The end of the third quarter signals a few things to your average high school teacher.
1. We're in the home stretch to the end of the school year. This is thrilling (we get to sleep in! no more grading!), but also a bit sad. We've spent the whole year getting to know our students and in just a few short months, it will all be over. Each class has its own personality. Some are smart-alecks, some are lethargic (particularly after lunch), some are over-achievers (why aren't you in honors?) and others should receive a group-rate discount on Ritalin or Adderal. Students who got on my very last nerve in September are suddenly far less irritating. Some kids have gotten their acts together (ah, maturity!) and still others have backslid into what will likely be a one-way trip to continuation school. While I do long for the relaxation and full time SAHM status for 10 weeks, I will also mourn the loss of community with entire classes and with individual students. Right now I know which students can be teased and which are very sensitive. Come August/September, I will have to tread carefully as I get to know each student and class and assess their temperment. It's exciting of course (I can try out this lesson and see how it works this year!), but it's also daunting.
2. Fourth quarter also signals, unfortunately, the arrival of CSTs and high stakes testing. We get one week of regular instruction when we get back from spring break to cram in the last of the materials on the pacing (racing?) chart and then it's two weeks of nearly daily testing. Though the kids get tired of what appear to be endless testing, we are instructed by administration to cajole our students to at least TRY to do well on their exams (which have absolutely no bearing on their final grade) and pray that they bring enough distractions to keep them from disturbing others for the entire testing period. For this brief period, in my classes at least, they are urged (begged?), to bring a book, newspaper, iPod, WHATEVER to keep them occupied. For several days, we have two hours with a particular group of testing, then ANOTHER two hours with the same students for regular instruction. Yes, that's four hours with the same group of students. It's these days that I most fully appreciate our elementary school compatriots, since after those four hours, even the most likable group of students becomes too much.
3. Lastly, 4th quarter for history teachers means that we get to teach, more or less, what we want. Since we have to teach four quarters worth of standards in 3 quarters (to get the kids ready for those all important exams), it's in the 4th quarter that we get to do projects, activities and other lessons that we just don't have time for in the rest of the school year. It's liberating, but also somewhat confusing. Much like a prisoner who has become so accustomed to the regular routine of the incarcerated life that he is unable to function in unfettered freedom of the outside world, the history teacher who gets to teach without district mandated exams and common assessments is often confused and hesitant. You mean I get to teach about the rest of the world in world history now? Not just Europe? I can teach about Africa? Really? Even Latin America and Asia? Cooooool! But wait! There aren't any common assesments???? What will we do in our PLC meetings???
Friday, April 2, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
really, who has the time?
yeah, so I'm one of those moms that looks down on lunchables. Bad for the environment! filled with food that is not necesarily the healthiest!
I think this is the year, however, where I really could comprehend why moms use them.
This is also the year that I needed to pack three lunches rather than two, and I think that was the tipping point. I don't even work full-time and I still struggle to find the energy at the end of the day to clean out the million little plastic/glass containers and fill them up again with all the appropriate foods. By 8:00pm, I am tired! I want to waste time on the internet or maybe watch something random on TV. I certainly don't WANT to pack lunches or clean up the kitchen.
Of course if I had a husband who worked normal hours, maybe this lunch packing task wouldn't feel so onerous. Perhaps he would take charge of some of the lunch packing. well, on second thought, he totally wouldn't. If you dealt with food all day, would you want to come home and pack lunches? Probably not.
So this is my solution to feeding myself and the kids all week: cook and bake up a storm on the weekend. Prep as much as possible so meals can be thrown together at the last minute. I've made 3 dozen muffins this weekend. I'm going to use the crock pot this week too.
I want to make healthy meals for my kids and model good eating habits. I also want to make sure they see their mommy being active and going to the gym. My house and kitchen also need to be kept reasonably clean. I would like to see my husband occasionally. There are not enough hours in the day and I don't have enough money to outsource more of the reproductive tasks of the household (housekeeper, personal chef!).
I'm trying not to sound too whiny. After all, I have a great husband, a great job, benefits, two beautiful kids and reasonably good health.
I just need maybe four more hours in my day to get everything done.
I think this is the year, however, where I really could comprehend why moms use them.
This is also the year that I needed to pack three lunches rather than two, and I think that was the tipping point. I don't even work full-time and I still struggle to find the energy at the end of the day to clean out the million little plastic/glass containers and fill them up again with all the appropriate foods. By 8:00pm, I am tired! I want to waste time on the internet or maybe watch something random on TV. I certainly don't WANT to pack lunches or clean up the kitchen.
Of course if I had a husband who worked normal hours, maybe this lunch packing task wouldn't feel so onerous. Perhaps he would take charge of some of the lunch packing. well, on second thought, he totally wouldn't. If you dealt with food all day, would you want to come home and pack lunches? Probably not.
So this is my solution to feeding myself and the kids all week: cook and bake up a storm on the weekend. Prep as much as possible so meals can be thrown together at the last minute. I've made 3 dozen muffins this weekend. I'm going to use the crock pot this week too.
I want to make healthy meals for my kids and model good eating habits. I also want to make sure they see their mommy being active and going to the gym. My house and kitchen also need to be kept reasonably clean. I would like to see my husband occasionally. There are not enough hours in the day and I don't have enough money to outsource more of the reproductive tasks of the household (housekeeper, personal chef!).
I'm trying not to sound too whiny. After all, I have a great husband, a great job, benefits, two beautiful kids and reasonably good health.
I just need maybe four more hours in my day to get everything done.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
got to learn how to make pizza on the outdoor grill
because I was sweating away today trying to make a calzone today in the kitchen. not pleasant, but the calzone was sure tasty!!
Monday, June 22, 2009
going old-school with cast iron
Cast iron pants are the kind of thing you get from your grandmother, that is if your mom or some other relative hasn't thrown them out.
I am thinking of my abuelita right now because I just made turkey burgers (lovely recipe thanks to martha Stewart's everyday food) for the first time on my new lodge cast iron grill pan. Awhile ago I got the George Foreman grill (recommended by a friend), but lately I noticed that the non-stick coating is wearing off. Scary!!! What are we ingesting???
so I decided to get a cast iron grill. The reviews online were fantastic and my mother swears by hers and refuses to share.
So what did I learn?
1. I really need to fix that vent-a-hood! I'm surprised the fire alarm didn't go off. I had to open all the windows in the kitchen and dining room. The positive outcome of this is that I realized it was pleasantly cool outside and turned off the a/c. Hooray for the ozone layer!
2. The burgers took much longer to cook than with the George Foreman grill. significantly longer. and I wasn't used to it, so I tried to flip them when I thought they were ready (and no, I can't tell when they are done by pushing on them, I'm not the Chef in the family) and then half the burger stuck on to the grill. It took me awhile to figure out, but when I finally did, I realized
3. The burgers are much more juicy and tender. yes, I could barely see my children and the Chef in the haze of smoke, but everyone enjoyed the burgers and Chef actually commended on their tenderness. Then he turned up his nose at the ketchup i was offering and instead offered the kids a few squirts of romesco sauce we had leftover from yesterday's BBQ.
the unknown? how am I going to wash this thing? All I remember my mother saying was NOT to wash it with soap and NOT to let it get too wet. I vaguely recall something about drying it in the oven. I wonder if it'll clean itself if I ignore it for awhile?
I am thinking of my abuelita right now because I just made turkey burgers (lovely recipe thanks to martha Stewart's everyday food) for the first time on my new lodge cast iron grill pan. Awhile ago I got the George Foreman grill (recommended by a friend), but lately I noticed that the non-stick coating is wearing off. Scary!!! What are we ingesting???
so I decided to get a cast iron grill. The reviews online were fantastic and my mother swears by hers and refuses to share.
So what did I learn?
1. I really need to fix that vent-a-hood! I'm surprised the fire alarm didn't go off. I had to open all the windows in the kitchen and dining room. The positive outcome of this is that I realized it was pleasantly cool outside and turned off the a/c. Hooray for the ozone layer!
2. The burgers took much longer to cook than with the George Foreman grill. significantly longer. and I wasn't used to it, so I tried to flip them when I thought they were ready (and no, I can't tell when they are done by pushing on them, I'm not the Chef in the family) and then half the burger stuck on to the grill. It took me awhile to figure out, but when I finally did, I realized
3. The burgers are much more juicy and tender. yes, I could barely see my children and the Chef in the haze of smoke, but everyone enjoyed the burgers and Chef actually commended on their tenderness. Then he turned up his nose at the ketchup i was offering and instead offered the kids a few squirts of romesco sauce we had leftover from yesterday's BBQ.
the unknown? how am I going to wash this thing? All I remember my mother saying was NOT to wash it with soap and NOT to let it get too wet. I vaguely recall something about drying it in the oven. I wonder if it'll clean itself if I ignore it for awhile?
Saturday, May 17, 2008
the price of flour
I ran out of unbleached white flour yesterday, so I made a mental note to get some when I went to Stater Brothers over the weekend. Of course I would like to buy it from Clark's Nutrition, but let's face it, Staters is cheaper. I saw it at Ralphs last week for $5.79 and thought, "yikes! Ralphs really marks up their stuff!"
but then I went to Staters.
King Arthur white whole wheat flour and unbleached all purpose white flour is $5.00!! I seem to recall that a few months ago the price was more like $3.50. I was a wee child the last time this country went through a bout of stagflation, so this type of price increase is really unnerving. I've been watching other prices tick up slowly (e.g. yoplait yogurt is now 70 cents instead of 50), but NOTHING could prepare me for this type of jump. It made me want to buy 10 pounds of flour and store them in my pantry. Despite the fact that I really can afford flour, the fact that the price increase made me want to start hoarding made me think.
If price increases are scaring me, what in the world is it doing to people in the developing world? I know I've been hearing a lot about how prices are affecting people in India, haiti, Egypt et al. When people can't feed their families, they riot. Then governments have to either violently crack down or somehow wrangle more price supports. It is inherently destabilizing in a lot of the world, especially in places that are strategically important (i.e. the middle east). Price increases are inconvenient for me, but are downright dangerous in other places. I saw an Economist cover the other day that called the increase in commodity prices the silent tsunami. I believe it now.
scary
but then I went to Staters.
King Arthur white whole wheat flour and unbleached all purpose white flour is $5.00!! I seem to recall that a few months ago the price was more like $3.50. I was a wee child the last time this country went through a bout of stagflation, so this type of price increase is really unnerving. I've been watching other prices tick up slowly (e.g. yoplait yogurt is now 70 cents instead of 50), but NOTHING could prepare me for this type of jump. It made me want to buy 10 pounds of flour and store them in my pantry. Despite the fact that I really can afford flour, the fact that the price increase made me want to start hoarding made me think.
If price increases are scaring me, what in the world is it doing to people in the developing world? I know I've been hearing a lot about how prices are affecting people in India, haiti, Egypt et al. When people can't feed their families, they riot. Then governments have to either violently crack down or somehow wrangle more price supports. It is inherently destabilizing in a lot of the world, especially in places that are strategically important (i.e. the middle east). Price increases are inconvenient for me, but are downright dangerous in other places. I saw an Economist cover the other day that called the increase in commodity prices the silent tsunami. I believe it now.
scary
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
do you know the muffin girl
I have got to think about things other than muffins!
well anyway, it's testing week at AHS, and in a desperate bid to get my students to attend class and actually try on their tests, I am making them muffins. so far I've spent around $8.00 on flour, sugar and eggs. the butter was my own, although I did solicit a donation from Mario's Place. The buttermilk, cinnamon, chocolate chips, bananas, baking powder, baking soda, salt and walnuts were mine too. Time to go to the store again, I think. Or hit up the kids for some donations. This is getting expensive! Mind you, I am not buying the fancy free-range organic eggs or the white whole wheat flour or semi-processed sugar. They are getting factory farmed eggs and Stater Brothers brand flour and sugar! I am saving the fancy stuff for my biological children. sorry 2nd period! pass around the donation hat!
But back to the muffins. So far this week we've had:
banana bread, banana walnut muffins and chocolate chip muffins. I overcooked the banana walnut muffins a bit, but they were still tasty, and the chocolate chip muffins were oddly good. They weren't cloying, as many chocolate chip cookies can be. I am running out of ingredients (and trying to work my way through the muffin cookbook), so today I tried the cinnamon buttermilk muffins. I had some buttermilk I needed to use up. pass the hat! Palagi needs more buttermilk!
These muffins are definitely harder on the outside and taste a lot like doughnuts. Once you dip them in butter, then a sugar and cinnamon mixture, they also remind me a bit of bunuelos. Super tasty and I know the kids will like them tomorrow. Now if I can just keep the chef and my own children from eating them up in the meantime!
I had a request for raspberry almond muffins, but those require fresh raspberries ($) AND almond paste. I have discovered that the almond paste is imported from belgium, and given the sad state of the dollar right now ($1.60 to the euro-yikes!), I think I will have to pass on those. Too bad, because when those muffins are good, they are sublime.
So I am doing A LOT of baking this week. I feel very house-wifely. Next thing you know I will put on an apron when I come home and start calling the kids Johnny and Susie....
well anyway, it's testing week at AHS, and in a desperate bid to get my students to attend class and actually try on their tests, I am making them muffins. so far I've spent around $8.00 on flour, sugar and eggs. the butter was my own, although I did solicit a donation from Mario's Place. The buttermilk, cinnamon, chocolate chips, bananas, baking powder, baking soda, salt and walnuts were mine too. Time to go to the store again, I think. Or hit up the kids for some donations. This is getting expensive! Mind you, I am not buying the fancy free-range organic eggs or the white whole wheat flour or semi-processed sugar. They are getting factory farmed eggs and Stater Brothers brand flour and sugar! I am saving the fancy stuff for my biological children. sorry 2nd period! pass around the donation hat!
But back to the muffins. So far this week we've had:
banana bread, banana walnut muffins and chocolate chip muffins. I overcooked the banana walnut muffins a bit, but they were still tasty, and the chocolate chip muffins were oddly good. They weren't cloying, as many chocolate chip cookies can be. I am running out of ingredients (and trying to work my way through the muffin cookbook), so today I tried the cinnamon buttermilk muffins. I had some buttermilk I needed to use up. pass the hat! Palagi needs more buttermilk!
These muffins are definitely harder on the outside and taste a lot like doughnuts. Once you dip them in butter, then a sugar and cinnamon mixture, they also remind me a bit of bunuelos. Super tasty and I know the kids will like them tomorrow. Now if I can just keep the chef and my own children from eating them up in the meantime!
I had a request for raspberry almond muffins, but those require fresh raspberries ($) AND almond paste. I have discovered that the almond paste is imported from belgium, and given the sad state of the dollar right now ($1.60 to the euro-yikes!), I think I will have to pass on those. Too bad, because when those muffins are good, they are sublime.
So I am doing A LOT of baking this week. I feel very house-wifely. Next thing you know I will put on an apron when I come home and start calling the kids Johnny and Susie....
Saturday, April 12, 2008
can't stop talking about blueberry muffins
Made blueberry muffins this morning and somehow the noise did not wake up the kids!! they were very good, as usual, and I've decided that this is the recipe to keep. they are not pretty, but they are tasty and home-made, so that's all that matters.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)