Why isn't my Blog Updating on yours

Have you noticed that your blog quit updating with Miriam's birthday blog? I'm posting this one to see if it shows up on your blogs. Yours are still showing up on mine and I'm feeling slighted. Of course it's probably my stupidity in using the computer. OK I'm going to see if this one blogs or updates--whatever.

Why I got into Teaching

When I was about 4 years old Mom began to teach me to read. She'd been taught phonics--letter sounds and multiletter sounds--in a small country school in Utah. So that's how she taught me. By age five I was reading all the books that my sister, 2 years older, brought home from school. When I was six, I had rheumatic fever and my ability to read kept me quietly entertained.

In first grade I could read very well but my hand writing was atrocious. My teacher kept telling mom that I needed to improve my penmanship. I remember looking at the other children's writing papers and wondering how they did it so neatly.

One day the teacher told me in front of the whole class that if I didn't start writing neatly, she was going to spank my bottom. I was furious!!! I didn't dare say anything out loud but I remember exactly what I was thinking. "Why you old (she was at least 70) Blaaghtta!! You think you are so smart!!! You think I don't want to write neatly??? If you're so smart why don't you show me how??? You just wait!! I'll grow up and be a first grade teacher and I won't ask any kid to do anything if I can't show them how!!!"

The venom and daggers my face sent her really took her back a notch, because she never again said anything about my writing, and of course it didn't improve.

Next year in second grade we were learning cursive and my teacher stopped to look at my attempts. It looked much like preschool scribbling. She didn't say anything for a long time, so I said, "the e and i and l and t are all alike because they go up and down." She said, "Oh, look. The e is a short letter and open. The i is a short letter and closed, with the dot. The l is a tall letter and open and the t is a tall letter and closed with the line across it."

AMAZING!! I had not figured out that we had short and tall letters. I remember going home and writing manuscript letters nearly all night because my writing was finally neat.

I determined to never, ever, ever call someone else dumb because they couldn't do something well. And I kept trying to find out what little thing they didn't get. I fought my elementary teachers every year for separating kids into "classes" because they weren't performing adequately. My fifth grade teacher let me tutor some kids that were having problems and I learned even more about filling in the cracks in their learning.

All kids want to learn and they want to succeed and should never be labeled as a problem or a dummy because a teacher hasn't figured out what's missing for the child. And if I can't figure that out I'M the one who deserves the bad grade--not the kid!

Thanks, Susan, for reminding me why I like to teach. See her blog for Oct 25.

Happy Birthday, Chance!!

Happy Birthday, Chance! I love all your chatterings that your Mom posts on her Blog! I like all the creative things you make from everything,too. I hope you got your card. Tell Fantastic Hi for me. Love ya'! Grandma

Happy Birthday, Damen!!!

Happy Birthday!! You know what I remember the most about you?? You were really young and riding that bicycle up and down the street when you lived here. You really had that figured out. And you figured out reading way early, too.
And now you are a big boy about to get baptized. Hope your birthday was really happy and you have a nice month--All month long. Love ya'!! Grandma

Oh Happy Day

It's come! I've got it!! New Family Search is now up and running on my computer!!! (OK so I'm having trouble remembering my user name and pass word, but we all know I'm not too techy.) However you'll know where to find me day and night for awhile!! I am soooo excited!

Happy Birthday, Miriam!!!

Are you doing something special for your birthday? Did you get your birthday card?
I hope you have a very Happy Day. I enjoyed all the fun things we did when I stayed with you when school started.
Are you having a good year at school? I love you!! Grandma

one wild week.

A week ago Thursday when we evaluated kids at the MTC I figured I would have a week off. I would pretty much finish everyone up and other than Thursday for more evaluations I'd take some leisurely time off.

On Tuesday I went over to school to straighten out a "situation" for Isaac. That worked out OK. The schools still remember me from when My kids were there. Now it's the grandkids.

Wednesday Isaac wanted me to come back for the book fair because Susan had to work and unless the kids had an adult with them they didn't get "around the world" treats. So I went but it turns out I have 7 grandkids in that school so of course they all went in to get treats.

Wednesday afternoon I went to grandparents day at Kaitlyn's school. Cute program and I like the way they have made arrangements to accommodate the fact that she's already reading on a 3rd or 4th grade level. And I'm not easily impressed.

Then the MTC called and had a missionary that needed my skills, they said, so I went in Thursday early to meet with him. When I got home we discovered that Miah had broken his leg seriously at his football game. He was in the hospital and Tracey fed Susan's kids Thursday and I've been pinch hitting Friday and Today with enough left overs for lunches and snacks warmed up in the microwave. Susan and Rick have been at the hospital non stop. He's doing better now--in therapy--and hopefully can come home this week.

At our Thursday evaluations I will need to do 5 kids this week because the other phonics people are gone. But it may seem easy after my leisure week.

So if I don't post for awhile you'll know what happened.

Happy Birthday, Braden!!

Hi Braden! Hope you had a Happy Birthday and got your Card. I seem to be having trouble catching up on Birthdays. I was reading your poem on the Cowboy poetry page and you are getting really good at writing them. That's what always happens to me when I try to look good doing something--even now. I guess I'll just give up.

I hope you had a really happy birthday. Love ya'!!! Grandma

PS How did you get your rope back?

Happy Birthday, Mike

Hey! I haven't heard how college is going for you. Great I hope. I guess I'll send your card to your folks and have them forward it to you. Do you still have an email address? I might write a few words once in a while if you do. Hope you had a great birthday!! Remember when Stan sent you a box of chocolates for successfully sneaking home from kindergarten without getting caught? I had to go over and get Susan's Isaac settled down for running away from school the other day. I remembered you on that one. Love ya'!!! Grandma

Happy Birthday, Tony!!

I know, I know--I'm late on birthday blogs. Seems like I'm tired all the time. They keep me busy at the MTC. I hope you had a happy day. Remember the year we did candles on all the Sept Birthday cakes and nearly set the kitchen cupboards on fire? I suppose we'll always remember that one. You've been a great son-in-law. Love ya'!!!
Mary