The Reading Roadrunner!

December issue

 A quiet house

It's been 12 days since we lost Zenji and the house is so quiet.  For a little dog, Zenji sure made her presence known.

Losing Zen has been so hard on CeeCee.  She is confused and just doesn't understand what has happened.  I'm glad I work from home so I can be here for her.  We spend a lot of time together in the backyard but even then CeeCee keeps looking for Zenji.  It is heartbreaking.

I haven't told the kids I teach that Zenji is gone, I'm not sure if I will.  I don't know how they will react and I just want them to focus on their lessons.  They do ask to see her and CeeCee so I've just been telling them that the dogs are outside chasing rabbits.

It is going to take time before we settle back into our routine and I know that life does go on, but I am going to allow both CeeCee and myself the opportunity to mourn Zenji.  I know there are people who will never understand any of this and that is their great loss.  And for right now, we are going to just remember the craziness that was Zenji and just be grateful for all of the precious memories we've made together over the past 10 years.

Take care,

Teresa and CeeCee

One Crazy Spotted Dog

I was going through photos of Zenji this morning and wanted to share a few of my favorites.

After bath time.  She was so happy when it was finally over.

I never did figure out what she was after.

Zenji loved her blankies.

That dog loved to stick her head in the ground.  I was always afraid she would pull her nose out with a rattlesnake attached.

The soil right after a summer rain was very appealing.

Zenji was known for her crazy sleeping positions.

CeeCee and Zenji were hard to capture in the same photo.  This one will always be one of my favorites.  They were both so focused on a rabbit in the tortoise pen.

It is going to be a long time before CeeCee and I recover from losing Zenji.  She was a big part of our lives and we are going to miss her forever.

Thank you for taking the time to look at these pictures.  Please feel free to share your own photos of your crazy critters.

Take care,

Teresa and CeeCee

 Zenji

We lost Zenji at 9:37 pm on Sunday, November 16.  She was in so much pain I had to let her go.  CeeCee and I will miss her very, very much.

 I Love You To The Moon And Back

Since November is Picture Book Month, I want to share one of my favorite picture books and a favorite of the kids as well.  It is called I Love You To The Moon And Back.  It is a wonderful story that has both emotional and social benefits, teaching children about the unconditional love between a mother bear and her cub.  The book also encourages children not to be afraid to show their feelings.  It can be an easy read for children though most of my students want me to read it to them.  The story flows and rhymes which can aid with language development and improve literary skills in young readers.  The illustrations are colorful and vibrant, something that is essential in capturing a young reader's attention.

The book is available on Amazon in both hardcover for around $11 or board book for about $4.  Just click on the image.  I would recommend the board book if you are reading to your students and it is easier for small hands to handle if the children are reading themselves.

Take care and keep reading,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

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Little Baby CeeCee and the literacy crisis in America

 CeeCee is a favorite with my students and they always ask to see her at some point during our lessons.  I'm not sure why they don't ask to see Zenji, maybe they can't remember her name.  

If the children are struggling and becoming frustrated I just pan the camera around and call CeeCee who hurries over, most times with a toy in her mouth.  Seeing her can provide a break which will allow the kids to relax a bit.  For the younger students I will incorporate phonics into their CeeCee moment.  They can sound out and spell dog or toy and count the letter sounds.  It's a positive moment for all of us.

This past week has been progress monitoring week and most of the students did very well.  I do have several who are struggling and I have to shoulder the blame.  I just can't seem to connect with these kids.  I know they are trying their best but they struggle.  With the older students, they haven't been taught the basics of reading so I have to start with simple letter sounds and blending consonant vowel consonant words (cvc).  It is a step backwards and veers off course from our lessons but they need to learn.  And for some older students, it can be embarrassing because they are struggling to read simple sentences.  I try to reassure them and let them know it isn't their fault but when they are paired with other students who can read they hesitate to even try.  

Having older students who are struggling to read is one of the reason I become angry when I hear people claim there is no literacy crisis in America.  Literary rates are declining and there are several theories as to why.  Socioeconomic issues, teacher shortages, education funding cuts have all been listed as factors.  Personally I think that kids just aren't encourage to read outside of school hours.  Parents who have difficulty reading themselves are less likely to encourage their children to read and this is part of the continuing decline in literacy in America.  In addition, phones and video games have replaced books and those are distractions I didn't have growing up.  We had books in our house and we grew up reading with my favorite childhood book being 101 Dalmatians.  It is still my favorite.

Take care and remember to read,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

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 2 am with coffee and dogs

Up early getting ready for an ESL class.  Took Zenji to a different vet Friday morning.  We've been to this one before but only for rabies vaccines.  Both the vet and her vet tech are super nice people and really care about animals.  Her rates are low compared to most of the other vets in town but I guess if you're not paying for a brand new building you don't have to overcharge clients.

No new diagnosis from the new vet as of yet.  She requested all of Zenji's medical records from the two previous vets and is going to review the results.  She felt it wasn't necessary to repeat blood work or x-rays and she did give me a new prescription for Zenji's pain meds (carprofen). 

We did discuss the possibility of Zenji's cancer returning.  I told her if it is cancer causing Zenji's discomfort, I'm not going to pursue any type of treatment.  I just want Zen to be happy and pain-free until it is her time to go.

Sometimes a dog can break your heart.

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

 3 am with coffee and dogs

Up early again getting ready for a 4:30 am ESL class.  Both dogs slept through the night which is good.  I've been worried about Zenji though.  She's had some tenderness with her hips but carprofen seems to help.  The challenge is trying to keep her calm once she starts feeling better.  I've made an appointment with another vet and hopefully this one may have some insight into what is going on with Zenji.  If anything, I should be able to get a prescription for pain meds to help Zen when she needs it.

This morning's student was a no-show which was a little frustrating but I still get paid.  I think however, I would have preferred to sleep in a bit. 

Overall the students have been really good this year, no real behavior issues as of yet.  I think the most challenging student is one that is struggling to read basic three letter words.  He tends to act up a bit when it is his turn to read but I think he only does that because he doesn't know how to sound out the words.  I'm going to start giving him some extra attention and focus on letter sounds and blending.  Hopefully that will give him some confidence.

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

 5 am with coffee and dogs

Another restless night for Zenji.  Pacing back and forth and possible weakness in her rear legs but she did settle down around 1:30 am.  I'm at a loss as to what to try next with her.  Since the lab work and x-rays were normal, maybe it is something simple, something that can easily be changed.  

I'm going to focus on changing her diet.  She has been on a rice and ground turkey diet mainly due to vomiting.  But since the stomach issues were a result of too much canned pumpkin, I have been slowly switching her over to a dry kibble diet.  I think it is possible that my recipe just didn't have the necessary nutrients that she needs.  She has been losing weight and is hungry all the time and that could be an indicator of an improper diet.

The dry dog food I feed my dogs is Purina Dog Chow and I am going to stick with that for Zenji.  I know there are many people who do not like Purina but my dogs have never had an issue with it.  I have tried Science Diet, Royal Canin, Iams and others but Purina is the one brand the dogs will actually eat.  

CeeCee seems concerned over Zenji and has been following her around as if to keep tabs on her.  Most times when I let them run wild in the backyard they separate and do their own thing but yesterday CeeCee wouldn't leave Zenji's side.  I think it irritated Zenji having CeeCee following her but I found CeeCee's concern for her sister heartwarming.

Update on the rain:  We did get a good soaking yesterday and it continued to rain through the night.  I haven't checked the rain gauge yet and I am curious to see how  much we received.  I do know there is a lake in our front yard.

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

 

Waiting for rain with coffee and dogs

Another early morning with the girls.  Zenji was a little restless last night but I think she just overexerted herself yesterday.  She thinks she is still a pup.

Southern Arizona was supposed to get rain from both Hurricane Priscilla and Hurricane Raymond and while some parts of Tucson have had a good soaking, here in Three Points, nothing measurable so far.  It is clouding up and the afternoon forecast looks promising but it is just hard to tell.  We're still at 3.79 inches for the year which is about 6 inches or so less than we had last year at this time.  Hopefully, we will get a few inches at least.

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

 2 am with coffee and dogs

Up early though this time I can't blame the dogs.  Had a doctor's appointment at the VA on Tuesday and ended up with both a shingles and a tetanus shot.  Still feeling the effects, those things hurt.  It was tough getting through reading classes yesterday with the body aches and chills but I'm feeling a bit better this morning.

The Veterans hospital in Tucson is pretty nice and it is self contained.  I like how everything is on site and I don't have to travel to separate locations for lab work or x-rays.  In addition they have a separate women's clinic which is pretty good.  I had requested a new doctor and it was my first time meeting with her.  My previous doctor had a habit of cancelling my appointments and forcing me to reschedule so I felt I needed to change.

Using the VA online Healthevet is really cool.  From there I am able to request appointments, review lab results and message back and forth with the clinic.  If there is an issue the doctor will send a secure message to discuss treatment.  Another perk is being able to reorder my health ID card online.  Just provide a photo and your ID will be mailed to you, hassle free.  I should mention that the VA health ID card can also be used as a real ID.  

One of the best things about having the VA as my health insurance is not having to deal with civilian insurance companies.  There is no waiting to see if a procedure will be approved or denied.  Once the doc requests a procedure, the biggest issue usually is the scheduling portion.  I am only speaking from my personal experience though.  If anyone has had a negative experience, please leave a comment.  I'd like to know how the issue was resolved.

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

 3 am with coffee and dogs

Zenji seems to be doing a bit better.  She hasn't thrown up in over a week so the canned pumpkin must have been the culprit.  She is also having less pain in her hips but I'm still trying to keep her calm for another week or so.  It is so hard to do sometimes, especially if she sees a rabbit in the yard or a coyote passing by.  CeeCee is still being patient but I can tell that she really wants to run and play with Zenji.  Hopefully I'll be able to let them run wild and run free in the backyard soon.

Reading classes are coming along and the kids are settling in.  The first couple weeks of school always seems to be a getting to know you / what can I get away with period but we all are learning how to work together to get through our lessons.  They're a good bunch kids.

ESL classes are in full swing as well.  Most of my ESL students do speak English to some level but sometimes I'll get a student who can only speak a few words of English and it can be challenging.  When that happens I have to run to different lesson sets to accommodate all the students.  I think the kids that are more advanced in English get impatient but overall they try to help the less advanced kids.  It is heartwarming to see the students helping one another.

Take care, 

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

 2 am with coffee, dogs and the Great American Novel

Another 2 am with the dogs but at least Zenji isn't throwing up anymore.  I think it was the canned pumpkin I had been mixing into her food.  Pure pumpkin can help with constipation and settle a dog's stomach but needs to be given in accordance with the dog's tolerance level. I believe I had been giving her too much and it was making her sick. So, that's one problem solved (I think).  Now to figure out this 2 am stuff.  I'm starting to feel like the TNG Enterprise crew in the episode Night Terrors.  Lack of REM sleep caused by a Tyken's Rift created mental instability.  Maybe I should change Zenji's name to Tyken.

While all of my dogs (past and present) have had the ability to drive me completely insane, their presence did allow me to fulfill a 'before I turn 50' goal.  My love of dogs led me to volunteer at  Hope Animal Shelter in Tucson Arizona and that opportunity was the inspiration for my Great American Novel.  Just kidding about the great American novel part, in reality it was just a paperback kid's book called Midnight at the Shelter of Hope.  

Midnight at the Shelter of Hope is a tale about Marlowe, the Red Pit Bull pup who has to face his greatest fears and rescue a human cub.  The cover, both front and back were designed by a wonderful illustrator named Donna Murillo who also designed the black and white images in the book.

I know it's never going to win a Pulitzer but I am rather proud of it.  The book is available on Amazon if you're interested.  Just click on the image.  The hardcover sells for $5.99 and the Kindle for $0.99. Also, if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, the Kindle version is free.

Take care and keep on reading, 

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

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My fashion sense as a 60 year old

Am I the only one who thinks ladies fashion should include cutoff camo pants, a floppy hat and a fishing pole?

Bass fishing at Arivaca Lake Arizona

Canoeing and fishing at Patrick Henry Reservoir (Warriors Path State Park, Kingsport Tennessee)

 2 am with coffee and dogs

Sundays are my only full day off and I make an effort to get in as much R&R as possible.  I try to sleep in or at least sleep until 4 am but, right on cue, Zenji's alarm clock went off again at 2 am.  We've fallen into a crazy sleep pattern and I'm not sure how to undo it.  Suggestions are welcome.

Yesterday's (Saturday) 4:30 am ESL reading class was with only one student and she is already proficient in speaking English.  So I had planned to focus on reading comprehension and writing during our session.  However, the student refused to participate in the lesson.  This sort of thing happens on occasion, but when it happens at 4:30 in the morning on one cup of coffee, it is frustrating.  In this situation, being an online teacher, there is very little I can do, so I improvised and began to write sentences on the white board which pertained to the lesson.  I knew the student had a cat named Mr. Tickles so I wrote 'Mr. Tickles learned that construction on the Empire State building began in 1930'.  Miraculously that sentence peaked the student's interest and she began reading the sentences on the board. Even though we only accomplished a small portion of the assignment, it was better than nothing.

Becoming TEFL certified and picking up ESL students wasn't something I had planned when I began working with kids but I'm glad it is part of my routine.  The kids are great and a lot of fun to work with. For those who are interested, acquiring a TEFL or TESOL certificate can get expensive and that played a part in which online company I selected.  I ended up going with International TEFL and TESOL, mostly because of the price ($150 for a level 5 TEFL certificate) but they did have decent reviews.  Overall the course is okay and it does provide the basics for classroom management and lesson planning.  But if you are looking into becoming an ESL teacher there are a lot of options out there so choose what feels right for you.  I would like to say that including a TEFL or TESOL certificate on your resume will add value to any teaching or tutoring credentials.

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

 

 3 am with coffee and dogs

Zenji is a bit better this morning though she is still stiff in her hips.  I gave her carprofen for pain yesterday and that seemed to help.  We sat outside and enjoyed a cool evening watching it not rain again at our house.  CeeCee seems to understand that Zenji isn't feeling well and is content to lay nearby and doesn't try to initiate play activity.

Online reading classes went well yesterday and the kids were great.  They are settling in for the fall semester and working hard.  The first graders are the most challenging so far and one has just learned to change the background on his tablet.  It can be distracting watching his background change constantly during the lesson but as long as he participates I'm okay with it.  Besides, there is very little I can do about it anyway so I try to turn it into a learning opportunity.  The beach background is his favorite so to get him involved in the lesson I include words and sentences that relate to beach activities.  It's a compromise but at least he's interested and he's learning.

Happy Friday,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

P.S.

If anyone has suggestions or remedies to help an older dog with hip issues, please let me know. 

Thanks

Zenji 

Zenji is struggling today.  She's weak in her hips again but she isn't pacing and restless and her appetite is good.  I'm hoping she just overexerted herself yesterday when she was playing.  Sometimes she doesn't understand that she needs to slow down.  I'm glad I work from home so I can help her if she needs it.

3:15 am with coffee and dogs

The girls slept in this morning to 3:15.  Yay for me!  Fed them an early breakfast and let them loose in the front yard to howl at the coyotes.  Then back in the house for their after breakfast nap.  I wish I could fall asleep as quickly as my dogs do.

This is progress monitoring week for the students.  I think it is more stressful for me than it is for the kids and that is okay.  They perform better if they're relaxed and it shows in their scores.  I've already finished progress monitoring the first graders and while they were a bit of a challenge, they did really well.  I was proud of them. 

Evaluating these young students can sometimes feel like herding cats but there really is no feeling like it when these kids do well on their testing.  And the best part of this is when they do well, they have a sense of accomplishment and it gives them the motivation to keep working hard at their lessons.

Take care,

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee

 2 am with coffee and dogs

Zenji's internal chronometer went off at 2 am this morning...again.  She's getting back to normal but I need to find a way to reset her clock.  I am a morning person but 2 am is a bit early.

Today kicks off another week of online classes. The kids I work with are not meeting the reading requirement for their grade level which is why they've been assigned to me.  I believe several of the students are dyslexic though they've not been officially identified as a developmentally challenged student.  Limited school resources and insufficient teacher training can play a role in the student's condition not being recognized.  Many educators just don't know what to look for and often attribute reading difficulty to low intelligence or lack of a solid reading foundation.  I do need to point out that I am not a certified dyslexia specialist, I only know the areas that are most challenging to my students and I try to help them work through these challenges.

Saturn

No luck viewing Saturn last night.  Arizona's monsoon was active and it rained most of the evening.  Perhaps the conditions will be better tonight.

Take care, 

Teresa, Zenji and CeeCee