I survived and I hope the students did too (Adventures in Subbing in Mr. DePierre's class)

I was asked to sub for a few days this week for Mr. DePierre's math class at the high school. He taught the first few weeks this year, but has been out ill ever since and won't be able to come back. Due to the fact that it wasn't official until now, the school's hands were tied in how they could replace him and so just had a regular sub in there (though she knows her math). But it seems that hurdle has been jumped and Mr D. can now truly be replaced. The long term sub got fed up and "quit" last week (there have been a few problems in the classes), and so they needed someone to fill the gap. Mr. Lords, the principal, came in today and filled the kids in on the situation. As soon as the State does whatever is needed, Ryan Sorensen is coming in. I hear he's excellent. I hope the State moves quickly.

Mr. D's schedule is 3 classes pre-calc (no problem), 2 classes app. geometry (no problem), and the 1 AP Stats class (big problem as I've never had stats before). I go to the other sub last Friday and get the 3 textbooks so I can brush up on things for today. I was told section 2.2 for pre-calc, 4-4 for geometry, and starting chapter 6 for stats.

Over the weekend I read the first 6 chapters in the stats book (it was actually quite interesting) and I looked at the 2.2 and 4-4 sections and knew the stuff, so I didn't spend too much time on that.

I get to class today and there were no lesson plans. Frustration occurs when expectations go unmet. Can I say I was frustrated? I expected more guidance. Maybe I'm sensitive, but I felt like I was being set up to fail. The other sub probably was just so fed up, she just didn't care any more...or thought I'd deal with it since I came in for the books?

I don't know that it really mattered in pre-calc. The students told me they had just been hopping around in the book, but 2.2 had not been done yet. We just started going over the section and then I assigned part of the exercises as homework and they started working on it in class.

Geometry was a different matter. They said they had already done 4-4 (vertical angles) and there was a disagreement on whether they had finished the chapter or not. They said they hadn't really been given chapter tests. It finally looked like they hadn't done 4-5 (perpendicular angles), so we started there...but none of them have textbooks at home, so I couldn't assign any homework. If I have time tonight I might make up a worksheet for them to take home tomorrow.

A little frustrating, but since we actually did "real" stuff in those classes, it was OK.

AP Stats. The previous sub was in there inputting grades from last week on the computer, so I had an extra audience for my belly flop. I guess I will get over it soon enough, but I was very stressed about it at the time.

The chapter is a lot of straight reading (though I do have to say I love the fun style it's written in). And it looked like you couldn't really do the problems in the back of the chapter until the chapter had been fully read. So I read out loud and bored the poor things in there (they were so good about it)...I read it because for some reason I really didn't want to tell them to just sit there and read it silently. There were 3 problems at the end of certain sections, so then we started going over those.

Really. Those poor students. Really. That poor substitute (me!). Of course after they left I realized that I should have told them to finish reading the chapter at home so we could start working on the problems. Still not sure what I'm going to do in there tomorrow.

I had been expecting some lesson plans...like "read this many pages and do exercises 1-4, then read these pages and do 5-8"...nope. One girl suggested they just bring food and have a party tomorrow and they would turn it into a math lesson by counting how many percentages of the cookies were in this category or that. I didn't agree, but if they bring cookies they certainly deserve to be able to eat them after listening to me today.

The students in all classes really behaved well today and that had been one of my major concerns as they have had a rough go of it so far this year. So, that part was OK. I just hate feeling like Stats was a waste of time.

So, I have lesson plans to work on, a key to make up for the 50 problems on the "Complete the Square" worksheet that they turned in today, then I need to correct the worksheets for the 3 classes. I do enjoy completing the square (more than most, I would imagine), but it is Monday night and we have Family Home Evening...plus I still have to make some plans for class tomorrow. So you are probably shaking your head at me, because here I sit at the computer instead of doing some real work. I can procrastinate with the best of the students.

So, just because now I feel I know what's happening, we should have a better time of it tomorrow. And then if I wind up still subbing on Wed. and Thurs, at least they are 1/2 days due to parent/teacher conferences and they should pass quickly.

Time for an Andrew update

Got a letter from Iowa on Saturday. Nope, it wasn't from Andrew, but from a Sister Holt who is in the ward in which he is serving in Dubuque.

It reads, in part:

"Your son, Elder Perazzo, has been very instrumental in helping in the baptism of a friend that has been 'in the works' for about a year. I wanted to write to you and thank you for raising such a fine son and missionary [in my reply, which I emailed, I told her I take no credit...he came that way]. He has been a blessing ever since arriving in Dubuque several weeks ago."

Sister Holt then goes on to talk about her friend Carole, who is 65, and that she became interested in the gospel when Sister Holt's son left on his mission and Carole went to his farewell talk in church. Elder Holt is currently serving in the Las Vegas Mission...we live in the Las Vegas West mission, so we won't get to meet him.

Andrew, due to leadership training in Des Moines, was actually not at Carole's baptism, which was a bit sad, but he really loved his 4 day training meeting.

Sister Holt then goes on:

"They [Andrew and his companion Elder Dummer] have had tremendous patience and shown great love to Carole. I can't help but be fond of them for their charity."

Sister Holt then talks of how she is so fond of Andrew for another reason, too--he reminds her of her missionary son. They both walk slightly stooped, they both love BYU and BYU football, and they have very similar hand gestures.


Anyway, she printed 2 photos of Andrew onto her letter paper. Here is one of them:

Elder Dummer, Carole, and Elder Perazzo 

It was a fun surprise to get that letter. Andrew has only sent home photos twice...and it's been a very long time since the second batch.  I'm just glad he emails every week like he's supposed to.

This was transfer week, therefore, his email came today instead of on Monday. His companion had taken the phone call from the mission office on Saturday and then told Andrew that they were staying together as companions, but Andrew was being demoted and was not going to be the District Leader any more. Turns out he was just pulling Andrew's leg.

Andrew is staying in Dubuque, but he is getting a new companion tomorrow (Thursday Oct 21st).  His district is increasing by 2 elders fresh from the MTC, though Andrew's is not one of the new ones. So now it will have 6 elders--(including Andrew and his companion) and 2 sisters.

Andrew says, "Hey, that means that next transfer will be my:

Eighth transfer in a row as District Leader, and my Tenth transfer in a row of having Sister Missionaries in my District. Which means that 2/3 of my mission will be as a District Leader, and 5/6 of my mission will be with Sister Missionaries in my District.  It doesn't get any weirder than that."

I'm not sure why that's weird, although once Andrew said something about his district having sisters in it and he guessed that means the Mission President trusted him (or something like that).  There are a lot more Elders than sisters, so not all districts have sisters in them.

He currently has 3 investigators with baptismal dates set.  So, he's keeping busy and loving it.

He ended the email this week with:

"I love you all, and I give you my support in whatever righteous undertaking you are trying to accomplish, whether it be getting a driver's license or a driver's permit or any other such worthy goals, the best of luck to them.  And speaking of worthy goals, did Eric ever defeat the Metriod Prime?

Love, Elder Andrew Perazzo"

Yes, he's a missionary...and a 20 year old. He thinks defeating Metroid Prime is a worthy goal. Hmm. 

So,  I can't wait to hear who Andrew's new companion is and where he's from. It's really fun being a missionary's mom.

PS Eric says he has not defeated Metroid Prime due to a glitch on the game. We'll let Andrew know next week. 

Alex turned 10 on 10-10-10

Alex is now in the double-digits. He had a party that lasted most of the day on Saturday with his 2 cousins, Ben and Thomas, as his guests. They had a blast.

Bobbing for apples is something Alex always chooses to do for his birthday.

Even Glen tried.















Alex and Glen made this piñata.

 The piñata kept falling out of the tree and had to be rehung many times before it finally busted open.

Thanks Jennifer for lending me the musical candle!

 Blasting off rockets was also on the agenda.

It was a great day.

a story for my sister

The following excerpt--with emphasis being mine-- is from a BYU-Idaho Devotional Speech given by Susan A. Bednar in 2002. The title of the talk is "To Look" and the whole text can be found at:

http://www.byui.edu/Presentations/transcripts/devotionals/2002_09_10_bednars.htm

Sister Bednar:

Do we sometimes harden our hearts and underestimate the value of incorporating simple gospel principles in our lives because we feel they won't assist or heal us? Please allow me to share with you an incident from my life where I refused for a time to look.

When I was not much older than many of you, my husband was enrolled in a demanding doctoral program at Purdue University far away from our families and familiar surroundings. We had two small children, very little money, limited time to spend together as a family, and we were having difficulty balancing the rigors of graduate school, family responsibilities, and church assignments. Does this situation sound familiar? Well, this daunting task began to take its toll, and I found myself feeling very overwhelmed with my responsibilities as a wife and a "stay-at-home mother." The feelings I felt were not necessarily unique to me or my circumstances. Many of you may experience some of these same challenges and emotions while you are here at BYU–Idaho.

After considerable contemplation, I remember asking my husband for a priesthood blessing. In this blessing I was promised that I could begin to better cope with my difficulties if I would exercise consistently, get more sleep, eat properly, have meaningful prayer night and morning, and engage in daily scripture study. The reason I remember so vividly the instruction I received is because I thought afterwards: "This is going to solve my problems? These are standard 'Sunday School' answers. Besides, I'm already doing some of these things." Does this attitude sound a bit hard-hearted? Maybe if the message had been to take a vacation to the beach, or sign up for an art class, or have my nails done, I would have been more receptive to the counsel. I guess I was searching for different solutions, and I balked at the banality of what I had been counseled to do.

I pondered the blessing, and over a period of time I came to know and understand that these inspired admonitions were plain and simple, yet profound. As I moved from casual observance to a more steadfast and heartfelt implementation of these principles in my life, I discovered a sense of emotional peace, a feeling of physical well-being, and a spiritual confidence that brought tremendous blessings to my life. Like those in Moses' day, all I had to do was to "look!"

I invite you to ponder how you can make these gospel principles a part of your daily life. Instead of thinking of all the reasons why you can't exercise regularly, go to bed at a reasonable hour, eat a balanced diet, pray morning and night, or study your scriptures daily, please consider the emotional, physical, and spiritual blessings that will come if you do apply these teachings with full purpose of heart and real intent. Don't be blinded by the seeming simplicity or easiness of the way. You, too, can be assisted in your challenges and have the strength to accept the vicissitudes of life with assurance. All you have to do is "look!"

***

The reason I titled this post "A story for my sister" is because we recently had a conversation and Deni told me that she has essentially been doing these things lately (since Ed Week when she got inspired) and she is the happiest she's been in a long time. Denise, like Sister Bednar, had been doing some of those things for a long time, but especially the exercise and getting enough sleep were new to her routine and she can really tell a difference.

So, when we're struggling with life, we need to check the list (exercise consistently, sleep enough, eat right, pray, and scripture study) and see what we need to improve upon and not be like Naaman the Leper who almost wasn't healed because he didn't think what the prophet told him to do would make a difference. These things will make a difference. Just ask my sister.