New Groups

What a relief! We had a heat wave in Oklahoma! We made it up to freezing today. We were at 70 degrees on Sunday and now we are so cold. This drastic change in temps is not helping my kids attention span. This is the second day for the new schedule. There are 80 students in our neighborhood and the goal is to help each child where they are now and get them to learn the most they can. So we put all the kids in a pot, checked their scores, then we discussed the kids and their abilities and broke them into four new groups. There were 14 students with the least abilities in all areas with the most room to increase their abilities. So we decided they needed the most concentrated effort. So my teaching partner took on this group with the two reading specialists for an hour each day. The next group has 19 in it and will have an assistant with them. The next group also has 19 in it and will also have an assistant. Both of these groups will have one of the two new teachers. Both of these groups are struggling a little, but have somewhat of a foundation. If you are following you realize that leaves 28 for me. There are no more assistants, so I am one busy teacher! I am pushing this group to do more in writing and reading, so they will be very strong and confident. So far, so good. I really enjoy this part of my job. It is exciting and so rewarding! We need to have a catchy name for this hour each day. Nothing has struck us as fun or catchy yet.

Connected!

We have been without internet since the 9th. That has seemed like a long time. AT&T called and said we needed to update from DSL to Uverse. So I agreed to it. Our new router would arrive on the 9th. Well, it didn't. Then we get a call that we missed our appointment. Now, Ken gets involved. He sets up a new appointment for Tuesday, they offer 8-8, so Ken gives out his cell phone and asks that they call it before they come. Well, they don't. He calls and sets up for Wednesday, the next day again asking that they call his cell phone. Again, they call the house number. Now he is definitely not happy. So, another call and appointment is set up for today. To insure we get it set up he took a vacation day. Feels nice to be connected!

The Holidays Are Over!

We had a blessed Christmas. We had a wonderful New Year's eve with several of my sorority sisters, a delicious dinner cooked by Ken, and a Red movie marathon. The girls brought some snacks and we laughed a lot. Over the break I have gone through some clutter areas of the house, sewn, worked on things for school, done a lot of laundry, and started a knitting project. Today we got the Hopper! Ken was not thrilled, it is change. Haley showed it to us when we were in Houston. We had a great installer come out. By the way, Haley the change was free and no payment to the installer. Next week we will get an upgrade on our internet. Next, I am going to try to work on getting our phone cheaper. Ken is working on a rent house. He finished one up right before Christmas. He got it rented the first of this week. Now, he is working on a two bedroom. He is getting it ready to rent again. Then he has a foundation to finish, a roof, and flooring on another rent house. Then he will be able to do some Honey Dos! Yeah! I have spent a little bit of time at school trying to get ready for going back to school. I have missed my kids. I have to go to a district wide workshop on Monday and a workshop in Midwest City on Thursday. I wish the workshop was another day, I don't want to be gone right away. It is time to start tracking my eating. I need to get in control of my weight. I will go in the morning and see what the holidays did to my weak willpower. Then I want to track each day and try to get more exercise. I go back to the doctor in March and I hope to get another good report. Maybe I won't have to go back for 6 months. That would be super! Back to the evening with Ken! I love being with this man!