This says a lot of it.

For the other lot of it that this doesn't say, this is a good starting point for wanting to write more about school on this blog. The funny things, the tough things, the thoughtful things . . . you know. So here goes . . . 

We Are Cornerstone from Cornerstone Schools of Alabama on Vimeo.

Kids Say . . .

Referring to the Pickle-in-a-bag he brought for breakfast, "Man I wish I had some cool whip to go with it." (4th-grade boy)

"Ms. Señora Davis . . ." (is pretty much my official name).

Me: Are you having a good day?

Student: No.

Me: Why not?

Student: Because my brain is tickling me and it wont stop.

(K5 Boy)

"Hey Buenos Dias Girl!!!" (K5 Girl)

Student 1: Spanish teacher, you got swag.

Me: Excuse me? What was that?

Student 2: Swag, you know.

Me: Swag??

Student 2: He mean you rockin' your clothes!

(7th-grade boys)

I want my students to know . . .

That listening really, truly works better when there is no sound being made by the hearer. 

That I want them to invest deeper into their contribution to the learning environment than responding to a punishment and reward system.

That I would love to see how they dress when they aren't wearing uniforms. 

That there is life after middle school.

¡¡¡Ojos a-freakin'-qui and bocas cerradas!!!

That I care more that they are learning to learn, than how much Spanish they're learning.

That I will listen to them.

That they need Jesus, and that  He is faithful to love and save and redeem.

Tomorrow we'll start the day with an activity called "I want my teachers to know that. . ." 

I can't wait.

Update Style

It seems the only time I think to post anymore in this whirlwind that I call normal life these days is when someone gently reminds me that I never post anymore. That and that it's kind of lame to leave a post about rice as the latest entry for so long. Thanks Dad.

So here's what I've been up to.

Loving fall. Especially because I love my fleece.

Ambitions to ride my bike to work which haven't come to fruition yet.

Keith finished the CPA exam and has passed 3 with flying colors. The 4th is 99.99% in the bag, so we're done with that "lovely" season!

Bought tickets to Nicaragua for Spring Break! To see these awesome people!

Camping with my hubs to celebrate no more CPA. At a campsite that overlooked a spectacular view.

Being diagnosed with Mono and dormant TB in the same week. Fun times. LOTS of doctor's appointments.

Not watching TV.

Trying to be a creative and intentional teacher, plan ahead, invest in students' lives, communicate with parents, etc. Not there yet, but praying a lot.

And seeing these beautiful faces, clamoring to hug me in the halls, calling out "hola!" and "Señora Davis!" everyday.

Baked Rice

Warning: This just might change your life.

Rice. A food staple the world over. Something so simple, yet so elusive. Why is it so hard to get it right? Look no further. I've finally discovered a fool-proof way to cook perfect, moist, fluffy rice. And it's actually quicker than the stove-top method. Seriously people, why am I just discovering this?

Baked Rice Method (for long-grain white rice): Preheat oven to 375. Just like stove-top rice you use a 2:1 water to rice ratio. Start by heating a bit of butter or olive oil in a sauce pan. Add rice (not water) and cook until fragrant and a little glassy looking, just beginning to toast. Add water and bring to a boil (which will happen quickly because the rice and pan are already so hot. Season it at this point. After it comes to a boil, cover, and put it in the preheated over for exactly 13 minutes. After 13 minutes, take it out and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork (because it will be fluffy), and serve!

So good we licked the plates.

It's interesting. When I was working at a desk, sitting all day, I would come home from work and sit more. Now that I'm on my feet all day, I actually come home with more energy. And I've been channeling that energy into cooking. So get ready for some food posts.

Tonight I made a delicious dinner. I modified this recipe and I want to share my version with you (because it's better ;). I served it with baked rice, which I'll share more about tomorrow and green beans. Yum!

Lick-the-Plate Chicken with Tomato Saute

2 chicken breasts
1 small container cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves*
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt
pepper
dried tarragon
italian seasonings
2 Tblsp olive oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
small pat of butter

*You can also used chopped regular tomatoes, I added in one of our homegrown heirlooms today and it added a lot of flavor.

To prepare chicken, take one sheet of plastic wrap and sprinkle it with water. Place the chicken breasts on top of it and sprinkle with a little more water (the water prevents the chicken from tearing by reducing friction). Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and pound out the chicken breasts into an even 1/2-1" thickness with a meat pounder, rolling pin, or the bottom of a jar.

Spoon about a half cup of all-purpose flour on a plate. Mix in a pinch of salt and pepper and a dash of tarragon and italian seasoning. Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a stainless steel skillet over medium high heat. Dredge the chicken directly in the flour-seasoning mixture and shake off the excess. When a sprinkling of flour sizzles in the oil, place the chicken in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the tomatoes to the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper. As they let out juices, use a spatula to scrape up the burnt bits from the chicken. Saute for about 5-7 minutes until very soft and beginning to caramelize. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to med-low and add chicken back to the pan for about 5 minutes. The sauce will reduce and thicken a bit. Right before serving stir in a small pat of butter to finish the sauce and ENJOY! Like I said, we like this best with rice, it soaks up the delicious sauce perfectly.

Los Niños

(click to view large)

First Day/Classroom Pictures

I can't believed I've crossed the first-day milestone! Today went so well. Thank you for the prayers! I start out this week with only middle school classes and will add the rest of the grades next week. The middle schoolers come separated boys and girls (GREAT idea). Today was just the tip of the iceberg, but first impressions are that the 6th grade boys are polite and eager, if not a little sleepy at 8:30. The 6th grade girls are hilarious. The 7th and 8th grade boys are chatty, but super enthusiastic, willing to use a lot of Spanish. And the 7th and 8th grade girls were very well behaved and bright! I am praying that the enthusiasm continues throughout the year. Some highlights included catching a 6th grade girl, unprovoked, taking notes on everything I had labeled and everything  I said in spanish throughout the class on her name tag. Way to go above and beyond! On the flip side, another highlight was a 4-year-old baby girl telling me in the hall that "I ain't goin' to your classroom, and I ain't learnin' no spanish." Hate to break it to you sweetie . . . Adding K4-5th next week should be interesting!

Here are some pictures of the classroom that Kristen, a friend and student's mom took this morning. Hopefully tomorrow I'll snag some pictures of the kids. They are ADORABLE.