Nothing New

I realize I haven't written in a while, so I thought I'd give an update. I've kind of fallen into a routine and just living the same ole' same ole'. There's nothing wrong with that...just no exciting news to share with you all.
Spent last weekend in my town and just hung out with some friends. Very low key. Ate Mongolian BBQ at the night market, which was delicious! I'm actually craving a big American hamburger right about now! Did you ever think you would hear those words from Kate Strein? ha.
I have a few plans for the holidays.
Thanksgiving Thursday is my busiest day of the week. After school, I have cheer practice, then dance class at night. After I find something to eat, I try to get to sleep. Not much time to think about what I'm missing back home. That's ok.
For Christmas, I have taken the day off to stay home and try and contact my friends and family via Skype or Yahoo! Please let me know if/when you're available to talk!!!!!!!!!! Christmas is on Thursday...so my Christmas morning will be your Christmas EVe night. Remember...I'm 13 hours ahead now because of daylight savings.
Since I'll be home all day, I might as well make myself useful...so I'm cooking a "traditional" Christmas dinner for my family. I've never roasted an animal before, so this will be quite the experience. I'm making a chicken instead of a turkey. hopefully I can find everything for stuffing, mashed taters, and GRAVY! ooooh my mouth is watering just thinking about it! The holidays are a great time at the Strein household (both in Pennsylvania and Michigan) because we've got some awesome cooks! Aunt Laura's turkey is always moist and delicious, and I LOVE her snacks and fruit salsa! JC makes a wicked awesome sweet potato casserole (my dad LOVES casseroles...lol) and some great meatballs and such to snack on all week! Oh man...can't wait till I can have these delicious, make-me-so-fat treats!
Meanwhile....I will stick to eating bok choy and over-garlicked mystery meat with rice every.single.day.of.the.week.
Being in a routine, I'm getting a little sick of how I'm running my classes. I have one chapter for two weeks...or four class periods. I typically introduce the material the first day, review it the second along with a game, add some more the third day, and review EVERYTHING the fourth. In there are also a lot of hangman games and competitions. The kids seem to enjoy the class, but they are finding the routine to get a little old, too. Perhaps this 3 day orientation in January will give me a kick start to use some different techniques and materials. I have plenty ideas to make classes interesting and hands-on, but I lack materials...and any days that are seen as "too much fun" or "too student led" are criticized by the Taiwanese teachers. I like to do projects and give worksheets to reinforce my lessons, but that is not something done in this culture, so they have many questions regarding the purpose. I'm trying to give each grade some kind of "free day" project around the holidays. Today, my 5th grade classes made paper snowflakes to decorate my room. To incorporate something educational....they had to write snowman, snowflake, cold, and snowy ll 5 times before starting the project. We recited the words many times beforehand, also! So, hopefully they learned SOMETHING!
For my 3rd graders, I've printed off easy coloring sheets and made them into cards...I will write on the board a few phrases for a Christmas card and everyone will make a card for a family member and then decorate it.
Not sure what I'll do with the 6th graders yet...They are pretty creative! One of the 6th grade classes made a Halloween story in October, so maybe I'll have them all right a Christmas story and give them some pictures to cut and color for illustrations. Oh the ideas you come up with while blabbing on your blog! ha!
Well I guess this is it for now....probably the most boring blog I've written...but I wanted to give an update so everyone knows I didn't get kidnapped or become part of a tribal gang or something! :-)
Love and Miss you
happy Holidays!!!!!!