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Book Tour

Hi everyone:

Good News! The day is finally here. My book tour begins today. Please complete a raffle through BK book tour and win a chance to get a free e-book of Ignition: AN Educator's Journey. Good luck everyone!

Join me for my next tour on December 3rd, click here

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Academia promotes Gangs & Bad Behavior

Is it possible that all this academic, common core pressure actually instills negative behavior in children. I think that depends on the child's home life. Many of my students do not come from a stable home. Their parents are definitely not involved. Some of my students are crack babies. When I am teaching them, they will act up by talking to their friends, making sounds, and do anything to get attention and not have to work. I started to think today on my ride home that these children should not have to endure and deal with the common core standards. Academics is not for everyone. There are definitely some students that need to be challenged academically and would never disagree to that. However, the children I am thinking of would benefit from learning a trade instead. If a student is in to cars, their classes should focus on the auto industry instead. They should still have some academics too, but based on the industry that they are interested in. I guarantee you that children would behave. Students may actually be excited to go to school. The gang rate might decrease as students would not feel the need to belong to a group. They already belong to the class where they are learning what they enjoy in their comfort zone. Stress would decrease as tests would not be administered in the same manner. I think society would be better as a whole.

RIP Robin Williams

The news shocked me last night as it did to many. Robin Williams dead by suicide. I could not believe it. He happened to be one of my favorite comedians. He had the look of a sincere, sweet man. I can't imagine what was going on in his head before he decided to take his life. I have a friend whom I admire in the sense that she keeps going on and on with her life. Every year, something horrific happens to her. It is like she has a black cloud on her or even a hex. I can only hope that hex dissipates and this person finally has good luck that she deserves. However, I admire their strength that they do not give up. Many times I have felt the need to give up, but would not take my life. Maybe travel to a deserted island away from it all or a tropical garden filled with its natural bliss. However, I cannot understand why Mr. Williams would do that to himself and quite frankly, it bothers me a bit. I would have loved to trade places and be the talented actor and he could be the teacher/author. I feel sorry that he did not have the will or need to hang in there and be as strong as my friend. I find humanity to be strange, upsetting, and yet beautiful at the same time. When something upsets me I need to blog about it, and this tragedy is one I needed to blog about. RIP Mr. Williams.

Car Shark!!!

How many of you have watched the 1975 hit movie, "Jaws?" Visualize that you hear the music, "Du, duh, duh ,du, dadada." Any minute a shark may come to you and devour your flesh. However, in my life I am not in the ocean, but rather a car dealership and the shark is the salesman. He is not trying to devour my flesh, but rather my bank account. Since a moron decided to drive another car into my car that was parked at the time, I have been searching for a car. I find it very frustrating taking the fun out of my summer. A few years ago, it was much easier to negotiate with dealers, but now they could care less if you leave and don't take the deal or if you stay. I left many shops recently when their deals were astronomical. Do you think the salesman cried into a tissue when I left their store? Absolutely not! Car dealers are indeed ruthless sharks! If you are a dealer reading my blog, I don't mean to offend you. However, one thing about me is that I say it like it is. I know that I could never be a car salesman, nor would I want to. I understand that everyone has to make a living. However, does a car dealer have to treat their customers like a guppy? Food for thought :)

Suffering from Writer's Block

I have been lately suffering from writer's block. I have not had the desire to write so therefore have not blogged in a while. I took a course on the Holocaust last week in order to help me with my next novel. However, due to some unforeseen circumstances was not able to complete the course. I love and enjoy writing, but lately have not found time to write. Since I may have a little case of writer's block, I wrote a 4 line rhyming piece. If you are a writer or enjoy writing you may be able to relate to what I wrote.
Writer's block controls my mind
When it consumes me, the words are hard to find.
Then I feel dense;
When the words that come to me do not make sense.


How many of you have suffered from writer's block?
People may have suffered from this when they have to write a term paper for school.
However if I analyze myself, I may not be suffering from writer's block, but rather time.
I guess I suffer from lack of time. Now that I have done this self-reflection, I know I have to make time to write. I will try my best to blog at least once a week.

A New Perspective

For those of you who read my blog the previous day, my apologies. The politics behind education affected me in a bad way. The new evaluation system reminds me of a Nazi regime. I dealt with a lot this week and felt quite stressed. I think the expectations for teachers and students are unrealistic. Everyone is not created equal. There are some students who struggle and should not be held to the same expectations as everyone else. Teachers that work with special needs should also be evaluated on a different scale. The world of education is becoming a business more than an institution for learning which utterly disgusts me. In my time, we learned and had fun learning without these enormous expectations. I can honestly say that I am thankful that I am not a child attending school. I also cannot remember any of my teachers ever being observed. When administrators walk into a room, the room turns into freezing cold temperatures as the tension builds up leaving a feeling of uncomfortability in the air. Teachers teach differently, paraprofessionals are on edge, and students are nervous. If the "powers that be" are doing all of this to help the students as well as assist teachers to teach efficiently, in reality it is actually hurting us instead. I don't know what this world is coming to, but I will say that students today seem to run the asylum. I guess all this academic rigor is too much for them causing them to act up. When I was a student, I don't remember fights ever breaking out. Kids were not as angry, and most important, kids were kids. Teachers were teachers and had the power to educate their students the way they wanted. They did not have "vultures" looking over their shoulder every second. However, I will say not all administrators are vultures, but when they do come into a room the clarity of their visit fills the air with horrific trepidation that one cannot escape. Shame, shame, shame on the "powers that be!"

Troubled

This week I am feeling quite perplexed. I consider myself to be a pessimist. I wish that I wasn't, but one cannot change whom they're. I had a lot going on this week. My anxiety escalated that caused myself to go through a psychosis of trepidation. I interpret things very negatively and feel if something did not go well, it probably didn't. My family and friends lecture me that I cannot make predictions. However, lately I have been worse about believing negatively. I don't know why, but I do know that I have to try to be more positive, and hope for the best. Therefore, when I write it is like my very own therapy. Based on my recent anxiety, I wrote a poem which I would like your feedback.

Anxiety has taken over my inner being
It has taken over my very own soul
A monster lives within me
Taking over my thought process negatively
A strong person listens to the monster
Combats it with its own positive, wise voice
I must believe in me and that should set me free!