My Space: Confessions and Laughing Sessions

Structured Wait Time

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:41:00 +0000

I am a second grade teacher that serves in a high English as a Second Language (ESL) demographic. I have 20 students and 16 of my 20 students are English Language Learners (ELLs).

One of the struggles I have encountered in the classroom is student participation. Most teacher information promotes the act of using random selection; all 20 students' names are on Popsicle sticks and I randomly select from a pencil box when I need students to answer questions. This strategy is meant to keep students on their toes and encourage the teacher to select anyone in the classroom, rather than sticking with students that love to answer or showing preference to certain students.

Wait time is another huge component in teaching. Teachers have been advised to count to 8 or 10 in order to give students time to think about what they want to say before giving an answer to a specific question.

Problem: What happens if your student doesn't need wait time? Will wait time provide an answer to a student that doesn't know the information? Will wait time give a Spanish speaking student the language that is needed to answer the question?

I attended an English Language Development (ELD) over the weekend, and left with many ideas that I have already incorporated into my primary classroom. Dr. Jill Hamilton-Bunch of Point Loma University suggested that instead of giving students more wait time ask the following question:

Do you need more time, language, or information?

Time: If the student selects time give them eight seconds to contemplate their answer.

Language: If the student selects language it is because they know the answer but are struggling to form it correctly using the English language. Provide the student with a sentence frame. Sentence frames I've developed for my classroom and use on an ongoing basis are as follows:

I can explain that ____ and ____ are synonyms because they are words that mean the same thing.

A ____ has ____ faces, ____ edges, and ____ vertices.

The word _____ is a noun because it is a _______ (person, place, thing).

I try to have my sentence frames visible and on all teacher created documents.

Information: If the student selects information it is because they do not understand the question and they might not know the answer! If you are reviewing nouns and verbs and you pose the question, "What is a noun?" and Student B says they need more information, simply reply with, "A noun is a person, a place, or a thing". Ask the question again. One participant at this training suggested that this is force feeding information to students. On the other hand, Dr. Hamilton-Bunch believes that this allows the teacher to notate that Student B doesn't know the info and more instruction is necessary. Plus, there is nothing wrong about supplying a student with more information. It's information they need to know. You can only hold students accountable for the information that you teach and continue to spiral (continuous review) throughout your lessons.

I immediately began using this strategy in my class on Monday and I am pleased with the results. "I don't know" is no longer an acceptable answer if it is not coupled with "I need more information".

What new strategies have you used in the classroom?

Bathroom Policy Follow Up

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:02:00 +0000

Thank you to all who commented re: the bathroom dilemma. Before I wrote that post I had a brief idea of what I wanted to do and it involved bathroom passes, tickets, and just way too many options for students. After I wrote the blog post and read your comments I decided to make it simple as possible. Since my bathroom policy will be different than it was last year, I will see how it starts out and MIGHT make changes if I need to.

Bathroom Policy: Students are to use the bathroom before school, during recess, and during lunch time. Students will not be allowed to use the restroom within the first 10 minutes of
The start of school
The beginning of a lesson (Direct Instruction)
The end of recess
The end of lunch
Should a student need to use the restroom during class time, the student is to raise two fingers without disturbing the class, and I will acknowledge the student. The student is required to sign out using the Bathroom List, set the timer for 3 minutes, and be back in their seat before the timer rings. If a student takes longer than 3 minutes a card will be pulled. Excessive restroom use will result in pulled cards, detention, notes home, or a contract. I will use my discretion based on the number of times the student goes to the bathroom. Exceptions will be made for any student that has a doctor’s note on file with the school nurse.

So there you have it. You might think 3 minutes is too short, but our campus is small and my classroom is directly across from the nearest bathroom.

I start school Monday! Wish me well!

I just bought the shirt in this blog post from Have Fun Teaching

Teacher Reflection Part 3: The Bathroom Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:26:00 +0000

One of the biggest pet peeves I have as a teacher is the horrible, "Can I go to the bathroom?" question. It's not that I hate that students have to go to the bathroom, it's just that it starts a domino effect. The next thing you know 20 kids have to go to the bathroom and the lesson is close to being ruined.

Every teacher deals with "the bathroom question" in a different way. I've come up with a new and improved way for my classroom, but before I divulge my changes I am seeking your help.

What suggestions do you have for me?
a. Should I have bathroom passes? If so, how many does each student receive?
b. What should be the rules for the bathroom? What are the consequences if the rules are broken?
c. What are the rewards for students that follow the rules and do their best to make sure that they use the bathroom on their own time (i.e. before school, recess, lunch time)?

Thanks in advance! I'll post my idea in the next reflection.

Teacher Reflection: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:07:00 +0000

I was raised by two great parents that demanded excellence. It was enough to skate by with the bare minimum. Whether it was participating in marching band or completing a fourth grade project on the California missions, it was always expected that we would go above and beyond what was asked. I clearly remember a seventh grade project in which my social studies teacher (Hello, Mr. Bevilacqua) requested that we complete a packet by working on a series of options he provided. Our unit was on Islam/Middle East and we could complete 6 out of the 10 options: write a story, create a crossword puzzle, write a sentence in Arabic, and so forth. Did I complete 5 options? No. I completed all 10. I used a word processor to type a 6 page story, create a crossword, and used my family’s Encyclopedia Britannica to observe the Arabic alphabet and copy it in my best seventh grade penmanship. I received 160 out of a possible 120 points, and I still have the completed assignment.

But what exactly inspired me to be an overachiever and go beyond the norm? Was it the extrinsic motivation (my parents)? Did my intrinsic motivation propel me to want to complete more than I had to? Did the great lessons my teacher taught about the Middle East inspire me?

As I reflect on the possible driving forces behind my seventh grade drive, I realize that it was a combination of all three. But what happens when you have a second grader that does not have a parent(s) that pushes them to succeed, or that lacks intrinsic motivation? The role of academic cheerleader and coach is placed upon the teacher.

Teaching has been an extreme eye opening experience. Never did I think that I would say “Back when I was a kid’ at the young old age of 25. I figured that phrase was reserved for those that had experienced the world and had something to tell. False. I have used and thought this phrase more times than I can count during the 2009-2011 school year.

Students just aren’t what they used to be. It amazes me that my students can give a line by line recap of High School Musical 2 and recite the latest Lady GaGa lyrics, but draw a blank when I ask them remember the main character’s name in a story. It also amazes me that these students have the latest and greatest in technological gadgets (PSP? Check. Xbox? Check. Wii? Check? Nintendo DS? Check) but can barely hold a pencil or form a complete sentence with a subject and a verb.

I had one student complain, “Ms. Lockett, you’re asking too much! A paragraph is a lot to write for me!” I simply stated, “Awww! I can’t apologize for that. Practice makes perfect. Keep writing, and before you know it you’ll be on your way to writing 5 paragraphs!” The student sat in shock. I think he was waiting for that golden sentence: “It’s ok. Finish what you can and you can do the rest later” or “Take a break”. I will point out that this was one of the lazier students, and by the end of the school year he was writing 3-4 paragraphs without breaking a sweat.

I also reminded the students at least once a week that if I saw someone giving me 40% effort and I knew that they could give me 70% or 80%, they could bet that I would be all over their case. Take for example my class clown: this young boy was content with attaining 40-60% on his Benchmark standards assessment. It was frustrating for me because I knew that this child could do better than a 60% on Math and a 45% on his English Language Arts. On our last Benchmark assessment I watched as he grabbed his pencil and prepared to randomly bubble in any letter on the Scantron test sheet. Because the test had started I could not say anything. He looked up, saw my cold stare, and stopped. He looked at my rigid stare again and then he looked back at his work. He looked up again, browsed the motivational posters in the room, looked back at me, and then sat for a few seconds. I saw as he took a deep breath and then retraced his steps. I was an ecstatic teacher and he was a happy student when the results came back: 95% on Math and 80% on English Language Arts. He asked if I could write his scores down on a Post-it note. I obliged. He wore that neon pink Post-it pinned to his chest until he lost it during recess, and promptly asked for his scores to be written on another Post-it.

This leads me to my reflection:

How will I effectively motivate students to always do their best and inspire them to make an investment in their own academic success?

*I cannot compare my students to my own lifestyle. I am dealing with an entirely different generation. Many of my students live in single parent home or in homes where parents do not speak English as a first language (parental support can be a struggle). I need to remember each child as an individual and focus on their strengths, and use these strengths as a way to improve their weaknesses.

*Let students know from Day 1 that excuses will not be tolerated. My students will know that before they even open their mouth they needed to classify their comment: Is it a suggestion, reason, or an excuse? Excuses will not be tolerated.

*Embrace what students love. Using High School Musical as a platform, we began to discuss movies and books using the strategies taught in class. Who were the main characters? What was the problem? What was the solution?

My work is definitely cut out for me, but if I can at least help one student pull up the straps of their intrinsic fortitude, then my efforts will not be in vain.

Teacher Reflection: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:21:00 +0000

I'm basking in the glory that is summer vacation. I wiped snot off noses, stopped fights, admonished whiners, wrote detentions, and somehow in the midst of parenting I also got to teach.

When the bell rang at 1:05 pm on June 9, 2010 my heart was slightly pricked. "My second graders are leaving." Then the clock struck 1:30, and I still had a room filled with 5 second grade students that.DID.NOT.WANT.TO.LEAVE.MY.CLASSROOM. Eventually they did leave and I was left alone to pack up, put up, sweep up, and dust off the remaining 2009-2010 school year.

Now that I'm home enjoying my summer (yes, be envious) I've had some time to sit and reflect about the 2009-10 school year and how these reflections will affect my 2010-11 school year.

1. A mini Chandra will always be in the classroom. I think back to my primary grade years, and I shudder at the mere thought of my antics: brazen, bold, bossy, and too smart for my own good. However, I rarely remember anyone (with the exception of my mother and father) reminding me that bossy was NOT good. So instead of letting the mini Chandra take over my classroom, I simply pulled the student aside and explained that she was being "bossy" and such antics would not be tolerated in the classroom.

We came up with a plan: a simple signal from me would remind said student that "she was doing it again and needed to dial down the bossy". The second plan was my own concoction: when setting up student groups, sports, and other group projects I would allow the student to play leader. To be quite honest, this girl has an uncanny ability to strategically organize groups of people. "Ms. Lockett," she'd say, "I think the teams are unequal. That team has four solid hitters, and we only have two. Can we change this?" This in itself is an intelligence; plus, she used a mathematical key term (unequal) and an adjective (solid).

Instead of stifling the student, she was able to excel in this area by putting her excellent interpersonal skills to work by observing a problem and offering a solution. I also reminded the class that instead of blatantly shouting out, "I know what to do!", they could simply raise a hand and state, "I have a suggestion." Lovely Janie Doe seemed to always have a suggestion, and when her suggestions were on point, I tried my best to incorporate them into the classroom.

Lesson learned: Don't let a student run the classroom. Instead, make every moment a teachable moment. Promote individuality, but not at the expense of others. Engage the student at all times, and remember: you were a student/kid once.

MoMoMod: Modest Fashion Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:08:00 +0000

I'm not new to the blogosphere. I've kept some sort of blog since my senior year of high school. Diaryland, Xanga, TypePad, WordPress, Blogger--been there, done that. I'm even a contracted blogger and get paid to ghost blog for certain blogs.

Well, last month I launched a new blog/website with the help of DB (darling Brandon, a fantastic Silicon Valley web developer tech wonderman aka my boyfriend).

MoMoMod is short for More Modern Modesty. MoMoMod was birthed from a few things: my love for writing/shoes/social networking and my desire to tap into the low key modest fashion blogging world.

MoMoMod has been around for one month and we've already had 2700 unique visitors, hosted one giveaway, and have nearly 40 blog entries.

MoMoMod is not trying to define "modesty". Ladies that visit the website should already have an idea of what modesty means to them. MoMoMod is designed to spark inspiration and creative ideas for others; it's also a creative outlet for me.

There are more than just Pentecostal Apostolic ladies that want to dress modestly. People from other religious backgrounds pride themselves on being "modest" (Google it sometime), so don't be alarmed if *horrors* a guest blogger features jewelry, makeup, pants, or something YOU do not like.

Being modest is more than just floor sweeping denim skirts, Aeropostale hoodies, and Sunday night church hair. Modesty deals with the inner woman as well, and MoMoMod will feature posts dedicated to these ideas.

Sooooo!

Stop by. Browse. We're still in Beta mode (i.e. freshman, rookie, new, continuous updates).

www.momomod.com

Unselfish Prayer: Going Beyond Me

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Mon, 03 May 2010 18:51:00 +0000

My pastored hit several key points yesterday regarding prayer and our
need to pray for more than ourselves. He explained that too often we
pray just enough to make sure that we are not lost, and have no regard
for others.

This thought has been on my mind, and I've decided to change the way I pray.

There are several people that I can name that are in desperate
situations and I have not been praying like I should.

My pastor encouraged me, and I hope that I can encourage someone else
to step outside of their own boundaries and thoughtfully and
prayerfully intercede for someone else.

Teaching Manifestation #34

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:06:00 +0000

Just when you think your Monday is too cold, too windy, too noisy,
and the students are too whiny, the day takes a 180. As you're
shuffling through papers someone might leave you a crinkled up note
on ratty notebook paper. The notebook paper will have orange female
stick figures (one more womanly than the other) holding hands next to
a tree, and the contraction word you've is missing an apostrophe; but
in crooked second grade handwriting the note says, "Ms. Lockett,
you've changed my life" and then all of a sudden you feel warm and
fuzzy and everyone gets two Jolly Ranchers "just because" the day has
suddenly taken a turn for the better.

Email? Twitter? Facebook? *scoff* Yes, sometimes handwritten notes are best.

Teaching Manifestation #33

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:05:00 +0000

If Pedro is allowed to eat 3 super burritos at lunch, he will spend
the majority of the afternoon asking to go to the restroom, and will
announce to the entire class that he has to go #3.
sigh.

Teaching Manifestation #21: Sometimes Kids Don't have Toothbrushes

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:25:00 +0000

My mom taught me to brush my teeth at 3 years old. My sister and I were taught that it was unsanitary to leave the house without brushing your teeth/tongue, not washing your face, wearing the same underwear twice, not cleaning your ears, and a few other random mama-knows-best-mandates.

So, yes, you can call me crazy and you can call me naïve: I thought everybody's mama, dad, grandma, auntie, guardian, foster mom made them/told them to brush their teeth.

Well, folks, that ol' brush yo' teef strategy is not happenin' with Generation Right now. These little buck toothed monkeys have the nerve to roll out of bed, walk to school, and stroll into my classroom with breath smelling like hell warmed over. By 8:15 AM my room smells like a sulphur factory mixed with a batch of last week's scrambled eggs. No lies. No fables. True story.

I've had kids complain day in and day out that a certain student smells like fish, pee, old eggs, and carne asada. Basically, she is a taco truck. Little homegirl does stink. My prediction is that she pees in the bed and comes to school without showering. However, I've reminded the students not to tease, laugh, or make fun of people, blah, blah, you know the rest.

However, something came over me on Thursday. Maybe it was X's dirty finger nails. Or, maybe it was X's snotty nose. Wait, it could have been because of X's ogre breath. I can't pin point it exactly, but the spirit of my mother overshadowed me and prompted me to give a lesson on hygiene.

Yes, I made it funny. The kids said, "Ewwww," when I said you shouldn't dig for gold and eat your treasure. They laughed when I pretended to pass gas and didn't say, "Excuse me" Then I sucker punched them: "Make sure you wash your face and brush your teeth before coming to school. If you don't have a tooth brush, let me know." Silence. Feet shifted. Then one brave soul raised his hand and said, "I...I don't have one." Then another! And another! Until 12 students admitted that they have never brushed their teeth, do not own toothpaste/toothbrushes, or simply use their finger.

A stunned Ms. Lockett asked, "Why?"

+My mom says wait 'til they all fall out
+I use my dad's toothbrush
+My mom says I'm too little

I sighed, and explained the purpose for brushing teeth. I discussed plaque, cavities, decay, bacteria, bad breath, yellow teeth, and tartar. I'm pretty sure all of these kids had at least four, or all of the symptoms of nastiness.

The lesson went well. I discussed why you should change sheets when you accidentally have an accident while you dream, how to clean out your ears, and why you cut your nails and wash your hands.

I took to Facebook and proclaimed my aghast. One friend took it upon herself to petition her dentist to donate toothbrushes to my students. Next week 20 little ogres will go home with a brand new toothbrush, and a squeezable tube of toofpaste.

I can hear it now: "My second grade teacher was Ms. Lockett. She told me my breath was funkier than a raccoon's and then gave me a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste."

Yup. That's me. Changing Generation Right now one small rotten tooth at a time.

Teaching Manifestation #20

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:59:00 +0000

Teaching is hard work. Well, teaching is hard work for good teachers. This job is not a joke! The actual mothering that goes into teaching is mind blowing. I am honestly a "mother" to 20 kids. This, my friends, is the ultimate birth control.

I have been blessed with 25 years, and my time with church chirrens, Sunday school kiddos, and Sunday school bus ragamuffins already reminded me that birthing and taking care of children was no walk in the park. But any flame or passion I had about possibly having my own spawn has been put out by the 20+ kids that have coughed on me, scuffed/stepped on my shoes, whined, complained, talked back, rolled their eyes, stolen my pencils, lied, didn't bring their homework, didn't complete their homework, and have begged to be rewarded.

But wait! Trinity just wrote that she loved me. Angelique gave me a Valentine's day gift in the middle of January. Diego said I was the most "beautifullest" teacher he knows. Joel finally realized that 4 quarters makes $1.00. Pedro brought his homework back. Yuvia and Diana just greeted me with a hug.

Ohhhh. The spark is back. Yeah, ok. I guess the ultimate BC isn't so ultimate. I love teaching and Chandra D lurves the kids.

Tax season

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:46:00 +0000

It's here. I'm not too excited. I didn't have an actual job from April until November, and feel like I'm going to owe money! Yech!

In other news, I kept all my receipts and will write off sales tax, fuel for school, tuition, all the stuff I gave to Goodwill, and I do believe teachers get deductions.

Am I missing anything?

A Quote

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:39:00 +0000

God wants full custody, not weekend visitation.

New blog a-comin!

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Stay tuned dear, blogosphere! I've decided to create a new blog. I
will keep this current blog, but need a new one to tell all of you
about my teaching tales. I don't want to be a liability for my
district, so I won't discuss my teaching strategies/ideas/students on
a public blog. The forthcoming blog will be private.

Once I figure out the name yadda yadda, ye shall know!

Two days ago:
I asked the kids for a synonym for the word angry. Everyone yelled out
mad, furious, upset, & outrage. One lovely boy screamed "menopausal"!
He said he grandma was always menopausal. She cannot eat or sleep, and
everything makes her menopausal.

Yesterday:
The kids kept saying something or someone smelled of "olive juice" or
"deviled eggs". At the end of the day one girl yelled out, "Miss
Lockett! I figured out the problem! It's Lizzy! Lizzy smells like
olive juice!" A boy yelled, "No! It's a deviled egg smell!". Another
boy sighed, shook his head, and said, "Miss Lockett it's pee. Lizzy
smells like pee." Lizzy and I both stood there with mouths agape. I
wanted to laugh; Lizzy wanted to die. I had to regain my thoughts and
admonish the other students for not telling me in private.

Last week:
I have a huge prize box with tons of stuff: lipgloss, pens, pencils,
yoyos, candy, chips, juice, Hot Wheels, Play-doh, erasers, High School
Musical notebooks, Hannah Montana folders, Jonas Brothers
stickers--you name it, I've got it. The kids flipped out when they saw
I had a blueberry muffin in the prize box. "Miss Lockett, is that a
real live muffin?!" "Omgosh! Miss Lockett has a true muffin in the
prize box!" My favorite line? "There's a muffin in the prize box!" The
first thing to leave the box that day? The blueberry muffin.

All this and more coming to an RSS feed near you.

CDL

Thankful

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 02:46:00 +0000

I use the micro-blogging site, Twitter, and one person who calls himself an "atheist" made this statement: "I'm thankful for my nephew!".

I laughed to myself and shook my head. What I wanted to ask was, "Just who exactly are you thanking?"

I don't profess to be the smartest girl. I don't profess to be biblically sound, and prophetic. However, on Thanksgiving I am thankful for the truth; I know that I must repent of my sins, be baptized in Jesus' name, receive the Holy Ghost, and live an overcoming life in order to be saved. Furthermore, Jesus is God manifested in the flesh and in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead (Col 2:9).

I've mentioned before that our church has footwashing & communion on Thanksgiving Day. Many churches take communion multiple times throughout the year, and have footwashing on New Year's Eve. I always feel like I have a fresh start every Thanksgiving. Our FW&C service is special & tight knit. It's not a time for games and laughing; we are reminded weeks in advance to prepare for the service by making sure our lives are right. We do not want to take communion in jest.

As my pastor read from the book of 2 Timothy this verse stuck with me: "Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" v 7 NIV.

Wow! There are people that pride themselves on being well versed on a number of subjects; these are smart people! Yet they deny the power of God because they have yet to experience His power (made me think of the "thankful" atheist!)

2 Tim Chap 3 is great chapter, and I suggest you read it.

I try my best to be thankful on a daily basis and not just on Thanksgiving Day. In a time where people gripe, complain, and are rarely thankful, I am glad to set aside 24 hours to celebrate Thanksgiving as a Christian who knows who God is.

He is my provider--I quit my social work position in April without another job in order. Bye, health benefits & bi-weekly salary! Right when my savings got pretty low, God blessed me with a teaching job.

He is my protector--I have over 105k miles on my car, and have never been in a car accident.

He has extended grace & mercy towards me--He has given me what I do not deserve, and held back what I do deserve.

He has given me strength--I made a career change, and was nervous about the transition. I completed a teaching program in less than 7 months with a 4.0 GPA and couldn't have done it without Him.

I can go on...and...on...and on! We all can! In everything give thanks. God has our best interests in mind and we should always be cognizant of this!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Ps. 1 pic is in my front yard & the other is of me & my sis before church this morning.

PPS. I'm thankful that I can blog from my phone, because I rarely get on my computer!

Christmas Gift Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:04:00 +0000

I am in need of Christmas gift ideas for my Sunday School bus riders. Every year the three of us (those apart of the bus team) usually buy cloths/toys, but I'm trying to focus on something a little more memorable. We have about 60 kids total. I saw some KJV Bibles at Dollar Tree and was considering getting each of their names engraved on the Bibles. However, I am open to better suggestions! The ages of the kids range from 3 1/2 to 17, with the bulk of our kids falling in the 6-10 category.

Sigh

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:21:00 +0000

I'm faced with a decision: continue "blogging" or set my blog to private? Do you read private blogs? The hassle of signing in/out can get old. At any rate, let me know.

New York! (& a 2nd grade teacher)

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:57:00 +0000

Woo! In NYC celebrating Brandon's bday (Nov 4 btw! Happy 26th, Brandon!)! Us Californians (B, Carissa, & Fabe (now living in NYC)) are walking, walking, walking, eating, eating, eating, and shopping, shopping, shopping. Well, Carissa & I are shopping. I tried on some Christian Louboutins, Lanvin heels, Gucci pumps, & other designer duds but could not force myself to splurge (i.e. Go bankrupt). Carissa bought some amazing Betsey Johnson heels (last pair in her size) & they are beauties. I was going to be a copy cat, but my size was too big!! BOOOO!

This is not my 1st time to NYC, but I'm not jaded yet! We saw Mary Poppins on Broadway (6th row seats!), and the show was PHENOMENAL! I was like a little girl; my mouth was agape, I was pointing, singing, and not acting 24 years old.

Have I mentioned my feet? They are in pain. Walking uptown, downtown, all around!

Today is department store day. B & Fabe are NOT thrilled. Carissa and I are happy. Century 21 makes my head hurt (massive dept. Store), but we're going to dive right in at Macy's, Lord & Taylor, & Barney's (ha! Mostly looking). We hit up a few sample sales, will be going to a JCrew sample sale today, & will go thrifting tomorrow & Saturday. Church in Brooklyn on Sunday!!

While here in NYC, I got word that I was selected for a 2nd grade teaching position, and I accepted. I recently declined an intervention teacher position in Gilroy, and that was a hard decision. I've been wanting to move to the bay area/northern cal for many, many, many, many, many years (5+) & thought this was my chance! But I instead accepted a job here in Delano. I am excited to be a 2nd grade teacher!

Hasta Luego!

The Good Mood Gig Explained

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:26:00 +0000

"Chandra, why have you become more annoying than usual? Why do you keep flooding my inbox and wall demanding that I vote for you? I also follow you on Twitter and you are persistent on that website, too!"

On October 2, 2009 I applied for my 1st ever online contest. This contest is sponsored by Nature Made and Sam-e products. Nature Made manufactures and sells a plethora of vitamins (prenatal, Vitamins A-Z, etc.). In an effort to promote health & wellness, Nature Made decided to sponsor the Good Mood Gig.

FAQ
1) Ok, yeah. Good Mood Gig?! What is that?!
This gig is a fabulous gig. The winner of this contest will be hired to write 5 blogs a week for 6 months about their good mood. The blogs must motivate others to have and maintain a good mood. Oh, by the way. The gig pays $5,000/month! Yes, $30k for 6 months. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

2) Fine. But why all the spam?
Phase 1 of the contest mandates that all contestants must get votes in an effort to win. The top 20 vote "getters" will advance to Phase 2. Phase 2 requires those top 20 contestants to write a 250 word essay and create a short video. They still need to get votes from their friends and family, but a panel of judges has the final say on the winner.

3) Chandra, I've voted for you once! Isn't that enough?
Thank you! However, one vote is not enough. You can vote for me once a day, but it must be from a different IP address. You can vote from your laptop at home, your computer at work, or your iPhone.

4) I've tried voting, but it won't work!
Bummer, right? That's one part of the contest that has a few kinks in it. Some people vote multiple times, and others cannot vote at all. It stinks, it's annoying, and I've been in contact with the CEO of the company regarding this matter.

5) When do you stop tweeting, blogging, and using Facebook to annoy me about this Good Mood Gig?
Ha! The last day for Phase 1 is Oct 31. I'm unsure about Phase 2.

6) Hmm? Any last words?

Vote for me every single day! Don't forget! Send out mass emails, text messages, status updates, morse code, carrier pidgeons, snail mail, & smoke signals!

http://www.sam-e.com/job/profile/42

http://bit.ly/w4aLq

Vote 4 Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:50:00 +0000

Wow. Feels like my elementary and high school campaigning days all over again!

Dear, Readers,
I need your help! I'm participating in a contest and need your votes in order to make it to the next phase!

Please vote for me and tell youur friends! Pass the word! http://bit.ly/w4aLq

Love,
Chandra

God is Not Dead

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:07:00 +0000

This song by Mighty Clouds of Joy, says everything I need to say on September 27th, 2009 8:08 pm.

Verse 1
If God is dead, what makes the flowers bloom?
If God is dead, what makes summer come in June?
If God is dead, who is listening and answers prayers?

Chorus
I'm glad I know He lives, He lives,
He lives, He lives, He lives, He lives.
I can feel Him moving through the trees,
In the wind, and the breeze.

And I can see Him shining through the night,
In the stars that shine so bright.
If God is dead, what makes my life worth living?
I'm glad I know He lives, He lives,
He lives, He lives, He lives, He lives.

Verse 2
If God is dead, who mends a broken heart?
If God is dead, who keeps night and day apart?
If God is dead, who can tell me where his body lies?

Chorus

Fall lalalalalalala

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:20:00 +0000

Hurry up, Fall! I've got a great pair of boots that are tired of being held hostage! (Thank you, B!! hehe whatta guy!)

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:39:00 +0000

You know, I've been thinking (actually, I think quite often). In Pentecostal churches we love to sing. I remember bringing a visitor to church and she couldn't believe how many songs we sang (and that was a low key night!). But do you ever stop to think about the songs you sing? One song that got me on a thinking mission is one that says
"I went to the enemy's camp and I took back what he stole from me...he's under my feet, he's under my feet, Satan is under my feet."

Woo! Let the shouting and aisle running begin! But wait! Did Satan really steal your joy? Did he really bop you over the head with a baseball bat and steal your victory? You're telling me that Satan put you in a choke hold and stole your _______ (insert stolen item here)?

While I do believe that Satan is the father of lies, and is seeking to destroy us, I also maintain that whatever the devil has in his possession is because we willingly gave it to him. He didn't steal your joy, you gave him the opportunity to convince you that you had no need to be joyful. No, he didn't jump you for your victory; in a moment of weakness you caved and made the choice that having the victory wasn't worth it for anger, backbiting, etc.

We have a choice. We can choose to do right and we can choose to do wrong. I have chosen to do wrong things MANY times this week alone! Why, just this morning I made the choice not to read my Bible and decided to check my email instead. That supposed 2 minutes of time turned into 45 minutes and now I am here blogging. Did satan scream, "Chandra D., put your Bible down and run toward your laptop! I'm stealing this time from you!" No, he didn't. I had the opportunity to read the book of Proverbs or check my Gmail account. I went with the latter and the devil is quite happy with my selection.

I can go into a tirade about why we need to own up to our decisions, and why we need to stop casting blame, but the book of Proverbs is calling my name. The next time you feel the need to blame the devil for a choice you made, remember that you are an heir to the Kingdom and have the authority to rebuke the deceiver at anytime; no questions asked.

Coming SoOoOn!

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:58:00 +0000

More Modern Modesty (best known as MoMoMod): stylish & savvy up to date modest clothing ideas for fabulously frugal fasion mavens.

Visit www.momomod.com To sign up for email updates as we get closer to our launch date, or follow our Twitter updates: @MoMoMod.

Content written by Brenda of www.dittodos.com (follow her as @CtrlB on Twitter) and Chandra (that's me!). You can follow me on Twitter as @ShiftC.

Website/blog will be cunningly crafted by my best friend, @shiftb, and Brenda's awesome techie hubby, @Wompy.

See you on the interwebs!

Accountability to the Word of God

noreply@blogger.com (Chandra) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:26:00 +0000

My pastor taught Bible study Wednesday night, and God sliced me up and pierced my heart in the process.

*God loves everyone. He does not befriend everyone. There is a widespread charismatic notion that God is a friend to every single person. False. In order to be a friend of God you must enter a blood covenant, and adhere to His Word.

*I am answerable to the word of God. His words must abide in me in order for me to prosper spiritually. I am not perfect, but I am striving to be perfected.

*His word holds me accountable for my actions. I cannot use the excuse, ''Well, I didn't know'', because ignorance to Word of God is not tolerated by Him.

*It doesn't matter how often I call upon the name of God; It matters if I honor His Word.

*There is more to the Word of God than Acts 2:38. My pastor stated that Acts 2:38 is a great launching point, and lists the requirements in order to be saved. However, God's word is so much more and my walk with God requires me to study His word because He is the word (John 1:1).

At any rate, I've a lonnnng way to go and I was very thankful that I heard this message.