The Art of Teaching

I'm a teacher. That is my job. Some days it feels like a job and sometimes it feels like a hobby. Some days, I come home and think to myself....I am changing the world, I am making an impact, this is good. And then there are other days when I come home and think "If today's high schoolers are any reflection of the future of our country, we are in big trouble." But most of the time, I'm somewhere in between and today was an in between day. My kids didn't wow me with their Spanish skills, but they made me laugh and when they can make me laugh, that's a good thing. That's really what relationships are all about. And I think relationship is ultimately what makes a good teacher, not great lesson plans or cool school supplies. (Although, sometimes I'd like to believe its cool school supplies). Well, today first period was making me laugh. First they started playing a game where they went through the alphabet and started naming animals that started with the letters. They were working, they really were, but they were also yelling random animal names. They even had me googling animals that start with an "x". X-ray Fish...there you go. I even learned something new today. Then there was the game where they all said quotes from Finding Nemo. They were lucky that is one of my favorite movies. They were making me laugh...especially the part where they imitated Ellen Degeneres' character.....they were speaking whale. You know the part i'm talking about. Gosh, it was funny. That story had nothing to do with the content I teach, but if you were there you would have laughed too...and sometimes we just need to laugh more, don't you think?

11/18/1999

I remember the day I found out that the bonfire had fallen. I was a sophomore in high school. I remember talking about it at lunch. My friend, Annette, drove to College Station that night to be with her older sister and their friends, because someone they knew was injured. She said that the memorial service was overflowing...standing room only. At that point, I thought I was going to Baylor University. I wasn't really interested in Texas A&M. But I knew a little bit about the traditions. I had never been to a Bonfire, but what I remember most about the incident was the spirit....the spirit of Aggieland as we aggies call it. The spirit of Aggieland was at its strongest November 18, 1999. The Bonfire falling was a terrible thing. However, from that, I (along with many others) were able to see what it really meant to be an Aggie. They came together. They helped eahother. They were strong. And everyone across the nation saw it. I heard (although I can't prove it) but I heard that application rates went up that year. People just wanted to be a part of that spirit that everyone saw after the Bonfire fell.


That was my first experience with Texas A&M. From the outside, I found the spirit of Aggieland really special. And after 2 degrees, I am proud to say that it's everything I saw then and much more.


Thanks and gigem.

ps. The Texas Monthly has a really awesome article on the Bonfire. If you get that magazine, you should read it.

What's in a name?

Snead. When I started dating Brad it seems like such a normal name. People knew how to say it and would attempt it. Oropeza. Now, that is complicated. People always ask "how do I say it?" "Oropeeeeeza" "Is that Spanish?" "I know I'm going to butcher it" "Lauren OOOOO uhhhh."

Well today I come with 2 funny stories about my names...these are true stories of how Snead and Oropeza were used in my classroom. Of course I laughed at them 1) because its funny and 2) because if you can't laugh when high schoolers make fun of you, then you shouldn't be a teacher.

Story #1:

Student1: Bless you.
Me: I didn't sneeze
Student: Yes you did....Sneeead....you know, like sneeze.

Story #2:

Student #1 to Student #2: What do you like better? Oropeza or Snead?
Student #2: Oropeza. I like it. It's like an unusual bug....ohhh look (pointing to the floor) It's an oropeza!

It's just funny. Laugh, because its good for you and because high schoolers are weird.

Say my name, say my name.

If you have it, you should play an all time Destiny Child's Fave....."Say my name." If you don't have it, I know you know it....

So what's all this stuff with this name stuff? I FINALLY changed my name. Friday morning I woke up Laure Oropeza and Friday night I went to bed a new person: Lauren Snead. Well, the same person, just a new name. :)

Thanks and gigem.

9 weeks, but who's counting?

To my Brad,

In the words of Ray LaMontage "You are the best thing....you are the best thing that ever happened to me. "

Love, Lauren

Happy 2 months to us!

8.21.09 seems like so long ago and then at the same time I can't believe the 2 months have gone by so fast!

I have to make this post short. I'm putting in conduct grades (booo) and then getting dressed so Brad and I can go out for wine and tapas (yay) and I don't want to make Brad late (even though I do all the time).

Ok, I must be tired, I have to stop writing in parentheticals.

Nothing has really changed since my last post, except now Brad puts the toilet seat down! Which is awesome. No more falling in! We love being married, love being together, and even when there is a stinky situation, we still love being together.

In honor of our wine night...

Here's to 2 months!! Cheers!

Happy One Month!

It's been exactly one both. On August 21, Brad and I got married. At times, it seems so long ago, and at other times, I can't believe we are married. I still have those moments, of whoa...I'm married...and my name changed. It has been quite an adventure in the past month, but I will say this..being married has been such a blessing. I've loved it...pretty much every part of it. And I love knowing that at the end of every day no matter what happened or who I saw, I get to see Brad when its all over and I love it. So in honor of being married and changing my name I'd like to share some special newyled moments/suprises in the form of an acrostic.

S- Seat - Brad leaves the toilet seat up and I have fallen in numerous times. He usually knows I've fallen in when he hears me scream. It's not one of my prettier moments. 2 1/2 years of dating, and i've never fallen in the toilet...1 month of being married, and i can't even count how many times i've fallen in. I just don't get it.

N - Nightime - What I love most about being married is that when they day is over, I get to see Brad...every night and every night I cuddle him to death :) We pretty much only sleep on half of our king size bed. (I told him it was too big for us) .People keep telling me that it won't always be like this, but I think it will. :)

E - EA Sports - I never thought marriage life would be this much fun...Thanks to Uncle Ralph, Brad and I play the Wii pretty much every night. The Wii Tennis and now EA Sports' Grand Slam tennis are our favorites. We have had such a blast. I always thought married people read books and went to bed at 8, but it hasn't been like that at all, and I've loved it.

A - Adjustements - I have had to make some adjustments, and for someone who doesn't like change, like me, you would think some things would be hard for me: for example: getting a new name, moving, living with a boy, sharing a bathroom, sharing a bed, sharing a closet, pretty much just sharing (hello, only child) COOKING!, cleaning, trying not to snooze a bajillion times, not leaving my clothes on the floor after I change...Adjustments...we have had to do this. Both of us. But, of course it's worth it :)

D - Devotion - As you know, Brad is such loyal guy. He is completely devoted to me and to God. He is constantly encouarging me to be a better, gentler person and I am so grateful for that role he plays in my life. I'm excited to see where the Lord takes us next.