Back From Hiatus

It's been so long since I've posted that the web address for my blog didn't even autofill in the browser bar. Yikes.

As is always true when I sit down to blog, there is so much going through my head that I don't know where to begin. So I'll start with some photo recaps of the past few months.

In October, I decided to drive home with one of my good friends from home, Meaghan, to see the girls and baby Nora. Baby girl is the most adorable baby I have ever laid eyes on, and she is surrounded by so many people that adore her. Try to tell me you've seen a cuter baby. I won't believe you.

November flew by, thanks to a friend's wedding, a visit from mom and dad, Friendsgiving and a five-day weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving in Salem.

A friend from TFA got married near Cincinnati, OH, and I had a great time catching up with friends to celebrate her big day. The following weekend, mom and dad visited for the taping of the Country Music Christmas special, and we had a great time. It was a shorter trip than usual, but it helped make November feel full and exciting. We even found Deacon's house from the show Nashville - it's less than a mile from my place! Dad also finally tried a hot dog from the wiener truck, I Dream Of Weenie. I think it got his approval.

We definitely outdid ourselves with our second annual Friendsgiving celebration. I can't even remember what we did for food last year - it obviously wasn't good enough to be memorable. This year, though, we decided to bring our a-game, and everyone made at least one Thanksgiving dish for a potluck at my place. I am my mother's daughter - I couldn't miss an opportunity to set the table a little fancier than usual, complete with chargers, cloth napkins, and place cards. It almost felt like we were real adults (almost!). Instead of going around the table and saying what we were thankful for, we wrote things down (both funny and serious) on slips of paper, put them in a jar, and read them out loud as we ate. It was both hilarious and humbling. I have so much to be thankful for, including an amazing family of friends in Nashville.

Thanksgiving break brought with it 3 week days plus a whole weekend of vacation, and I headed to Salem Wednesday morning. It's the first time we've been to Salem as a family in years, and it was an absolute blast. It was great to see both sides of the family, although it never feels like quite enough time. One of the highlights of the weekend was hanging out with 3 of my cousins at a bar where my uncle was playing. Crazy that we are (almost) all old enough to be at a bar together - how time flies!

There's been plenty of Christmas cheer around here since Thanksgiving. I decorated my tree almost immediately upon returning to Nashville, and have been listening to Christmas music for weeks now. Although my condo doesn't even come close to being as festive as mom and dad's I've got a few decorations scattered around that will for now. Last week we watched the governor light the Christmas tree in front of the capitol building while Lee Brice sang "Silent Night" - gotta love Nashville.

This past weekend was full of festivities. Saturday morning Ashley and I participated in the Ugly Sweater Run. It was a 5K non-race with hot chocolate stations along the way and two beers waiting at the finish line. Although it was freezing cold and snowing the whole time, we had a blast people-watching and got a great workout in the process.

Saturday night was our staff holiday party, and Sunday evening a few of us went to the Matt Wertz Christmas concert, where Dave Barnes made a special appearance (and I almost fainted). Up next: Dave Barnes Christmas concert this weekend, followed by our friends Christmas party. And only 8 more days of school before a luxurious two weeks off to re-cooperate.

Work updates to come soon. I'm feeling pretty uninspired to write after an 11-hour work day.

Happy Monday!

A Teacher's Workday

This about sums up why I haven't posted in two months.

A Teacher's Workday

September Sundays

September is proving to be one heck of a month, in the best way possible.

Big moments always make me think back to where I was at the same time last year. So it’s natural that my 25th birthday brought back some tough memories of last year. I had been in Nashville for a little over 2 months, and while I loved the city and my new place, I was having a hard time adjusting to my new pace of life. My coworkers were great, but we were still in that awkward we-are-friends-because-we-have-no-other-choice phase. Confession: I woke up the morning of my birthday and cried my eyes out because I was alone, no one who really knows me there to celebrate. I spent that evening with two sweet friends – an old college roommate and a new co-worker – and I remember feeling a bit defeated that these were the only two people who cared enough about me to be there (in reality, it was a holiday weekend and everyone else had plans, like normal people. Drama queen.) Now, I realize how lucky I am to have an old friend nearby and a new friend who embraced me so quickly.

This year was quite the opposite. The happy hour crew generously proclaimed it my birthday weekend – dinner on Friday night at our favorite Thai restaurant plus drinks and cupcakes at a local taproom, a girls’ night out on Saturday, and a Sunday dinner and game night on my actual birthday, complete with appetizers, adult beverages, and a custom made “whooping stick”.

It was the kind of weekend that is so great that it makes the Sunday night blues (or Monday night blues on that particular holiday weekend) even more poignant. Although I’m in a much better place this year than I have ever been since my teaching career began, I felt much like I did on Sunday nights in Eastern North Carolina, with a sense of panic and fear gripping my mind and my heart. Only this time it wasn’t fear of children declaring mutiny or fists flying in class. It was a fear of losing this feeling of happiness buoyed by a lightness of heart and a freedom from responsibility.

I was able to stave off the blues last weekend, with the help of a visit from one of my best friends and "the girls", Jenna. An impromptu trip to Nashville (via plane, plane, cab, and bus - she's a champ!) made me one happy girl, because there's just nothing like friends from home. One of our favorite artists, Matt Wertz, was playing at a Nashville staple, the Exit/In, and Jenna joined me and two of my Nashville friends for an incredible show.

Jen stayed til Wednesday morning, which made my week so much easier to bear - knowing I'd have company two nights after work, and knowing I'd only have to bear a few days until the weekend when the sad day came for her to leave. It was a busy week at work, and the bar had been set high for weekends this month.

And don’t you know – this beautiful September weekend brought me that same peace, that same soul-refreshing happiness of the past two weekends, only without the dread that accompanied it two weeks ago.

Remember that lovely new friend who so kindly joined me for my birthday celebration last year, when I was still feeling vulnerable and lonely? She is now one of my closest friends in Nashville, and Friday night we celebrated the purchase of her brand new townhome in the suburbs with pizza, ice cream, wine, and cable TV (a luxury for me these days). And while Saturday required several hours of work, it was quite possibly one of the most beautiful days since I’ve been in Nashville, and I couldn’t help but take advantage of the weather. I broke up lessons plans with a visit to the farmer’s market, where Annie and I rented b-cycles and took an adventurous and hilarious ride to the downtown library.

Don’t be fooled by the tranquility of this picture. It was one heck of a bike ride, including uphill battles, roads under construction, and left turns on downtown streets. (Don’t worry dad, there were no cars on the road and we used hand signals.)

Before this weekend, I didn’t think I was ready for fall. Saturday’s clear blue sky and crisp air started to chip away at my summer reserve. An evening on the gorgeous patio of an East Nashville wine bar, with a nip in the air that required a fall wardrobe, got me that much closer. Three things this Sunday pushed me over the edge, into full bring-it-on-fall mode: my Creamy Pumpkin candle filling my condo with the scent of Thanksgiving, a chilly sunset on the roof, and dark red nail polish.

It’s the little things in life.

I can’t explain why I’m immune to the Sunday night blues this week. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that there’s a lot to look forward to in the next few days – jeans day, Taylor Swift in concert, the Color Run, and a surprise schedule change that lightens my coverage load during my planning periods. Maybe it’s knowing that the end of this weekend is also bringing the beginning of a new season, and endless possibilities for fall activities. Or maybe it’s as superficial as the flickering Creamy Pumpkin candle in the background while I reminisce about my perfect weekend and look forward to picking up my new book when I get in bed tonight. Whatever it is, it is a welcome feeling.

Happy fall, y’all!

The First Month

A month to the day since I've last posted.

Grampy, I'm sorry. Forgive me. (You're probably the only one who's noticed.)

I'm sure it's obvious, but it's been crazy busy here since day 1, and I'm still not quite caught up on life yet. But I'll do my best to summarize what's been happening since I last wrote.

This year has brought some changes that have been both exciting and exhausting. I've moved into the role of "Lead Teacher", which sounds fancier than it actually is. It basically means that I'm doing much of the same thing I did last year, only this time I'm helping to develop another teacher in the process. My current teacher partner is a second year teacher who taught social studies last year. Needless to say, we have some work to do. While we are technically a team, there's a lot more responsibility on my end, and I spend a lot of time observing him in his classroom and live coaching.

The biggest change from last year was our decision to split kids instead of curriculum. Last year, my partner teacher (who moved up to 7th grade this year) taught half of the curriculum (focused more on algebra) and I taught the other half (focused more on geometry and ratios). We both taught all 100 kids, four different periods a day. This year, we've decided the best route is to split the kids instead of the curriculum, since every topic in math relates to each other in some way. This means that I only teach about 60 kids, but I teach almost twice the amount of lessons. Last year, I was planning 4 lessons a week - now, I'm up to 7. I have absolutely loved being able to focus on my 60 kids and get to know them really well, but the planning cycle is exhausting. My schedule is pretty crazy, too. To compensate for the increase in workload, we've been given more planning periods, but it also means every day looks different for me. It's been tough trying to keep up with when I teach, when I'm off, and when I have hall coverage periods, but it is definitely nice to know that I have more time to get work done a few days a week.

Our school leaders have also decided to do away with the typical "social studies" class and instead replace it with Global Literacy. While it's an exciting new addition to our curriculum, it also means we have to fit in "test prep" social studies skills somewhere, and that somewhere is every morning during our advisory/homeroom period. Which means on top of teaching math, leading a book club, and keeping up with the demands of our crazy schedule, I'm also a part time social studies teacher :). It's been an adjustment for sure, and while it's not ideal, I trust that our administrators made a decision based on what was best for our kids. I do often ask myself, though, at what point will it be enough?

There's so much more I could say, but like always, I've waited to long to say it, so I don't even know where to begin. I'll try to be better...but no promises.

My Summer In Photos

Our first official week, "Week Zero", is over. Kids and teachers alike survived Liberty's version of "boot camp", and I know I'm excited to get back to real school next week, with math lessons and book club and time to get to know my new babies. But I'm also very grateful for a weekend, even if it will involve quite a bit of work (still a lot to prepare for our first set of math lessons). And by the look on the kids' tired faces as they lined up for the buses yesterday, they need it, too.

My energy is drained, so instead of trying to recap the past week or my entire summer, I'll just add some of my favorite pictures. Enjoy!

Possibly the most spontaneous thing I've ever done in my life happened this summer: I booked a ticket just hours before boarding a plane! I decided to surprise my parents and crash their Chicago trip to see my sister for the 4th of July. I also got to see my cousin, who recently moved to the city to begin her residency, and old roommate/good friend from Teach for America. It was a great weekend, and I enjoyed spending extra time with family and friends that I don't see very often.

I've mentioned "the girls" many, many times, and this summer we experienced two life-changing events within a week of each other. We celebrated the birth of our first "girls baby" when Brittany and her husband welcomed sweet baby girl Nora into the world on June 26. On July 3, Jenna's beautiful mother, Jill, passed away after fighting pancreatic cancer for over five years. I could never even begin to capture the spirit of Momma Ward in words, but she is one of the most optimistic, generous, unassuming and strongest women I have ever met. A few weekends later, all nine girls were reunited for a bittersweet celebration of two very important lives - it was the first time many of us got to meet baby Nora, just hours before attending Momma Ward's memorial service. Many tears were shed that weekend, and I often had a hard time distinguishing between the happy and the sad ones. My heart aches to find the write words to explain the significance of that weekend, but my mind still can't quite fathom it. Instead, one of my favorite pictures from my short time home (the new momma is top right):

The new school year technically began on July 8, with four weeks of professional development, curriculum writing, and transitioning into the new building. As much as I would have loved a few more weeks of summer, it was great to have my friends back - since my network of friends still hasn't expanded outside of work. We added almost 15 new staff members this year as we expanded to include seventh grade, and I love every single one of them. A quick picture from a happy hour outing a few weekends ago, with new and old friends:

And a picture of the "new" old building that is our new home:

This summer I also experimented with my old sewing machine, making a few random projects, all of which are less than perfect. But there's something to be said for the feeling of creating, of holding something up knowing that you put it together from scratch, that you made something useful from a few yards of fabric. Probably my most successful project was an apron, and it still looks pretty good even though my impatience led me to scrap the pattern and start sewing pieces together where it "looked right". Don't look too closely - rough edges and imperfections are everywhere - but it's practical!

The rest of my summer was spent enjoying Nashville, with outdoor concerts and movies, new restaurants, and good friends. I am in love with this city, and even though my summer is officially over, the season and its festivities continue to live on, and I'll continue to enjoy it all as long as possible. Next up on the agenda: 3 of my favorite musical artists in concert, a 5K Color Run, and the famous East Nashville Tomato Festival (today!).

Next week we are in full swing, and my color-coded schedule says it all:

CRAZINESS. And that's only Monday (and doesn't include our 7am start time)...

Something only your parents care about...

The school year starts Tuesday. TUESDAY. There are many things I am doing to prepare myself, not just for the work itself, but also for the impending crazy schedule that will overtake my life: scheduling a last minute haircut, deep cleaning my condo, stocking up on groceries, and doing every last bit of laundry I can.

Another thing we've been instructed to do before school starts back up is to Google ourselves to make sure nothing pops up that we wouldn't want students to see. So far, the only thing I've found that I wish students couldn't see is my graduation year from college. I like telling them I'm in my forties, and hearing things like, "That's older than my momma!" That's right, I could basically be your momma, so sit yo' tail down and get back to work. (Okay, so maybe that's more applicable to my two years at Enfield, but it still comes out sometimes.)

I did happen to stumble upon a link to a short article that I knew my parents/grandparents would want to see, so here it is, for you all. I didn't know this, but apparently the Tennessee Charter School Association posted Facebook and Twitter updates when they announced the finalists for teacher of the year, and I got my very own posts, with a link to a bio that is a hybrid of their words and mine.

More of my words to come. I'm struggling to synthesize the past 2 months concisely, but I'll do my best.

Happy Sunday!

The Hardest Job Everyone Thinks They Can Do

I know I've been quiet lately, and I promise I'll update soon. But in the meantime, an article I came across that I found quite interesting, called "The Hardest Job Everyone Thinks They can Do." Sometimes, this is exactly what it feels like.

Summer Visitors

My first (and most likely only) summer visitors were none other than...Mom & Dad!

We had a full 4 days, most of which revolved around food and drinks, but really, would you have it any other way? Especially in Nashville, where there is so much to choose from.

On their first day, we spent some time walking around Centennial Park, with stops in front of the famous Parthenon replica and pretty little garden we found. Now if this isn't Christmas card-worthy, I don't know what is:

I wish I could remember the exact order of everything we did, but my memory fails me (in fact, as we were sitting around a meal our last day together, we had a hard time recalling everything we had done - I think that's a good sign!).

I will say this: we were very productive, and very full the entire week. Mom was in the zone, helping me organize, reorganize, and maximize storage space in my small condo. Dad was a true champ, patiently indulging his indecisive girls in multiple trips to Target and the Container Store, and then building two new pieces of furniture for my hallway. I had a few firsts: first time using a power drill, and first time hemming my own clothing (with help from mom). We rewarded ourselves for our hard work with delicious food at some new restaurants and some of Dad's Nashville favorites. Probably one of my favorite "food moments" that week was taking them to Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream in East Nashville. Not only is the ice cream truly unique and delicious (riesling poached pear, whiskey and pecan, brambleberry crisp, and roasted strawberry buttermilk are just a few of the flavors), but they are also always incredibly friendly and patient, encouraging you to sample as many flavors as you want. Knowing my father well enough, we got there a mere hour after it opened to ensure that we would beat the crowd, allowing dad ample time to indulge in the free samples. Sure enough, there was no one else there and we each had our fair share of sample spoons before deciding on our two flavors.

Ice cream heaven:

Other highlights include: seeing Vince Gill at breakfast one morning; enjoying the patio and delicious brisket nachos at Edley's, one of my favorites and one of dad's new favorites; the Bluebird Cafe, where we ran in to family friends from Glen Allen (small world!); and hitting up a karaoke bar on Broadway, where mom talked a big game about getting on stage, until she realized that people who karaoke in Nashville are legitimately amazing singers. Next time, Mom.

As always, a visit from my parents reminds me just how lucky I am to have two incredible people who have loved me unconditionally, supported me in some life-changing decisions, and continue to take care of me even as I've transitioned into adulthood. Mom & Dad, I am grateful for your generosity, your patience, and your unconditional love.

I'm ready for my next round of visitors...who's in?

Response to the Common Core

There is a lot of controversy in the education world right now, especially in Tennessee. Most of that controversy surrounds the new Common Core framework. Ever heard of it? Quick primer: Each state currently has its own set of standards that it uses to measure student understanding at each grade level, for each subject. This inevitably means the expectations are different for the same grade level in different states. For example, in North Carolina, seventh grade math students are introduced to interior and exterior angles in polygons for the first time. In Tennessee, those specific standards are taught in the sixth grade. The Common Core is a U.S. education initiative whose goal is to align all states to the same set of standards. States can choose whether or not to adopt the Common Core State Standards initiative - at this point, Alaska, Nebraska, Texas, Virginia, and Minnesota have either chosen not to adopt or to adopt only the English standards. But not everyone is happy about the new standards.

I think a lot of the discontent stems from a bit of a misunderstanding. Many people think that adopting Common Core means everyone has to teach exactly the same thing, exactly the same way. For example, Reading teachers must all teach a certain list of books in the sixth grade. In fact, the initiative is meant to just streamline what standards we teach the kids in which grade levels, and the rest is up to the teachers. Thus, reading teachers need to teach their students how to make inferences and summarize the main idea, but whether it's through Number the Stars or Holes or Wonder (my personal favorite) is up to the individual teacher.

That is a very, very basic overview, and I'm sure someone more in-the-know could make some arguments against the Common Core that I haven't thought of. But so far, what I've seen in the Common Core documents correlates very well to what I want my students to be able to do in math class.

One of my good friends from work recently switched jobs to work for the Department of Education as the Director of Communications, or some fancy job title like that. Regardless, her job requires her to keep her finger on the pulse of what people are saying about education in Tennessee, so I'm sure it has been an interesting month to say the least. She forwarded me this article about one person's concern about the new Common Core math standards, and asked me to respond. I think she was probably looking for a two-sentence summary of my thoughts, but in true Ms. H fashion, I wrote a novella. If you are interested in my response, keep reading. If not...see you next time!

Response to the Common Core

1) With any change inevitably comes skepticism, so I definitely understand where Mr. Garelick is coming from. In fact, many teachers are probably equally as skeptical, if not because of the content, then because the constant shifting of curriculum and standards often makes it feel like we are chasing a moving target.

2) I don’t think the Common Core is suggesting that we completely throw out the algorithms and procedural math that students need to be computationally successful. Those can be useful tools in solving many math problems, and work extremely well for many students. However, I think the intention is to shift the focus from a step-based mathematics to a thinking-based mathematics, with which I am in total agreement. If students don’t understand why the algorithm works, it merely becomes a series of steps that students must remember and follow correctly in order to be successful. Teaching the “how” of the algorithm without teaching the “why” will never require students to understand so much as it will to remember. Many of my students are immediately successful when given an algorithm or series of steps to follow to solve a particular type of problem. That “understanding” manifests itself as mechanization later, though, when they are asked to solve a problem out of context and can no longer remember the rules I’ve taught them. Student understanding is strongest when children draw on their previous knowledge, create their own connections to new material, and integrate new knowledge into their own networks of understanding. Developing this context with students, instead of just handing them a predetermined rule, creates flexible thinkers who know when and why to use a particular algorithm or rule.

3) As I read the two reactions cited in the article, I was reminded of the two-dimensional view that I once had of mathematics, that I think a lot of children, parents, and maybe even teachers still have. Many of our children “like” math because they are naturally gifted at computation, and therefore find it easy to be “successful”, as far as grades are concerned. Most children that I have taught that claimed to hate math were coincidentally those that were below grade level and had a history of struggling and frustration in the subject. Possibly one of the most important lessons that I have learned in my measly three years of teaching is that math is not just about numbers; it’s about patterns, relationships, and creativity. It’s about investigation, discovery, and extension. It’s about thinking, reasoning, and sense-making. As soon as I shifted the focus from numbers and calculation to reason, investigation and creative solutions, even my most struggling students have found ways to be successful, ways that makes sense to them and finally make math accessible and even engaging. Math is an exciting subject, and I think the emphasis that the Common Core places in its Mathematical Practices indirectly, if inadvertently, reminds us of the potential that lies within the curriculum.

4) I think one of the most important implications for our children is striking a balance between communicating and mastery. Let’s face it – children theoretically have access to calculators 24/7, thanks to modern technology. They could Google the formula for the surface area of a rectangular prism if they really needed it (which they probably won’t). Yes, I understand that they can’t do that on “the test”, but my concern for my children goes far beyond the world of standardized tests. I’m thinking ahead to the day they have a real job, a career even. Most of the math that they learn in school won’t even be relevant to the majority of their jobs. There will be spreadsheets and computer programs that do the heavy lifting for them. Their job will be to analyze, explain, question, defend, articulate – no matter what their trade or their job, they will have to be able to communicate. That being said, I absolutely agree that children should still be practicing math, and should still be able to compute. But computation without communication will do very little in our competitive world. The teachers’ feat will be to find that balance between teaching computational skills and teaching thinking skills. I don’t, however, believe Common Core is suggesting that computation skills are unnecessary or less important; I think the goal is to challenge teachers and students to go beyond pure calculations and procedures to develop a more holistic child.

Country Living

Yesterday, I took a trip out to my fried Ashley's family farm. Her great-grandparents purchased it over a hundred years ago, and her grandparents still live and work on it now. Some Sundays, they gather for a family meal, some good ol' fashioned porch-sittin', and Gator rides around the property. I was lucky enough to experience all of the above...and I even drove the Gator for a bit!

What a sweet family, and a great combination of relaxation and country fun. My favorite part may have been wearing the rubber galoshes while we traversed through hundreds of acres of open land in what I called "the farmers convertible". I felt pretty legit exchanging my silver sandals for the more practical boots. Other highlights include climbing a rocky hill in the little John Deere Gator and jumping on bales of hay the way you'd jump on the bed.

Needless to say, I was exhausted when I got home. And I didn't even do any work! I can't even begin to imagine how people make a living out of working on a farm - power to the people.

Happy Monday!

School's Out For Summer!

As is the trend with my blog, this post is long overdue.

After a long, exhausting, challenging, rewarding, and validating year...school is finally out! Kids finished school on May 31, and we finished working last Thursday the 6th. We got our test scores, and because they are still embargoed I can't share them in writing, but let me just say I am incredibly proud of our kids. More to come.

The last week of school was one of the shortest we've had all year. We had Monday off for Memorial Day, and the rest of the week consisted of half days (for kids - we stayed to do work until 5 pm). However, as I'm sure you can imagine, it felt like the longest week of the year.

To get us through and celebrate the end of the interminable week, we did lots of fun "summer" things, like a Nashville Sounds baseball game, Brew at the Zoo, and our end of year staff celebration. Pictures below.

I spent my first full day of vacation at the Country Music Festival downtown, hopping between the many stages set up for rising country artists with a coworker and friend. We saw Julie Roberts, Sarah Darling, Andy Gibson, Brett Eldrige, Hunter Hayes (he was a surprise performer!) and Jo Dee Messina. Unfortunately, a storm rolled in and forced Jo Dee off stage early, which was really disappointing. She was by far one of the best performers I've ever seen! I guess that means I'll just have to track her down at her next local concert.

My next order of business this summer was to road trip to Enfield, North Carolina to see my old babies "graduate" from the 8th grade. Along the way, I stopped in Greensboro and Wake Forest to see two good college friends. It was great to see my students, but I was definitely more excited to spend time with my co-workers. As luck would have it, my car was due for a state inspection, so I used it as an excuse to make a trip up to Richmond before heading back to Nashville to see family and high school friends.

After the whirlwind road trip, I am finally back in Nashville, alternating between being productive and being lazy. It's exciting to finally be in a place that I enjoy for a summer, and where there is so much to do! I still have 3 weeks left of vacation, and ambitious plans for those 3 weeks. (Note: Yes, I am trying to stay positive about the fact that I have half the amount of vacation time as most teachers, if only because I have twice the amount of vacation time as most other professions.) Plans include devouring "fun" books, weekly trips to the library, as much pool time as possible, some professional development reading, learning to cook a few new dishes, and reorganizing my place.

Probably my most ambitious and ambiguous goal this summer is to "learn how to sew". I use that phrase loosely, because I'm not really sure how to quantify that. But I took the first step when I picked up my old sewing machine in Richmond, so we'll see how it goes.

I'm finding it quite hard to be productive right now as I sit on the couch, bathed in sunlight from my giant windows and eating breakfast. In fact, I'm not sure how I'll ever get off this couch.

Oh wait, I have a meeting at 12:30 today...at the rooftop pool. Where I can continue being lazy and soaking up the rays. With a friend, a magazine, and an ice cold beverage (water, obviously).

Happy Saturday!

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend has been by far one of the best since I’ve moved to Nashville. And oddly enough, I haven’t done anything spectacular. In fact, the beauty of this weekend is I have never felt more “at home” in Nashville than the past 3 days, doing “normal” things and feeling like a local. The weather this weekend has lent itself to some great outdoor activities. Friday, immediately after our 2 pm dismissal (thanks to the Memorial Day holiday), we headed over to the outdoor patio of a local bar for lunch and happy hour, where I received my first round of sunburn of the weekend. That evening, we spent the evening on the town, enjoying several other outdoor venues as well as a karaoke session.

It was equally as beautiful on Saturday, with the sun shining, not a cloud in the sky, and zero humidity. I made my way to the downtown YMCA to take advantage of the rooftop pool. The pool itself is nothing to write home about, but spending 4 hours doing nothing but reading and soaking up the sun was the perfect way to start my day.

The rest of my afternoon was spent walking around downtown, stopping by the library to grab a new book and planting myself at an outdoor table at Panera for lunch. I was reminded just how much I love living by the city while, as I read my new book and ate my favorite Panera salad, live country music drifted up from Broadway and the Bridgestone Arena was visible in the background.

Saturday evening we headed to a barn party – yes, apparently that’s a thing. My coworker Sarah and her family own a barn 20 minutes outside the city, and it was the perfect weather for a bonfire. The best part – she introduced us to a large group of her friends that weren’t teachers, a first for us! We spent most of the evening being real people, only mentioning school if someone specifically asked.

This morning, I woke up to another sunny, cloudless day, and was itching to get outside, so I walked to the local bagel bakery for breakfast. My friend Annie and I recently bought a one-year membership to the new bike sharing system here in Nashville, and we met at Centennial Park (home of the Parthenon replica) to rent bikes for the first time. B-cycle is a neat program – there are various bike stations located around the city, where an electronic dock allows you to check out and check in bikes at any of the locations (kind of like RedBox for bikes). You pay a membership fee, which covers unlimited rentals and the first hour of every ride free. We have grand plans to bike our way around the city this summer, and today was our trial run. Practicing on the paved, contained sidewalks of a park is the ideal start for a girl who hasn’t ridden a bike in years. I was a little wobbly at first, which I blame on the unwieldy metal basket on the front that weighs down the bike, but after the first few minutes I was feeling pretty confident. There were a few incidents of intentional off-roading to avoid the throngs of people that randomly popped up throughout the park, but for the most part we were pros, and we had a blast.

The day rounded out with a trip to Target, a scrub-down of Annie’s newly bought condo, and dinner at one of our favorite local spots, Five Points Pizza. Plans for tomorrow include more pool lounging, maybe more bike riding, and potentially dropping in on my building cookout to meet some of my neighbors (a year after moving in).

I hope everyone is having a relaxing holiday weekend. Only 4 more days of school!

Tennessee Charter School Gala

This past Saturday, my coworkers and I had a blast at the Country Music Hall of Fame for the Tennessee Charter School Association Gala. It gave us a reason to get out of our "teacher clothes" and into cocktail attire, plus an excuse for a night on the town.

These two ladies have become some of my best friends in Nashville, and both are incredible teachers. We first bonded way back in July over our similar-yet-different corps experiences in St. Louis, the Mississippi Delta, and Eastern North Carolina, as well as our similar, ahem, difficulty adjusting to life in a charter school. As well as our mutual appreciation of good wine. You may recognize them from my Spring Break adventures. Needless to say, I would not have survived this year without these two.

A few weeks ago, I was informed that my principal nominated me for the Teacher of the Year award for TCSA. Apparently, the gala was to honor the nominees and announce the winner (spoiler alert: I didn't win). But for me, it was free beer, wine, and dinner and a night out with my friends.

Don't worry Mom & Dad, Ashley was a great parental replacement - she captured a photo of me standing to be recognized as well as a shot of my picture on the screen as they read a part of my bio and essay. (By the way, they totally Googled that picture of me that's on the screen. Tacky.)

There was even a whole page for my bio in the program - I don't think I've ever had a page of anything before!

Although it was rather embarrassing to be recognized above my hard-working and equally as passionate peers, I am grateful for the nomination. More importantly, though, I am grateful for my job, my kids, my coworkers, and the continuous encouragement from friends and family. I really do have a pretty wonderful life.