teaching again

After five years out of the classroom working as a high school science resource teacher, and nine years since teaching middle school – I find myself back again. I'm teaching 6th grade Earth science, 7th grade Life science, and 8th grade Physical science at a K-8 school south of San Diego. I have a huge, climate-controlled room with all new desks, chairs and equipment. The kids are great and we're all enjoying ourselves.

My first two classes are 7th graders, who've been growing 30 day seed-to-seed Fast Plants:

I have one 7th grade class with a RIDICULOUS size of 45 students. It's 1st period so they're half asleep, but still a sea of tween hormones:


I have one mid-day 6th grade class - small but with 1/3 ESL/special ed. Here they are learning about erosion using stream tables:
Sometimes they get over-eager, like this note-taking incident here:

My last two classes are 8th graders, doing parallel and series circuits here:

And electromagnet fun here:
Great kids, really. As long as you keep em busy ;)

first day of school

Our 3 1/2 year old started a mixed-age kindergarten class (3 1/2 - 5 year olds) at the Waldorf School of San Diego. She takes her little basket with organic lunch everyday. My wonderful husband took two days off work for her first days of school (I was teaching & wouldn't dare leave students to a sub the first week of school).
Here's the classroom during her 'kindergarten tea': the day before class kids come in small groups for an hour to get a feel for the classroom and their teacher. It's hard to tell from the photo but the silks give the room a rosy glow.

Here's Caitlyn playing at the seasonal nature table - the kids add little treasures they find at outdoor playtime.
And, here's her cubby with her very own ladybug symbol.

kaya

Our two year old German Rottweiller - Caitlyn's constant companion & personal nemesis. We got her in Ramona, CA the day before evacuations for the fires of 2007. The school district closed the central office for a week so I was home with baby Ky-Ky.
She's smart, loving, beautiful, loyal, stubborn, playful, and gentle. Her name's Kaya Von Compton Hall but we call her Beast.

teacher thanks

I worked with two amazing beginning teachers for the past two years, and they 'graduated' from the BTSA program. Here's one of the two congratulations cards - in crisp blue and white (the other was grey and green). They loved them - these are high school science teachers here, so no 'red apples' theme.

jam time

This is my first jam - just strawberries and organic evaporated cane syrup in the bread maker. I cased an adorable Debbie Olson gift set (found here) - I made mine with craft punches instead of nestabilities. To do the machine stitching I haul my grandmother's Singer out of the closet and grab an extension cord to set it up on the living room coffee table. My three-year-old gets a total kick out of every step!


The jam topper is my own design - I like the little stamped expiration date. I'll think I'll add a ribbon around the jar with a bow & button embellishment. The jam turned out like very thick honey (sugar content too high - but it didn't call for any pectin). I'll try a fruit preserves next time.

SUPPLIES:
Stamps- PTI Fruitful, Fruitful Sentiments, Borders & Corners - Circle, Paper Tray, Simple Alphabet
Paper- PTI avocado, poppy, stamper's select white, Bitty Dots & Bitty Box patterned paper
Ink- PTI poppy, avocado; Tim Holtz antique linen distress ink
Ribbon- PTI red grosgrain; jute
Tools- Marvy punches: giga scalloped square, mega circle, extra jumbo circle; Multi-tags punch; Fiskars pinking shears & small scallop scissors; sewing machine; sandpaper; sponge dauber
Other- PTI leaf buttons; scor-tape

tea tin gift & card set

The PTI tea tins really are perfect for the pre-bagged bulk organic teas - like the one I got at People's Co-op in O.B. (Rose White Tea).

It's hard to see but the black patterned paper cut-out has pink gems over the flower centers. It stands out in person and coordinates with the gems on the teapot on the card. I sanded the edges to soften the transition between the two patterns.

SUPPLIES:
Stamps - PTI Tea for Two, Everyday Classics, Borders & Corners Circle
Paper - PTI stone; Basic Gray Urban Prairie (bluebird, bountiful, meadow)
Ink - PTI ocean tides & raspberry; black
Ribbon - PTI raspberry twill & ocean tides satin
Tools - Marvy giga scalloped oval & mega scalloped circle; Fiskars 1/8" round punch; X-Acto for distressing patterned square on card
Other - PTI tea tin; dark pink gems; organic loose tea

the classic burger

Here's a great summer BBQ recipe for juicy, flavorful burgers. We eat red meat a few times a month now that CostCo has organic beef on a consistent basis. I used to be really picky about onions in burgers, and I never liked the way they'd shrink up to pucks. But if you mince the onion finely you'll get a flavor that can't be beat. And when shaping the patties, make big circles thinner in the center than the outer edges. It's a strange shape but with good shrink factor.

The Classic Burger
(from Sunset magazine)

Prep and Cook Time: About 30 min.
Makes: 4 servings
Notes: If you want absolute bacteria safety, you need to cook your burgers to 160º. This recipe will keep the burgers moist. To make cheeseburgers, about 1 minute before burgers are done, top with sliced cheese; continue to cook until cheese melts.

1 pound ground lean beef (7% fat; or organic)
1 large egg
½ cup minced onion
¼ cup fine dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 hamburger buns (4 inch wide), split
Butter or margarine spread
¼ cup ketchup
4 iceberg lettuce leaves, rinsed and crisp
1 firm-ripe tomato, cored and thinly sliced

1. In a bowl, mix ground beef, egg, onion, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire, garlic, salt & pepper with hands until well blended (but don’t overwork the meat). Divide mixture into four equal portions and shape each into a patty about 4 inches wide.

2. Lay burgers on an oiled barbecue grill over a solid bed of coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hands at grill level only 2-3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook burgers, turning once, until browned on both sides and no longer pink inside (cut to test), 7-8 minutes total. Remove from grill.

3. Lay buttered buns, cut side down, on grill and cook until lightly toasted, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

4. Spread ketchup on bun bottom. Add lettuce, tomato, burger, and salt/pepper to taste. Set bun tops in place.