Shout Outs

It's about time for a few shout outs here, so here goes!

Thanks to Joann Blum for another of her amazing packages. This time I ate Skittles and read two of the books she sent while laying in bed recuperating from bronchitis. Thanks, Joann, the package arrived just in time!

Thanks to Grandma Siscoe for photos from Aunt Janna's baby shower. A tiny shout out to the new little Siscoe cousin too!!

Thanks to Danette Cooper for substituting for me today. I appreciate it so much!

And of course, thanks to Mom, who talked on the phone with her bed-ridden daughter almost 2 hours today! Thanks Mom for being the entertainment committee, ha!

The Bronchial Tubes Need More Air!

Alright...

Humble confession.

I'm not always the best at self-diagnosing. My mom has known this my whole life as I used to insist that my stomach ache was from something she fed me... not gas bubbles rumbling around. Or I would be convinced my body simply wasn't hungry, that I would never need to eat again, and I would continue with my creative expeditions in my room (or whatever I was doing) until finally I crawled downstairs, exhausted from no fuel to keep my creativity flowing. Mom was always right... yes, it was gas and yes, I was hungry.

So here I am, a grown woman. I have now learned to diagnose when it's gas bubbles and when I am hungry because I forgot to eat, but new puzzles about my well-being have dawned on the horizon. For example, I am just out-of-breath after walking up the stairs because I haven't worked out in a week, right? Or maybe it's just the San José altitude affecting me again out of nowhere. And maybe the reason I can't sing at church is because I didn't eat very much so now I just don't have very much energy. And maybe the reason I'm coughing up green stuff is just from the cold I had last week... right? And I'm just so exhausted and weak because I've been trying to do too much extra stuff after school... right?

WRONG.

Last year my bronchitis diagnosis came after a neighbor told me to go to the doctor because my coughing was keeping her up at night. This year, the diagnosis came after Blanca told me we should go to the doctor because I felt feverish.

So off we went yesterday to the doctor. Yes, fever. Yes, junk in lungs. Yes, medications.

And then today I took the day off. Is it bad to admit that a day off to do nothing but sleep is actually quite heavenly?? :)

So next time I have bronchitis, I know the symptoms. Quick loss of breath. Cough with the lovely green. Pressure on my chest and upper back. Not being able to sing. And an impending emotional breakdown (right Mom? :)).

Give me a week or so and hopefully I'll be back to my usual creative nonsense.

Classroom Technology

If I were teaching in the States... I would have a telephone in my room. I might have one, if not two, computers. Maybe there would be a television bolted to the wall, or at least one on wheels for my hallway of teachers to share. I would definitely have an overhead, and if the school is researching new forms of technology, I might even have an Elmo (like an overhead, but a computer projector). From what I hear, Smartboards are also the new thing for technology-smart learning environments.

But I'm not teaching in the States. I'm teaching in a 12' by 19' classroom with an 8.5' ceiling. I have 2 whiteboards, about 15 dry-erase markers, 2 lightbulbs, 2 fans, and a huge pile of construction paper. That's about as high-tech as we get here.

We do have 5 computers in the library to use... and my new technology adventure is to take the kids on a YouTube fieldtrip. We'll be traveling to France on Friday. Anyone want to join? :)

I think I'm doing the best with what I have here. I also know that when I return to the States, I will have a serious technology culture shock when my students know more about how to work a Smartboard than I do!!

What Do You Say When...?

Any advice on how to respond to these questions?

''Miss Siscoe, what happens if a dog and a cat have a baby together?''

''Miss Siscoe, do you feel as bad as you look today?''

''Miss Siscoe, is it alright if I plan a class field trip to Europe?''

Recent Art

marker and colored pencil, for a recycling mural contest at the school. The contest was really for K-12 students, but as soon as my students saw me drawing, they were inspired to design a mural too! This morning, the judges announced the final winners... 2 of my 4th graders! :)

acrylics, for Trish's birthday. Translated: They will be called oaks of justice, planted by the Lord to show His glory. Isaiah 61:3. Trish loved it!! :)

Tricia's Golden Birthday

So yesterday, Trish turned 24 on the 24th. Fantastic. I had been planning for over 2 weeks how to help her celebrate, and this is how it went down.

When Trish arrived at my house, I told her the party would be at the Nesbitt's house (our school directors), so we started walking in that direction. On the way we conveniently ran into our friend Eddie, and he gave her a gold necklace. I conveniently remembered that I had to pick up a gift from the Jones family, so we stopped by, where Meredith gave Trish a gold necklace. We arrived at the Nesbitt's home finally, where Barb gave Trish HUGE gold hoop earrings. Here's the first look at her golden outfit.

She still didn't know what all the gold gifts meant... and Barb had conveniently told us she couldn't hostess the party and that she had called Peggy, who had agreed to host... We got to Peggy's, who gave Trish a tiarra.. silver, not gold... and told us that the party was now moved to Medrano's house. The ''hunt'' proceeded like this for another 3 houses...

Trish and Peggy on the walk... Trish rocking her accessories.
A Sojourn high school student and his 3 year old brother sang ''Happy Birthday!'' to Trish when we passed them on Calle Bosque.

Then we made it to Sondra's house, who did gold makeup for Trish. I also gave Trish the rest of her outfit -- a gold halter-top dress and brown baggy pants that I had found at a thrift store in downtown San José and had sewn sequins on for perfection.

I told Trish, ''Your clothes are in this bag... yes, this small bag.''

Makeup with Sondra.

Getting Her Goldness ready for the real festivities.

Trish modeling ... Dad, this truck reminded me of yours!

at the real party house :)

Medrano, Trish, Matt

Courtney putting the finishing touch on Trish's outfit.... gold nail polish!

Peggy made her deliiiiiciouuuuus guacamole .

We played a game like Pin the Tail on the Donkey... except it was Pin the Gold on the Gangster. Each person had a small square of gold colored foil to make a gold item that a gangster might wear or have. Eddie here made a pimp goblet...

Erin with her nose ring and Andrew with his gold grill.

Here's the poor gangster poster with all our goldness pinned to it...

Funfetti cake... her favorite! Many thanks to Trish's mom for sending the mix :)

And Peggy danced the night away... I think she's warming up for her wedding next summer!!! :)

So that's it. . . and I win the best friend award for putting all this together!!

Dangerous Question

Asking 4th graders what they would like to learn this year can be a very adventurous question. Here's some responses I got today:

I want to learn about dragons.

I want to learn how to be a good teacher.

I want to learn hard stuff.

I want to learn to fart loud.