Me...a nut in a shell.

I recently worked on my year-end review for my AP to evaluate my performance for the year. I keep track of what I do throughout the year because I like to see for myself what I am actually accomplishing. As I looked over my accomplishments, it easy to see why I love my job. Quite simply, it is because it allows me to do what I love to do best, and that is to help others. I'm not feeding the poor or clothing the naked, but I do get to help people with their jobs and that is rewarding.

The one thing that stands out to me the most from this year is the read aloud time that I started with our special needs classes. I'm not sure who enjoys it the most: the students, their teachers, or me. I usually choose silly books that are fun to read and I put a lot of my personality into the reading of the books. I know that if I read aloud to the regular ed classes that they would enjoy it too. So much of our entertainment comes from a computer or TV screen and not from live performance. Really, that's what reading aloud is--a live performance. One student in my special class is non-verbal and she recently started imitating me, saying the words as I read them. It was a welcome shock to her teachers and to me to hear her speak the words--using my intonation, as well. I was quite touched by the experience. Often times I have students from other classes working on computers while I'm doing my read alouds and I catch them watching intently as I read to my students. One time after I finished, a young boy said, "That was amazing. They were listening and laughing to everything you said." He understood the power to connect that reading gives to us all. Reading is "amazing, " and being able to share it with others is a gift to me.

A review of my work tells me that I am a very lucky person.

Anecdotes

My cat Aiden plays with this toy every day. He never tires of it nor does he realize that there is no end to the struggle. The ball will never come out.

Every time my husband puts on his shoes, Aiden arrives to play with the laces. No matter where the cat is in the house, he will come running whenever the shoelace tying begins. My husband thinks he's a pest. I think he has great powers.