Welcome!

aloha,

Welcome to my second blog! All about my job! Wahoo! And I have the BEST job ever; teaching 92 wonderfully crazy eighth graders. I say crazy because in January/February I usually say that my students "go over to the dark side". We are just too comfortable with each other. They drive me crazy!!!! I know the troublemakers (and watch them like hawks) and I know those who are really interested in science. But then, they know me. They know that I love, LOVE science and that I am always smiling (even when yelling). They know that when I close my eyes and start breathing deeply, that I am reaching my breaking point. Oh, come April, they will return "to the light" and I will cherish ever last moment I have with these kids.

I actually had this blog post ready to go on Monday, but I just couldn't come up with a "cool" blog title. I follow blogs called "It's not all flowers and sausages" (3rd grade teacher - She is hilarious and you must check out) and "Tall Mom on the Run" (hopefully you can see that one is about running). I really needed a clever title. Suddenly this morning (at 4:47 am), it came to me. Change of State. It fits. I teach science and recently just covered matter and the changes it undergoes. My students had to complete a lab, in which they did these mini experiments and decided whether physical or chemical changes. They see that changes of state (i.e. melting, evaporating, etc.) are just physical changes because the substance never changes.

But it also fits my current situation. Five years ago, I headed west from Boston, Massachusetts and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. At least I had a fabulous job, but I knew no one here........Five years, and I love it here! The weather (this weekend I am heading to the beach), the people (did you know it is rude to honk here?), the relaxed nature of the place (aloha), and the fact that I am not THE teacher of color at my school. Ultimately I know I will return to the snowy Boston (and my family), but for now - I am so happy.