The Day After Christmas

It’s the day after Christmas and time to undo

All the things that we did in the last week or two;

There’s the watch we gave Emma that wasn’t quite right,

And the slippers for Aunt Molly that felt a bit tight

There were golf balls as usual for dear Uncle Joe;

Can you believe that he didn’t let us know,

That the last time he played he shot a one-fifty-three,

Swore off of the game and broke a club ‘cross his knee?

The puzzle for little Walter and all of its pieces

Scattered through the house by the nephews and nieces

Are, alas, being gathered and placed back in the box,

And so are Baby Buster’s plastic building blocks.

A few wayward wrappings and discarded bows,

Are placed in a trash bag that soon overflows.

I can’t help but wince when I think of the time

I spent wrapping those presents, each one so divine.

I’m scraping the last of the leftovers out

And planning a new year of doing without

Trail mix, and cookies, and brownies, and pies,

Instead, I’ll be walking to get a burn in my thighs.

It’s amazing how much time was spent in preparation

All leading, of course, to that moment of elation

When you opened the box, shaped just like you hoped

And lying inside found what you wanted . . . er, nope!

I’m sure when I hinted I emphasized red

So why did he buy me a blue one instead?

It really doesn’t matter, I’ll just take it back.;

I’m hoping the receipt is still in the sack.

I vacuum more glitter and dismantle the tree

I’m returning to work soon . . . and that’s OK by me.

The Schuh Box: And "The Rest" is History

The Schuh Box: And "The Rest" is History: Wow, has it really been that long since I've posted? I've wanted to write and had moments of inspiration. But the days are long, and the e...

And "The Rest" is History

Wow, has it really been that long since I've posted?  I've wanted to write and had moments of inspiration.  But the days are long, and the evenings short.  And well, I need my rest.

I glance at Hubby in his chair
"Are you still awake over there?"
'Cause I myself have drooping lids,
After spending the day with a room full of kids
I'm yawning, and it's hard to keep
Myself from falling fast asleep
I'd like to watch the 10:00 news
But my internal clock says it's time to snooze
So I fold the afghan and turn out the light
Certain I'll sleep well tonight
I rouse Hubby from his chair
Lock the doors and climb the stairs
Stumbling, yawning all the way
In need of rest after a long hard day
Can't wait to rest my weary head
And lie 'neath cool Egyptian threads
My drooping lids so want to close
Eight hours is healthy, everyone knows
I'm comfy and cuddled in our bed
With dreams just forming in my head
When suddenly, the man I adore
Begins his ever-lovin' snore
A combo of a grunt and puff
It doesn't take long, I've had enough
It seems I'm suddenly wide awake
And, oh, I want to give him a shake,
But I decide that one of us should sleep
And grabbing my pillow, I quietly creep
From our cozy room and into the den
Where I try to fall asleep again
But as I said, I'm wide awake
It's 2:00 A.M., for goodness sake
I really need my beauty sleep
In four short hours my alarm will beep
Good grief, I can hear him clear in here
I hope you're sleeping soundly, Dear,
Did you catch the sarcasm in that last line?
Oh, no! Is that the sun starting to shine?
Dear Lord, I really need some rest
You know my students love to test
My patience on a daily basis
And without sleep, they may see traces
Of the evil one that lurks inside
The one that snips,and snarls, and chides
If not for me, do it for the kids
What's that? A closing of the lids?
At last, I feel that I can sleep,
And . . . I  . . . am . . . B-B-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-P!!!!!!!

Goblins, Ghosts, and Ghouls, Oh My!

     It's that time of year.  I've traded my petunias for pansies, and my geraniums for mums.  There's cider in the fridge and pumpkin bread in the oven.  It's fall, my favorite time of year.  (Until spring.  I like that, too.)  Driving through the neighborhood, I can't help but notice the decorations.  I can remember when a carved pumpkin was enough to say you had the spirit.  A little candy corn in a dish on a side table and you were good.  However, it wasn't long before a door decoration of some kind was required.  Witches are good, so I hung a witch.  There!  I'm good.  But no, the adults next door started dressing up to pass out their candy.  Really?  I have to dress up?  I'm still thinking on that one. 


     Next came the humongous blow-up Halloween figures, like the ones in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  No, seriously, they're big, tethered to the ground.  I know that was a Costco marketing plan.  I didn't jump on that train.  From hay bales with scarecrows and tombstone covered yards, to ghoulish sound effects blasting from speaker systems, Halloween decorations have become pretty elaborate.  Just sayin'.

       Halloween Night

Dashing down the street
I meet
My best friend
Dressed for Halloween.
He's a dinosaur,
Scaly and green.
I giggle when he roars.
"Let's knock on doors," I say.
Neighbors gasp in horror
As they see our scary faces.
Quickly to the next house,
We have many places still to go.
"Oh, No!" my bag rips,
Green dinosaur trips.
Candy goes rolling . . .
Everywhere.
"Don't you dare
Eat mine!"
What's that?
It's almost nine?
Time to go!
Grab the candy!
Hurry fast!
Home at last.



             Bat Attack

'Twas a warm October evening
And my room was awfully hot.
I had opened up a window
But it didn't help a lot.

As I lay in bed I looked out
At the dark and sultry night
I could see a few stars twinkling
And the moon's round golden light.

Then, a bat flew in my window
And it perched upon my bed
I was paralyzed in terror
And presumed that I'd be dead

In the morning when Mom called me
She'd hear no one answering back
She'd find me dead and bleeding
From a grisly bat attack.

Now my nose had started itching
If I scratched, the bat would see,
Lying there upon the mattress
Was a fat and juicy me.

So I tried to think of something
That would drive away the itch,
But the bat had spied me moving,
And his ears began to twitch

He rose up and stretched his wings out.
I could see his beedy eyes.
Then he flapped his wings and headed . . .
For the dark and sultry skies.

I jumped up and shut the window
Then I crawled back into bed.
I would rather be a little warm
Than risk completely dead.

          Nightly Nightmare

"Goodnight, dearie," my mother said;
"It's time for you to go to bed."

Up the stairs I slowly creep,
Dreading what happens when I sleep.

Squirming snakes appear on the floor,
Eyes peek out of my closet door,

The wind starts blowing, I hear a wolf howl;
After that comes a hideous yowl

I dream of fangs and razor sharp teeth,
And horrible creatures that lie beneath

Beneath my bed I knew there was
Something more than dust and fuzz:

Monsters, spiders, the boogie-man, too,
I can only imagine the things they'll do

I want to scream, I want to shout,
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out

I'm stuck in a nightmare with no place to hide.
I'm trembling, I'm shaking, I'm quaking inside.

They reach out to grab me.  I'm starting to fall,
Then click and the light comes on in the hall.

"Are you alright, dearie?  I heard a cry."
"I'm OK now,"  I say . . . with a sigh.

We Be Bad

It's School Spirit Week at my school.  The kids have dressed in crazy costumes all week; and yes, that can cause some hyperactivity.  But, all in all, it has been a good week and will culminate tomorrow with a teacher talent show.  Yes, a teacher talent show. 

The girls with whom I teach (grammar is important) are a great bunch.  We work well together and laugh a lot.  Tired, stressed, overworked, and weary, we needed one more thing on our plate.  But, almost all teachers, or any worth their salt, have a bit of theatrics in them.  You might even say we like center stage.  So, my poetry writing got the best of me, and with a few suggestions here and there, I wrote We Bad: The 5th Grade Teacher Rap. 

Any minute now the doorbell will ring.  For one night, we will set aside the papers to grade, forego making that Chapter 3 Social Studies Test, and get our silly on.  Tonight, the Schuh household will go "gangsta.". There's the doorbell. Gotta go.  To be continued...

They came. We practiced. We conquered, Dawg.  And today we performed.  The competition was fierce, but we "represented."

              Fifth Grade Rap


All: We bad, we bad

        We 5th grade teachers are bad

        We make kids study

        Read with a buddy

       And then assign you math

       And make you read a graph

       And tell you not to laugh

      ‘Cause we be bad

Teacher #1: I tell you just last week

                   A kid got outta his seat

                   He said he had to go

                   But I said “No!”

                   He cried, “E-mer-gen-cee,”

                  And I said ” Listen to me

                  I’m teachin’ class right now

                  You’ll have to wait.”

All: He had to wait, He had to wait

       ‘Cause she be bad, B-A-D bad

Teacher #2: Some days we all give tests

                    I make mine harder than the rest

                   So kids will learn their stuff

                   Sometimes I’m gruff

                   If they come unprepared

                   They’ll end up really scared

                    Some even scream and yelp

                   And beg for help

                   Because I’m bad, B-A-D bad

All: Oh yeah, they’ll scream and yelp

        And beg their friends for help

       ‘Cause she be bad, B-A-D bad

Teacher #3: A kid forgot his book

                    And when I  gave him “the look”

                   The poor kid shivered and shook

                   And then he cried

                   I said he’d have to stay in

                   He said, “No recess again?”

                   And I said “Yes.”

                   Because I’m bad

All: She’s really bad

       Have you seen her get mad?

Teacher #4: I remember just last week

                   A student wanted to speak

                   He thought he’d raise his hand

                  While the teacher was talkin’

                   I didn’t like it one bit

                  And threw a hissy-fit

                  Next thing he knew

                  That student was walkin’

                  Down to the office

                  The principal’s office

                  Because I’m bad, B-A-D Bad

All: We bad, We bad

       We 5th grade teachers are bad

       We make kids study

       Read with a buddy

       Because we’re bad

Teacher #5: Last week some kid got sick

                    His mucous was yellow and thick

                    Nurse Robyn sent him home

                    And he missed some work

                    Just sayin’ when he came back

                   Make-up work was piled in a stack

                   ‘Bout gave’em a heart attack

                   It was due at noon

All: It was due at noon?

Teacher #5: It was due at noon.

All: Because we’re bad, B-A-D bad

Teacher #6: I remember the other day

                    When my class went out to play

                    Some students had to stay

                    In the homework room

                    They tried to make an excuse

                    And I said, “It’s no use.”

                   ‘Cause homework has to be done

                    Before there’s fun

All: She said no how, no way

       You can’t go out to play

       They’ll be no fun today

       ‘Til your work is done

        Because I'm bad, B-A-D BAD

                We bad, we bad

                We 5th grade teachers are bad

                We make kids study

                Read with a buddy

                And then assign you math

                And make you read a graph

                And tell you not to laugh

                ‘Cause we be bad

                We make kids study

                Read with a buddy

               ‘Cause we be bad

                 B-B-B-B BAD

               ‘Cause we be bad

                 B-B-B-B BAD

                       WORD

Up and Running



Beginning of school hall display.  Student pictures and
 writing project will be added when completed.



Students rotate in groups to complete various assignments.
I used scrapbooking paper to create backdrops for displaying students'
work.  Cups on desks contain pencils, checking pen, highlighter, and
scissors for easy access and an office feel.

Sunflowers provide a cheery theme throughout the room.
A garden bench is a favorite reading nook for students.

Chair covers with pockets add additional storage for students.
A writing journal and library book are always ready.



A rocking chair is an invitation for a good teacher read-aloud.
Teacher work area includes a fridge and microwave for that morning
cup of coffee and left-overs for lunch.



It's not your grandma's classroom.  Technology includes a SmartBoard.
It take some practice, but an it's an amazing teaching tool.

Students work in groups and rotate to different stations throughout
 the reading period.  Whiteboards are changed daily to detail the expectations
 for each station.

If it Ain't Broke

So I had a few minutes on my hands and started messing with the design of my blog.  It wasn't that I was terribly dissatisfied with the way it looked, it was just something to do.  I mean there were lots of different fonts available, and I love a good font.  There were designs I thought would look neat.  And color, I could add some different colors.  That could be good . . . or not.  The truth is, I messed up; and what's worse, I didn't save my original design.  I want it back, but it's gone.  So, I'll be working on my blog from time to time.  I think there will be lots of intermediary changes before I get it right.  Bear with me.  And remember, if it aint't broke . . .