I have been sending home a packet for every single school day with an art project, some hands-on activities, handwriting-some silliness. My cat makes frequent guest teacher appearances. He also helps with the Ms and Ws in handwriting. #cat
(more)
I've had to stop using two different pairs of scissors because of blisters. This new pair I am using upside down-the only way I can cut without it hurting!

My mom sewed beanbags for all my students-the delivery box will now be a game/toy box.

I'm not alone.
(more)
To do all this I have begged ( @DonorsChoose Just Funded!) and #ClearTheList -ed, and through generosity I have paper and supplies for all my kids.

That might look like a pipe cleaner around a pencil, but it is actually a coil-and we discuss how that all works.

(more)
I know my kids need ways to be kind, be good sports, learn how to have and keep friends. So I made them games aimed at their interests. One kid likes donuts. I made a donut game. One likes space, he got a space game. The kid who plays cars every day got cars.

(more)
I made over 30 games. I invited a group of student teachers to make more. I rounded up dice, playing cards, even more items from my @amazonwishlist came in from kind people around the country.

My kids need ways to express themselves and repair relationships.
(more)
Every kid in my class to a greeting card kit. The ink was all donated. The glossy paper was donated. I bought the card stock and the envelopes.

But my kids, who often lack words to express themselves, or who might not know when to reach out, will use these as guides.
(more)
I'm not alone in this. My team of paraprofessionals have stepped in and have been prepping December, November, I just assigned one to start on February activities.

And, by the way, we are prepping these same activities for the K-2 class at my school.
(more)
This hasn't come cheaply... I've used 400 laminator sheets. Four reams of paper. 18 ink cartridges. The district supplied my paraprofessionals with paper. Everything else has been out of pocket or donated.

So why am I telling you all this?
There are people saying teachers are lazy. That we just want more time off. That our kids can't learn if they aren't at school (infecting their teachers).

I call bullcrap. Teachers are working harder than ever. I've never worked harder and I'm a freaking work-o-holic.
(more)
So for those attacking teachers: until you pony up & pay for school supplies-until you accept teachers will die if forced to teach in person-until you start treating teachers with even the smallest amount of thoughtfulness, you can ___________. (fill in the blank for full credit)

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More from @2014ORTOY

5 Oct
So...underwear dad is not even my worst experience in online meetings this past week.

My husband is also working for home, doing his serious university job, with their serious meetings.

I have a habit of breaking into song. Not humming...but, you know, full on
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opera singing. Opera Chorus was my paid job in college. My voice is so big (like a trumpet, I've been told) I've never needed a microphone...even when the rest of the cast has one. This boy can sing.

Mike doesn't like musical because they aren't realistic. People just don't
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In the real world, break into song and dance. But, I point out, I do those things all the time...usually singing to a pet, and making up new words as I go.

Earlier this year I embarrassed myself by grabbing up Ribi and singing some made up song about fluffy cats... During (more)
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29 Sep
I had no idea what to expect in Bangladesh. They picked me up at the airport and whisked me to my hotel with orders to be ready as quickly as possible for "the concert."

Ends up the embassy crossed some wires, I was a day later than expected-so I threw on nice clothes... (more)
And was bundled off to The Children's Concert-and annual fundraiser for visually impaired children that takes place in their National Performing Arts Center. I had no idea but, apparently I was a guest of honor.

At the door, by the sign, the press wanted some pics...
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Since I seem to be recommending books lately, besides @dailystem's new tome, I also recommend these @doverpubs Little Stained Glass Activity Books. $2 or so-my class is small enough for a couple bucks I have: a dinosaur/insect/plant activity I can send to my students.
AND, they are pretty and our students need some pretty in their lives right now.

Note: I can only do this because I have a small class & someone donated colored pencils to ALL my students.

I am also pleased to now have rubber bands that did not come off the broccoli.
Oh, and my friend Chris @dailystem wrote a book. He asked me to read an earlier version-which I thought good enough to recommend. And if you follow me, you know I don't recommend things often. I share a lot, because there is a lot out there. But I don't recommend many.
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SAILING? You are going sailing? I was briefly in Sailing Club at college-1984-new blue Sperry topsiders-Nov storm, out on the lake, my friend loses a rope-boat almost tipped-I lean out-I lean out-he yanks back his rope, boat tips back to me (more)

How's that for a cliffhanger?!
I hit the water-and now the boat is going to tip over my way if I don't let go of the rope. So-as a thoughtless friend (and honorable sailor) I let go and was left in the Nov. winter lake-as my friends shriek with laughter-fall into the bottom of the boat, and leave me.

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And I tread water, and I tread water, and my new blue Sperry topsider floats away, and I'm freaking freezing and my friends never come back. The wind is blowing their shrieks of laughter at me but...yeah... Did I mention storm? November? Oregon?

(more)
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11 Sep
Leslie...I was in Oklahoma! In high school (The play, not the state)and my mom volunteered to make dresses. She went and got 1800's dress patterns and hand sewed ruffled dresses for all the girls. For the wedding scene she made the most beautiful dress... (more)
So beautiful that the girl who played Laurie (hi @mobyjeff !) wore it for her own wedding the next year.

That's Peggy...Spend a month making a perfect wedding gown, that would have been on stage for what? Ten minutes a night?

She has always been like that.
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My mom grew up in a convent orphanage. She was 13 w/a job in the laundry until a mangle broke her finger, so they put her on the sewing machines...where she sewed herself to a nun's habit one day with an industrial sewing machine...Not fond memories for Peggy.
(more #momstory)
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10 Sep
I didn't mean to worry everyone when I said we were packing up a bug out bag. We are safe, the big fires are outside of the city, close to my mom, but she is ok too. But a fire broke out a few blocks from us...and with this hot wind...

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We realized it would take 30 minutes just for one of us to put the pet carriers together and...what if? We live five blocks from a Pine tree covered park/volcano/Mt. Tabor that looms above us like a dried candle wick after two days of hot winds. So, we are being careful.
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But we are in no danger. Well, except we are breathing rotten pumpkin colored air. Mostly worrying because the fire is racing towards the farm communities I grew up in-I know wild animals will be running from trees to town (keep your pets in, put out buckets of water).
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