Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
¿Rancheros.... Huevos?
Today I tried my hand at huevos rancheros. I love this dish, and there are SO MANY varieties. Everyone has their own twist.
This may not be the way I would normally try making this dish, but I had some things leftover and was wondering what to do. I thought about making enchiladas; too messy, too much time. I just wanted a quick lunch using what I have already semi-prepared. I thought about a "pseudo" taco salad. I have baby spinach, but that just didn't sound good with taco ingredients. So I decided to take the chunks of sausage with large-chopped green pepper and onions, add some fresh garlic, and go from there. I checked my tiny pantry and BEHOLD! A can of corn, red bell pepper, and black bean medley, ready for the using. I put half of that in, with some lime juice and some "hot and spicy" pre-packaged taco seasoning, along with some extra cumin and chili powder. I shredded some New York Cheddar (white cheddar) that I had leftover from the farm a few weeks ago. I had some flax seed vegetable tortilla chips... and I tried scooping up my mixture with one. Hmm. Not a good combo. Unfortunately, I am COMPLETELY OUT OF SALSA at my house, which is the travesty of travesties and highly unusual.
I felt this mixture needed something to put it over, or something to hold it together. Immediately, I thought of potatoes; this is my go-to neutral flavor-holder. I looked in the fridge one last time. AH-HA! Fresh farm eggs. Of course! I have done this recipe where I have sauteed spinach, basil, and tomato sauce, and poached eggs on top and put the entire concoction over baked polenta slices, so why couldn't I do the same here?
I cracked an egg over my mounded mixture. I placed the lid over the top. In about two minutes, something smells like it's burning. WHAT DID I DO!? I opened the lid, and the egg yolk had cracked. I lightly toss everything and throw it in my shallow bowl over the two cracked chips I placed earlier. I top it all with the cheese and a few drops of Green Tobasco. I think, this was a disaster. Then: Mmmmm.....
It was no disaster. The yolk is still a bit runny, and the eggs are not quite scrambled. The black beans add the perfect creaminess. The corn adds a touch of sweetness. The cheese adds a little sharp bite.
Perfection.
I'm partially writing this post because I have tried out Tumblr for a while and decided I much prefer this venue. Another part is so that I can share this triumph and this recipe with you and empower you to go try crazy things in the kitchen, or just try to make this "recipe." But another big part? So I can remember what I did to make this glorious dish.
This may not be the way I would normally try making this dish, but I had some things leftover and was wondering what to do. I thought about making enchiladas; too messy, too much time. I just wanted a quick lunch using what I have already semi-prepared. I thought about a "pseudo" taco salad. I have baby spinach, but that just didn't sound good with taco ingredients. So I decided to take the chunks of sausage with large-chopped green pepper and onions, add some fresh garlic, and go from there. I checked my tiny pantry and BEHOLD! A can of corn, red bell pepper, and black bean medley, ready for the using. I put half of that in, with some lime juice and some "hot and spicy" pre-packaged taco seasoning, along with some extra cumin and chili powder. I shredded some New York Cheddar (white cheddar) that I had leftover from the farm a few weeks ago. I had some flax seed vegetable tortilla chips... and I tried scooping up my mixture with one. Hmm. Not a good combo. Unfortunately, I am COMPLETELY OUT OF SALSA at my house, which is the travesty of travesties and highly unusual.
I felt this mixture needed something to put it over, or something to hold it together. Immediately, I thought of potatoes; this is my go-to neutral flavor-holder. I looked in the fridge one last time. AH-HA! Fresh farm eggs. Of course! I have done this recipe where I have sauteed spinach, basil, and tomato sauce, and poached eggs on top and put the entire concoction over baked polenta slices, so why couldn't I do the same here?
I cracked an egg over my mounded mixture. I placed the lid over the top. In about two minutes, something smells like it's burning. WHAT DID I DO!? I opened the lid, and the egg yolk had cracked. I lightly toss everything and throw it in my shallow bowl over the two cracked chips I placed earlier. I top it all with the cheese and a few drops of Green Tobasco. I think, this was a disaster. Then: Mmmmm.....
It was no disaster. The yolk is still a bit runny, and the eggs are not quite scrambled. The black beans add the perfect creaminess. The corn adds a touch of sweetness. The cheese adds a little sharp bite.
Perfection.
I'm partially writing this post because I have tried out Tumblr for a while and decided I much prefer this venue. Another part is so that I can share this triumph and this recipe with you and empower you to go try crazy things in the kitchen, or just try to make this "recipe." But another big part? So I can remember what I did to make this glorious dish.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
4 out of 5 Women are Pregnant...
Not in the world, mind you. I'm talking about my workplace! There are so many pregnant women at my workplace. I just found out about two more today! I was shocked! (And giddy with excitement!)
So, in honor of them and in light of my new information, I decided to post a few things relating to pregnancy and babies.
FACT: You'll never be the kind of parent you imagine you will be. I am not intending to sound mean here, this is just the cold hard truth. Whatever daydreams you had, you'll get into situations you never imagined and have reactions you couldn't have planned for. There will be times when you feel like the worst parent in the world! There will be times when you'll cry because you miss your kid(s), and you don't want to leave them. Then there will be times when you wish for nothing but twenty minutes away from your kids... or even two days. The point is, you can never anticipate how it will be to be a parent. It's as foreign as being in love before you ever were in love. No one can say anything to truly prepare you for it; it just is what it is. Don't worry so much!
MYTH: There is one parenting style that 'works.' There is no way that you HAVE to do things. There is no way that you SHOULD do things. There is only what works for you, your spouse AND your kids. Yes, your kids will partially dictate what you do as a parent, whether you want them to or not. In my opinion, you WANT to tailor your parenting toward the kid that you have... but again, that's just an opinion, and you don't have to do it! Just relax and do what's best for you all at that moment. Don't worry what anyone else thinks (even your own mom), or how it looks, or what your mom would do, or what your preconceived notions would tell you to do. Don't put up those walls! Just relax and do what is best for your family at that time. It'll all come out in the wash.
FACT: You will get dirty.
FACT: You might not be able to shower as often.
MYTH: You can't do the same things that you did before you had kids. The truth? What my mom always says, "You can do anything with kids that you did without kids; it just takes longer." Obviously I'm not saying you should necessarily do things in the COMPANY of your kids, but anything you did in your life before, you'll be able to do when you have kids if you just make the effort.
MYTH: Childbirth is scary and painful. This is going to sound strange. I LOVE giving birth. Okay, strange, but true. One of the crowning (har har) achievements of my life was giving birth to my girls. Both times. I loved it! It was great! And at the end, everyone was happy and I had a great little baby in my arms, looking into my eyes. I would do it again, and again, and again... if I didn't have to be pregnant every time. I seriously think fondly on the actual active labor and birth of both of my daughters, and that is part of why I would like to have more kids: just to give birth again! It's an amazing experience, unlike any other.
FACT: You will get sick more often with kids in the house.
FACT: Kids fill your life with joy. Even on the bad days, you'll never be able to imagine what your life was like before the kid came along. It'll be like a distant dream... HA! Sometimes that's not so good! But really, the joy far exceeds the annoyance or any pain and suffering.
Well, that's all that I'm going to bombard you all with at the moment. I think I'll post some more information soon about health during birth, labor, infant-stage babies, etc, so if you're interested in that, be looking for it!
So, in honor of them and in light of my new information, I decided to post a few things relating to pregnancy and babies.
FACT: You'll never be the kind of parent you imagine you will be. I am not intending to sound mean here, this is just the cold hard truth. Whatever daydreams you had, you'll get into situations you never imagined and have reactions you couldn't have planned for. There will be times when you feel like the worst parent in the world! There will be times when you'll cry because you miss your kid(s), and you don't want to leave them. Then there will be times when you wish for nothing but twenty minutes away from your kids... or even two days. The point is, you can never anticipate how it will be to be a parent. It's as foreign as being in love before you ever were in love. No one can say anything to truly prepare you for it; it just is what it is. Don't worry so much!
MYTH: There is one parenting style that 'works.' There is no way that you HAVE to do things. There is no way that you SHOULD do things. There is only what works for you, your spouse AND your kids. Yes, your kids will partially dictate what you do as a parent, whether you want them to or not. In my opinion, you WANT to tailor your parenting toward the kid that you have... but again, that's just an opinion, and you don't have to do it! Just relax and do what's best for you all at that moment. Don't worry what anyone else thinks (even your own mom), or how it looks, or what your mom would do, or what your preconceived notions would tell you to do. Don't put up those walls! Just relax and do what is best for your family at that time. It'll all come out in the wash.
FACT: You will get dirty.
FACT: You might not be able to shower as often.
MYTH: You can't do the same things that you did before you had kids. The truth? What my mom always says, "You can do anything with kids that you did without kids; it just takes longer." Obviously I'm not saying you should necessarily do things in the COMPANY of your kids, but anything you did in your life before, you'll be able to do when you have kids if you just make the effort.
MYTH: Childbirth is scary and painful. This is going to sound strange. I LOVE giving birth. Okay, strange, but true. One of the crowning (har har) achievements of my life was giving birth to my girls. Both times. I loved it! It was great! And at the end, everyone was happy and I had a great little baby in my arms, looking into my eyes. I would do it again, and again, and again... if I didn't have to be pregnant every time. I seriously think fondly on the actual active labor and birth of both of my daughters, and that is part of why I would like to have more kids: just to give birth again! It's an amazing experience, unlike any other.
FACT: You will get sick more often with kids in the house.
FACT: Kids fill your life with joy. Even on the bad days, you'll never be able to imagine what your life was like before the kid came along. It'll be like a distant dream... HA! Sometimes that's not so good! But really, the joy far exceeds the annoyance or any pain and suffering.
Well, that's all that I'm going to bombard you all with at the moment. I think I'll post some more information soon about health during birth, labor, infant-stage babies, etc, so if you're interested in that, be looking for it!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Sausage and Peppers Penne
I'm making an "oldie but a goodie" recipe tonight; Sausage with Peppers Penne. I think the name was originally longer and more discriptive, but my mom wrote it down for me when we got married, and I have made it a few times since, therefore I don't remember what it's actually called anymore.
It's a really simple recipe. The problem I have incurred is that it calls for Emeril's Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Pasta Sauce... which doesn't seem to exist anymore. So, I make due with Newman's Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce, or what Emeril used to call his "GAAAAAALIC" Pasta Sauce, now boring-ly Emeril's Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce
.
Basically, you take cooked Penne (it says 6 cups... I used a small package, whole wheat) and top it with the rest.
Cook a package of Italian sausage, in casings, over medium-medium high heat, turning to prevent burning the casings. I use a package that has 6 sausages, and I used the mild kind, though you could get sweet or spicy. I think spicy would be great, but I wasn't sure if my daughter would eat some. You can also get them straight from the butcher.
Remove the sausage from the pan (use a large, flat pan, preferably with a couple of inches of height to keep in the ingredients), wipe out the pan and add vegetable oil (to lighten the dish and make sure you have the right amount of oil, about 1 TBS -- this is optional, but will prevent it from having pools of grease on top of the finished dish).
Add 1 cup of green bell pepper (2 medium peppers), 1/2 cup (or 1 medium) each yellow and red peppers, cut into 1/4"-1/2" strips. I would definitely not substitute or leave out a color, here. All three have distinctive tastes. Without the red pepper, it would definitely not taste right. With too much green, it wouldn't be sweet enough. And the yellow is sweet and pretty. Also slice up and half one medium onion. Put these in the pan and saute about 6 minutes; the veggies should still be pretty crisp. Add 6 cloves of minced garlic (no, it's not too much. I added 8, in fact.) Saute another 1-2 minutes. Add back the sausages, cut diagonally into 1-2' slices (diagonal helps with the casing being chewy and looks prettier). Add 1 24 oz jar of some sort of roasted pepper/tomato a/o garlic tomato-based pasta sauce such as the one described. Most 'normal' sized jars are 24-oz. Simmer on low for a few minutes until everything is heated through and the flavors combine; don't simmer for more than 5-10 minutes, or the peppers will be mushy, which it VERY undesireable to the discerning palate. The recipe says to add 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese at this point, removing from the heat and stirring until melted. I don't really like mozzarella and it makes it hard to clean. I just add a little bit of parmesan or a parmesan/romano blend, and top with a pinch of the parmesan (as stated in the recipe). I don't think the mozzarella is necessary, but feel free to try it with or without.
For one cup of the pasta and 2/3-3/4 cup of the sauce mixture, it is about 450 calories. I don't know the other specs off-hand, I just remember it saying "453 calories" on the recipe card my mom wrote out for me. But I think that's really good. It's very filling and it is warm and comforting, with rich tomato flavor and PASTA! One bowl has a ton of veggies, but in my opinion, you should probably have a salad or something on the side to get the right proportion of veggies/protein/grains.
One more issue with this recipe: 24 ounces of tomato sauce is usually 2-4 ounces shy, if you like your pasta to have some sauce cover it a bit. So, you can do a few things: you could buy two jars and save the remainder of the second in the fridge; you could add some water, but I don't think that's actually going to make it better for you; you could add some stock... still not going to really help it too much, though it will loosen the sauce slightly; you could buy a tiny can of tomato sauce, the plain kind for sale by the chopped tomatoes, and add as much of that as you'll need. That will add some extra sauce and loosen the sauce up a bit without compromising or watering down the flavor. Or, you could just eat it as is, if you don't really want the sauce and the pasta to combine.
Overall, it's a great recipe that's low-calorie, satisfying, and it's easy and quick to make. I suggest you try it some night!
It's a really simple recipe. The problem I have incurred is that it calls for Emeril's Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Pasta Sauce... which doesn't seem to exist anymore. So, I make due with Newman's Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce, or what Emeril used to call his "GAAAAAALIC" Pasta Sauce, now boring-ly Emeril's Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce
.Basically, you take cooked Penne (it says 6 cups... I used a small package, whole wheat) and top it with the rest.
Cook a package of Italian sausage, in casings, over medium-medium high heat, turning to prevent burning the casings. I use a package that has 6 sausages, and I used the mild kind, though you could get sweet or spicy. I think spicy would be great, but I wasn't sure if my daughter would eat some. You can also get them straight from the butcher.
Remove the sausage from the pan (use a large, flat pan, preferably with a couple of inches of height to keep in the ingredients), wipe out the pan and add vegetable oil (to lighten the dish and make sure you have the right amount of oil, about 1 TBS -- this is optional, but will prevent it from having pools of grease on top of the finished dish).
Add 1 cup of green bell pepper (2 medium peppers), 1/2 cup (or 1 medium) each yellow and red peppers, cut into 1/4"-1/2" strips. I would definitely not substitute or leave out a color, here. All three have distinctive tastes. Without the red pepper, it would definitely not taste right. With too much green, it wouldn't be sweet enough. And the yellow is sweet and pretty. Also slice up and half one medium onion. Put these in the pan and saute about 6 minutes; the veggies should still be pretty crisp. Add 6 cloves of minced garlic (no, it's not too much. I added 8, in fact.) Saute another 1-2 minutes. Add back the sausages, cut diagonally into 1-2' slices (diagonal helps with the casing being chewy and looks prettier). Add 1 24 oz jar of some sort of roasted pepper/tomato a/o garlic tomato-based pasta sauce such as the one described. Most 'normal' sized jars are 24-oz. Simmer on low for a few minutes until everything is heated through and the flavors combine; don't simmer for more than 5-10 minutes, or the peppers will be mushy, which it VERY undesireable to the discerning palate. The recipe says to add 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese at this point, removing from the heat and stirring until melted. I don't really like mozzarella and it makes it hard to clean. I just add a little bit of parmesan or a parmesan/romano blend, and top with a pinch of the parmesan (as stated in the recipe). I don't think the mozzarella is necessary, but feel free to try it with or without.
For one cup of the pasta and 2/3-3/4 cup of the sauce mixture, it is about 450 calories. I don't know the other specs off-hand, I just remember it saying "453 calories" on the recipe card my mom wrote out for me. But I think that's really good. It's very filling and it is warm and comforting, with rich tomato flavor and PASTA! One bowl has a ton of veggies, but in my opinion, you should probably have a salad or something on the side to get the right proportion of veggies/protein/grains.
One more issue with this recipe: 24 ounces of tomato sauce is usually 2-4 ounces shy, if you like your pasta to have some sauce cover it a bit. So, you can do a few things: you could buy two jars and save the remainder of the second in the fridge; you could add some water, but I don't think that's actually going to make it better for you; you could add some stock... still not going to really help it too much, though it will loosen the sauce slightly; you could buy a tiny can of tomato sauce, the plain kind for sale by the chopped tomatoes, and add as much of that as you'll need. That will add some extra sauce and loosen the sauce up a bit without compromising or watering down the flavor. Or, you could just eat it as is, if you don't really want the sauce and the pasta to combine.
Overall, it's a great recipe that's low-calorie, satisfying, and it's easy and quick to make. I suggest you try it some night!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Parent Talk
I mentioned in my last post about some of the books that I'm reading relating to my 'craft', teaching, and parenting. One of those is:
I
LOVE
this
book.
This is re-training yourself with how you talk. And it's really, very interesting.
I am all about words. Since I was a little girl, I've always felt that if you change your thoughts and words, you can change your outlook, your life, your future, and the world around you. This book reminded me of this axiom of life, long forgotten.
Things that I do with my own kids were in this book, both as good and bad examples. Things that I do myself were in this book as things to teach your kids through your words to them. Amazing.
Let's talk about the book's set up first, and then go into more specifics about the content. The book is divided into sections: Choices; Response-ability; The Search for Solutions; Learned Helplessness; Praise, Criticism, and Self-Esteem; Parent Talk at its Worst; Intimacy; Feelings; Increasing Conflict; Reducing Conflict; Odds and Ends. In each of these categories, there are 1-3 page examples. I love the way this is set up visually: Each example is like a chapter heading, but in a talk-bubble, as if in a cartoon strip or comic book. So, the speech that is desired is in the bubble, and the explanation or anecdote of how and why this works is the next page and a half or so. It's really an easy-to-read book. This way, you can read one 'scenario' or 'example' at a time, just taking less than 5 minutes, and digest it as you go throughout your day; or, you could read it through, scenario by scenario, 'chapter' by chapter. You can skip, or go straight through. So, it's set up really well for any type of reader. And the actual "prose" (sometimes informational, sometimes anecdotal) is very easy to understand, but also breaks down some thoughts that are simple but perhaps you've never thought through.
So, I'm in love with the layout and basic concept. On to specifics.
First of all, I love all of the section headings. They hit a lot of the areas that children need guidance in, and even include a section on the worst things you could say and why (which, by the way, have big grey X's in the thought bubble under the words, so you know at a glance they are things NOT to say). Great!
Here are some specific examples within those sections that I have come across and I love even more than other examples:
Who doesn't love a book by a guy named Chick?
I
LOVE
this
book.
This is re-training yourself with how you talk. And it's really, very interesting.
I am all about words. Since I was a little girl, I've always felt that if you change your thoughts and words, you can change your outlook, your life, your future, and the world around you. This book reminded me of this axiom of life, long forgotten.
Things that I do with my own kids were in this book, both as good and bad examples. Things that I do myself were in this book as things to teach your kids through your words to them. Amazing.
Let's talk about the book's set up first, and then go into more specifics about the content. The book is divided into sections: Choices; Response-ability; The Search for Solutions; Learned Helplessness; Praise, Criticism, and Self-Esteem; Parent Talk at its Worst; Intimacy; Feelings; Increasing Conflict; Reducing Conflict; Odds and Ends. In each of these categories, there are 1-3 page examples. I love the way this is set up visually: Each example is like a chapter heading, but in a talk-bubble, as if in a cartoon strip or comic book. So, the speech that is desired is in the bubble, and the explanation or anecdote of how and why this works is the next page and a half or so. It's really an easy-to-read book. This way, you can read one 'scenario' or 'example' at a time, just taking less than 5 minutes, and digest it as you go throughout your day; or, you could read it through, scenario by scenario, 'chapter' by chapter. You can skip, or go straight through. So, it's set up really well for any type of reader. And the actual "prose" (sometimes informational, sometimes anecdotal) is very easy to understand, but also breaks down some thoughts that are simple but perhaps you've never thought through.
So, I'm in love with the layout and basic concept. On to specifics.
First of all, I love all of the section headings. They hit a lot of the areas that children need guidance in, and even include a section on the worst things you could say and why (which, by the way, have big grey X's in the thought bubble under the words, so you know at a glance they are things NOT to say). Great!
Here are some specific examples within those sections that I have come across and I love even more than other examples:
- "Make a picture in your mind." This one is in the Response-ability section, and is about mental rehearsal. Perhaps one of the most popular uses of this is the pre-interview rehearsal. You imagine yourself going into the interview, calm and collected, and having a great talk with the interviewer, who is impressed with you and your credentials. This is one of the examples that I talked about earlier; I use this myself, and (of course!) realized: I should be teaching this to my kids! The author illustrates this parent talk as a method of clarifying your expectation for your children. For instance, before you go to do something, you can have them close their eyes, and "make a picture in their minds"; talk them through the situation as it would ideally go for them. "You're getting ready for bed. You've taken a nice warm bath, had a snack, and now you go joyfully to the bathroom to get your toothbrush. You brush your teeth all by yourself; what a big girl! You go to your room, and pick out a few books to read. Mama comes in, tucks you in your blankets, and you lay quietly on your pillow while Mama reads to you. When it's time for lights out, you close your eyes and drift off to sleep, happy and ready for tomorrow." This sets them up with your expectations of their behavior, and also can set them up for a positive situation, with positive feelings toward you and themselves.
- "You're a car." This is also in the Response-ability section. This is more specific. It gives the example of the author's son coming to him crying because someone called him 'stupid.' The dad turns him around to face him, and says, "You're a car!" The kid says, "What?" "You're a car!" "Dad, what are you doing?" "I'm calling you a car. Car, car, car, car, car!" Basically, the idea is that you lead the child to the realization that he is not turning into a car just because someone said he's a car. The dad says, "[Son], there's something interesting going on here. I'm calling you a car and you're not crying ... Would you mind explaining that to me?" Son says, "Dad! I'm not a car!" Dad: "Well, you know what [Son]? You're not stupid, either." The main idea of this? "MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT SOMEBODY SAYS TO YOU IS WHAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF ABOUT WHAT THEY SAY TO YOU." It's in caps and everything. I love this. Change your self-talk, or in this case, teach your kids to change their own. "Teach your children where their power really is. Help them appreciate the fact that their power is not in controlling what others say to them. Their power lies within and is regulated by how they choose to talk to themselves." This is SO important. And I absolutely LOVE the example. Very easily understood by people of all ages, easy to remember, and usable.
- "Please make a different choice." As opposed to "don't" or "you can't" or "stop it" or any of these. This put the responsibility into the child's hand to change their behavior, and to decide how to change their behavior. I've been using this in the classroom as well as at home. My Kindergarteners are a tough group this year. I used this sentence with one last week. He immediately changed behaviors to one that was acceptable. This told me two things: (1) He knew what was acceptable, and (2) he needed the incentive to change it himself. Many students respond to added responsibility when they are causing trouble or falling behind. Most people, period, will learn to have more responsibility in the long run if you give them behavioral choices rather then tell them what to do; besides, they'll respect you more to boot. The message? "I see you as responsible for your own actions. You control your behavior. You choose your responses to life." Thus, consequences aren't any one's fault but the person incurring them. (This is in the "Choices" section of the book.)
- "I love you, and I don't like that behavior." This is from Odds and Ends. I'm not sure if this needs much explanation. Just make sure the kids know that what you don't like is the behavior, not the kid personally. If you're a teacher that genuinely doesn't like a kid at the core, first of all, you should think about a new career, but secondly, don't let her know that. Treat her with as much love and respect as you can; discipline the behavior! This is a HUGE deal for self-esteem as well as developing a relationship with you. That having been said, there are going to be one or two kids in the 20+ years you will be teaching that you genuinely dislike. My advice? Get to know them better, use positive mental rehearsal to train yourself to look at the things you like about her more than the things you don't like, and if all else fails remember: she won't be your student forever. If it's your own kid, GOOD LUCK WITH THAT ONE!
- "Say you're sorry." This is a phrase that is X-ED OUT! Which I LOVE! I have done this so many times, and I never, EVER have like it. The author makes a few points that I whole-heartedly agree with: - saying "I'm sorry" is a simple penance, and easy out; the kid doesn't have to think or mean what he says - this teaches the child to deny their feelings of anger, frustration, or sadness, and choke them down to apologize. It teaches them to "forget what you'd really like to say." We are doing them a disservice by teaching them to deny their feelings. If a child is sorry, don't coerce her into pretending differently. "Say, 'Tell him you're angry because when he called you stupid it felt like a put-down,' or 'Let Bob know you're frustrated at the amount of time he's taking with the computer game.'" If a child is sorry, she can be encouraged to say so, and learn from her mistakes, by expressing what she has learned from her behavior and what she'll do differently next time. "I learned that you don't like me talking to you while you're on the telephone, and it's my intention to wait until you're finished next time." This way, "we teach them the valuable lesson that to be sorry means to behave differently." I have told many people in my life that the only "sorry" i need is for the behavior to change. This helps me teach this to my kids!
- "I noticed." This is in the Intimacy section. There are variations to this one, but the idea is to communicate "I see you. You are important here. You are visible to me. I notice you. It's a way we communicate to the child that he is valued and appreciated." Also, you can use this to point out that the child is learning something, which they aren't always aware of. "They begin to think and believe, 'I am a learner.' Once that belief is in place, they act more like learners. Learning then increases, which strengthens their belief that 'I am a learner.'" This is the type of positive mental imaging that I LIVE for! Can I say it enough? I LOVE THIS BOOK.
Who doesn't love a book by a guy named Chick?
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Phrasing is Everything
So many people, parents and educators alike, think that phrasing for success is hoo-ey. But I certainly believe that the more often anyone hears something, the more programed they are to that, and the more likely to respond accordingly. Also, if you choose language that fosters self-discipline, respect, and independent decision-making, you're causing others to take ownership for what they are doing, why and how they are doing it. Yes, it is easier to be the disciplinarian sometimes, and it is easier to be the dictator that just tells someone to do something. But, isn't it more pleasant to set someone up to do the right thing by their own choice? And if you can, in the long run, help that person to continue making right choices no matter the set up and situation, won't that help everyone (dare I say the world?) in the long run?
So, today in my second grade guitar class, I said, "if you are talking right now, I'm asking you to make a different choice." That may seem awkward or strange to say. But most of my kids did make a different choice; the choice was to stop talking and, for some, pay attention. Another phrase I've begun to say? "Please make a better choice (next time)." Also in the same vein: "You make the choice: either stay and participate without causing a distraction to others, or go to the office with a referral. The choice is yours. Make it."
Does it work?
Yes.
Why does it work? Because it puts the responsibility into the hands of the child, rather than putting it on me to punish them. I don't have to punish them; typically, they make a right choice. I have only sent ONE student out, and I sent her back to her teacher after SEVERAL verbal warnings, and a discussion with the class about making better choices. Then again, I could have guessed she would choose this. She was giving me the DEATH look when I talked about making better choices and the class sitting and being quiet for 60 seconds to reflect on the choices they are making and need to make differently in the future.
I gotta say: When I started this job in late September up until the end of December, I thought I was a TERRIBLE teacher. Turns out, many first year teachers feel that way. Now, I think I'm a really good teacher that needs to figure out what works for me! I'm reading and reading and reading, and I'm trying everything at least once to see what happens. Typically, I'm surprised. But, I digress.
Speaking in a language so that kids develop self-esteem, self-confidence, respect, and self-discipline, is EXTREMELY important, IMO. Yeah, it's semantics. But it's definitely not just semantics. There was something out of another book I'm reading, Parent Talk: How to Talk to Your Children in Language That Builds Self Esteem and Encourages Responsibility
, that when I first read it aloud to some colleagues at lunch today, we were all like, "Why shouldn't we say that?" The book mentioned many reasons, like how it "erodes your credibility in the eyes of your child." (This book is geared toward parents, but can easily be used when speaking to ANYONE.) The way that you speak to another person may SEEM perfectly fine, but when it is dissected and you find out that your credibility is "eroded", this is when you as a person need to change what you're doing! You need to make the better choice. Once your credibility is gone, you've lost their trust, and once you lose that, it is next to impossible to regain that.
Of course, one of my top strengths is Communication. So, I see this clearly, and it's very important to me. But the way that you think and speak are going to determine who you are inside, and who you are will determine what you do. So be careful!
So, today in my second grade guitar class, I said, "if you are talking right now, I'm asking you to make a different choice." That may seem awkward or strange to say. But most of my kids did make a different choice; the choice was to stop talking and, for some, pay attention. Another phrase I've begun to say? "Please make a better choice (next time)." Also in the same vein: "You make the choice: either stay and participate without causing a distraction to others, or go to the office with a referral. The choice is yours. Make it."
Does it work?
Yes.
Why does it work? Because it puts the responsibility into the hands of the child, rather than putting it on me to punish them. I don't have to punish them; typically, they make a right choice. I have only sent ONE student out, and I sent her back to her teacher after SEVERAL verbal warnings, and a discussion with the class about making better choices. Then again, I could have guessed she would choose this. She was giving me the DEATH look when I talked about making better choices and the class sitting and being quiet for 60 seconds to reflect on the choices they are making and need to make differently in the future.
I gotta say: When I started this job in late September up until the end of December, I thought I was a TERRIBLE teacher. Turns out, many first year teachers feel that way. Now, I think I'm a really good teacher that needs to figure out what works for me! I'm reading and reading and reading, and I'm trying everything at least once to see what happens. Typically, I'm surprised. But, I digress.
Speaking in a language so that kids develop self-esteem, self-confidence, respect, and self-discipline, is EXTREMELY important, IMO. Yeah, it's semantics. But it's definitely not just semantics. There was something out of another book I'm reading, Parent Talk: How to Talk to Your Children in Language That Builds Self Esteem and Encourages Responsibility
, that when I first read it aloud to some colleagues at lunch today, we were all like, "Why shouldn't we say that?" The book mentioned many reasons, like how it "erodes your credibility in the eyes of your child." (This book is geared toward parents, but can easily be used when speaking to ANYONE.) The way that you speak to another person may SEEM perfectly fine, but when it is dissected and you find out that your credibility is "eroded", this is when you as a person need to change what you're doing! You need to make the better choice. Once your credibility is gone, you've lost their trust, and once you lose that, it is next to impossible to regain that. Of course, one of my top strengths is Communication. So, I see this clearly, and it's very important to me. But the way that you think and speak are going to determine who you are inside, and who you are will determine what you do. So be careful!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Rule of the Road: Never do anything a student can do for you.
I'm reading a new book, Teaching Outside the Box: How to Grab Students by Their Brains
, by LouAnne Johnson. In case you don't recognize that name, she is the woman that wrote the autobiographical book that the movie, Dangerous Minds
, was based upon.
In this book, there are a lot of helpful ideas and bits of information. The first one that struck me was "never do anything a student can do for you." What?! I didn't like this idea at all. I understood the purpose of the idea; really, it's to make things easier for you as a teacher. But I can't let students do everything and run a smooth classroom, can I? And certainly, it would be chaos if I let students get up and do things for me while I'm teaching... right? Besides, don't I want to be in control?
Well, yes. I do want to be in control. In control of my classroom. The real ticker of this: This idea is presented as a disciplinary tool.
Okay, fine. I'll try it. You'll see, this doesn't work in a music classroom.
Unless...
it does.
I had helpers assigned in my second grade guitar class to hand out guitars and rests. Every week, I would choose four students that were exceptional the week before to help with this. But I would stand at the guitar cupboards and hand them to the student, then watch frantically as the students handed them out. Basically, it wasn't any less work for me except perhaps the walking back and forth. Psychologically, it was no less work whatsoever and in fact wore me out with worry.
Letting the kids do all of it never would have crossed my mind. It was hard enough letting them have the responsibility I did. But... Ms. Johnson said it, and I'm willing to try what it takes to promote self-responsibility and to help with the discipline problems I have in my classroom.
Today, I let the kids (1) grab violins from the 1st grade class and help me put them away, (2) unlock and open the cabinets, (3) arrange their own chairs into the guitar staggered places, (4) get the guitars out of the cabinets and hand them out to students, along with the foot rests.
Meanwhile, I tuned guitars and helped students get into proper position, and explained a new sticker reward chart I made for them.
It
was
glorious.
The students got out the guitars without dropping or banging them. The other students were quiet and attentive, and the class didn't start with a bunch of chatting and fooling around. The students were happy, quiet, and ready to learn. I was able to get through the review in less than 10 minutes and start on my lesson plan. (Last week, I took 30 minutes to review once the guitars were out, which left 10 minutes to learn something new and put the guitars away.) The students learned how to play the E string with their first two fingers, got individual help on technique and questions, and were happier and more attentive. I got to retune most of the guitars BEFORE the students played much on them.
The students then put away the guitars without me helping them place the guitars in the cabinets. They have to be just so, so that they all line up and fit, but don't bump one another. It even took me a while to figure it out the first time. I didn't hear a single guitar "bump" the sides of the cabinet or another guitar. I was able to speak to individual students (something I LOVE), and get the room in order. I didn't even look at the guitar cabinets until we were all ready to go; they were closed and locked, all the guitars put away.
I realized, I don't give my kids enough credit. With a little bit of added responsibility, they buck up and do what they're told, even if it's something they're fully capable of, even if it has nothing to do with the lesson itself; the fact that I trusted them (or pretended to) allowed them the room to have success. And I was calmer to boot -- much less stressful.
Today was a great teaching day. And all from trying one simple "rule" from this book. I was hoping for something to happen, but planning for disaster. The results exceeded my hopes. I am now going to add into my lesson plans "helpers" for each class as well as always ask students to help whenever possible.
It's amazing how you can turn one hundred eighty degrees on an idea just by giving it a fair chance. Next up: Instead of writing names on the board or threatening a consequence for bad behavior, ask a misbehaving student into the hallway to discuss how you will not tolerate the behavior, and tell them they have the choice of returning to class and ending the behavior, or if they continue, they will have to leave and go to the office. Leave the door open upon returning to class and allow the student to decide. This is another tip from the book. I have tried it once so far. It worked on that student. We'll see how it goes with a full day tomorrow....
, by LouAnne Johnson. In case you don't recognize that name, she is the woman that wrote the autobiographical book that the movie, Dangerous Minds, was based upon.In this book, there are a lot of helpful ideas and bits of information. The first one that struck me was "never do anything a student can do for you." What?! I didn't like this idea at all. I understood the purpose of the idea; really, it's to make things easier for you as a teacher. But I can't let students do everything and run a smooth classroom, can I? And certainly, it would be chaos if I let students get up and do things for me while I'm teaching... right? Besides, don't I want to be in control?
Well, yes. I do want to be in control. In control of my classroom. The real ticker of this: This idea is presented as a disciplinary tool.
Okay, fine. I'll try it. You'll see, this doesn't work in a music classroom.
Unless...
it does.
I had helpers assigned in my second grade guitar class to hand out guitars and rests. Every week, I would choose four students that were exceptional the week before to help with this. But I would stand at the guitar cupboards and hand them to the student, then watch frantically as the students handed them out. Basically, it wasn't any less work for me except perhaps the walking back and forth. Psychologically, it was no less work whatsoever and in fact wore me out with worry.
Letting the kids do all of it never would have crossed my mind. It was hard enough letting them have the responsibility I did. But... Ms. Johnson said it, and I'm willing to try what it takes to promote self-responsibility and to help with the discipline problems I have in my classroom.
Today, I let the kids (1) grab violins from the 1st grade class and help me put them away, (2) unlock and open the cabinets, (3) arrange their own chairs into the guitar staggered places, (4) get the guitars out of the cabinets and hand them out to students, along with the foot rests.
Meanwhile, I tuned guitars and helped students get into proper position, and explained a new sticker reward chart I made for them.
It
was
glorious.
The students got out the guitars without dropping or banging them. The other students were quiet and attentive, and the class didn't start with a bunch of chatting and fooling around. The students were happy, quiet, and ready to learn. I was able to get through the review in less than 10 minutes and start on my lesson plan. (Last week, I took 30 minutes to review once the guitars were out, which left 10 minutes to learn something new and put the guitars away.) The students learned how to play the E string with their first two fingers, got individual help on technique and questions, and were happier and more attentive. I got to retune most of the guitars BEFORE the students played much on them.
The students then put away the guitars without me helping them place the guitars in the cabinets. They have to be just so, so that they all line up and fit, but don't bump one another. It even took me a while to figure it out the first time. I didn't hear a single guitar "bump" the sides of the cabinet or another guitar. I was able to speak to individual students (something I LOVE), and get the room in order. I didn't even look at the guitar cabinets until we were all ready to go; they were closed and locked, all the guitars put away.
I realized, I don't give my kids enough credit. With a little bit of added responsibility, they buck up and do what they're told, even if it's something they're fully capable of, even if it has nothing to do with the lesson itself; the fact that I trusted them (or pretended to) allowed them the room to have success. And I was calmer to boot -- much less stressful.
Today was a great teaching day. And all from trying one simple "rule" from this book. I was hoping for something to happen, but planning for disaster. The results exceeded my hopes. I am now going to add into my lesson plans "helpers" for each class as well as always ask students to help whenever possible.
It's amazing how you can turn one hundred eighty degrees on an idea just by giving it a fair chance. Next up: Instead of writing names on the board or threatening a consequence for bad behavior, ask a misbehaving student into the hallway to discuss how you will not tolerate the behavior, and tell them they have the choice of returning to class and ending the behavior, or if they continue, they will have to leave and go to the office. Leave the door open upon returning to class and allow the student to decide. This is another tip from the book. I have tried it once so far. It worked on that student. We'll see how it goes with a full day tomorrow....
I'm back!!
Finally, eh?
Well, to sum up: I took a new job teaching, and I've been hideously busy. Not only is this my first year teaching outside of preschool, lesson plans at all, but I have 10 grades, 2 instrumental classes, and soon to be 3-4 new band and instrumental classes. I was hired to create a middle school band class, and I finally have done it! I was so happy to get it just about finalized and on to the teaching, even though I'm a little anxious about teaching band considering that I didn't even student teach in this subject! Other than instruments, I have vocal/general music for 30 minutes, twice a week, grades preschool (PreK) through eight.
One of my goals for this year is to blog at least once a week. Though my posts may change slightly in content from the original subject of this blog, they will still be informational having to do with something I have knowledge of or have learned and/or researched in my life.
So, here's my "welcome back, Meredith" post. Look for another new post with actual content in a little bit...
Well, to sum up: I took a new job teaching, and I've been hideously busy. Not only is this my first year teaching outside of preschool, lesson plans at all, but I have 10 grades, 2 instrumental classes, and soon to be 3-4 new band and instrumental classes. I was hired to create a middle school band class, and I finally have done it! I was so happy to get it just about finalized and on to the teaching, even though I'm a little anxious about teaching band considering that I didn't even student teach in this subject! Other than instruments, I have vocal/general music for 30 minutes, twice a week, grades preschool (PreK) through eight.
One of my goals for this year is to blog at least once a week. Though my posts may change slightly in content from the original subject of this blog, they will still be informational having to do with something I have knowledge of or have learned and/or researched in my life.
So, here's my "welcome back, Meredith" post. Look for another new post with actual content in a little bit...
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