Day 57-63

Don't worry my friends, I have not stopped doing my activities. But keeping up with my blog has taken a backseat. Sorry friends!!

But don't worry there is always more!

Day 57: Give parent conferences in Spanish
If you would have asked me a year ago to do it, I would have said no, there is no way I can speak fluently in Spanish, let alone tell a parent how their child is doing in my classroom... in ANOTHER language. But perseverance of speaking Spanish everyday with Magdiel has proved to help me with my confidence, as well as my vocabulary. Now if I could rewind and hear what I actually said, I might not be as proud of myself. But I am going to continue to tell myself they went great. ;)

Day 58: Get told by one of my students: "Miss Kate, I am going to pimp slap you!", oh really now?
I am not sure what my faced looked like at the exact moment my student said it. But I must have looked horrified because the minute I said "what?", his face dropped, but he still managed to mumble it again. So I calmly asked him if he knew what a pimp was, to which he replied no. So I told him it is not nice and to never say it again. Luckily in the back of my mind (and probably his), I had his parent conference that very night. So to his poor moms surprise, I hit her with the "Well, I have to tell you what your child said to me today..... He told me he was going to pimp slap me!" Now her reaction was exactly what I expected.

It was as if time slowed down and in slow motion she put her arm in the air with her finger pointing to the sky and her neck began to dance (you know those black girls, who say "oh no he didn't", all while making their head and neck go in opposite directions) and then this came flying out of her mouth:
"Oh hell no, now we gotta have a conversation about pimps and hoes. I cannot believe, I have to explain what a hoe is, oh dear Lord Jesus!".... it took all of my abdominal strength to stay in my chair and with hold the outburst of laughter, I had built up inside.

I am wondering how my students so called 'come to Jesus' talk went that night.

Day 59: Eat at famous Petes' kitchen and then give my leftovers to a homeless man
It was a delicious breakfast for dinner kind of a night. So when we left, there happened to be a homeless man walking along outside. He asked for spare change, so instead of handing him money, I passed him my food. Poor Magdiel, I thought he was going to keel over, when I gave away my delicious pancakes, hash browns and bacon. But we both know, he needed it more than us.

Day 60: Get a little emotional at parent conferences
It never gets old hearing how much you impact a child. But when it comes from the mouth of your most challenging child, tears come!

Day 61: Help one of my students write a petition to have meat served twice a week in our cafeteria
Our cafeteria is vegetarian based. It serves tofu, hummus, salads, lasagna, meatless meatloaf and countless other dishes that typically children sneer their nose at. But my kids seem OK with their vegetarian based lunches. Until, the other day when my student L.B. wrote a letter about his desire to have meat in his diet. He is a growing boy and he feels he needs more protein (yes he is very sharp) in his diet. Well the principal was very impressed and decided to allow him to poll the students and then write a petition to have students and parents sign. So we wrote it and we did some research why growing bodies need protein in their diet to help their muscles grow. He is looking to send out the petition this week. So I will be wishing him good luck on his quest.

Day 62: Go to Dions in Colorado Springs and then head to Manitou Springs.
Witches, wizards and chai tea. What more could we ask for?

Day 63: Research, write and propose reasons why students need a certain amount of exercise a day. My teaching partner and I are proposing more recess (our recess is at 2:05.... SO LATE). So we feel passionate about the fact that our students are only getting 30 minutes of exercise and it doesn't come till 2pm!

Day 64:Watch Step Up and then actually learn the dance moves (minus hottie Tatum Channing holding me). Yes I was actually dancing in my living room and driving my downstairs neighbors NUTS!!