BTSA, beginning teacher support and assessment, was created to help beginning teachers to survive beyond their first year. Now there are too many new teachers, no teaching jobs, and preliminary teaching credentials that will expire without the opportunity of BTSA. BTSA hinders beginning teachers from surviving---if they never get a full two-year contract.
I've had a semester contract with BTSA and taught three summer school sessions without BTSA which amounts to 3 years of regular teaching. The rest of the time that I've had my preliminary teaching credential and Masters of Educational Best Practices I've substitute taught without BTSA---for 5 years. My credential will expire soon.
I never got that elusive contracted teaching job that lasts the full two years of BTSA. In 2014 I will no longer have a legal CA teaching credential because of this job climate and the BTSA requirement. I was never at risk of burning out after the first year. I don't believe that this honors the intent of BTSA.
P.S. To my blog readers: If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960 Thank You!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Battle Strategy: Impregnability
I was telling a friend this morning, "When a person throws wrench at you, catch it, and tighten your resolve to become a better you." I lovingly added, "I like you just the way you are by the way."
You see when someone is trying to take you out (initiating a battle), he/she is honestly looking at your weaknesses and identifying them for you by attacking them. If you fix your weaknesses, you'll win the war eventually! If the enemy finds you impregnable, how can they attack you?
You see when someone is trying to take you out (initiating a battle), he/she is honestly looking at your weaknesses and identifying them for you by attacking them. If you fix your weaknesses, you'll win the war eventually! If the enemy finds you impregnable, how can they attack you?
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Super Socializing Bowl
The Superbowl is an amazing American phenomenon which I participate in for mere socialization. I'm not a spectator of sports unless there is someone that I care about that needs some fans or gymnastics is on the TV. The Superbowl is a minor exception. I like the commercials and the half time show.
So today I went to my cousins' house and had homemade smoked Tritip in Stubs barbecue sauce on sour dough buns. Yum!!! Then my cousin, Alice, taught me how to make her pumpkin cookies as we watched commercials. Once the cookies were all baked, we left the men to their football game and headed upstairs and watched the Swedish movie, "Girl With a Dragon Tattoo." We paused it for the halftime show, then promptly headed back to finish watching that awesome movie! (I love strong female heroines!) Finally, I do the most important part of my Super Socializing Bowl---I ask who won and what the score was! lol
So today I went to my cousins' house and had homemade smoked Tritip in Stubs barbecue sauce on sour dough buns. Yum!!! Then my cousin, Alice, taught me how to make her pumpkin cookies as we watched commercials. Once the cookies were all baked, we left the men to their football game and headed upstairs and watched the Swedish movie, "Girl With a Dragon Tattoo." We paused it for the halftime show, then promptly headed back to finish watching that awesome movie! (I love strong female heroines!) Finally, I do the most important part of my Super Socializing Bowl---I ask who won and what the score was! lol
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Friends, Authors, and Kayaking
My friends are troopers, and I LOVE them for that! After three months I finally took my friend, Vanessa, out for her birthday breakfast. It was wonderful to spend some quality time with just her and help her a bit with her yard design. Her yard is about 13 years old and needs a plant-lift and a pool job.
Unfortunately, I had to leave for a Local Authors Panel at the local Dove Library. The library forgot to invite me to participate, but I decided to do some reconnaissance to see how many books the authors sold there. They did sell some books, and it probably felt terrific to be on the panel and asked questions from the audience. I ended up networking with a few of the authors, finding another potential PR person for my book, and meeting the Dove library representative who set this event up without me. She said that she'd definitely invite me next year. :-)
Once I returned home I made sure that Kathleen and I were still going out tonight and then set out to go kayaking at Ponto Beach. I didn't use my dry top which was a bad decision. The water is very cold this time of year. This did make me surf the kayak into the beach without falling into the ocean though!
Unfortunately, I had to leave for a Local Authors Panel at the local Dove Library. The library forgot to invite me to participate, but I decided to do some reconnaissance to see how many books the authors sold there. They did sell some books, and it probably felt terrific to be on the panel and asked questions from the audience. I ended up networking with a few of the authors, finding another potential PR person for my book, and meeting the Dove library representative who set this event up without me. She said that she'd definitely invite me next year. :-)
Once I returned home I made sure that Kathleen and I were still going out tonight and then set out to go kayaking at Ponto Beach. I didn't use my dry top which was a bad decision. The water is very cold this time of year. This did make me surf the kayak into the beach without falling into the ocean though!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Speech Impediments
"The King's Speech" is a fabulous movie about over coming enormous obstacles. The king had a terrible speech impediment---a speech debilitating stammer. I, too, had a speech impediment when I was young---a lisp and stutter. My elementary school, Sierra Oaks, had me go through speech therapy during the second grade. That didn't fix it, so I was sent to Easter Seals. Finally, I figured out how to say "S." It was monumental for my self esteem! When I had millions of dollars, I donated money to Easter Seals for helping me have a normal life. I am truly grateful to them, as I know King George VI was grateful to his speech therapist.
Over the years I realized that my stutter which was random was caused by thinking so much faster than I could speak. I would forget what I'd verbalized to someone and have to retrace my last thoughts by saying the last words that I said again. This would typically trigger the rest of my line of thinking, so I could continue what I was saying. Now that I'm aware of the root cause, I rarely stutter.
It is also amazing how this movie, "The King's Speech," also discusses that speech impediments in young children are typically due to a traumatic mistreatment by someone who is around them. Anyone who read my memoir, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," can guess who the culprits were!
Over the years I realized that my stutter which was random was caused by thinking so much faster than I could speak. I would forget what I'd verbalized to someone and have to retrace my last thoughts by saying the last words that I said again. This would typically trigger the rest of my line of thinking, so I could continue what I was saying. Now that I'm aware of the root cause, I rarely stutter.
It is also amazing how this movie, "The King's Speech," also discusses that speech impediments in young children are typically due to a traumatic mistreatment by someone who is around them. Anyone who read my memoir, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," can guess who the culprits were!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Hip Hop, the Dance of Warriors
Today I started a multiple day math teaching assignment at Mission Hills High School. The math teacher is at cheer leading Nationals in Florida. Besides math she teaches is dance/cheer leading PE. What fun is that!!! I was in heaven---being a former dance choreographer for some musicals while in high school.
The A-team cheerleaders are in Florida, but the B-team is still quite good. I have to admit that my attention was on the hip hop dancers as they choreographed a new routine, though. I was trying to figure out what makes hip hop, so different from other dances like jazz. What is the underlying theme of hip hop dance? As I watched, I saw the ladies joke around doing the hip hop booty dance. I asked the hip hop coach, "Is hip hop a booty dance?"
"No, we're just putting in a little booty dance as a joke, since our rival high school's hip hop only does booty dance. Booty dance isn't really dancing. Anyone can do that."
So I watched intently. I noticed the ladies playing around doing girly moves like it was so uncool. I mimicked their hand positioning and realized that it looked like I was pretending to hold and wave a gun. Then the light bulb went on. Hip hop is the dance of the warriors! These young ladies were doing a warrior dance! That is what hip hop is all about.
P.S. To my blog readers: If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960 Thank You!
The A-team cheerleaders are in Florida, but the B-team is still quite good. I have to admit that my attention was on the hip hop dancers as they choreographed a new routine, though. I was trying to figure out what makes hip hop, so different from other dances like jazz. What is the underlying theme of hip hop dance? As I watched, I saw the ladies joke around doing the hip hop booty dance. I asked the hip hop coach, "Is hip hop a booty dance?"
"No, we're just putting in a little booty dance as a joke, since our rival high school's hip hop only does booty dance. Booty dance isn't really dancing. Anyone can do that."
So I watched intently. I noticed the ladies playing around doing girly moves like it was so uncool. I mimicked their hand positioning and realized that it looked like I was pretending to hold and wave a gun. Then the light bulb went on. Hip hop is the dance of the warriors! These young ladies were doing a warrior dance! That is what hip hop is all about.
P.S. To my blog readers: If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960 Thank You!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Aspergers Reality
Though I was never officially diagnosed with Aspergers, it was undeniable after awhile. As nephews and male cousins kept getting diagnosed, their moms would tell me stories of inappropriate things their sons said or drew. Sometimes I'd ask, "What's wrong with saying that?" One of those moms fully answered my question, my cousin, Alice. She had researched Aspergers, is an upper muckety muck in Human Resources at a local hospital, and is married to a special education teacher. She was the one who made me understand beyond any doubt that I did have Aspergers.
My dad didn't think that I should label myself like that. I'm completely normal for the most part, since I'm so high functional. Tonight though I understand the pain that it has given my daughter now that she is fully aware of my limitations.
She had told me before that she didn't like how I spoke. Hey, Carl Sagan speaks in a similar fashion, so I let that roll off. It hurt though when she said, "Mom, your book caused me discomfort, because I could see the extent of your Aspergers."
"How so?" I asked in great curiosity at a new learning experience.
"You describe people's appearance, but the only time you describe their inner feelings is if you're mad at them. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
We changed the subject of our conversation as I pondered how much it must hurt Drew and Sara that I can't anticipate how their inner beings feel. I can't relate to how their inner being feels unless I've experienced a similar experience or emotion.
I am blind in that area. My experiences are part of my braille. My version of radar is watching a person's face and eyes very, very closely to monitor the effects of my comments on their emotions. This is the main reason why I don't prefer texting and phone calls. I can't see the person's face to know when I've misstepped with an honest, unmalicious comment and hurt them.
How treacherous it must have been and be for my kids! I love them so, and it hurts me that I can't be that perfect mom that teaches them what to say and not say in order to be merciful to others' feelings. At least now they're adults and love me enough to establish merciful boundaries on my conversations by lovingly telling me, "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
P.S. To my blog readers: If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960 Thank You!
My dad didn't think that I should label myself like that. I'm completely normal for the most part, since I'm so high functional. Tonight though I understand the pain that it has given my daughter now that she is fully aware of my limitations.
She had told me before that she didn't like how I spoke. Hey, Carl Sagan speaks in a similar fashion, so I let that roll off. It hurt though when she said, "Mom, your book caused me discomfort, because I could see the extent of your Aspergers."
"How so?" I asked in great curiosity at a new learning experience.
"You describe people's appearance, but the only time you describe their inner feelings is if you're mad at them. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
We changed the subject of our conversation as I pondered how much it must hurt Drew and Sara that I can't anticipate how their inner beings feel. I can't relate to how their inner being feels unless I've experienced a similar experience or emotion.
I am blind in that area. My experiences are part of my braille. My version of radar is watching a person's face and eyes very, very closely to monitor the effects of my comments on their emotions. This is the main reason why I don't prefer texting and phone calls. I can't see the person's face to know when I've misstepped with an honest, unmalicious comment and hurt them.
How treacherous it must have been and be for my kids! I love them so, and it hurts me that I can't be that perfect mom that teaches them what to say and not say in order to be merciful to others' feelings. At least now they're adults and love me enough to establish merciful boundaries on my conversations by lovingly telling me, "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
P.S. To my blog readers: If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at: https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960 Thank You!
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