I never got to go prom. Be it a sports tournament or my lack of popularity, my own high school prom was just not in the cards for me. When I became a teacher, Prom became an excuse to go out to a nice Nashville dinner, drink a bottle of wine with the other lushes … Continue reading My Favorite Prom
UAS
A Tiny Graduation with a Big Heart
I love graduation. It is that culminating moment when all of the blood, sweat, tears, anger, laughers, failure and successes pay off. It doesn't matter how much grief a student has given me over the years, seeing him or her walk a stage and receive a diploma makes all of the pain worth it. My … Continue reading A Tiny Graduation with a Big Heart
STUCO…The Two-Year Plan
My cancer distraction was school. I knew I had to keep working through chemo or else I would have gone crazy. But the crazy thing is that when chemo was over I didn't really know what to do. It was like, ok...now what? For six months I had an identity. I had a routine. Then … Continue reading STUCO…The Two-Year Plan
UAS Gym sale
If you come to Uruguay for long enough you will discover that besides their very bland cuisine tastes and mate drinking, Uruguayans do not throw anything away. Rich, poor, it doesn't matter. They use and use and use until something is falling apart. And then they try to figure out how to fix it before … Continue reading UAS Gym sale
Teacher Prom
For the second year in a row, Edison Garrone has outdone himself. In an effort to increase teacher morale at the school, Edison was permitted to throw a teacher prom during a Friday evening in our auditorium. Teacher prom is exactly what it sounds like: Food, alcoholic beverages, dancing, and a lot of teachers getting … Continue reading Teacher Prom
The Stupid Week
We had this week from hell at school. I really have no idea HOW the snowball of awful happened, but I do know how it affected me. It started with this project that my students were forced into. It was a pilot project set forth by the school administration to try and implement school-wide project-based … Continue reading The Stupid Week
Silly Socks and Wigs
What do all of the UAS teachers and students do for the English teacher the Monday after she finishes her last chemo? They all take off their shoes, put on some really silly socks, and wear some wigs. Then they come in all day bringing memes about finishing chemo and "take that" cancer cards and … Continue reading Silly Socks and Wigs
The Domino Effect
This week is spirit week at school. It is always my FAVORITE week because we get to dress up silly and be really creative. Our kids are kind of lame at UAS. Unlike at Hendersonville where the cooler you were, the wackier you dressed, these kids think they are way too cool to dress up. … Continue reading The Domino Effect
Mocking Cancer
Last weekend was my meltdown. Last weekend I was done with it all, ready to quit, ready to throw up the white flag and surrender. So, while I was crying my eyes out, Mom said, "Let's focus on something else. What do you have to look forward to next week?" Well, that next week was … Continue reading Mocking Cancer
Back to School
It is the start of a new semester and the second half of the year. I was desperate to get back to school. I was desperate for routine and constant community. I was desperate for hallway hugs and gossip. For the smell of coffee and copy paper. I was desperate for the self-centered world of … Continue reading Back to School
