My coat project continues to progress nicely. That is the good news. The bad news is that the pictures of the shoulder adjustments were lost in the computer crash of November. I did bring the shoulder line in 1.25 inches and the set both sleeve into the lining. I did not line the sleeves with flannel. That was a hard decision to make. I toyed with the idea of lining them down to the elbow but decided that it was just to much bulk. The idea, I keep reminding myself, is a light weight jacket. I am happy with this adjustment and the sleeves fit better lenghtwise as well. I pinned the wool and have cut the pattern pieces out. That was quite the process! The fabric has a very dark plaid to it so I traced registration marks onto each piece. In every project before, I usually succeeded in alining the plaid through sheer dumb luck to quote a great phrase. This time I didn't want to risk it. I also took the time to aline the collar with the vertical and horizontal registration marks as well. All in all it looks great, I decided to pipe the back yoke and front opening of the pocket. Subtle, but just a enough of a touch, to dress up the look. Basting and sewing next! I need to wait though, right now I'm beat (and certainly missing some grammar and spelling errors too). zzzzzzzzz zz zzz...

so... a very bad pun.

If you look at the interlining you can see that I had to hand baste it to the lining. The grains of the the flannel and the taffeta made it impossible to sew them together without bubbling and slipping. To save my family from nuclear meltdown I grabbed my needle, thread, and a large glass of red wine. I won't vouch for the accuracy of any sewing but at least the entire thing is done. I need to make a disclaimer here; I did tissue fit the pattern before I cut! Honest I did, I did! The tissue fit said to add to the bottom of the front panels. My fear of cutting to small took over and so I added the fabric. UGH....

You can see that caused the seam lines to skew out of plumb.

I also didn't need the extra "winger" this caused. Thank heavens for muslins, aka interlinings. That was marked as the first alteration. However, I was happy with the yoke and the "V" of pleats down the back. I think it looks good and will make a comfortable back.

Next, I removed the excess fabric from the pleated area. I still feel like the shoulders are a bit too wide. I marked them, but I will wait to cut them down until I have test fit a sleeve. I ripped out the sides, removed the added fabric, and restitched them for the second fitting.

You can see that the seams hang much more plumb and they don't have the twist that the excess caused.

I have to keep in mind that this is an outer coat. Each fitting is done over at least two layers. I think this fitting is better and I am almost happy with the drape of the front. I like the way the lapel lays open and is well placed for my frame.

I am counting on the weight of the wool to eliminate some of the "poof" that these fabrics create around the tummy. All in all, I like it so far, not "loving it" yet. But, it is a work in progress. I will post sleeve fitting next and cutting the wool. Opinions gang... I think it needs some piping along the back yoke and would like some feedback. Oh, FYI the button holes will be bound. When you think about the piping that might help. Comments anyone?

Well the first set of the pictures are ready to upload. This is a new skill so hopefully it will work!

This is the fabric, lining, and a very blurry picture of the pattern. I am trying to figure out distance with my camera. I wanted to make the left hand jacket. It's a pleated back from a yoke. I was hoping to make a barn jacket. Something easy to slip on and run to the grocery store with. The fabric is a dark plaid that doesn't jump out at you as much as the lining will. I thrifted all the fabric and bought the pattern on a $.99 sale. I am hoping it will not be a total wadder. That, by the way, is a new term that I learned from all the sewing boards I have been reading lately. Truthfully, it's kinda nice to know the proper term for a piece of sewing that goes so wrong, you wad it up and toss it. LOL! After all these years, now I know. I am not alone! So another shot of the fabric, which is not much better than the first one... hum.

and just so everyone knows... sewing is very messy work. This is a shot of my guest room being consumed by fabric, pattern, and assorted reference books.

yikes! Next step, basting the interlining to the lining. Keep fingers crossed.

It's been forever! I haven't blogged about my adventures in ages so this time I am going to try and document the evolution of my new winter coat. I hope pictures are easy to upload because this will need some visual support. Being of short stature and unique shape I have decided to create my own coat this winter. An adventure in of itself but the fabric begged for a new home. I found over 6 yards of a lovely 100% wool fabric and some wild and fun lining at the local thrift store. So, being the adventuress I bought self same fabric hauled it to the dry cleaners and then home to begin. Ideas abounded, but reticence prevailed. First"s" should be successful. So I went with a jacket that is simple but highly useable and included jusst enough stretching to be worth the fabric and skill "de-rusting". More to follow shortly!

So many fun ideas

One of the hardest things I do is edit. I have dozens of crazy fun ideas for every lesson that I teach. Keeping them organized so that I can use them, reflect on them and polish them is crazy hard! I've gone digital and thank heavens for that. I try to keep them sorted by topic and grade but even that gets wonky. Pictures help and hopefully over the years I will be able to finally find a good system.

This weeks search, find about 30 pairs of plastic glasses. I will be having my class use a rubric and wearing the glasses to "see with an editors eyes". Looking for errors and places to strengthen their writing.

Now, off to plan another week!

It's a hit!

Well teaching grid coordinates, Idaho history, and team work was a complete success with Battleship Idaho. I was delighted to see my class get so envolved with finding lakes, mountians, and natural geological features that they zipped through a 30 minute block in the blink of an eye.
One of the easiest lessons I've done so far.

Next two weeks are short ones so I'm going to do readers theater with this class. I think they really work well when they can "do" the activities. What's hard to realize is that when those two weeks are over, I will be looking at the middle of October and only have a few weeks left to share with them.

Living History

Well,
My neighboring student teacher and I did a Living History event for our students. I portrayed Eleanor Roosevelt and she was Amelia Earhart. The kiddos in my room were one tough audience. Didn't say a word, stared at us, and it was like dying on stage. ARGH. Slow, painfully slow, agonizingly slow.
Then, the next room was a total hit. They lit up like a room of light bulbs, smiled and completely got into the event. The minutes flew by and we could have kept it going for a good 30 minutes. What a difference a wall makes.

So much else to say, ah well.
Another day, another lesson.

Never enough hours in the day.

I always seem to run short on hours. I get the students really on task and they are so engaged that when I look up and realize that it’s time for recess or specials or going home the kids are begging to keep going. I love that aspect! Watching them ignite with understanding is truly a golden moment for me.
This week I coerced my fellow student teacher into doing a living history event with me. Kadie I hope you’ll forgive me someday.  We are going to come in costume and be Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt. The object is for our students to ask the 5 W’s, and write a personal narrative about meeting either one of these wonderful women. I am so excited to see their faces I only hope that this goes as well as I think it will. Meanwhile, I am frantically memorizing facts from Eleanor’s biography and trying to plan the writing lesson, ack!
Now if I just could find 2 more hours for each day we might be able to get to everything we want to get to.

New Oxford Entry

If there could be a new entry in the Oxford English Dictionary it would be;

Flexability(adj) Teachers during the first few weeks of school.

My mentor teacher has been fantastic about including me in the real picture of scheduling and it has been an eye-opener. Our school is a Title One school, so the teachers juggle EL, ERR, RR, Title, and specials ensuring that every student is taught the core curriculum. Let me just say, wow.

My mentor teacher has allowed me to take over spelling, basal reading, some of the writing assignments, read aloud, vocabulary, and the bell work summary. She is easing me into the novels, history, and math lessons over the next couple of weeks so that I don't get overwhelmed. Math is an area of concern for our school and will be targeted for special focus, so I'm glad that is farther out on my planner.

I taught my first completely "original" lesson today on metaphors. It went well, but it certainly wasn't a smashing success that you'ld want to write home about. It was a good solid 30 minute lesson, and at least one student independently used the word (metaphor) correctly to identify a metaphor in his basal story during his reading group. I used several different classroom management techniques during the lesson to get them talking and working collaboratively. Since it's early in the year we are still building those relationships in our room and I am excited to watch them test their wings. Thursday and Friday are the similie lessons!

Leader Of The Year 2009

Leader Of The Year 2009

Why?

I came home the other day to find the upstairs trash can on the kitchen table, and the kitchen trash can in it's correct location minus a trash bag. So, in all innocence I asked the question, (join in any time) "Why is the trash can on the table?"

She blushed looked me in the eye and said...
"You know the dumpster?"

I'm thinking to myself, hmmm... not seeing the connection yet.
"Yes, what about the dumpster?"

"Well, I dumped the trash and it fell in. So I had to fish it out."

Now, the dumpster is our trash bin and it's a good four foot tall. You can imagine the picture I'm getting right about now. "How did you fish it out?"

"I stood on the other bin and the recycle fell off, spilled all over the garage, and I fell into the dumpster. Then the lid fell on me."

Spock would be proud of me! Eyebrow raised, "Why did you stand on the dumpster? Why didn't you get help?"

"Well I didn't mean to knock the recycle over, it just(!) went everywhere, so I got all the paper picked up and the plastic and then I saw the cans under Dad's car, go figure. So I got them picked up and then I got the bucket and tried to reach the can in the dumpster but the bucket started cracking on me and tipped over and then the lid fell on me..."

Taking a slowwww... deeeppp breath.... "SO, why is the trash can on the table?"

"Cause after all that I was almost late getting to the bus and I still had to get the rest of the trash out. And the dumpster stinks."

With great restraint, I ask, "Would you please take the trash can off the table and put it away?"

"Sure!"

sigh. At least the ants are gone...

My Bunker Hill

I wish the answer fairy would arrive. I'd love to know what makes us pick the hills we decide to make our stand on. My nemesis, my great white whale, my Bunker Hill is the lunch box.

Now this should be a non issue. I know. In the grand scheme of things; twenty, thirty years from now the lunch box battle will be just a flea speck of memory, if at all.

But for some reason this where I have decided to make my stand. The lunch box comes home from school and promptly goes into the closet. Yes, that was written correctly. It comes home Monday through Friday and promptly goes into the front coat closet. Loaded with partially empty Tupperware, assorted detritus, and a melange of other items.

Come morning, I make my opening salvo. "Where is your lunch box?" The first battery returns fire, "I'll go get it." I maneuver into the next position, "Is that where it belongs?" Strategic reassessment and field repositioning, "What can I take for lunch?" Countered positioning, "What's in the fridge?" with and second round, "You better hurry you only have 15 minutes."

That equates to a step backward, for the next battery fires from down field, "I have all my homework done." I wheel the cannons right and return fire, "Great, finish packing and get your stuff into the car." The light charge enters the field, "Done. I'll go put this in the car."

In this moment I know I have been outmaneuvered again, but I have not yet conceded the field, yesterdays tupperware is piled in the sink where it will stay until the evening foray.

Come evening, I make a final swing left, "Clean up the tupperware. Where is your lunch box?" Heavy artillery, booms across the field. "I'm not done with my homework, and I have to take a shower tonight." I return fire, "Okay, get it done and get this tupperware cleaned up." Bam! The final round slams home without so much as a warning. The tupperware is rinsed and into the dishwasher, the shower is started and runs and runs and runs...

It isn't until the next dawn that it hits me. Yet again, the lunch box has become a petri dish and I am left standing on my hill. Yet again.

But today the cavalry arrived, only time will determine the outcome. The cavalry consisted of a few hundred small black ants. Busily cleaning up on Friday's lunch box all weekend.

War has it's gross factor. But when you're hunting that great white whale, you thank the stars, wait for the bus and then spray the Black Flag.

footprints

It's funny the memories that we pick and choose to keep along the way through life. Today was one of those days when I got a glimpse of the memories that Katie is holding.

Crayons. Shredded crayon actually. The undeniable, pure, unmitigated pleasure of shredding crayons.

To put this memory into perspective takes abit of a tale. Like most new parents, we were poor as church mice. Poor enough that a coloring book and box of crayons was considered a luxury. I wasn't being selfish, I made sure that Katie had her own box, but mine was that heavenly vision of perfection. 96 colors all new and perfect. Nothing compares to the smell of new crayons. Yep, it was the kid in the candy store effect, mine all mine.

So, my box was carefully put away, far from the reach of little hands; or so I thought. I still don't know how she knew where they were or how she managed to get into them. But like all the best laid plans of mice and men, there was a minor... derailment.

Katie had discovered the delight of stripping off the paper wrapper, madly coloring wild designs, shredding them into bits and pieces, creating new masterpieces along the way.

My poor crayons never stood a chance. I was devistated. My luxury gone. Evidentally, I made my point that day with Katie. Because it's been seven years now and she hasn't forgotten Mom's crayons.

Then again, she hasn't forgotten the pleasure of shredding crayons either.
I think it's time to buy her a new box.

Push IN rather than Pull out, an interesting thought

Why do Finland's schools get the best results?

Advertisement
Finland's schools score consistently at the top of world rankings, yet the pupils have the fewest number of class hours in the developed world.

By Tom Burridge
BBC World News America, Helsinki


Last year more than 100 foreign delegations and governments visited Helsinki, hoping to learn the secret of their schools' success.

In 2006, Finland's pupils scored the highest average results in science and reading in the whole of the developed world. In the OECD's exams for 15 year-olds, known as PISA, they also came second in maths, beaten only by teenagers in South Korea.


Education in South Korea

In South Korea, the school day is long and pupil's have a much stricter study regime.


Watch John Sudworth's report on the drive to succeed in Seoul
This isn't a one-off: in previous PISA tests Finland also came out top.

The Finnish philosophy with education is that everyone has something to contribute and those who struggle in certain subjects should not be left behind.

A tactic used in virtually every lesson is the provision of an additional teacher who helps those who struggle in a particular subject. But the pupils are all kept in the same classroom, regardless of their ability in that particular subject.

Finland's Education Minister, Henna Virkkunen is proud of her country's record but her next goal is to target the brightest pupils.

''The Finnish system supports very much those pupils who have learning difficulties but we have to pay more attention also to those pupils who are very talented. Now we have started a pilot project about how to support those pupils who are very gifted in certain areas.''


Advertisement
The BBC's Tom Burridge talks to Henna Virkkunen, the Minister of Education and Science in Finland.

Late learners

According to the OECD, Finnish children spend the fewest number of hours in the classroom in the developed world.

This reflects another important theme of Finnish education.



Children walk around in their socks at Torpparinmäki Comprehensive
Primary and secondary schooling is combined, so the pupils don't have to change schools at age 13. They avoid a potentially disruptive transition from one school to another.

Teacher Marjaana Arovaara-Heikkinen believes keeping the same pupils in her classroom for several years also makes her job a lot easier.

''I'm like growing up with my children, I see the problems they have when they are small. And now after five years, I still see and know what has happened in their youth, what are the best things they can do. I tell them I'm like their school mother.''

Children in Finland only start main school at age seven. The idea is that before then they learn best when they're playing and by the time they finally get to school they are keen to start learning.

Less is more


Education in the United States

"If education is expensive, try ignorance"


The US education secretary discusses the challenges facing the Obama administration
Finnish parents obviously claim some credit for the impressive school results. There is a culture of reading with the kids at home and families have regular contact with their children's teachers.

Teaching is a prestigious career in Finland. Teachers are highly valued and teaching standards are high.

The educational system's success in Finland seems to be part cultural. Pupils study in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.

Finland also has low levels of immigration. So when pupils start school the majority have Finnish as their native language, eliminating an obstacle that other societies often face.

The system's success is built on the idea of less can be more. There is an emphasis on relaxed schools, free from political prescriptions. This combination, they believe, means that no child is left behind.

CBS Again, this time, that nasty word DIET

Fat Rats Starve Rather Than Eat Healthy Food

(CBS) Adding fuel to the idea that junk food is like crack, scientists at Scripps Florida say rats fed high-calorie junk food became addicted to the food and voluntarily starved when given healthy food instead of, say, cupcakes.

Repeat: The rats voluntarily starved instead of eating healthy food.

Scripps Florida scientists Paul Kenny and Paul Johnson tell the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that junk food changed the rats' brain chemistry in the same way that chronic cocaine use alters an addicts brain functions.

In the experiment, one group of rats was given healthy, nutritionally balanced food. A different group was given "unlimited access to the worst stuff Johnson could find at [the supermarket] Publix, including bacon, sausage, cheesecake, pound cake, Ding Dongs and frosting," reports the Sun-Sentinel.

The junk food group gained weight and became less active. "More surprisingly, the fat rats exhibited the sort of self-destructive behavior associated with human junkies. The rats would eat junk food even if they knew doing so would result in a mild but distinctly uncomfortable electrical shock to their feet," reports the Sun-Sentinel.

The scientists then replaced the unhealthy food with the healthy diet of the first gtoup of rats, and the fat rats refused to eat at all.

Junk food alters the brain's chemistry by releasing dopamine that would normally be released when having sex, snorting cocaine or eating a rich dessert, say the scientists. The junk food-addicted rats learned that the easiest way to experience pleasure was by eating high-calorie, high-fat food.

Kenny and Johnson hope the results of the study can help people learn to deal with food addictions.

"Food can be highly addictive," author of "The Maker's Diet" Jordan Rubin tells the Sun-Sentinel. "When people describe overeating and weight loss as a battle, this is why."

I lifted it from CBS News. Giftedness faces such a battle

.STORRS, Conn., March 26, 2010
Child Prodigy, 13, Claims UConn Age Bias
Youthful Sophomore Colin Carlson Tries to Legally Force University to Reverse Decision Denying Him Study Abroad
Font size PrintE-mailShare1 Comment .Like this Story? Share it:

Share On Facebook..
Colin Carlson, left, speaks to fellow student, senior Alex DeFrancesco, before their Evolution of Green Plants class at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn., March 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
. In this Tuesday, March 23, 2010 photo, Colin Carlson, 13, listens to a question during an interview with The Associated Press at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
.
Colin Carlson, 13, left, and fellow student and friend Eileen Underwood, look at plants at the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Greenhouse at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn., March 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
.
Previous slide
Next slide
0.
1.
2.
.
State Fast Facts

Connecticut

Learn about the people, economy and geography.

.
Interactive

Education In America

Backpack ready? Learn more about education in America through fun facts, national statistics and unusual schools.

.Stories
Math Prodigy, 14, Invited to Cambridge
Ten-Year-Old Prodigy Plays Carnegie Hall
(AP) Even at 13, Colin Carlson believes he's running out of time.

Colin is a sophomore at the University of Connecticut, seeking a bachelor's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology and another in environmental studies. But he's been knocked off course by the university's rejection of his request to take a class that includes summer field work in South Africa.

He and his mother say university officials told them he is too young for the overseas course. So he's filed an age discrimination claim with the university and U.S. Department of Education, which is investigating.

"I'm losing time in my four-year plan for college," he said. "They're upsetting the framework of one of my majors."

Michael Kirk, a spokesman for UConn, would not comment on Colin's case. But he said that generally, safety is the university's first concern when travel is involved.

The university would not let Colin enroll, even after his mother, Jessica Offir, offered to release UConn from liability and accompany her son as a chaperone at her own expense, she and Colin said.

Colin was 2 or 3 when he began reading on his own, Offir said, and was up to "Harry Potter" by the time he was 4. An only child, he has faced trouble before because of his brainpower. His kindergarten teacher would not allow him to take books with him at nap time, and he was ridiculed by other children who fired math questions at him to entertain themselves, she said.

"You have no idea what kids like this experience," Offir said.

Colin skipped two grades in public school and began taking psychology, history and other courses at UConn when he was 9. He graduated from Stanford University Online High School at age 11, and soon after enrolled full-time at UConn.

"I'm actually like any other student," he said. "The faculty and students have better things to do than worry about a 13-year-old holding his own."

Over the years, Colin, who said he is fascinated by natural ecosystems, has traveled extensively. He has gone sea kayaking off Nova Scotia and Ecuador, hiked in numerous national parks and, with his mother, has traveled across the U.S. by car.

"It's important to have a very wide world view," he said. "Biology is fundamentally about the diversity of life, with a focus across the planet."

Colin says the course in conservation work in South Africa would have been critical to his studies and the rejection has forced him to change his thesis plans.

He said that once he's completed his undergraduate studies, he wants a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology and a degree in environmental law for a career in conservation science. He intends to earn the two degrees by age 22.

Carl Schlichting, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology who has taught Colin in two courses, said he is not only an outstanding student, but is unusually certain for a 13-year-old about where he is headed professionally.

"He has very strong ideas about what he wants to do," he said. "His self-confidence is very high. It's a very unusual package to see the intellect and confidence at that age."

To be eligible to study abroad, students may not be on university probation or academic probation and must have earned a grade point average of at least a "C" - no problem for Colin, who's an honor student with a near-perfect 3.9 GPA.

The study abroad office and faculty member leading the trip ultimately decide who may go, Kirk said.

Brian Whalen, president and chief executive officer of the Forum on Education Abroad, a nonprofit member association of 400 schools, agencies and other groups, said he has not heard of another case where a college student Colin's age had tried to study abroad. When accepted into a college or university, a student generally is assumed to have access to academic programs, he said.

Although Colin was barred from the South African field trip course, he will participate in a National Science Foundation-funded research group that also will take him to South Africa to study plant ecology.

Colin and his mother say they would be satisfied if the university ensures that the NSF-funded research trip and a seminar fulfill the academic requirements of the course he originally sought. They also have asked that $5,000 in stipend and expenses be reimbursed.

Their lawyer, Michael Agranoff, said he wants to negotiate a solution. He and a lawyer for the state have scheduled their first meeting Friday, he said.

Colin says he would prefer not to have to fight, but he has no choice.

"When people are drawing lines in the sand, you're going to have to cross them," he said. "I'm not going back."

© MMX, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Somethings

It's always ironic how just the right words fall into our hands at just the right moment. Just a bit of background information, I've been reading a wonderful book called, Guiding the Gifted Child, and I just finished the section on; Meltdown and Burnout.

Here around the house Katie has been flying through projects. She has so many projects pulling at her attention, and she is trying to finish all of them. The anticipated melt down finally arrived. Thankfully I understood how to help, some words to reassure Katie. "Not everything started is worth finishing."

What a wonderful concept.

What might start out as a wonderful idea, might turn out to be overwhelming, not worth our time, or a in truth a complete failure. But, that's okay! Knowing how and when to let go, is just as important as knowing when to persevere. Real wisdom is being able to discern the difference and follow the path that is right for you.

Growing

She's growing up. The old saying about blink and your baby is gone, blink again and your child is gone, blink again and they are walking down the aisle, is certainly true. A friend was talking today about her toddler and memories came rushing back.

The memories of not knowing what to do, what to say, how to say it. Most of all, wanting to help my little one become the person that I knew she could be. Little did I know how truly amazing the journy would be.

Now, she is peeking out the door, and independence is just a few years away. Without a doubt I'm not ready even if she thinks she is.

Women throughout history

Sometimes we forget, we get busy, we look the other way, or we are afraid. This video takes a moment and gives a well deserved nod to those who made a difference.

Not my first thought, just my first blog

Welcome,

If you are reading this post hopefully you know me. If you don't please look about, register and introduce yourself.

I wanted to create this blog a couple of years ago. And, as with many other things life somehow managed to "get in the way". But this journey has been filled with important people, thoughts and revelations, as well as events. I felt that the time has come to document it, share it, and reflect upon it.

To my friends and family, thank you!
To newcomers welcome.