A New Year.....

Last school year was incredibly hard. It was my first year teaching high school--and I didn't have a classroom of my own to teach in. My husband was recovering from a heart attack. My mother-in-law passed away.

This year is so incredibly different. I started school happy and looking forward to teaching and maintaining order in my own classroom. I wasn't nervous at.all. My family is healthy. My children love their teachers and love being in 4th grade. I'm feeling respect from the students in my classes.

I feel incredibly grateful that I was able to plow through last year and stick with it. I was >this close< to throwing in the towel. But, I made it. I am very, very happy.

Hopefully, I'll be able to blog on a more regular basis from now on!

Something to think about....

Lost Generation....

Tagged....

....by a dear friend!!!

Q: What was school like when you were little?
A: Well, my mom made me wear a dress or skirt every day except for gym day and in the winter I had to wear pants *under* my dress or skirt. UGH! She loosened up after about 3rd or 4th grade. I remember climbing the jungle gyms, hanging upside down on the bars and doing 'penny drops' (on gym day, of course, when I was wearing pants!) during recess. I remember the art teacher coming in once a week, going to music class once a week and gym class once a week. I remember reading groups, having trouble with times tables and loving library time. I hated going to the lost and found because the box was in the boiler room and those boiler things scared me! It also smelled of that orange shavings stuff that custodians use to throw on.....um...."wet clean ups". So did my hat or gloves that I found in the lost and found box.

I remember my classrooms as bright, cheerful places. I loved all of my teachers except my 3rd grade teacher.

There were two K-4 elementaries in my town, 1 5-6th grade elementary where both elementary schools' kids were combined, 1 middle school (7-9th) and 1 high school.

Q: What was a memorable experience from your childhood? How did you feel about it?
A: The most memorable experience was probably when my family traveled from Michigan to Washington DC to be sealed as a family in 1977. My brother was 3 and I was almost 10. It was the most beautiful, peaceful experience. I remember my brother asking my dad, "Why are mom and Anne crying?" He looked so adorable in his little white suit! We also got to tour around DC with my granny, a non-member, while my parents were getting their work done and doing sessions. So much fun! The Washington DC temple is my favorite temple, next to the Manti temple where my husband and I were sealed.

Q: What has changed since your childhood about your local or national community?
A: Since I've started teaching high school, the biggest thing I've noticed is the lack of respect for authority. When I was in school--elementary, middle and high school--there were a few kids that didn't respect authority, but for the most part, we listened to our teachers and didn't talk back. I was always afraid to get in trouble! Petrified!

Another thing that seems to have changed is parents actually having to make "dates" for their children to play with other children. My mom called, or I called and said, "Can Ami come over and play?" or they called my mom and asked if I could come over. I was never allowed to ask if *I* could come over to play. I miss for my kids the freedom that kids used to have playing all day long in the summer at the other end of the street, tromping in the woods nearby without parents having to worry.

If you are reading this, consider your self tagged, unless you were previously tagged with this same request. In that case, I'll go to your blog and read your answers!