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[Bobber]

Nice collection! A pity about the Bob Spitz book, haha!

[Sondra]

It was a present!! At least the pics are good. 

[Hello Goodbye]

Happy me. What a goof. I wish I was still so easily amused!

(Well, quoted from you in the Baby Pictures thread)

Let's see if you can be amused, Sondra.  First off, I don't think you would have enjoyed having "young me" as one of your students.  This happened in Kindergarten.  I was always causing trouble and The Corner became a frequent habitat for me.  So there was a girl in my class named Barbara who was cute in a Shirley Temple way.  Big blue eyes and curly blond hair.  We knew each other well as we were neighbors.

So one day, during "coloring," I get up out of my seat and walk over to her and plant a big kiss on top of her head and returned to my seat to continue coloring "outside the lines."  This went unnoticed by Mrs. Zimpbaum and Miss Hoffman.  A few minutes later, Barbara returns the gesture but unfortunately is spotted by Mrs. Zimpbaum who puts poor Barbara into The Corner.  She had never been punished before and so she started to cry.  Real big tears!  It upset me to see her crying as I knew that I was responsible for all this.  But I'm a quick thinker and I get up and go over to a group of classmates building skyscrapers with building blocks and proceed to kick them down.  They start to cry and I turn to make sure my teachers notice this which they did.  I'm put into The Corner and Barbara is sent back to her seat.  Still sobbing and heaving, she looks at me sitting in The Corner.  I smile back at her.  She ultimately stops sobbing and all is at peace.

Barbara remained one of my father's patients for many years.  I saw her once in my dad's waiting room when we were both about 30.  I asked her if she still remembered Kindergarten.  "Are you kidding?" she answered.  "You were my hero!"  And she kissed me on top of my head.

[Sondra]

That's a great story! It's cool that she remembered it.


BTW, the kids who are the so called "trouble makers" usually end up being my favorite. It's just the way it is!

[Mairi]

Sondra, i bet you were a "troublemaker" in school!

[Hello Goodbye]

That's a great story! It's cool that she remembered it.

I thought so too and I was happy she did.  She was a sweet girl and grew up to be a very nice, settled and pleasant adult.  I'm sure that was the only time she ever got into trouble in school so she was bound to remember the incident.  Our families were close over the years and that helped too.

Oh, and I ran into Mrs. Zimpbaum several years later when I was in fourth or fifth grade.  She was on maternity leave and sitting in the park with the baby carriage.  While I ran by the benches she called my name.  I went over to say hello and said "You really remember me?"  "Of course I do!" she replied.  I told her how cute her baby was and then I pointed at her saying "And you shouldn't have punished Barbara leaving her in the corner crying like that."  "You remember that?" she asked.  "Of course I do!" I replied.  Maybe I taught that teacher something.

BTW, the kids who are the so called "trouble makers" usually end up being my favorite. It's just the way it is!

Well, Sondra, I'm happy to hear you say that.  You're progressive in your teaching philosophy.  I think a student's getting into trouble is a symptom of boredom.  Stimulate that student with some advanced assignments and you'll reveal the achiever underneath.  It was that way with me.

[Hello Goodbye]

Sondra, i bet you were a "troublemaker" in school!

I'm looking forward to her response, Mairi. 

[Sondra]

Nah, I was what you would call a slacker. I had NO interest in school! Besides hanging out with my friends. I barely remember attending high school. I think most of my class time was spent on other, uh, non-school activities.

I always think it's so ironic that I became a teacher considering how much I HATED school! I took a fit when my mom first suggested I go into teaching. School bored the hell out of me. Hated sitting there all day.

[Sondra]

I thought so too and I was happy she did.  She was a sweet girl and grew up to be a very nice, settled and pleasant adult.  I'm sure that was the only time she ever got into trouble in school so she was bound to remember the incident.  Our families were close over the years and that helped too.

Oh, and I ran into Mrs. Zimpbaum several years later when I was in fourth or fifth grade.  She was on maternity leave and sitting in the park with the baby carriage.  While I ran by the benches she called my name.  I went over to say hello and said "You really remember me?"  "Of course I do!" she replied.  I told her how cute her baby was and then I pointed at her saying "And you shouldn't have punished Barbara leaving her in the corner crying like that."  "You remember that?" she asked.  "Of course I do!" I replied.  Maybe I taught that teacher something.


Well, Sondra, I'm happy to hear you say that.  You're progressive in your teaching philosophy.  I think a student's getting into trouble is a symptom of boredom.  Stimulate that student with some advanced assignments and you'll reveal the achiever underneath.  It was that way with me.

Kids remember the smallest things so you have to be VERY careful about what you say and do. You should see the way some of the public school teachers treat kids. Especially special ed. kids. I tried to mainstream a lot of my students who were ready and you wouldn't believe the resistance I had to deal with. And anytime a kid had behavior issues, they automatically wanted to stick them into special ed. Even when they didn't even qualify! If they took the time to know what was going on in their lives, maybe they'd understand why they were so angry. Plus, you have to make a connection with them and show them you care. I mean, it isn't easy that's for sure, but why are they teachers then??? Drove me nuts. I can't tell you how many times I'd be in the principal's office complaining. But it was LAUSD, so forget it.

Private school has its own issues. A lot of the kids are very spoiled and have a sense of entitlement. They blame things on their parents and nannies. Until they realize that's not acceptable. Soon they know not to use that with me. I can go on and on and on about being responsible for themselves and how anything worth having is worth working for and so on. And they get it too. You just have to teach it to them you know. Which is pretty easy. They're good kids.

Sorry, but ya get me going on this stuff, and I never shut up. 

[Hello Goodbye]

Sorry, but ya get me going on this stuff, and I never shut up. 

That's quite all right, Sondra.  It's interesting to hear a teacher's viewpoint on this matter.  In my case, I wasn't so much a "troublemaker" than I was a student who was mischievous and enjoyed being in trouble.  It all straightened out later on when I re-entered the NYC Public School System in junior high school where I was placed in the SP Program.  For grades 2-6, I was in Hebrew Day School (Yeshiva) where I was constantly getting into trouble.  My family is not Orthodox and I was somewhat out of place there.  As I didn't start in that school's kindergarten and only had one year of Sunday School education, I was at quite a disadvantage early on.  But it's amazing how active a young mind is.  I learned a lot those five years.  We only had four hours a day for English studies.  I didn't learn anything new until ninth grade in public school.

I still found time to misbehave, though.  For example, our school was two blocks from a Catholic School.  I rode the bus and subway with a kid who went there.  I always admired his school uniform, a blue blazer and gray pants.  We didn't have a uniform.  One day I came up with the brilliant idea of switching clothes and taking each other's place in class.  He was my counterpart at his school.  We weren't just reading The Prince And The Pauper, we were living it!  Needless-to-say, our charade didn't last long.  Our respective principals soon had us in their offices.  I was scolded but good by mine.  My Hebrew teacher was cool, though.  He found it all very amusing and actually stuck up for me in the principal's office.  When he and I walked back to class, he asked me to behave myself the rest of the day.  I promised to behave the rest of the week!

I kept my promise.

[Mairi]

Nah, I was what you would call a slacker. I had NO interest in school! Besides hanging out with my friends. I barely remember attending high school. I think most of my class time was spent on other, uh, non-school activities.

I always think it's so ironic that I became a teacher considering how much I HATED school! I took a fit when my mom first suggested I go into teaching. School bored the hell out of me. Hated sitting there all day.

I think that's good, though. You have a different perspective, so you can make school more interesting for your students.

I was never seen as a troublemaker in school. I got good grades, but was considered very very strange.

[Sondra]

My classroom last Open House. It's crazy what we have to do!! I usually don't keep my seats that way. That would SO not work.

[Sondra]

I think that's good, though. You have a different perspective, so you can make school more interesting for your students.

I was never seen as a troublemaker in school. I got good grades, but was considered very very strange.

I was very quiet and shy, but because of the way I dressed and who I hung out with, one of my friends back then, we were 9th graders, told me that everyone was scared of me! I was so shocked! They thought I was this badass burn out. Which is pretty funny really cuz I'm actually a big chicken. Can't judge a book by its cover for sure! I was a burn out, but that came later. Or stoner as they say on the West Coast. Heh.

[Sondra]

Was playing around with my friends new digital camera today cuz she's technologically impaired. I want one now! I took the dumbest pictures though. Neither of us wanted to be in any, so it's just of random stuff out at Farmers Market and the Grove. Not that most people would know about that. I mean, maybe Farmers Market cuz it's been there for 75 years...rambling again.

I think I took pretty good pictures though! Only one looks a bit blurry. Now I have to figure out all the effects I can do with this camera. Then I have to tutor her! Anyone know of any cool effects I should try to figure out first? Cuz at this point, all I know how to do is point and shoot!

Some random pictures.

Our dinner! It was GOOD! That's my red wine in the foreground.


Our view from the table with some people I don't know at the table across from us.


Some stores at The Grove. Shopping yay!


The clock tower. Kind of dark.


Close up. My friend took this one.


Walking to the Farmers Market. Kinda blurry. But I was walking while taking it sooo.


A tourist trap store in FM. And some girl who walked into the picture!


More random people and the market.


I was trying to get the area where the band plays. They were setting up. But I was being rushed!


Pinkberry! This stuff is SO good!


Starbucks.


Starbucks and Pinkberry! Yay.


Okay, now that I've posted the most boring post ever, I'll move on. I just like practicing this stuff.

[Sondra]

Okay, so I've learned NOT to use the flash with digital cameras. It REALLY makes you look bizarre! No wonder my friend got mad at me for taking her pic before. It really doesn't look natural. Do people know this already? Are there other settings I should know about? Having fun playing with this thing though.

[Hello Goodbye]

Nice pictures, Sondra.  Sure does not look like New Jersey!

Generally, the flash fills in shadows to a degree and is indicated for portraits.  Digital cameras have their flashes in the worst place and that's why you're not happy with the result.  With an SLR digital camera, you can reposition the flash away from the lens and get nicer portraits.  A certain amount of shadow gives the picture depth and renders it more natural.

[Hello Goodbye]

Don't know what the Pinkberry is, but don't you miss Jahn's Kitchen Sink Sundae?

[Sondra]

I don't remember that place. We used to get our sundaes at Friendly's. And of COURSE the great Carvel. But Pinkberry is awesome. And they only have like four flavors!

Thanks for the tip about the flash. I'm still learning how to take a decent picture! So many things to know.

Pinkberry
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[Mairi]

Mmm, sounds delicious. I could go for some ice cream now.

[HeyJude18]

Okay, so I've learned NOT to use the flash with digital cameras. It REALLY makes you look bizarre! No wonder my friend got mad at me for taking her pic before. It really doesn't look natural. Do people know this already? Are there other settings I should know about? Having fun playing with this thing though.

other than what HG said about a SLR (which I'm starting my fund for a SLR) I've just played with changing the exposure settings, that's seemed to work for me