End of summer, beginning of year 12

Nothing says "end of summer" like Labor Day weekend.

Indeed.

School is now in full force for students, even though teachers have been back since mid-August (and the rest of us since before that). 

Don't worry - Marisa and I totally did our back to school ice cream tradition the weekend before (my) school started.

And you can rest assured I spent my time in church leading up to school's beginning on my knees offering prayers for my teacher & admin friends as well as for my own school. Not only did it make sense to do so, I don't think I would have made it through the week without prayer & Mass...

And fresh flowers, of course...

While it took nearly the whole morning for me to get my act together, I did manage to snap a first day of school picture. (And our business manager also took a real one the week before for our website.)

Only one week in now, but school is certainly keeping me busy. And that is probably more so than last year, as I have a class to plan for and teach: 7th grade Religion. Exciting though it is, I imagine it will take its toll on me when the admin side of things starts piling up, but for now things are good. And, technically, I'm on the Jr High team...

Aside from school, there have been plenty of other goings-on to keep me busy, including but not limited to Shakespeare in the Park, early morning marathon training runs along the lakefront, a Cubs baseball game, reading, a play (or perhaps a few), and other random things, including visits with friends (and even a few dates(!) - but, sadly, there turned out to be nothing promising). Busy, busy...

I've also (clearly) been working on maintaining my girlish figure... 😂

Kidding.

Food is totally worth the splurge.


I hope you are doing well and that wherever you're at in life or in work/school that you're right where you're meant to be. (I also hope you were able to follow the crazy jumping around of this blogpost. My brain is fried...)

Have a wonderful week!

On the verge of Holy Week (and this weekend's whole lotta fun)

Palm Sunday just has a special feel to it. I can't quite figure out how to explain it. It's the start of our, as Catholics, week of high holy days. The narrative of Jesus' passion and death comes alive at Mass. We hold our palms high in procession and later shout together, "Crucify him!" All of our faults and sins lay open to Jesus, as we commit to striving even harder to fulfill our promises during this final week of Lent.

And there is a renewed sense of hope. We know that Good Friday has to come first, that Jesus had to die to save us from our sins. But we know that Easter Sunday follows, and we, as Christians, believe in the Resurrection both of Jesus and, one day, of ourselves.

Have a blessed Holy Week and a Happy Easter!

Unrelated, but, in my humble opinion, worth including...

1. On Friday night I joined with over a thousand other people from across the Chicago area to hear Fr. James Martin, SJ, speak at Holy Name Cathedral about the Seven Last Words of Christ. He always provides thoughtful insight into Jesus and the Scriptures - just read one of his many books if you don't believe me - and he sprinkles in both poignancy and humor.

2. My sister and I went for a 16 mile run on Saturday as part of our marathon training. Though beautiful (as evidenced by the pictures below), it was WINDY! Needless to say, the fresh air did us good but the wind just about killed me.

3. Talk about a throwback - one of my good friends just turned thirty, and his wife organized a birthday party involving laser tag and pizza. Most of us hadn't played laser tag since middle or high school, so we were not quite sure what we had gotten into. It ended up being a LOT of fun - even more than we had hoped. Surprisingly I won the first game. And we all got a good laugh when the man announcing the winners got to me and said, "Gorn bows?" in a state of certain uncertainty. (Somehow "Go Ramblers" had been translated to, I believe, "Go rainbows," and then shortened to "Go Rnbows" which then turned into "Gornbows"...Who knows? But I now have a new nickname.)

What Would You Fight For?

We are in a fight for Catholic education...so, in one of my grad school classes this semester, the professors asked us why we are part of this fight. For me, there are so many reasons, some more easily able to be articulated than others, but I finally got my response (which is actually a script for a video) down to what I've pasted below.

I have to admit, it's good to think about what we stand and fight for from time to time, as it helps us stay focused and striving toward our goals.

And so, even when times are hard, we keep fighting the good fight...

When I think about why I have chosen to fight for Catholic education, I think of Pedro Arrupe and his “Fall in Love” prayer. He says, Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.

It’s simple, really. I’m in love...with God. And, when you are in love with someone, you want to share that love with everyone. As a Catholic school teacher, helping kids come to know, love, and serve God is part of my job. Who else gets to say that?

Pedro Arrupe continues: (What you are in love with) will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,

The coffee helps the getting out of bed, sure, but I am, for the most part, excited to get to school each day. I am living out a vocation that challenges me to grow and learn about the faith on a regular basis because I work with middle school students who ask incredibly deep questions to which I do not have all of the answers. I show up every day for my students, prepared with lessons and activities to try to engage them about the faith, and, when I need them most, they show up for me in the most beautiful ways as well - with artwork, with smiles, or with hugs.

Arrupe explains: (What you are in love with) will decide what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends,

How many weeknights have I found myself at a middle school basketball game or weekends at a school play, Mass, or other activity? I’m not there because I have to be. I’m there because of my students - all of the ones I have ever taught and all of the ones, God-willing, I will one day teach. I love them, and I love seeing them participate in activities they are passionate about because that is part of who they are and it helps to build character.

Pedro Arrupe goes on: (What you are in love with will decide) what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Children help us as adults recognize beauty found in the simple things, pointing out the sunshine after cloudy days or finding a deeper meaning in a quote posted for the day’s journal warm-up. Every day is a gift, and they realize that. As a Eucharistic minister at the school Masses, I watch the students as they come up to receive communion, and I see Jesus in each one of them. And I am overwhelmed. These students are entrusted to our care, and they are saints in the making.

...Fall in Love, stay in love, and it will decide everything. The poem finishes.

For the past 10 years I have fallen deeper in love with God, my students, and Catholic education. I realize the goal of the Christian life is to get to heaven and to bring as many people with you as possible. As a Catholic school teacher, I feel that I work for this goal every day. This is why I am here and why I believe in Catholic education.

A letter to my students

My dear students,

Do you see me looking at you
as you sit in your seats, 
unsure of the directions...
or, perhaps, of yourselves?

Do you know the hours I spend
after school and on weekends 
poring over lesson plans
and assessments,
as I try to meet each of you where you are at,
as I struggle to strike the perfect balance
between being kind and being demanding?

Do you sense the frustration in my eyes
when the chatter continues
long after I've requested the class's attention,
or when your work shows little effort,
when I know you could have done better?

Do you see me smile at you,
just at you,
when you share an insightful thought
or ask a challenging question,
when you persevere in a tough situation,
or when you just need someone to let you know it will be all right?

Do you know how much you matter to me,
how much I think about you?
I can't seem to get you out of my mind.
You have each found a home in my heart,
and nothing you do will ever change that.

And, 
more importantly, 
do you realize how much God loves you?
You are His beloved sons and daughters;
And He gazes at you,
protects you,
wraps His arms around you.

How I long to help you realize this love.
How I long to spend each day
teaching you meaningful content, yes,
but also helping you learn to be kind,
generous, loving, and courageous -
to help you be faith-filled saints in the making.

Each year it's so hard to watch you go -
to move on to high school
and to have no sure way of knowing 
what the future holds for you:
what contributions you'll make to your community and families,
what role your faith will play,
what kind of people you'll become...

But for now,
for today,
I want you to know I am here for you;
I am praying for you;
I would do anything for you;
and, above all, I love you.

Your teacher,
Miss Foyle

From middle school to...middle school?

Some photos are just always awkward... 

Photos like ones before a middle school Girl Scout father daughter dance when your mom must have insisted on a prom-like stance...or your annual yearbook photo. (Yes, even as a teacher I still have to get one done each year - crazy...)

Case in point - though, thankfully, this time my yearbook photo isn't as awkward as years gone by:

It makes me laugh to think about how I got to where I am because, let's face it, teaching middle school was never on my radar as far as I can recall. (Who wants to teach hormonal teenagers and preteens?) I fall flat on my face (metaphorically speaking) every single day. I sometimes feel like I can never get things done because chances are someone will get a bloody nose, or fall out of a chair, or feel the need to comment on everything anyone else says, or make faces to get a classmate to laugh. (Yes, all of these happen more frequently than you might expect.)

And yet, they get my corny humor. They have real and deep conversations about their faith (even though there are often 50 superficial ones in between). They ask amazing questions. And, for the most part, they work really hard.

I love them - every. single. one. of. them, quirks and all. Middle school is an awkward time, let's face it, embrace it, and shoot for the best year yet!

Let me Google that...

Vocation = from the Latin vocare, meaning "to call"

Teaching this unit to 6th and 7th grade at the same time, albeit different standards, is causing my head to spin. I can't keep things straight half the time. And all the time, students are asking me what my vocation is... Most common comment - "Married life?" wink wink. (Let's just say I'm praying about and working on it...)

In 6th grade, they get to do one of my all-time favorite projects: "Doodle 4 Google - Vocations". After designing a Doodle that represents the vocations (as named in the church), the student is asked to provide a written explanation of his/her symbols as well as what the role of each vocation is in the Church.

Most of the students got really into the project, some even begging me to come and see theirs before turning it in because they were so proud of their designs. (Some asked if I could send them off to Google!) Here are just a few of the designs I received today:

I'm really very satisfied with how today shaped up in each class, even though it was a Friday. Nothing was too crazy or difficult to handle, which is sometimes the case at the end of the week, so we are ready to gear up for just a few more weeks of school. It makes me think that some days I am doing things "right" as an educator...

In other news...

At the end of a long day, sometimes the best medicine is fresh-squeezed orange juice (especially when you've had a headache all afternoon and fear you might be coming down with a cold)...

And even feelings of aching and cold-like symptoms can be somewhat forgotten by supportive comments from grad school supervisors... :)

It's the Little Things...

It wasn't an extraordinary or special day by any means, but this May the 4th was one of a couple sweet treats:

1. An 8th grade mom brought me flowers as a belated thank you for the extra personal time I spent on retreat and Confirmation stuff this year. They smell and look beautiful!

2. My boyfriend wanted to participate in teacher appreciation week...so he brought me a donut. Yum!

It's the little things in life, my friends, the little things...

My Last Lecture

For the last couple of weeks with my 8th grade, I wanted to come up with activities that would be meaningful and reflective. Well, that's certainly easier said than done...

That's when I re-stumbled upon Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture." The version I am showing my students on Monday (and the one below in this blog post) is a shortened "recap" done on Oprah. (You can see the full length version HERE.)

Of course! I could have the students make their own "last lectures" - two to three minutes with a focus on family, time, and faith. 

But this meant I had to make my own version first...which I spent a good chunk of this evening accomplishing. It's by no means even close to perfect (or even good) - there's a lot I had to leave out. Two minutes is such a short amount of time when trying to convey life lessons...

We'll see how the students do. Usually on projects with iMovie they end up blowing me away by their ability to navigate the app, add music, and do other things, so let's hope that's the case for this one last time. I wonder what their messages to the world will be...

Make it count. Make it last.

May the Lord bless us and keep us. May the Lord let His face shine upon us and be gracious to us. May the Lord look upon us kindly and grant us peace. Amen.

It's like clockwork. The end of the day draws near. Students know that once dismissed they stand behind their desks for prayer. And they know exactly which prayer we'll say.

Even on days when I am too frustrated or distracted to find the words or take the lead, they do it on their own.

Yes, we're in the midst of the "final countdown," the "senioritis" (as far as 8th graders go), and the general "I'd rather be outside right now because I could care less about school," but we teachers are still pressing onward. By golly, these students will learn until the final bell, let me tell you...

If only.

I have to keep it together.
I have to focus on what these 8th graders have done and can do (rather than what they choose not to do or can't).
I have to believe that the end of the school year will arrive quickly, much more quickly than I actually do want it to.
I want to think I've done my best to impart the notion of developing a personal relationship with God through constant prayer and regular Mass attendance.

I love them.
Each one.
And I think of the words we pray at the end of each class, and I pray them with sincerity: May the Lord bless us and keep us. May the Lord let His face shine upon us and be gracious to us. May the Lord look upon us kindly and grant us peace. Amen.

We have come full circle.

Transforming Before My Eyes

Teaching middle school is a whole different ball game from teaching elementary school. You don't need to be (or consult) a rocket scientist to figure that one out. And I'm not here to argue if one is better or easier than the other.

What I would like to point out, though, is the opportunity to witness growth over a two- or three-year period with the students in your classes as a middle school teacher. (Yes, you can witness growth of students when they remain in the building and move on to other grades, but it's not quite the same as interacting with them every day.)

Recently, this thought came to my attention because I realized how much one student in particular has transformed over the past two and a half years. I'd like to think I have had something to do with it, but I realize a lot of it came after her summer internship experience working with the homeless.

She was one of those students who originally got on my nerves, making comments that seemed to reflect a desire for attention and for everything to be related to her. Honestly, I used to get irritated. When I would think of my "favorite" students (ok, let's be real, we have no favorite students as teachers, right?), she used to not be one of them.

But, again, it's funny how time and experiences shape us. Now, this young woman is helping to start a service club for students at our school. She even asked me to write a letter of recommendation (a secondary one for her character/faith) as part of her high school application process (and then proceeded to write a sweet thank you note - see below).

The girl I knew in 6th grade is no more. She has transformed before my very eyes. And, if I stop to think about it, each of my students has changed quite a lot since they entered my religion class. (I sure hope I've contributed even a tiny bit to changes for the better.) Some still irk me (and some irk me more than they used to), but they are all on their way to finding their identities and preparing for their future education and careers.

I'm very proud of all of them. I hope they continue to grow intellectually, emotionally, and in their faith lives.

You've Got to Be Taught

Never have I been a more firm believer of the idea that you have to be taught prejudice and fear, just like the classic musical, "South Pacific," reminds us:

One of my 8th grade students took the initiative to present to her classmates about her summer experience at a leadership institute through one of the local universities that allowed her some field experience working with the homeless population in our city. I could clearly see that spending time just talking to people had made a huge impact on her outlook, no matter what preconceived notions she had before. Her classmates, on the other hand, who did not have such an experience, were quick to offer their own "experiences" of seeing people on the street who take money given to them to buy cigarettes or drugs.

"Why don't they get a job?"

"Why don't they just go to school?"

Do you hear what you're saying? (Probably not - it's probably just repeating what they hear their parents say...) What would you do if you had to choose between providing shelter for your family or getting them food? What would you do if  you were mentally ill (or someone in your immediate family was) and you couldn't afford medicine without forgoing other necessities?

The young people I teach have not even begun to grasp how fortunate and privileged they are - not everyone in this world can send their children to private/Catholic school, let alone one like ours with such fine facilities and opportunities. And why should we be so lucky to have these chance? There's no answer - it's pretty simple and straightforward: many of my students have won the proverbial "middle to upper white class" genetic lottery - they were born into their families, doing nothing to earn where they are today.

It's so easy for those of us privileged with opportunities to point fingers at those who have less, when, in reality, we need to turn those fingers around and ask ourselves what God wants of us because we've been blessed with so much. We are in the prime positions to make a difference. (Granted, I'm a Catholic elementary school teacher so it's not like I have money flowing out of my bank account, but it's enough to get by on and then some, for sure.)

My 8th graders are on the brink of their unit on Catholic Social Teaching, so this is as good a time as any to address these prejudices. But I've been in enough situations to realize that it's going to take more than merely trying to tell them facts, figures, and stories - their prejudices may never change (or at least maybe not until they get a chance to spend time with others outside of their immediate social class), but I'm going to try. I'm trying to think through some optional enrichment projects that include students reading a book like Crenshaw, Paper Things, or No Place (any other suggestions are welcome too!), and then having them spend time on websites or with agencies that reach out to those in need in our community (church or otherwise). With the insight from the book and information researched, I am hoping they can put together a Prezi, Weebly, iMovie, etc. that helps them demonstrate some new-found understanding and just maybe helps them start to shift their views towards homelessness in our community.