Saturday, August 30, 2008

My Classroom at Mt. Ogden Jr. High, Room 220

Okay....big warning to my family, friends, and the assorted lurkers out there who would rather die than look at the next 30+ pictures of my classroom, but my teacher-friends might enjoy them. I love my room..... in fact---every year I say the same thing "My room look so good it's a DARN SHAME to let those kids in. " BUT...the kids have come in and they are WONDERFUL! Either they're just great, smart kids, or they're still scared of me.

This is my desk area..
View from the front right.. notice Clint Eastwood in the corner? He has absolutely no literary value...he's just for me.
View from the front left....
View from the back of the room I refer to these ALL THE TIME while reading our novels/poems...they learn them like the back of their hand...

PICS

I love my red posters of the poets..
...and the presidents
I never did get a George W. Bush picture..it ended with Clinton, and now 8 years have gone by so now I'll need a Bush and a McCain.
I put the wars above the dates they happened..it's amazing how much I refer to them..I LOVE timelines and history.
This year is my "Year of Mark Twain"...notice the pretty cowgirl on the other door? I wonder if it's legal to have a pin-up girl poster in a classroom?
These are the boxes with the students' folders..they pick them up as soon as they walk in...I am absoloutely spastic about them putting them way perfectly..... These are the girls' boxes..with the girl poets...
These are the boys' boxes ... with boy poets. I separate them by gender because it wasn't nice the other ways.. you know...by ethnic, religion, cool/not cool...
I know Superman never wrote anything, but he's just cool.
The Gone With the Wind poster was the only one I could find without Scarlett busting out all over...Did you know that GWTW is rated the #1 favorite book for woman? I've read it 3 times myself. And did you know that The Diary of Anne Frank is 2nd most widely read non-fiction book read, next only to the BIBLE?!
The Beatles have great poetry that I cover...

Pics and more pics

Frank goes with me everywhere. I had this tarantula for 14 years..Frank..and I saved his molts if they were in good shape.
He was the best 4th grade classroom pet ever (and I had ..at one time or another..parakeets, hamsters, mice, chicks, and fish) because: 1. He never made any noise... 2) He didn't make a mess... 3) he was cheap to feed, about 6 crickets a month...4) he was interesting... 5)and best of all...ready for this?....the kids never asked to play with him.
side view
looking at my desk ....notice the kids are gone so my shoes come off..
nerve center
These are my grandpa's desks...he was principal at Clinton Elementary for about 40 years, and when they tore the old school down, he took some of the desks and gave me these two. I love them! I build new 'skis' for them this year. Normally they were bolted to the floor.

Pics

My view out my window--of Mt. Ben Lomond
I have three BIG clocks in my room...this week a girl said, "Mrs. House, you really like clocks, don't you?" Notice I only have 4 classes listed on the bell schedule? IT'S BECAUSE I ONLY TEACH 4 CLASSES... Yeah!
My door
Posters of poetsMore poets

More pics

posters
my zoo
The students have these on their desk each day, along with their folder. I'm a bit manic on organization and neatness .. (ask any kid who puts his folder away backwards).
This is how I organize myself at my overhead.
This is my screen saver, at least this week....my students...darling, huh.. I'm often taking their pictures.

Classroom pics again

The family pictures on my fridge...missing the most important one of course! I've got to get Cash on display!
My bud Hillary approves everything I do...remember when she admitted she spoke to Eleanor Roosevelt regularly? I run things by her myself.
My filthy habit. The kids drive me to drink.
Leaving my classroom... going down the stairs..there are 46 stairs to my car.......I knew each one intimately when I had my knee surgery....but I have a great view of the mountain.
Lovely...this is Mt. Ogden..just on the other side of it is Snowbasin Ski resort and Powder Mt....an 18 min. drive from my home.

My Classroom

This new computer/library was just added last year..it's really beautiful. My classroom is on the second floor, so I can look down on this quad area.
I only teach till noon, then head out to the parking lot. This photo looks toward Harrison Boulevard. ---8 mins. and I'm home (3 miles)
This is looking north up Harrison...just two blocks away from Ogden High School...where my mother graduated with the first class in 1938, and where her grandson attends now.
Front
Huge auditorium and theater
.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Michael Phelps Fan Club

Gotta love this Olympian
A tribute to all single mothers everywhere...

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Michael Phelps


America has a new hero. Finally someone everyone can admire and look up to (literally)...He works hard he is humble he loves his mom..what better role model could there be? Mysterious brooding bloodsucker Edward Cullen -- move over.

Golden Girl with the Golden Statue

I asked my niece, Rebecca (Dayton's daughter), if I could post this photo of her. She's a university student and a very sweet young lady ... This was taken when she was on a photography trip to Paris. Lovely. The statue she's leaning against pales in comparison.

Must Love Moab

This was a Sunday and we had attended the Moab Ward in the morning.
Pussssshhhhhh
Balancing Rock
Green River
Dead Horse Point
Ancient rock drawings