Strawberry ramblings’ Neighborhood

The uber-cool Bethany of Bethany Actually took part in a round-robin interview a while back and asked for volunteers to be interviewed. I said I do it as a writing exercise as only about 5 people read this blog and might not want to participate in the round-robin-ness of it. So here it is.

1. You are a teacher of the gifted. How did you come to that career? (Did you start out teaching something else and wind up with gifted students, or did you always know that was your calling?)
I have been teaching for a long time. Next year will be my 20th year of teaching. EEK! I actually student taught at the school I am at now. I started out teaching third grade, moved to first, and then looped with my last first grade class. That was a wonderful teaching experience. I loved having the same students for two years. That first day of the second year was so easy and comfortable for everyone. After that, I had a choice to make. I couldn't stay in second grade because my class was the extra in that grade. I could go back to first or try another grade where there was an opening. Sadly, the woman who had run the gifted program for many years was ill and could no longer run the program the way it needed to be. When I approached my principal about it, he told me he was happy I asked because he thought I'd be great at it. Turns out it is my true calling. I love working with gifted kids. In my very small district I am the lone gifted ed teacher and once kids are identified I have them forever. Right now my students range in age from first to eleventh grade. I was never identified as gifted as a child but I get these kids. I understand their quirks and I easily switch gears or stay on a subject according to their interests. I have been blessed because I have very supportive principals who don't flinch when I say, "I've been thinking..."

2. What was the worst job you've ever had, and what did you learn from it?
I have been very blessed and cannot remember ever having a job I didn't like. In high school, I babysat, worked at a small clothing store, and was a life guard. None of these were terrible. In college, I was a desk assistant or a resident assistant and enjoyed those too. I have had some issues with teaching that have been tough. I don't always get along with my co-workers and once had a panic attack (it was after school) when one of them told me I was a self-centered b*tch. This came about because I wanted to do something with one of her students and went to the principal who supported me and she was angry. Some teachers don't like to let anyone else teach their students. In that case, I learned to think ahead about how a classroom teacher might react when I go to the principal and say, "I've been thinking..." I usually go ahead with the idea anyway but I try to consider how the classroom teacher will feel.
 
3. You're a talented artist who loves to dabble in many different media. Is there any type of art you have not yet tried, but would like to?
I would like to learn more about photography. I love to take photos but don't know about the technical aspects. I'd like to do that soon. Here are some of my favorite photos.
4. How many tattoos do you have? Will you get any more?
I currently have seven: right foot- dragonfly, right calf- sun, left foot- luna moth, left calf- moon, right hip- honeybee, lower back- sunflower, right forearm- butterfly. I definitely want more but I think a lot about new ink before I get it. It needs to mean something.  I also have my nose pierced, an upper cartilage piercing, and stretched lobes. Funny story- my mom hates my piercings but loves my tattoos. Two summers ago, I trook her to get her first tat. They traced the dragonfly on my foot and now she has amatching tat on her ankle.

I know. I know. I haven't posted thing 13 or 14. I will but here's 15 for now.

I have never learned how to shade anything. This is definitely going to be something to practice, but here are my initial attempts at shading faces.

I was super-busy yesterday and did not have time to create anything. Instead, I'd like to share with you something quite beautiful. Did you know the heart shape was not created to represent the heart? But instead was meant to represent the female's love spot. True. So here's a lovely, moving video for you to watch. If you have figured out what it is about- fear not- there is nothing embarrassing in this video.

Happy V-Day!

Here is my latest thing a day. I am posting a lot of journal pages but I am also doing a lot of sketches for my Suzi class. I bought some colored pencils and will be starting to add color. Perhaps I'll post :)

I have beensketching and have made more pages for my art journal, but today's thing-a-day is a little sweeter.

Today, Luke and I worked on his Valentine's for his classmates. We still have to make the little tags and attach them, but they are super cute little alien love monsters already.

What are you doing for the holiday?

I do not have a picture of my TaD as I considered the notes I took during today's sermon to be my project. I keep sermon journals. Don't have a pic though.

Here are a few of the things I've enjoyed seeing on the Thing-a-Day site:

First let me share this lovely picture of my Neil...

sigh

and here's my Thing-a-Day: