Dream A Little Dream

Everyone should have a bucket list.
List of stuff you want to do before you kick the bucket (before you die )
I have one.
It`s what keeps you happy, alive .
The last thing you want is regret while you`re on your death bed.

Here`s my bucket list I started when I was a kid :

1- Get a dog ( I was 8 ). His name was Rover in case you`re wondering.

2- Be a ballerina . Never happened but I can do a mean belly dance and a great happy dance at the grocery store somewhere in the produce section.

3- Marry Prince Charming and never settle for less.His name is Pierre.

4- Be friends with my sisters and brother. I remember when I was a kid in bed at night, I`d do the math and see all 4 of us, as adults, just being so happy being together. Mission accomplished.

5- Be an independent woman-nothing close to my mother.
My best accomplishment thus far. Unfortunately she never got the chance to see how happy and grateful I am for being so the opposite of her.

6- Do a job where I can help people. I wanted to be a social worker since I can remember but my father insisted we all went to university. I thought teaching was the next best thing and English Literature is just the best subject in the world. In my top 5 of best decisions I `ve made.

7- Get a vintage car.I wanted a 1975 Ford Torino but got a `73 Mustang instead. Wise choice.
8- Have no kids. Obviously that didn`t work out as I planned. I had my kids by CHOICE.
I just realized I didn`t want kids for the wrong reasons and started wanting kids for the right ones.

9- Have nice hair like in the t.v commercials. I was 10 and the shampoo was Finesse.
So much for that one. Trying though.

10- Go to British Columbia. See the Rockies, Lake Louise . Hasn`t happened yet......

11- Be in a movie . Since I was a kid, I wanted to be an actress in a movie.Came true 2 years ago.Great experience ! Now I stick to teaching.

12- Road trip . Another is just around the corner, just Pierre and me.......

13- Do my Doctor`s degree in literature. Still working on that.I love university ,I love to learn. What a gift.Kinda glad I was pushed to attend it.
14-Go see an AC/DC show. Thanks Pierre.

15- See the Cirque Du Soleil . On my to do list.

16- Get a Jack Russel. When my kids are out of the house. .....one day.

17- Write a book . Working on it right now.Don`t ask, I won`t talk about it.

18- Have grandkids.

19- Be a university professor: Professor Fröhlich. Has a great ring to it. Being paid to teach, do research and publish. TO DO as soon as possible !

20-Get a tattoo. Getting it this summer. The word " Veritas " latin meaning " truth " also the goddess of truth. (at the base of my neck)
Truth, being truthful is everything.

21- Go to Europe on my second honeymoon.

22- Write a second book.

23-Being healthy during the summer vacation. Still working on that one.

24-Slow down. No comment.

25- Learn how to knit.

26-Sign language decently.

27- Never do any scrapbooking.

28- Be a great mom to my kids, especially when they`re older and independent.

29- Be patient.....one day.

30- Have fun

31- Be active , in tiptop shape.

32- Quit smoking.

33- Dance everyday.

34-Have more time for my friends.

35- Host great dinners for my friends and family with lots of music and great wines. I don`t drink but my friends love wine.

36-Own a 1970 Challenger. Both my kids would get a car. No fighting.

37- Have tons of time to read.

38- Have more time to read.

39- Log cabin in the woods. Have one model in my head. When the kids are out of the house.

40- Eat chocolate everyday and not gain an ounce. Yeah right.
41- Never tolerate stupidity. Like that`s going to happen. See # 29.
42- Go to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.Great thrill.

I could go on forever.
What would be on your bucket list ?
Dreams are goals, objectives, it spices up life.
If you want to know where you`re going, start dreaming and go for it.
And when you`re tired a little, sit and think of the dreams you realized so far. It`ll give you the drive to move on some more and reach for the next ones.Try it, trust me it works.
Start dreaming with both eyes wide open.

NO,SERIOUSLY, I WANT TO KNOW.

Teaching English Second Language ( is it really at Ecole Secondaire Jean Nicolet ?)
is the best and most interesting subject a person can teach.
Why ?
Because English is fun,funny, poetic, practical, fairly easy to learn when you have a good teacher ( insert picture here ;).

Last month, my sec. 4 students proved it once more.
It`s never boring in Intensive English class. We read great literature, we discuss, we write on different subjects and so on.
So 2 weeks ago I wanted my students to reflect on the writing process.
I wanted them to reflect, organize their ideas in their head, structure their ideas and write it in their second language.
I didn`t want them to think or ponder on just anything.
I wanted a subject that would touch them and needed reflection on their part.
What to ask I thought ?
The great thing about English class is the world,the universe is our subject really.
We can write, read, talk about sports and weather one minute and philosophize the next.
The world is our playground.
And honestly, if Intensive English students were asked, we could change the world, we have opinions and solutions.
But then again, I wanted to give my 16 year-olds the time to stop and think .
Forget regurgitating answers on paper .
And since I will have to read and correct 62 copies,I wanted it to be a little stimulating. Need I remind you I `m off coffee after noon.....

The other beauty about teaching my kids is that they are so smart,interested and interesting
I could also add respectful, polite and caring but you wouldn`t believe they are all that anyway.
I hear you :" yeah right, of course, they`re her students ! "
Yes they are.


So what did they have to write about anyway !?
I asked them 2 questions which at first glance seemed very inoffensive.
But when I told them what I DIDN`T want in their answer, their reaction was priceless.

Q1- WHO do you want to be when you grow up ?
What I didn`t want is a profession. It is not WHAT do you want to be but WHO.
I got a stereo surround sound " Hmmmmmmm "
Bait worked.

Q2- You are now 15- 16 years old, what have you learned so far ?
This answer has nothing to do with Math, French or English.
The best lessons in life aren`t learned sitting behind a desk.

After I explained the questions, the students were looking at them on the board like deers in the headlights.
I knew they could do this, they just needed time to think.
They are so used to being asked to produce,perform and produce some more that I had to reassure them with the deadline: a week.



The result ?
Beyond my highest expectations.
I swear, the quality of their writing is so great you `d believe that English is their native tongue !!!
I knew I would read some really great written productions but this was like eating chocolate.
Yep it was that good.
Teaching has its perks but this was more than that.
Some students poured their heart and soul in their answers.
The maturity of their answers really caught me off guard most of all.
I can say without any hesitation that some students answered better than if I had asked some of my adult entourage.

My problem now, which I hadn`t anticipated is : How do I mark this ?
I can mark the " HOW " they wrote it but how can I mark the " WHAT ", the content.
Who am I to evaluate such honest and explicit answers coming from the heart ?

I believe to evaluate is to evolve.
How do I or how can I evaluate personal evolution ?
Do I only evaluate the English aspect of it?

So I go have dinner with the family at a friend`s house last night .
She and her husband are both teachers too.
At the table, I tell them about this unexpected problem.
After some discussion, my friend Marie proposed : " How about auto-evaluation ?"
That makes sense,evaluate the language on a separate sheet and as for the content, they do a self-evaluation.

Is that what I am going to do ?
Don`t know yet.
I`m still thinking.

But isn`t it ironic how an exercise to make my students think, ponder, reflect on the writing process turned out to be an exercise for me also.
It gives a whole different point of view to the phrase : to evalute is to evolve.
I can confirm that I have evolved also and THAT was unexpected too.

And that my friends, is another reason why I love my job.
Of course there are days I wish I worked in a grocery store.
But then again,can cans of tomato soup stimulate my intellectual and personal evolution like my students do ?
I don`t think so.

And what would YOU answer ?
Think,organize and structure your ideas and write it.

You just might be surprised with your answers.




To my kids in Sec.4, this is for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdMbHfA-e74

No rest for the wicked,
Annie

ALIVE AND KICKING

I know, I know,it`s been a while.
4 months to be exact.
What happened ?
The end of the year.
Very busy is an understatement.
Then the year ended, the summer holiday began and my back went out.....again.
So it was a quiet,stress free summer filled with lots of naps and downtime.
All that without ANY caffeine.
Yep , this teacher had to go without coffee after 12:00 pm, doctor`s orders.
Fortunately my students didn`t have to go through my withdrawal.
My family on the other hand.....
Why do teachers drink coffee ?
Because they NEED it !

After lots of R&R, back to school came strolling by.
With promises of taking better care of myself during the year,not fuss over little things and not being too much of a perfectionist, I came back.
Let`s see in June how I did with these new objectives.

I realized that this is my 17th back to school !
I decided I shouldn`t stress with the work ahead but rather trust my experience acquired so far.
Easier said than done people.
That little hamster in the wheel can`t stop working overdrive sometimes.
And that little hamster likes the work done perfectly and likes it done yesterday.
Do I put the hamster to sleep ?
No , but I can give it warm milk so it can settle down.
Notice I said warm milk, not coffee.

So what have I learned in 17 years of teaching ?
What advice would I give to a new hamster-I mean teacher ?
Well , it`s not polite to give advice whan not asked, but I `ll give it anyway.

ANNIE`S TOP 10 : STUFF I`VE LEARNED

10- Be in tiptop shape, mentally and physically.
Teaching is an art mostly but there are days when it`s an extreme sport.

9-Learn new stuff. You can`t stop learning when your job is to incite your students to learn.

8-Be curious about everything, read newspapers ( good ones ), go to museums, see plays then bring back all that new knowledge and share it with your students.
And for the love of God, be passionate about it !

7- Smell good

6- Be available,be attentive. Listen.
If you have a gut feeling something`s wrong with your student,he / she needs help, a pat on the shoulder, an ear, take the initiative. Go see him /her.

5-Make sure you have a sense of humor. You need one to enjoy your periods, your day, your year.You`d be surprised how students love it when your teacher is sarcastic and ironic. Never be mean though and make sure YOU are the butt of the joke , never them.

4- Smile,smile, smile.
Greet them at the door with a smile. It costs nothing, you see how each one feels that class (angsty, stressed out, happy, tired, under the weather, sick, about to cry, mad etc ) . All that before the bell rings.
They`ll never admit it, but they love that.

3- Tell them they are the best. Because they are ! They are YOUR students and that`s exactly how you should perceive and treat them.
I mother them to death, and they let me.Never had a complaint.

2- Be yourself. Students know when you are faking it.
Àction speaks louder than words.
If respect is part of your value system,then you have to be respectful. Nobody likes a phony, especially teens ! They`ll see right through you and eat you up.

1- Love them. ALL of them. The pain in the neck students ?
Love them more.You`ll both win.
Sometimes it`s hard,but keep in mind they are teens, kids, don`t quit on them. They just need a special place in your heart.

As you can see, I haven`t even mentioned lesson plans, homework , report cards simply because if you don`t teach with your heart, you`ll never teach. You`ll just pass on information and knowledge. Any idiot can do that.
Teaching is connecting with students, sharing a passion for knowledge, teaching is an act of generosity,the art of communicating.
Your subject ( English in my case ) is like a viral disease and your job is to make sure everyone catches it.
I just love it when my students leave my classroom with major symptoms !

I`m not a perfect teacher, far from it, but these are lessons I`ve learned along the way.
It`s the best profession in the world, and to be honest, it`s complex and very difficult attimes.However, I truly believe my students teach ME just as much as I teach them . I know that now. I just had to be attentive to their teachings.

So to all my students,
I promise we`ll have a great year together, you `ve won my heart already.
Keep teaching me and don`t go easy on the homework !

No rest for the wicked,
Annie

HUH ?

Something has been bugging me lately.
Not in the sense of annoying but has go me thinking alot.
Let me explain.
I get this comment at least once a month, sometimes once a week and every time I get this comment, the same question arises ?
Huh ?
My perplexed facial expression usually accompanies it.
I get it from my Sec.2 kids but mostly from my Sec.4`s and lately from my Sec.3`s whom I don`t teach before next August.
Here`s what they say in general :
" We like you teaching us, you`re like a mom. "
Huh ?
And honestly, I am happy to hear it, pleased with the compliment, flattered by the honesty, it`s simply the sweetest thing to hear from your students, but I don`t understand it.
Am I a teacher, a mom or teacher-mom to my kids, I mean, my students ?
Do I mother-hen them too much ?
Is it because I treat them like they are my kids when they are in my class ?
Guilty.
Should I stop ?
Well, to be brutally honest, I couldn`t even if my life depended on it.
I`ve always taught that way.
Is it because I was an elementary teacher at the very beginning of my career ?
Probably.
But then again, I don`t treat my students like elementary students.
But what if I do ?
The students always tell me this because they appreciate and enjoy the mothering but the question is : WHAT MOTHERING ?!
I really do not have the impression I mother my students.
So I give them caramel once in a while.
Other teachers do different but very similar gestures also.
I didn`t reinvent the wheel here.
So what is it the " mothering " thing.
Thing I have always wanted to stay away from to the point of not wanting any kids of my own ( I`m so glad I changed my mind concerning that issue ).
Do I enjoy being told this by one of my students : Yes siree Bob !
Do I get it ?
No.
But then , why fix something that isn`t broken or overanalyze something that is quite simple ?
Some things are just better left unsaid.
On that, mom is going to get dinner ready without burning it and the house down.
Wish me luck .
No rest for the wicked.
Tata,
Annie

HIGH DEFINITION / HIGH QUALITY TIME= JOY

At my age, you question lots of stuff in your life, your choices, your status, your profession, your life.
I call it the SECOND teenage years. You reflect on major choices you made in the past before making new ones .
I`ve been doing that a lot in the last few monthS.
You don`t take B.S as much ( like I EVER did ) and you appreciate the important things more( my favorite hobby ).
And lately, I must admit that being my age is quite refreshing and a plus. Well except for the mechanics which remind you just how old you really are: more make-up, more hair colouring, your kids like to remind you....
I had the privilege of taking some serious family time with my kids and husband lately and am having one heck of a good time.
I feel darn lucky and blessed.
If I could stop time, I would stop it right now.
What did I do to deserve all these blessings ? I don`t know.
I do know I appreciate and savour every second.
These perfect moments and happy life are the result of many choices I did many years ago and I realize: Wow, I was very smart to make such great choices.It `s not always easy but then it`d be a dull life now wouldn`t it ?
I`ve also been blessed with the capacity of wanting what I already have and not what I don`t and can`t have . I believe it`s a Frohlich thing.
When I first was married, Pierre and I had nothing but huge student loans, and part-time jobs and we were very happy.
20 years ,a husband, 2 kids,a dog, a house, 2 cars and lots of material stuff later, we are still very happy.
Bottom line: stuff doesn`t make you happy. You do. You relationships you have with others do.
I am not the stuff I own, I am not my job, I am not just a mom and wife.I am the sum of all that.
I am more.
With that, here`s one of my favorite poem by a great poet who`s still very alive and kicking : Maya Angelou.
It`s all about INNER beauty, we all have it .

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Rock till you drop people,
Annie

IT` S A GIRL !

No, I `m not pregnant but if you have a few minutes, I `ll explain what this title is all about .
Many years ago, this blogger decided not to have children but a career instead.
I was going to be a university professor one day,have diplomas with high honors, write a book a year, hence, living the dream.

Then I got married to the man of my dreams but still had the career at the top of my list of priorities.
For a reason I still don`t know to this day, the need to conceive, to have children slowly but surely crept up on me.
A few years later, I got the baby bug.
But to make sure I wanted kids for the right reasons ( because once you have them, you just can`t return them )I decided to discuss it with Pierre who was very open to the idea.
After a few years of reflection, we went for it and had Félix-Antoine 8 years after we were married.
Let me tell you this kid was desired and wished for and I thank God everyday for this blessing.
Best decision we ever made !

Two years later, Pierre and I decided to give Filou a little brother.
Let me specify that with both my pregnancies, Pierre and I did NOT want to know the sex of our kids.
We wanted the surprise, we loved the anticipation and the mystery.
Also know, during my second pregnancy I was so big the doctors thought I was carrying 2 .
After many ultra-sounds it was confirmed that there was just one ( thank God ! ) but this baby was not going to be a small one !!!
Like I didn`t know that already !

So on due day, this baby decides it`s not coming out.
And by this time we figured : it`s a boy, it just can`t be a girl, it`s too big.
We keep telling Félix-Antoine : " Jacob will be here soon."
We were convinced we were having a boy.

And I was so darn happy with that idea.
A GIRL ?
Are you insane ?
What do you want me to do with a girl ?
I have 2 sisters, been there, done that, I want a boy.
I love having a boy and I especially love the mother-son relationship.
Another son ?
Bring it on !

A week after my due date, I get the usual symptoms of child labor ( let me spare you ).
The only problem is: the Laviolette bridge is closed !
You read well, closed due to a HUGE snowstorm.
I can`t have this baby now, I can`t get to the hospital !
We finally did ( I`ll spare that also ).

After an emergency c-section, we finally have our new big baby: 10 pounds, 24 inches or 2 feet if you prefer.

" IT`S A GIRL ! " the doctors exclaim.
They present us our brand new pink baby and Pierre and I are just stunned.
It`s a girl...?

And honestly, as much as I was thrilled to the gills to have this baby girl, I kept thinking: what am I going to do with a girl and what about the whole mother-daughter relationship ?
What if I fail ?
I did not want to be her role-model and mess her up,let her down ; I just didn`t want that pressure.
And then a funny thing happened.
First we gave her a name .
We almost named her Blanche because of the darn snowstorm but picked Rose-Anne instead.
Thank God for that wise decision.
And then I made her and myself a promise.
Ok, she was 2 days old and I suppose she didn`t get the jist of it but I made the promise anyway.

I promised her that although I was not going to be a perfect mom, I would always love her and be there for her no matter what.
And although she was not always going to be perfect either, I would love her and be there for her no matter what.
And our mother-daughter relationship started at that moment.

It`s going to be Rose`s birthday next Monday ( March 23 ) and kept stop thinking: I am so blessed to have this little girl in my life!
This mother-daughter relationship is so different and yet as wonderful as the one I have with my son.
Imagine everything I would have missed if I had had my wish granted.
Sometimes life doesn`t always gives you what you want, it gives you what you need to grow.
Lesson learned.
So to my baby girl, my dancing partner,my ballerina, my let`s go play in the snow accomplice, my walk and a bubble bath buddy, my shopping companion,my princess,the little girl who melts my heart every time she looks at me, who makes my eyes water every time she says " I love you mommy " I dedicate the following.
I picked her name mostly because of this song.
Mommy loves being kissed by a Rose.



COPY AND PASTE THE LINK:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW-GbjXGsWY

WARNING : song can be very addictive.
No rest for the wicked,
Annie

Letting Go Week: To Better Latch On .

Sounds mighty weird but that`s the exact translation to the term " Semaine de Relâche ".
And boy am I doing just that and enjoying every second- no make that millisecond of it.
I seriously thought I wouldn`t make it to the March Break.
Too many things, projects, chores and responsibilities were on one same plate.
I would have needed a clone if that were possible.
But as I was listening to some family members over the weekend, it was the same for them so I got great consolation.
It`s somehow wickedly pleasant to know others are also having a nutty ( to avoid another term ) week .

So enough of last week, or should I say last month !
A new page has been turned.
As some of you may or may not know, we lost both our principal ( Fredéric Pruvost ) and our assistant-principal ( Claude Verville ) both in the same week.
Both are heading to greener pastures .
Leaving in the middle of the year is not an easy feat and wish Claude Verville all the luck he deserves. Congratulations .

As for Jean Nicolet, we only got a partial answer as to who will take the reins of our wonderful school.
As of Monday, March 9th, Jean Nicolet will be led by Mr.Pascal Blondin.
He was , until very recently, Beauséjour school`s principal.

Like you, ladies and germs, every time we have a long holiday, I dread ( saying it mildly ) going back to school.
I get the heavy Sunday night blues and the stress that goes with it.
I`m sure I` ll get it Sunday too except THIS time it shall be with excitement, anticipation and a light heart that I shall return.
I can`t wait to have Mr.Blondin aboard the SS Jean Nicolet.
I `ve heard but good things about the man.
Hope our school will give him the welcome he deserves.
I see the future of Jean Nicolet much brighter with him at its helm.
I see the English Concentration getting the much deserved attention and care it needs.
In short, I see hope and optimism.
The arrival of Mr.Blondin is much needed and the timing couldn`t be better.

So in short, I`m taking the week to " Let Go " in order to better latch on to our school to allow her to get full speed ahead and cruise the usually calm but occassionally rough waters.

Welcome in our midst Mr.Blondin and smooth sailing to you.
Your crew is in dire need of leadership and support.