As an attempt to return to blogging.....I am cross posting this blog with a post I wrote this weekend on my Ning Community for a teaching class I am taking- it's called "Expanding the Boundaries of Teaching and Learning" . More info on this in the future
When I woke up this morning I really wasn’t sure what deep philosophical thought I wanted to share with you about education. Better yet I didn’t know if I have any deep thoughts left in my brain at all since this was our first five day week. I probably needed some caffeine. And then I turned on the news….
Dunkin Donuts is changing their Styrofoam cups!
Obviously we all share that by necessity we are all morning people. We have to be “on”. I assume other levels are really the same, but in elementary school I need to be able to perform when those students arrive at 8:15. (Someone once said, “Teaching can be 90% acting”.) To this end in the last several years of teaching, I have become a coffee addict. My “real life” friends would tell you that they have never seen me drink coffee and didn’t believe I ever did. Friends and colleagues at the Killam school know that I’m always seen walking in with my medium Styrofoam cup.
I won’t go in to crazy detail, but it’s never too hot on your hands and liquid stays warm for quite a while. Now, I am a moderate environmentalist. I’m an avid recycler and have always tried to honor the earth, be a good example to my students, etc. There is just something about that Styrofoam cup. I’ll tell you a secret- I actually don’t always need the medium amount of coffee, but I dislike the small paper cup and lid so I purchase a small in the medium Styrofoam cup.
Maybe I should admit that I just don’t like change…..I hope for that the company is able to come up with an acceptable green alternative.
No just for the earth, but also for me! Any other disappointed coffee addicts out there?
Monday, September 19, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Helen, who?
You probably don't remember me, and I should probably reintroduce myself.
7 months...7 months....I'm not sure what my excuse is. Blogging (both the writing of and the reading of) has fallen completely off my radar this year. School is just...busy, and I don't find the "free" time that I guess I used to have. (maybe I'm actually being more efficient doing work) Who knows?
You want an update?
When last we saw our fair heroine, she was bemoaning the end of her summer. Returning not to the job she had been anticipating, but one that sucks her dry physically and emotionally. Not much has changed there- I've got a nice crew of kids this year, but very , VERY emotionally draining. I've got some wicked sad home situations and some other tough cases. Tough. And I teach in a "nice" suburb. I don't know how other people do it.
A possible bright spot.....that grant we didnt' receive- well, we're reapplying. My game plan is to not have my hopes up at all (like in my mind it really isn't happening) because the funding was a definite possiblity last time, and this year it may not be funded at all. We could potentially find out really, REALLY late- like September. My Superintendent said something crazy like, "Helen may have to start next year in the classroom until we find a replacement" Ha! Good luck with that- I'm not telling the parents and the kids that one. You see no one beats me in a tricorner hat :)
I also left you with the thought of weight loss. Seven months ago I was attempted to track my calories on my tap and track and find some will power. Many of you were kind with encouragement- thank you!
Good news! I have lost almost 13 lbs, and that BMI hovering around 28 is currently a 26.1
If you're keeping score, the number needed to officially not be "overweight" is 24.9.
At this time last year (when I was interviewing for that job), I was buying size 12's, and definitely Larges of things in order to feel more comfortable. A few months ago, my vast wardrobe of 10's was fitting again, yay! I've been on a bit of a clothes buying moratorium (save $), but over the past couple weeks armed with coupon-palooza I returned to Ann Taylor Loft. Well, I was a little shocked to find myself an "8" and comfortable again in Mediums. Wow. I was last an 8 probably about four years ago when I had initially been on the "Fat Loss" diet from my gym.
I'm at a bit of a crossroads. I'm probably at the weight now that will be easiest for me to maintain. At my slimmest four years ago, I was probably about four pounds less than this (which would also put me back into college territory). I'm not sure if this would be hard to maintain.
So, dear readers I know you're dying to know- what's my secret? Well, I've definitely changed my metabolism. I am definitely eating less, but I find I don't need too eat as much. I don't use the Tap and Track daily, but return to it like a security blanket when things aren't going well. I probably keep myself between 1400-1800 calories a day. I really don't deny myself things- if I have a 350 calorie donut, that's my treat. I'm still drinking a lot of protein shakes (although Trader Joe's apparently recently discontinued my protein powder...nooooooo) If I'm not really hungry at dinner time, I don't force myself to eat a "clean dinner" of chicken and broccoli, I just have a shake.
Now, ironically- the gym explosion of the end of the summer has not continued. If you are looking for other gym inspiration, see my dearest Nat or Stacey.
I don't have a whole lot of before and after pictures, but let me see what I can come up with for you over the weekend.
Off to proctor the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System). I won't lie- it's kind of nice that they can't talk to me for a couple hours:)
7 months...7 months....I'm not sure what my excuse is. Blogging (both the writing of and the reading of) has fallen completely off my radar this year. School is just...busy, and I don't find the "free" time that I guess I used to have. (maybe I'm actually being more efficient doing work) Who knows?
You want an update?
When last we saw our fair heroine, she was bemoaning the end of her summer. Returning not to the job she had been anticipating, but one that sucks her dry physically and emotionally. Not much has changed there- I've got a nice crew of kids this year, but very , VERY emotionally draining. I've got some wicked sad home situations and some other tough cases. Tough. And I teach in a "nice" suburb. I don't know how other people do it.
A possible bright spot.....that grant we didnt' receive- well, we're reapplying. My game plan is to not have my hopes up at all (like in my mind it really isn't happening) because the funding was a definite possiblity last time, and this year it may not be funded at all. We could potentially find out really, REALLY late- like September. My Superintendent said something crazy like, "Helen may have to start next year in the classroom until we find a replacement" Ha! Good luck with that- I'm not telling the parents and the kids that one. You see no one beats me in a tricorner hat :)
I also left you with the thought of weight loss. Seven months ago I was attempted to track my calories on my tap and track and find some will power. Many of you were kind with encouragement- thank you!
Good news! I have lost almost 13 lbs, and that BMI hovering around 28 is currently a 26.1
If you're keeping score, the number needed to officially not be "overweight" is 24.9.
At this time last year (when I was interviewing for that job), I was buying size 12's, and definitely Larges of things in order to feel more comfortable. A few months ago, my vast wardrobe of 10's was fitting again, yay! I've been on a bit of a clothes buying moratorium (save $), but over the past couple weeks armed with coupon-palooza I returned to Ann Taylor Loft. Well, I was a little shocked to find myself an "8" and comfortable again in Mediums. Wow. I was last an 8 probably about four years ago when I had initially been on the "Fat Loss" diet from my gym.
I'm at a bit of a crossroads. I'm probably at the weight now that will be easiest for me to maintain. At my slimmest four years ago, I was probably about four pounds less than this (which would also put me back into college territory). I'm not sure if this would be hard to maintain.
So, dear readers I know you're dying to know- what's my secret? Well, I've definitely changed my metabolism. I am definitely eating less, but I find I don't need too eat as much. I don't use the Tap and Track daily, but return to it like a security blanket when things aren't going well. I probably keep myself between 1400-1800 calories a day. I really don't deny myself things- if I have a 350 calorie donut, that's my treat. I'm still drinking a lot of protein shakes (although Trader Joe's apparently recently discontinued my protein powder...nooooooo) If I'm not really hungry at dinner time, I don't force myself to eat a "clean dinner" of chicken and broccoli, I just have a shake.
Now, ironically- the gym explosion of the end of the summer has not continued. If you are looking for other gym inspiration, see my dearest Nat or Stacey.
I don't have a whole lot of before and after pictures, but let me see what I can come up with for you over the weekend.
Off to proctor the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System). I won't lie- it's kind of nice that they can't talk to me for a couple hours:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)