The holidays are about over -- I still have my family celebration -- and I learned, or was reminded of, an important lesson: the best gifts are not big and expensive but well thought out. I truly got good gifts this year. Julia heard my request for personalized stationery. Rod remembered how much I enjoy knitting things. But it was Ted and Deittra who have moved me to really do what I do best -- knitting. Next year will be a knitted gift year.

I just went through my knitting stash -- I have some really good stuff. While my color palette is limited I think I'll find some nice patterns for my friends and family.

I am sitting and watching A League of Their Own right now and realizing we have traveled too far from what was good about Christmas and now push too hard for expensive things we don't need. We need to get back to basics. If we have money to spend on silliness, we should just put it to good use and enjoy each other's company instead.

Yup, I am going to enjoy preparing for next Christmas. And I might even send cards next year too!

Good Lord it's been a rough couple of weeks.

As usual, I am in hot water because I have high expectations for my students and some people -- parents or students -- don't like challenge. So, they complain. And I get the heat.

But let's understand. I am doing my job as it's been dictated to me. Get the students college ready. Teach above the Nevada proficiency exam. So, I do that and have my ass in a sling. I don't understand. Students who arrive at a high school with little work discipline and even worse skills still need to do the work. If the high schools are being measured according to the results of the Nevada proficiency exams, then the teachers need to do more than just give busy work. Open notes quizzes are okay if students are required to apply the notes to material. However, if you are giving quizzes that are basic skills, for example, name the capital cities of the 50 states AND you allow students to use their notes, I wonder what learning is occurring. Further, is that getting kids college ready?

I had to make a "failure reduction plan" for the high number of students who have Ds or Fs in my class. The first order of business is for me to address why students are not succeeding. It's because they don't work. I have yet to hear of an education program where students improve their reading and writing skills while avoiding reading and writing.

Do I have flaws as an educator? You bet. I am the first to admit that I am not perfect. Still, the job of an administrator is to aid the teacher. I am new to this school and am still learning the ropes (it's different from the other schools in the district, for the record). I have requested help from the deans and my supervising administrator about one class in particular. For the most part, I've been left on my own. Further, when I was evaluated in September the only criticism I received was that I had very little on the walls. I made a change. Now there is student work on the walls.

Flash forward two months. I've been evaluated and found lacking in every area. Words that were said in my classroom were taken out of context and used against me. It's apparently not allowed to talk to students about how Thanksgiving break is just that and we all need one. Despite the fact that I have been doing lesson plans the same way all year, suddenly they are horrible and no wonder students are not passing my class.

So, I've made changes and asked the administration to look at the changes I've made to see if I'm on the right path. I've not seen or heard from them. At the same time, budget cuts are looming on the horizon here in Nevada. Teachers will lose their jobs in January according to the pessimists. I suspect I'm one of them. That's okay too. But what's not okay is not allowing me an opportunity to improve my status. I truly feel as though I'm walking on eggshells at this new school even though I show up, do my job and work.

Ugh. Get me back to NY.