Cleansing Chickadee

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Where my mojo went . . .

I think I know where my mojo went . . . It was sucked down into a black hole with all the hope for the future of the state of California.  Please go read this article on our current budget status . . . it’s short, I’ll wait.

So, you’ll understand why Greg, a native Californian, and I, having lived here and loved it here for the last 30 years or so have actually been talking about our prospects outside the great state of California.

In 2003, I went back to school and got my teaching credential.  I took 2 years out of my family’s potential income and gave up a career that paid better because I wanted to a) work at a job that allowed me to be closer to my school aged children and b) believe that our children need great educations that start at the elementary school level.  I was inspired by the amazing teachers that I saw my children learning from at our little small town school.  We sacrificed a LOT of security in those years to make that happen.

When my credential was finished, I snagged the job of my dreams at the same school my kids go to in our small town and settled down to finish my 2 additional years of state-mandated teacher education (on the job training, what they call an induction program).  I just finished that program at the end of this year.  With that task completed, I am now tenured at my district (more on that later).  I should be looking forward to a long career (very long as retirement is a pipe dream for someone who starts their teaching career in their mid-40’s).  I should be getting into my stride as a teacher.  The state requires that we teachers do continual professional development so I can also look forward to continuing to improve my skills. I say that last party with no sense of irony — I love professional development.  Taking classes, learning new ways to do my job even better, is one of my favorite things — really!  I love to learn! My point is this . . . I should be growing and improving each year as a teacher from now on.

My students do well on state tests and our own district benchmark tests.  Furthermore, they do well as they continue on in school.  I manage to teach art and poetry as part of the 4th grade curriculum along with all the required elements.  I was really proud when I took my daughter to Open House at our middle school and got to see papers posted in the 6th grade classroom from my students who had been in 5th grade the previous year.  They did GREAT!   My school and my district appreciate me and rely on me to do my best in many ways.  I’m on the leadership council for my school and participate in district-wide decision making on technology and education issues.  I run the website for my school and support other teachers with their technology concerns.  I am doing my job and doing it well in all areas.

And, it matters not at all.  In all likelihood, I will be laid off this coming March and be unemployed.  My family will no longer have health insurance and risks losing our house and all the equity we’ve built in 20+ years of home ownership.  In part, I blame the teacher’s unions because they refuse to even consider a program that uses merit over years-on-the-job but, honestly, at my school, there are no bad teachers.  I would HAPPILY put my own children in any teacher’s classroom at this school so who would I like to see laid off ahead of me?  I don’t know.  Most of my anger goes to the state government, however.  Come March, my district will have to make decisions about how to keep it’s budget balanced.  It won’t have the luxury of being able to consider drilling off-shore in order to make up lost income.  It will have to face the horrible prospect that money the state promised us for two years was not paid.  We have had reserves but with the cuts to our budget, there is no hope that the reserves will save our district this time.  We laid of 10 teachers in the round of layoffs that happened in March 2009.  I was the last elementary school teacher standing.  Everyone hired after me was laid off.  Two teachers were re-hired based on projections from the state about funding.  Those projections were not honored by the state and additional cuts will be forthcoming so while we can’t let those teachers go, we can’t afford them either.  So, when they look to cut next year, in all likelihood, I’ll be let go.

I know my principal, fellow teachers, and superintendent will be sad to let me go.  I know they appreciate me.  I know my students and their parents will be sad to see me go.  But, there it is.  We have a system based solely on time on the job and I’m at the bottom of the ladder.  Done, goodbye, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

In a state where we were already underfunding education — California *was* 48th in per student funding of education (how embarrassing is THAT?), we have slashed 6 billion dollars from K-12 education in THIS ROUND alone.  $6 BILLION!!!  My 4th graders don’t even know how many zeros that is when they start with me but they will when they leave my classroom.  And, the republican legislatures and governor pat themselves on the back for not raising taxes in our state.  A dear family friend who is a staunch republican complained to my mother-in-law recently that the reason education is in such dire state in our country is that teachers are paid too much money.  I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive him for saying that or, really, for believing it.  His grandchildren go to private schools.

I believe in public education.  If there were a good private school in our area and if we could afford to send our children there, I’d probably still send them to our small town school because it’s damn good.  I’m proud to work there and proud to send my kids there.  But, I’m not proud of what is happening to our state and I’m not proud of the display of our government patting themselves on the back for a job well done.  They should be hanging their heads in shame and going down on bended knee apologizing to Californians for letting us down, for destroying a great state’s economy.  And, please don’t get me wrong . . . I am not just blaming the current government but the state governors and legislators that have been in office since I was an adult and even before.  This problem has been coming for a long time.  The nation’s financial crisis may have been made over the last 8 years and certainly dragged California’s problems from bad to impossible but California was heading for fall and, baby, we’re falling.

(I’d re-read this for clarity and edits but I don’t have time.  I have to go and meet with my fellow 4th grade teachers.  We are taking time out of our summer to meet and plan for next year.  Even knowing I’ll get pinkslipped in March doesn’t change the way I feel about doing my job.  The kids come first.  Next on my list . . . how to fund all the supplies I’ll need for my classroom.  You don’t think the state lets us have ANY money for pencils and paper, do you?  Not a chance.)

Wordless Wednesday

The most viewed photo in my Flickr account.

Sometimes you can’t do enough

Last night, it was really hot and we had all our windows open.  As we sat reading, we heard a huge ruckus in the back yard.  It was enough noise and excitement that we had to go check it out.  We don’t know exactly what happened but birds were squawking their heads off.  Two birds were in the redwood trees squawking and Ruby was checking out something on the ground.  I realized it was a fledgling that had come out of it’s nest.  The parents were up in arms and the baby was pretty scared.

I tried to get the fledgling (actually it was PRE-fledgling) but I was hesitent and didn’t get it.  It made it out of the yard.  I realized then that I’d better let it be and we all went inside.  I hope the parents found the poor little thing.  I went out later in the full dark with my flashlight and looked for it but I couldn’t find anything.

The fledgling was kind of large.  Given who lives in my yard, I think it was either a California Towhee or an American Robin (hence their appearance in this post).  I wish I could have helped the baby but sometimes it’s a matter of doing less harm than more good.

Facebook and the humor of focused advertising

So, I am active on Facebook (click here if you want to befriend me there).  There are wonderful things about Facebook and irritating ones, as well.  Wonderful includes connecting with old friends from high school and previous co-workers and long-lost family members.  Irritating includes addictive games and focused advertising.

Facebook looks carefully at your profile and chooses ads that are most likely to appeal to you.  Sometimes with most effective results and sometimes with hilarious results.  Sometimes, Facebook could take a closer look at the profiles before choosing certain ads.

A case in point . . .

When this ad showed up on my Facebook page, I had to really laugh.  First of all, I’m married and listed as married.  Second of all, that picture . . . that’s my husband.  So, somehow, Facbook, in all it’s computer-generated wisdom, decided that I’d be interested in knowing that my husband is wanting to fix me up with some hot singles.  All I can say is, it seems a bit unlikely.  Just a bit, you know?

So, uh, gee, thanks, Honey but no thanks.  I’m good.  No need for hot singles here.

What about you?  Any funny Facebook ads showing up in your account?  Is your spouse trying to fix you up with a hot date for the weekend?  Do share.

Wordless Wednesday

Where did my mojo go?

I think it went on vacation with these kids of mine! They are visiting my parents for a week and all of a sudden my motivation for accomplishing things is gone . . . here’s hoping it comes back so I don’t waste this week!

Newest Most Favoritest Bird Artist Evah!

So, Dazychic, another amazing Etsy artist, is my new most favoritest evah bird artist.  You have to love this delightful, quirky, happy, and fun approach to life.  I would LOVE to get this poster for my classroom.  Don’t you think 4th graders could stand to look at a message like this everyday?  I know I could!  So, go visit and go buy and support our economic recovery directly!  It’s a good thing!  (Hmmmm, where have I heard that before?)

Well, look who we’ve got here . . .

Hello.  I’m a marmot.  It’s very nice to meet you.

I’m a yellow-bellied marmot to be specific.  Do you see my yellow belly?  Some people think yellow belly means coward.  However, I am not a coward and I don’t want to hear anyone talking that way, you hear?

I am a watchful and careful creature but I am not a coward.

I have a family to take care of, after all.  I have a mate and four cute little marmot babies.

By the way, do you see how beautiful I am?  I have a long fluffy tail.

Like any babies, they are cute and cuddly and sometimes annoying.

When we are outside, we stay under trees and we watch.  We watch carefully and if anything seems off, I give a warning.

Oh, you want to pay attention to my warnings.

When I give an alert, I get up on my haunches and put my hands on my hips and I chirp.

Loudly.  I chirp really, really loudly.

This makes me chirp.  This is a dangerous creature and must be watched and warned to stay away from my babies.

I have to tell you.  That thing did not listen to my warnings.  That thing kept watching us back.  It kept trying to chase us.  Most annoying.  I chirped really loudly.

The humans tried to keep it away from us but sometimes it would sneak away and chase us anyway.

I spent a lot of time on my haunches with my hands on my hips.  I chirped a lot.

Wordless Wednesday: Finding Your Power