Myself

Myself

Monday, January 20, 2014

It is never easy

Well here it is middle of January.  I had my fill on Tuesday of last week.  For  you newbies, a fill is when the put saline in the band to make it a little tighter.  This makes me eat less and feel fuller longer.  Anyway, the first few days after the fill was fine, but the last few days it has been bad.  Took some antacid this morning and it seems to be helping.  All I can say is there is NO easy way to lose weight.  What it feels like is pressure, like you are going to throw up constantly.  I hope it is better this afternoon to have lunch with some of my amazing friends!

I have not exercised this week, mostly because I have not been able to eat and drink water, but mostly out of lack of motivation.  I will get back on track this week.  My goal this week will be to go at least four times.  I REALLY hate exercising!  Anyone have ideas on how to make it more fun?  I have tried music, TV, reading, and just thinking...ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

The good news is that I have lost 5 pounds this week...bad news is this is not a good way to do it! 

I am a huge fan of General Hospital...Alexis from the show is having a girls weekend in Las Vegas and you can have dinner with her or breakfast...I think it would be so fun, but lack of funding keeps me from doing it...oh well.

Stick with your goals and see you soon! 

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Learning is not just for students anymore

I have taken advantage of the extra days for winter break and purchased a few (4) common core books.  I feel the need to explore the subject and learn on my own what this is all about.  I have learned most of what I know through our curriculum director and his associate who shall remain unnamed but she works for the ROE - or that is what I was led to believe.  What have I learned in the 110 pages I have read...

1) CCSS are not as bad as I believed.  They do have a purpose and make sense if you read about them from experts.
2) CCSS is not a curriculum and should be used to help the district create a curriculum not just an assessment.
3) There are many teachers that have no idea how to read the standards and are teaching what they believe the standards are, but not what the students actually need. 
4)  What our district needs to do is to create a curriculum that focuses on common core in all content areas, not just reading and language classes.
5) We are teaching to an assessment that has no merit (the district assessment).
3) PLC time should be used to create a curriculum that meets the needs of the CCSS so that we are all teaching the same ideas and concepts.  I find that each 7th grade teacher just goes off and teaches what they want and we are not all teaching the same ideas.  I am sure it is the same for all grade levels.  We need to have common formative (classroom observations and daily assessments)  and summative assessments (end of unit, end of learning) so that we can compare all students in a grade level and not just by teams. Not just on test at the end of midterm.
4) We need NEW resources to help us implement the CCSS such as is indicated in the Appendices of the CCSS
5) Take PLC and team time to explore resources to help us become more uniformed in our teaching.
6) Although the CCSS does not talk about teaching the comprehension strategies after 5th grade, it is necessary to teach these in order for a student to be able to "read closely".
7) When students graduate high school the chances of them having to understand fiction at a job or in college is less likely than having to understand how to read non-fiction text, evaluate the text, determine if it is credible or not credible, and how to use the text to guide their understanding of their job or their research.
8) Many more new things!

How has this affected me and my teaching?  I really wish there were a time machine to take me back to the beginning of the year and re-teach everything.  I will be spending the remainder of this day planning a new unit that I will start next week.  I learned that although I can't go back in time, I certainly can fix it for the remainder of the year.  I am excited about learning more about the CCSS and how to implement them correctly in my classroom.  I wish the district would have had us read and learn more about the CCSS before we started creating the new district assessments. 

How does this relate to my weight loss?  Learning is the key to any successful journey.  My dendrites and synopses are on overload and exercise is the only way to calm them down:)  I will be taking my tablet to the gym and while I am on the treadmill or exercise bike I will re-read the 110 pages and start annotating on how to implement these ideas into my classroom...can't wait for the new me mentally and physically:)

Sunday, January 5, 2014

New Beginnings


Well it has been almost three years now and I have 1 been stuck at 185-190 now for almost 8 months.  I am not happy that I can't loose these last 30 pounds...so here is my plan:

1) Join a gym - Done today
2) Go to gym at least 5 times a week.  3 days of cardio and 2 of strength - Cardio done today - bike for 30 minutes at maximum heart rate for 25 minutes. Swim for 20 minutes doing laps
3) Walk more at work
4) Get a fill asap
5) Alcohol only once a week
6) Drink 24 ounces of water a day (at least)
7) Bring a healthy lunch to work daily
8) Back on track with my protein
9) Plan and Cook meals at home no more eating out
10) Update my Blog at least once a week

On the upside I love the new improved me.  I love the freedom I have to move around.  It is those little things that I can do that amaze me the most...sitting on the floor and getting up...running upstairs, playing with the grandkids...

 
 
Anyway, I am back and going strong.  Please help support me by asking me daily - how are your work outs going?  What did you make for dinner last night? Are you getting in all your water? 
What did you make for lunch today.  Love you all!  I couldn't be where I am today without all of your support!!!!