The Morning After... (Back from the School Trip)

I work up sore and tired this morning after spending 17 hours yesterday involved in our annual school trip.

The trip went pretty well. And the truth, I suppose, is that I got off a little lighter than some of the other teachers. Most participants met at the school at 4:30am. I was able to meet the bus at the Walmart at Claypool Hill on US Rt. 19/460. I got to that parking lot about 6:30am - the bus didn't make it until almost 7:00.

The charter buses we took to Sevierville were comfortable. We ate breakfast from a McDonalds on the two buses with about 150 kids, parents and teachers. We had originally planned to take the kids to the Knoxville Zoo. We settled instead for two hours at Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo. From there we took the kids to WonderWorks where we ate lunch, toured the educational exhibits (mostly science related), play some laser tag, saw a dinner show, and brought the kids home.

I had a really nice group of fourth graders that were my responsibility to monitor while we were in the two stops.

The bus let me off at Walmart again at about 10:30 last night and I was home by 11:15pm - probably an hour or more before the bus got back to the school.

To my knowledge there was only one single incident where a student’s behavior created any problems and it was handled quickly by the boss. The trip was pleasant and successful.

I didn't really expect to be sore. I guess my body isn't tailored for bus seats anymore - even if they are nice, comfortable charter bus seats. I suppose I also did a more walking then usually yesterday...

Yellow Iris Plants in Bloom in My Creek

I took these photos over the Memorial Day weekend. My property has a creek that runs through it. Iris plants grow along the bank and in the creek itself. At the moment they are in bloom...

Memorial Day: The Long Weekend

In a few minutes I'll go to bed and the long weekend will be over. Tomorrow I ride a bus across the twisty roads of McDowell County, WV, with some fifth graders to visit the middle school they'll attend next year. Wednesday and Thursday are normal instructional days. Friday is the school trip - the charter buses will leave the school before the crack of dawn and return around 10pm (hopefully) and the kids will have all seen the Knoxville Zoo (among other things).

Friday night I had a tooth ache. At least I thought it was a tooth ache. I contemplated going to the ER with my own pair of pliers and asking someone to pull a back molar. In retrospect, sinus pressure may have contributed to the pain. I took 2400 mg (or so) of ibuprofen on Saturday, 1800 mg on Sunday, and none today. It no longer hurts. Go figure...

Saturday Cheryl and I helped chaperon an eighth grade prom. Dinner at Big Daddy's before the event. Home about 11:30.

Sunday night we watched the cup race. I cried when Tony Stewart blew a tire with two laps to go.

Today I blogged, cooked, mowed some (not much), talked to my Mom on the phone, took some photos outside (the bluebirds, our irises in the creek are in bloom, some finches on our birdfeeder), and participated in a discussion on the International Reading Associations listserv.

Now, bed...

This Year's Baby Bluebirds

I mentioned on April 27 that we had our bluebirds back. The egg count eventually rose to five, but I can only count three hatchlings without moving them around (which I don't want to do).

Last year I think the first set of babies left the nest around the second of June. That's about a week away and this year's kids look almost ready for that.

Mom and Dad bluebird have been very busy feeding the babies. We watch them fly hither and thither in search of protein for the little ones.

We'll see when they actually fly. Last year we cleaned the box out and they laid a second set of eggs. Something climbed the post, opened the latch, and took the eggs. So this year I've added the bungee cord around the box to prevent that...

Certification Update: Reading, Autism Added in WV

Note: Visit my education blog, The Green Cup

Since my last note on certification back on May 3, my West Virginia license has been updated.

At the moment my WV license reflects the following active endorsements:

1. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Mathematics
   Assignment: 0509
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
2. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Social Studies
   Assignment: 0509
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
3. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Elementary Education
   Assignment: 0K06
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
4. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Early Education
   Assignment: PK0K
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
5. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Mentally Impaired-Mild-Moderate
   Assignment: 0KAD
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
6. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Multi-Categorical (LD, BD, MI)
   Assignment: 0K06
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
7. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Multi-Categorical (LD, BD, MI)
   Assignment: 05AD
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
8. Type: 81-First Class Permit
   Endorsement: Multi-Categorical (LD, BD, MI)
   Assignment: 0KAD
   Status: Renewal Expiration Date: 06-30-2008
   
9. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Autism
   Assignment: 0K06
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
10. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
    Endorsement: Autism
    Assignment: 05AD
    Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
    
11. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
    Endorsement: Reading Endorsement
    Assignment: PKAD
    Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009

A note: In order to be certified as a "Reading Specialist" in West Virginia, policy 5202 says that you have to complete college course work and present a transcript. If you already have an M.S. (like me), the course work doesn't necessarily have to lead to an additional degree - but the reading endorsement does have to be gained as a result of class work in order for you to be granted the "Reading Specialist" certification. The fact that the test I passed in Georgia was the "Reading Specialist" test is irrelevant. So, instead of the code "4300," my license shows "4301." While down the road some administrative post might be posted as specifically requiring the 4300 certification, there isn't a particular teaching job that an individual certified as 4300 can do but someone with 4301 isn't qualified to do. So the distinction is semantic. In effect, I'm as qualified in reading as a reading specialist, but to use the "S" word in WV I have to take $14,000 worth of extra classes and listen to someone tell me what Georgia says I already know...

It has also been brought to my attention that talking about the certification process in Georgia makes people at work feel threatened and/or cheated because there is an easier route to particular certifications than the one they took. And so, I guess I'll stop talking about it there. The irony is that certification alone means very little in the context of WV's hiring process. Seniority becomes the issue there - and I have very little of that.