The Smartie-verse

"She's really smart" is never something we say on the Joberts Team. The question, of course, is never "Is she smart?" but "How is she smart?"

When we keep in mind the eight intelligences, we realize that we all have talents and gifts, and that we are all geniuses. Genius is something we all possess, it's really just a question of finding it, practicing it, and using it for it's highest and best good. Genius is not easy, but it's there. As Thomas Edison so famously said, "Genius is nine tenths perspiration and one tenth inspiration."

On the Joberts Team, our official candy is Smarties. They remind us that we are all smart, in different ways. Just like the different colors of the candy. This metaphor reminds us that when we use all of our collective intelligences
as a class of 54, we can accomplish absolutely amazing things. We are geniuses from the Smartie-verse.

Fit part 4

Delia was the kind of the kind of kid that no one understood. She was the definition of awkward. Whenever kids were in the hallway talking about their weekend or their vacation or what they did the night before, Delia would always make some weird comment that nobody seemed to know what to do with.

So, how was your break," was echoing all over the hallways on the day back from a snow-day extended winter holiday. Jeanie was the first to respond in her circle of four girls to the obvious question on everyone's mind.

"It sucked. I did nothing. I sat around every day and checked Instagram and watched TV. I went nowhere and did nothing. Totally sucked."

"Mine was awesome," it was Abbey's turn now. We went skiing Up North and my cousins came and stayed with us for like a week, from Minnesota. We always have the best time with them."

"What about you, Delia? What crazy things did you do on your break?" came the inevitable question from another girl, Melinda. Melinda was the unofficial leader of the group of friends. She was the one that all the girls looked to for what to do or say next, and what to wear. When Melinda made a suggestion for where to stand and talk, the typical response from the rest was a head nod or an "okay." If Melinda wanted to eat in the cafeteria on a particular day, then everybody just nodded their heads and went along. If she wanted to try and eat lunch somewhere else, then that's where the group wound up.

Melinda was short for a seventh grader, but looked the part at suburban Ames Middle School. Black leggings that were not too obviously yoga-ish, and tan Ugg boots with almost any top were her daily uniform of choice. The other girls knew that if they wanted to be friends with Melinda, they better get at the least the bottom part of the uniform right. All four girls had the same leggings from the same store at the Pinetrace Mall, and the same boots. Everything had to be purchased from  the same place, or it wasn't good enough for the group. Or at least not good enough for Melinda, who made the rules.

"Delia, hello-o?" Melinda repeated in annoyance. Jeanie and Abbey giggled, as much because this was funny as because they always wanted to make sure Melinda knew they were paying attention to her.

"What? Oh. Yeah. Wait. What did you ask me?" came Delia's reply.

"Oh my God, what planet are you on, girl? Wake up!"

"Sorry, you guys. It's just, I got distracted"

"'I got distracted'", Melinda mimicked. "You always say that. 'I got distracted.' What's wrong with you? I just think you don't listen when people talk to you.

"No really, Delia started to say..."

Where Do I Fit? pt. 3

Delia was the kind of the kind of kid that no one understood. She was the definition of awkward. Whenever kids were in the hallway talking about their weekend or their vacation or what they did the night before, Delia would always make some weird comment that nobody seemed to know what to do with.

So, how was your break," was echoing all over the hallways on the day back from a snow-day extended winter holiday. Jeanie was the first to respond in her circle of four girls to the obvious question on everyone's mind.

"It sucked. I did nothing. I sat around every day and checked Instagram and watched TV. I went nowhere and did nothing. Totally sucked."

"Mine was awesome," it was Abbey's turn now. We went skiing Up North and my cousins came and stayed with us for like a week, from Minnesota. We always have the best time with them."

"What about you, Delia? What crazy things did you do on your break?" came the inevitable question from another girl, Melinda. Melinda was the unofficial leader of the group of friends. She was the one that all the girls looked to for what to do or say next, and what to wear. When Melinda made a suggestion for where to stand and talk, the typical response from the rest was a head nod or an "okay." If Melinda wanted to eat in the cafeteria on a particular day, then everybody just nodded their heads and went along. If she wanted to try and eat lunch somewhere else, then that's where the group wound up.

Melinda was short for a seventh grader, but looked the part at suburban Ames Middle School. Black stretch pants that were not too obviously yoga-ish, and tan Ugg boots with almost any top were her daily uniform of choice. The other girls knew that if they wanted to be friends with Melinda, they better get at the least the bottom part of the uniform right. All four girls had the same stretch pants from the same store at the Pinetrace Mall, and the same boots. Everything had to be purchased from  the same place, or it wasn't good enough for the group. Or at least not good enough for Melinda, who made the rules.

Where Do I Fit? pt.2

Delia was the kind of the kind of kid that no one understood. She was the definition of awkward. Whenever kids were in the hallway talking about their weekend or their vacation or what they did the night before, Delia would always make some weird comment that nobody seemed to know what to do with.

So, how was your break," was echoing all over the hallways on the day back from a snow-day extended winter holiday. Jeanie was the first to respond in her circle of four girls to the obviosu question on everyone's mind.

"It sucked. I did nothing. I sat around every day and checked Instagram and watched TV. I went nowhere and did nothing. Totally sucked."

"Mine was awesome," it was Abbey's turn now. We went skiing Up North and my cousins came and stayed with us for, like a week, from Minnesota. We always have the best time with them."

"What about you, Delia? What crazy things did you do on your break?" came the inevitable question from another girl, Melinda. Melinda was the unofficial leader of the group of friends. She was the one that all the girls looked to for what to do or say next. When Melinda made a suggestion for where to stand, the typical response from the rest was a head nod or an "okay." Melinda was short for a seventh grader, but looked the part at suburban Ames Middle School. Black stretch pants that were not too obviously yoga-ish, and tan Ugg boots with almost any top were her daily uniform of choice.

Snowtastic!

Where Do I Fit? Pt 1

Delia was the kind of the kind of kid that no one understood. She was the definition of awkward. Whenever kids were in the hallway talking about their weekend or their vacation or what they did the night before, Delia would always make some weird comment that nobody seemed to know what to do with.

So, how was your break," was echoing all over the hallways on the day back from a snow-day extended winter holiday. Jeanie was the first to respond in her circle of four girls to the obviosu question on everyone's mind.

"It sucked. I did nothing. I sat around every day and checked Instagram and watched TV. I went nowhere and did nothing. Totally sucked."

"Mine was awesome," it was Abbey's turn now. We went skiing Up North and my cousins came and stayed with us for, like a week, from Minnesota. We always have the best time with them."

My back hurts as I sit in a chair trying to lean forward. But not too far forward. Paul says I have to be careful not to hyperextend my back. Paul is my physical therapist. He teached me strecthes and exercises and all kinds of moves designed to torture my back into shape. From pain to normal. Sometimes it feels like it works and other times it just hurts.

I'm reading two books at the same time. Now that it's 2014, I have decided on a new old strategy to read more consistently. I love reading. I always have. Ever since I can remember, somone has read to me or I have read to myself,. I love to read aloud. I've always been good at it.

The problem for me has always been making time to read consistently on a regular basis. I think my head is full of so many things that I can't decide what to do for any length of time. I always want to do everything, which usually means I wind up doing few things particularly well. Anyway, I decided to practice what I preach and do what I tell my students to do. Read every night for 20 minutes. Write every night for five. Can't be that hard, right? If I do it, great. If I don't do it, I'll try again the next day. Real life. Real reading Real writing.