that back. There would be no way I could count how many times I have seen that show. Part of my job at the park caused me to have to wait through the show. Every day. Day after day. I loved the Matterhorn, big thunder, pirates’, and the smells of the park. Churros, popcorn, the smell when you enter pirates. It’s a cool musty smell that is unmistaken ably Disney. The sounds of Fantasyland. The sound of the Colombia riverboat steam whistle as it cuts through the noise of the crowds as it travels along the Rivers of American. The chugging and whistle of the steam train that circle the park. You can hear the rhythmic screams as boat after boat full of frightened passengers take the plunge down the water flume on Splash Mountain.

I had been to California Adventure one time before it was opened. I pretty much don’t remember a thing. There is a lot of construction going on there so it was a little difficult to find your way around, but I seemed to have no problem ending up at the Tower of Terrier. Why on earth would I want to ride something with that name????? I was not to thrilled about that ride since I knew it was a straight drop. The line seemed long and maybe it was just long enough to not wait for. Then came three nice young ladies that gave away a fast pass for that time. ( great, no waiting in line.) Against my better judgment I reluctantly went on the ride. After a few moments of the scary unknown mystery of the ride, it was over. Up, down, up again, down,…….. It was finally over. I did enjoy it and would go on it again. I laugh at myself and how scared I was. I liked that park, but there is nothing like Disneyland. The feel, smells, and sounds are second to none. I want to go back soon. I did not get to go on so many rides. I had a wonderful time. I saw the new park, I walked Downtown Disney. ate churros ( yes that more than one), got Mini Mouse Ears and wore them all day, got splashed, scared, I laughed, petted a goat, and some kid sneezed on me. Disney at it’s best.

List of events covered……

Pirates

Haunted Mansion (two times)

Splash Mountain

Jungle Cruise

Indiana Jones

Big Thunder

Small World

Space Mountain (two times)

Matterhorn

Alice in wonderland

Rockets

Buzz Lightyear

The Casey Jr. Circus Train

Walked through castle

Captain EO

Tower of Terror

Bugs Life

Muppets 3D

Soaring over CA

CA Screaming rollercoaster

I think that's all of them. I had a wonderful time. I am glad I got to see the park this time of they year.

xoxoxoxoxoxooxxo Love to my family.

:-)

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Bring in the noise, bring in the funk...

(As stated in my other post....)

"Stupid E" has been out of work due to a finger injury. It's been a quiet, nice, easy going two weeks. To my surprise she came to work today. There it was....... the sound of a chicken drowning. I heard her scratchy squawking voice that makes your ears bleed. Moments later the unpleasant stench of old smoke fills my office. It seems she is back early. NOOOOOOOOOO I had another 10 days of peace coming to me, but that is now at an end. Only one hour later she brings a student to me that has a large pair of scissors. She thought they were too big to bring to school. Poor little 6th grader was just trimming the run away string from the low quality PE shorts.I asked why she had them and she said they were all she had at home. I told the girl to put them away in her backpack, and leave them at home. Stupid E pulls them out of my hand and said we will keep then and she will get them after school. I snatch them back out of her hand and tell the girl the same thing I had told her before. Poor girl was all stressed out and lost. What makes Stupid E think that a teachers assistant can rule over a teacher. I am sorry. I went to school for countless years, I also am responsible for the students. What makes her think she out ranks me. I never ever think of myself as higher than anyone at work. We all have a job to do and we are all equal. If your going to over step your bounds like that in front of a student, then I need to pull rank and let the student know who is the head of that situation. She lasted all of one hour before pissing me off. I had to report it and now will be having a meeting about all this. I have so much work to do. Why do I have to do more work? She is there to help me, not make more work. Make it stop. Sad part was, we all thanked the teacher that was teaching the class she got hurt. It was a joke, but still, how sad is that?

Stupid E....... There is a Venetian saying that translates as: "Before you speak, be quiet." TAKE NOTE. As they say, you have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

xoxoxoxoxoxo :-)

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