Lenkaland

I was reminded about allergies today.  Could be fall allergy season . . .

Which means a few weeks of headaches.  :)

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A new consequence of over-doing my life . . . like cleaning the house yesterday.  Headaches.  I wake up with behind-the-eyes, migraine headaches.  Blech!

The biggest challenge is that there is no in-the-moment warning that I have overdrawn my personal energy account.  I find out the hard way

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Episode 20  Show Notes

Links:

Apple Magic Trackpad

A Cold Dark School with Zombies at the Gates, short story by Lenka for Kindle

A Cold Dark School with Zombies at the Gates, short story on Lulu (free)

Pandora Radio

New Free Computer Wallpaper, featuring sunflowers, Photography by Lenka, Password is disability

Welcome to Episode 20!  In the commentary, I say Episode 19 because I checked the archive page and the links to Episode 19 never made it into the archives.

Which is an appropiate window into life these days.  School is back in session.  I teach part time.  The beginning of the year is a flurry of preparation and energy as we establish community with our new students.  It’s fun and very busy.  So it makes sense that a few little details slip past me

We started the show talking about Apple.  I tried the Apple Magic Trackpad at an Apple store recently.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I expected it to be a like a laptop mouse-pad with the sensitive pressure tapping with drives me crazy.  But the trackpad had a click feature with a slight give and an actual click.  I could see it being a great feature for navigating around the computer, especially if gripping the mouse becomes an issue.  It is a little expensive, $69.  May be worth the investment.

We received an email from Paul with additional hints about iMac shortcuts: Because of my visual fluctuations I find by pressing the CONTROL key and moving my finger up on the magic mouse the screen gets bigger — and likewise the opposite.  I also like moving web pages with using 2 fingers left or right on top the magic mouse.  Also do you know when entering text and you see a checkered line under a misspelled word — pressing the CONTROL key and putting the curser over that misspelled word and pressing down on the magic mouse you will have words listed to correct the error?

Thank you, Paul! He also asked if we have contacted Apple about screening products or receiving help bringing you information.  And if we could have support making the show more interactive with call-in features.  I have contacted Apple a few times over the summer.  Still waiting to hear back . . . must be busy over there

We do enjoy the Live Shows.  They are simply tricky to organzine consistently with the kids being so little.  When the kids get older, it will be easier.  For now, we do the best we can

Giovanni joined me to talk about Pandora.com, a radio website that makes custom stations for you.  I discovered Pandora a couple of weeks ago and I love the ease of use and the creative music.  I discover all sorts of new artists.  Very cool.

Around 33 minutes, I talk about extraordinary kids returning to school.  I share my thoughts as an extraordinary teacher and former extraordinary student .

I am feel the pressure of all the newness these days.  The emotional journey of new routines and schedules tires all students.  So our extraordinary kids need a little (or a lot) of extra support and planning.

• Team:  We cannot always be on the same page as the school or teacher.  But hopefully we can be on the same team.  As a teacher, I respond best to families that approach me with an open mind and a sense of togetherness in this journey.  How can we work together to make this the best year for everyone?  Teacher, family, and student.  Bring the teacher on board with offers to discuss and support.
• Realistic Optimism:  We like to believe that summer will change everything.  Kids will mature.  The new class, new teacher, new peers will create a new space and the old problems will, poof! disappear.  Except they often do not disappear.  Approach the year with cautious optimism.  Hope for the best but plan for the stresses.  The many changes may even aggravate challenges that were fading in the spring.  Hold your student in confidence, but try not to be too disappointed if the stories begin again.
• Positive Teacher Association:  Make the teacher fancy, special, the beginning of good things.  If your student needs extra support, ask for good notes coming home before the challenges begin.  Emphasize the positive.  If the teacher becomes the disciplinarian that triggers bad-feelings, students will not want to risk around him or her.  They will avoid him or her.  Or confront him or her.  So before challenges begin (if they begin:)), establish positive relationships.  Work towards rewards between school and home, not in a punitive, take-away, didn’t-earn reward, but an attainable reward with a prize like going for an ice cream, or, even better, going to the library.  If you need extra-positive associations, give the teacher small prizes to give your student in moments of recognition (these can be done privately, at recess of after school so other students don’t notice/compare).  Stickers, matchbox cars, legos, little pet shops, any token prize that casts a winning light upon the teacher.  Sometimes, simply sharing a ‘hook’ with a teacher will build a bridge towards positive associations.  Knowing a student loves zebras, or cars, allows a teacher to ask about the favorite topic and have shared conversations about that favored topic.  In this way, positive moments build trust, understanding, and a foundation for a productive school year together.
• Written Information:  If possible, write accommodations, symptoms, and triggers for teachers.  They may not have time to talk to you before school or at pick up, but this way they can take the information and use it to best influence your student’s day in the classroom.
• Behavior and Attitude First:  Academics come later.  Students need to be calm and present in order to learn.  One of the big lessons from my workshops last year was to think of behavior as communication.  Look at the source, the trigger moment, rather than punish or reward the behavior into extinction.  Look at the broken behavior and learn a new way to express that moment.  So take the time to rest, to reflect, and build that foundation.  Allow for a few extra rewards to make this time a positive transition.  Once students have integrated into the routine and expectations, added challenges will not be as difficult.
• Listen:  Slow down and listen to your student.  Try not to solve their problems.  Instead, brainstorm solutions together.  Managing challenges will be a lifelong journey.  School is the place to practice communication, accommodations, and compensation strategies.  Listen for tiredness, fatigue, or stress.  Listen for effort that feels frustrated or futile.  Remember the beginning of the year is intense for many reasons.  We are the best support and inspiration for kids on this new adventure.  Believe in them.  At the same time, be sensitive to when they are maxing out their energy levels.  Tired, frustrated kids may act out with growing behaviors.  Sharing our stories allows us to express whatever challenges are making a day especially difficult.  Or wonderful.  The beginning of the year may be a wonderful time as well.
• Rest and Nutrition: Early bedtimes, nutritious snacks, avoid high sugar foods.  Take care of the basics
• Placement:  If school is constantly stressing your student into high-anxiety, you may want to consider placement.  I taught traditional school for many years before starting a homeschool program.  It was a revelation for me.  Six hours (or more) with random peers, being challenged mentally, emotionally, and physically, may not be the ideal model for your student.  In addition, you may live in a lucky area with free charter schools (like our area in Nevada County) that offer alternative settings for learning.  You may want to look outside the classroom for more flexibility in social interaction and instruction.
• And finally . . . Celebrate your student!  The beginning of the year is a great promise.  It is the story of childhood.  We help students see themselves, either as dependent and weak, or empowered and strong.  Self-perception lasts long after the spelling test is a dusty memory.  And childhood really does go that fast!  Students I taught as first graders are now applying to college.  Try not to stress.  Ultimately, kids need encouragement, validation, and inspiration.  We inspire them.  And they inspire us.

Education is a journey.  Enjoy the adventure.

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Ian fell asleep tonight with his Star Wars mask propped on his head. I tried a couple of times to adjust it or rest it beside him, but each time he work up grumpy and yanked it back over his head. Do Clonetroopers have unique dreams?

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Every Tuesday, at our lcoal coop market, Penney the Clown paints faces for donations.  It’s part of her volunteering at the market.  The kids are the real winners.  Anika sees Penney and jumps out of her skin excited.  Today she sat down and said, I want a pink tiger with blick stripes and green eyes over my eyelids.

Here is the magic that Penney created:

Anika’s eyes are closed.  If you look closely, you can see her eyelashes.  The effect is amazing!  Here is Anika with her eyes open.

And with closed eyes again for the complete look

Penney is a local treasure.  For Nevada County and nearby folk, her website is here.

The funny thing to me is that Anika plans the whole face-paint.  She asks to visit Penney.  She loves it.

Then she gets home, lets me take a few pictures, and runs to the bathroom to wash it all off.  It itches, she says.  Ah, the fleeting art of childhood

The reason I take so many photos

Here is the complete gallery if you want lots of fuchsia tigers.  :)

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Adventures continue as this indie world moves right underfoot.  I submitted The Goblin Queen as an epub twice to the Lulu experts for distribution in the iBookstore.  Twice I had the epub passing every check-program on the web.  Yet twice they said it was rejected for errors, adding that Apple’s standards are stricter.  How am I supposed to fix errors that I cannot find?

So I almost gave up on the whole process.  But then Lulu changed everything.  Their entire distribution process switched up so I can choose an ISBN option first thing.  DOC files work just fine (just like Kindle).  No more epub madness, hurrah.  I did find a few formatting tweaks so I fixed those and uploaded The Goblin Queen again.  Supposedly, it will be automatically submitted to the iBookstore so I’ll keep an eye out for that.  Might be tricky since I don’t have an ipad, but I’ll figure it out

I also learned that Kindle and Lulu have different royalty payments.  For my 2.99 list price, I make about $2 with Amazon and about 1.60 with Lulu.  My big draw for Lulu is the iBookstore, so if that doesn’t work, I may abandon them in favor of Kindle exclusives.  Although Nook is getting into the game, too, with a pubit publishing platform soon to be released. I hope!

Fun stuff.

And even better news, I posted the zombie story.  This one has a different advantage for Lulu.  Lulu lets me post it for free.  So if you want a free short story download, go here.  You can download it to copy over onto your ereading devices or read on your computer.  And hopefully free soon for the iBookstore (again, I’ll let you know).

Amazon, on the other hand, requires a list price.  The cheapest that I could go was .99.  Which is fine for a short story.  It happened to me yesterday where I was stuck as a car repair shop (helping my Mom with her car and babysitting- long story).  Anyway, I had a couple of minutes so I downloaded D. Nathan Hilliard’s spooky new ghost story onto my Andriod phone using the Kindle app.  Finished reading it at my daughter’s gymnastics’ class.  Reading can go anywhere and everywhere now.

So the zombie story for Kindle is being cataloged now (I’ll add the link when it’s live.)  I suppose the .99 is a convenience charge.  But I would like to be able to deliver free stories to Kindle readers, too.

Maybe that will change soon, too

I did all of this in the hour that my Mom took the 2 year old boy for a picnic.  School started last week so life is back in the classroom.  I sure love my creative time, though

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Tonight is Ian’s last day of One.  Tomorrow is his birthday.  So I followed him with the camera to catch a typical evening in his one-year-old world.

Mind you, this all happened in twenty minutes.  Phew, no wonder we’re all worn out by bedtime

Read Books

Run with the Bebe-Blanket Playing Ghost oooooh!

Get Tangled in Tomorrow's Birthday Balloon While Sister Throws a Ball at Him

Wrestle that Sister

Notice Bus Wreck on Yesterday's Train Track

Tell Mommy about the Bus Wreck

Use the Other End of the Track

Go Faster Because Fast Trains Jump Over Wrecked Tracks

Yep.  Being One is Fun!

Two will be a cool!

What rhymes with two?  Does it matter?  Two year olds party their way!  No rules for twos

Sort of rhymes.  :)

Anyway, I loved one.  I will love two.  I love you, Ian!

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She jumped up and down this morning.  ”I am so excited!  I can’t wait!”

She looked so grown up and so little all at the same time.  Ready for the stories.  What a good day!

As for my own class of kinder/first grade students, they are amazing children.  A very kind and creative bunch.  We should all have a great year.  Three days done, two to go in my epic work-week.  The strict 9pm bedtime is helping.  But I’m also carrying a lot of mountain climbing endurance.  Not that I’ve climbed any big mountains, but that persistance.  Almost there.  Almost . . .

Hey, Ian’s birthday is Friday!  Two year old boy!  Maybe almost-there is a little optimistic

Off to get tomorrow’s coffee ready to brew

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Four years ago I ‘retired’ from full-time teaching.  Complications from CMT (my neuropathy) made the five days of high activity impossible.  I now teach two days a week, which is a good fit.  This week is the first week of school.  Kids walk through the door tomorrow.  Bright shiny first grade and kindergarten angels ready for adventures!

So this week has two days of inservice, then three days of official school where my co-teacher and I work together to establish community with the kids.

I love being back around the families and children.  Getting the whole creative community going again.  But phew, five days is rough!  My system is in mild shock and it’s Tuesday.  I have a 9pm bedtime and I am ignoring lots of chores.  Still . . . going to be quite a week.

Off to start bedtime routines with my own little angels.  The fun never stops

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