Subject: Update on a Former Student

Dear Mr. Costa,

While I know you weren't the principal of Coral Gables High School when my husband graduated in 1996, I hoped you wouldn't mind reading the following.

I was a 5th grade teacher until my daughter was born. I had a Spanish minor to go along with my teaching major, and as a result had all of the ESL students (we call it English Second Language here, I don't know if it is the same there) in my classroom. I remember feeling especially for the students who were placed in my classroom knowing absolutely no English. As we would move ahead with long division or write a persuasive essay or illustrate a section of literature we had just read, I remember wondering how those cute kids would ever catch up with their peers. I did my best to incorporate the teaching strategies I had learned for teaching students who are learning English and just hoped for a bright future for each of them.

It wasn't until I had left the classroom that one day it occurred to me that when my husband came to the United States as a 13-year-old in 1990, his age gave him a little more of a disadvantage than even my 5th grade ESL students. So I asked him about it. He remembers arriving in Miami and being thrown into classes where he had no idea what was going on. Someone picked up on it eventually and placed him in a class at his middle school especially for English language learners. Little by little because of his placement in this class and his interaction with other students, he learned English. 

This Friday my husband will graduate from Weber State University in Utah for the second time. He graduated a year and a half ago as an x-ray technician and went on to specialize as an MRI technician for which he will receive a bachelor's degree. He works in departments at two different hospitals. He is a loyal, responsible, and hard-working husband and father and I just thought it would be significant to let someone from his high school know that he did indeed catch up and has made something wonderful of himself.

Thanks for your time and have a good day.

Sincerely,

Brittney Collado

P.S. The picture is of us and our daughter and my brother's recent Eagle Court of Honor.

My New Venture

I have experimented with ways to help bring in a couple of hundred dollars a month since I quit teaching. I have done some tutoring and substitute taught once a week pretty consistently. I've looked into doing something crafty... and then a couple of times over a few weeks Paparazzi Jewelry caught my attention. It's a Utah-based business that began in 2008 and is spreading to other states. It's basically really pretty jewelry and hair accessories at $5.00 a piece (+ tax). I never imagined I would do anything like this but it seems to be a good fit for me. I knew it had to be a good thing by the way Danilo got excited about it. We took a full weekend to talk about it and came back with all the reasons why I should do it ( for Danilo to say that is huge). I like it because it's really beautiful stuff for a good deal. I feel like I can offer people something they will want and can afford. It's really low pressure for everyone that way. And I like how I am in control of how much time I want to spend doing it. If you think you might be interested in having me bring some of this pretty stuff into your home for a sale, go ahead and get a hold of me. And if you have any questions about how selling it works, get a hold of me too. Even if you're out of state.

I am having my first sale in my parents' home this Thursday (let me know if you're interested in that, too), but I jumped the gun a little bit and tried selling at the rodeo two nights last weekend in Idaho. We sold 22 items. The concessions stand was a bit more successful than we were, but it was fun to try it out.



And if you're not interested? No big deal. I'll still be the same Brittney you've always known, Paparazzi or no :).

Back to School

Mrs. Collado's Class Picture 2009-2010

PICTURED (left to right): Mrs. Collado, Grace Collado

Curriculum: smiling, cooing, rolling over, sitting up, teething, crawling, laughing, solid foods, "da-da", "ma-ma"

Thanks to Gracie's Dad and all he's doing (school, work, and clinicals) so that I can be home with our baby girl.

Thanks to Jackie Norris for photographing Grace and Mom at three weeks old. Jackie and I were neighbors growing up and she has become quite the photographer. You can see more of her fabulous work here.

I also want to thank my friend Amy Woody, another up and coming photographer who is responsible for the family picture at the top of our blog. Good grief, she made us sound like the good guys for allowing her the privilege of photographing Grace at three days old. We were so thankful!!

Welcome Summertime!

This was my day-to-day life a month ago. Cute kids. One thing we all had in common: we needed a summer (you can see it in some faces more so than others).

And now it's here! It's interesting coming to terms with the fact that my break doesn't last just three months. I've actually had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that the only determining factor in what I will do each day is whatever I decide to do...I'm sure a certain baby girl due to arrive in one month will help.

So I have tried to make myself useful everyday. I give myself one project each day. It usually ends up being a closet to clean. I don't know about other school teachers, but if I was going to do my best as a teacher, our house had to take a little bit of a backseat. I tried to keep the living room, kitchen presentable, but anything behind a closed door was pretty scary.

I was going to take a before and after picture of each project, but I didn't know how many of you would still claim me. I'm kind of regretting not getting before shots, because I think sometimes we love ourselves a little more when we see other people have messy closets too (any men reading, please apply that thought to your own circumstance).

There's a little rhyme and reason to the order of the pantry now. Before, cereal went on top and everything else was free game.




The hallway linen closet... I open it about three or four times a day just because it feels good to see it like this. Ahhh.



The closet under the stairs. I'm not afraid to open this door anymore either. The stuff in there are things we actually use and need!

And my favorite... Gracie's room. For the

last year and a half, this room has served as the place where we put everything that didn't have a place anywhere else in the house...and we RARELY opened the door. I am so happy to report that as of today, 90% of the stuff in Gracie's room is Gracie's stuff--not my high school yearbooks, not her dad's taekwondo gear. We've got a few more things to do before she gets here, but the decluttering is just about through.

So the reason I have had the time to post 48 pictures tonight is because Danilo called the same time he does every night to tell me he's at the Front Runner station and five minutes from home, but instead to tell me that he was just leaving the hospital to catch Trax...a two-hour commute home. So that meant I was eating dinner by myself. I had tostadas planned for tonight, and while they're a favorite around here, they seemed to turn out extra yummy tonight, so I wanted to share. They're kind of pretty once they're all made up, but I'd already eaten a whole one and only had room for a half once I decided to take a picture.

On one tostada, spread:

One layer of rice (I cooked the rice with a little bit of chicken boullion)

A few avocado slices

One layer of ground beef (I seasoned it with two cloves of garlic and some dried onion)

Chopped tomato

Squeeze a lime segment over the top

Top with cheese.



Here is what a tostada looks like in and out of the package.

If you made it to the end of this post, thanks, you're really nice. I will try to be a little more brief next time.

Anxiety Release

Tonight's the last Sunday night in a VERY long string of Sunday nights that I will have to get up to go teach school in the morning. For some reason I am feeling a whole lot of anxiety. Part of it is due to the way my little darlings have been acting over the past month knowing summer freedom is inching closer and closer. I guess I'm terrified that it's all going to burst this week and none of the tricks in my bag of tried and true teacher techniques are going to work. I hope I've got enough lessons and activities planned to fill in the gaps between all the end of year activities that will be taking place. And then there's this strong longing I've got to make sure that this year counted for something important in the lives of my students. I had a very challenging class this year and so much of the time I worried about how their behavior or their progress or lack of it was reflecting on my success or progress as a teacher. I guess the thought that's haunting me tonight is that I'm realizing, IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME! If I could've realized that awhile ago, I think it would've been liberating. I just hope I didn't waste energy worrying about myself as a professional instead of putting it towards encouraging and helping my students. All in all, I'm pretty sure these kids know I love them. I daily pray about the goings on in my classroom and feel like I have been blessed in ways I wouldn't have if I hadn't asked for Heavenly Father's help. I truly have done the best I know how. So let's get a move on and send this year out the door!

I'm Staying Home

A few weeks ago, my principal visited my room during recess and said, "All right, girl. I've got to know what your plan is for next year." I had been anticipating this moment ever since the day I accepted my first teaching job knowing that when the first baby came along I would be exiting my career. "I'm going to go home and be a mom," I answered, relieved the second I said it that it was out. See, when my principal hired me, she made me feel like she felt lucky to have found me. In her eyes I saw her having visions of the type of asset I would be to our school in five or six years with all the first years of teaching bumps ironed out. That's why I didn't expect the response that came afterwards. "Good for you," she said. "Good for you." She went on to tell me that she didn't envy me for having to make such a tough decision and that the teaching career will still be there in 15 years or in 20 years or whenever I decide to come back. I hugged her as she started to tear up. As the news has gradually made its way through the building, I have been amazed at the support I have received from my fellow teachers. Anyone who has said anything is happy that I have chosen to stay home. I guess I just expected to have to stand my ground a little more. I have enjoyed working with great people. I plan to finish out the year strong and then get Gracie here so we can hug her and love her!

Making Her Presence Known

The expectant mom was expecting to be bigger by this point (exactly five months along), but at least I know she's in there. Today the junior high band came and put on a mini-concert to hopefully recruit some of our students in the near future. Little Gracie (the name is actually growing on her dad) was clearly very aware of her surroundings. When the percussion started thumping and the horns started blaring and the rest of the band started doing their thing, I got a kick out of feeling my little girl rock and reel inside. I was disappointed when it was over!

A Short Story

I began a writing lesson last week by reading this short story I had written to my class.

Mrs. Collado began. “Class, I’m wondering if you have noticed some of my unusual behavior lately.”

Mackenzy raised his hand with the grace of a gentleman. “Yes Mackenzy?” Mrs. Collado motioned for him to speak.

“Yes, kind teacher. But first, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak. Mrs. Collado, we have noticed that you always seem to be eating lately. We are worried. Do you have enough food at your house? Can we do anything to help you?”

Mrs. Collado smiled. “What a thoughtful class I have.” She continued. “And, thank you. Mr. Collado and I do have enough to eat at home. But Mackenzy, you hit the nail right on the head. I have been eating more than usual lately. In fact, I can’t seem to make it through math or reading or even break without munching on something. The truth is, I haven’t felt like myself lately, and the whole truth is, I’m going to be having a baby.”

Needless to say, writing time was not so productive that day. My cute class was so excited. AND SO ARE WE!

Christmas Trees and Extended Family

Last Saturday we ran up the mountain with my family and cut down our Christmas tree. It's been an Achter tradition that has become a Collado tradition as well! The tree has added a warmth and glow to our little townhome living room.

I wanted to mention a little bit about Thanksgiving a couple days before this, too. We ate at my parents' home with Danilo's parents and sisters and both sets of my grandparents. I felt so very blessed to sit at the dinner table with so many people that are important to me! Other events that made the holiday weekend special were pie night, a temple trip, shopping, and a family home evening all spent with extended family who live both in and out of town. Needless to say, going back to school was rough. I spent all day Sunday talking myself into it so that Monday morning wouldn't be such a dreadful shock. (As I read back over that, "dreadful shock" seems a little harsh. I do enjoy being a teacher. :)

Wohoo David!!

This afternoon while we were at Sunday dinner with my family, my sister Hailey reminded Chelsea and Andrew and me of our fifteen seconds of fame last May. We had followed that season of American Idol pretty seriously and the night of the final results, we drove down to the Energy Solutions Arena to watch it live from Los Angeles with a bunch of other David Archuleta fans. I'd never done anything like that before, and it was so fun. The excitement and energy in the air was so thick. We got to be the crowd of screaming fans when American Idol showed David's home state. David's grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins were a few rows up from us. A few celebrities and all kinds of media were there. We got to see the "crushing" results live an hour before the rest of Utah (I say "crushing" because I enjoy both of the Davids, which wasn't a popular opinion that night). We couldn't keep our mouths shut on the way home between our excitement and disappointment. After I dropped off my Hays and Chels and Andrew I rushed home to Danilo to catch the 9:00 news because Fox 13 had interviewed Andrew and me before the show had started and I wanted to see if we had gotten on. I walked in the door just in time to see not only Andrew and me interviewed, but several shots showing Hailey, Chelsea, Andrew, me, or different combinations of two or three of us. Of course we weren't the only ones on that spot for the news that night, we just couldn't believe how many times we showed up on the screen! More fun followed as the neighbors started knocking on the door and text messages and phone calls poured in on both mine and Danilo's phone. The fun continued the next day as every time I rounded a corner at school, a second grader or fourth grader or sixth grader or secretary would tell me, "I saw you on TV last night!" Everybody in the family had similar stories to tell when they got home. Jamie Gilland in Hailey's ward came across this video and told her today. Thanks to Hailey for holding up the TWO David Archuleta posters, I think that's why we made it into this VH1 clip (click the picture to follow the link)!

Burdens Eased

This picture may end up in a brochure for the tutoring center where I work (photo by Joanna Taylor). This morning I was reading an article in October's Ensign called The Lord Can Ease Our Burdens by Elder Maury W. Schooff. He talked about being a husband and father while going through an intensive graduate program when he received a call to serve in the bishopric. He accepted the call with the promise from his stake president that he would be able to fulfill all of his responsibilities. The article goes on to talk about Alma and his people when the Lord promised them that he would ease the burdens on their shoulders even so much that they would not feel them while they were in bondage to the Lamanites. I am grateful that I'm not in bondage to any Lamanites, but I can say that the Lord is easing our burdens as a family this very year, day, and minute. We knew there would come a time when only I would be working to put Danilo through school. Sometimes when I pull in to the house it's amazing and a little overwhelming to think the work that little me does each day is what keeps us in a house with the electricity and gas and water on and food in the cupboards and cars running. Last year after teaching a full day of school, I would come home and collapse on the couch and nap with the news on. This year after teaching a full day of school, I go to the tutoring center or teach piano lessons for a couple of hours. I usually get home around 7 and sometimes 8. I don't feel stretched too thin, and it gives me peace of mind to know I can be bringing in a little extra. One of the blessings I recognize aside being able to get up each day and do it all again with out being extremely exhausted is that in order to get to my other appointments after school, I can't stay very long grading, preparing, etc. It has actually worked out for the good because the time I do have to plan after school gets used very well since I know I have less of it. Heavenly Father has truly blessed our family as we strive to make time for each other and live healthy and balanced lives.

New Approaches

The purpose of tonight's blog is to take a look at the progress I have made as a teacher. I am four weeks into my second year and though it's not easy, it is worlds different from last year. Monday morning this week, I was teaching a math lesson on ordering decimals. To make the lesson more concrete, I wanted to stretch a numberline (a piece of string) across the room and have the students hang decimal numbers on it so we could practice putting them in order. I realized the only place that would not be too high or too low for hanging it was an area that every student passed through on their way through the door in the morning. I have taught fifth grade long enough to know what a fifth-grader will do if they come in contact with a string. My string was going to be toast unless I devised a plan. I smiled as I KNEW what I would have done last year. As my kids came in the room I would have said, "Please don't touch the string. Please don't touch the string. Don't...don't...DON'T! I told you not to touch the string!" I would have felt betrayed by my students who would have touched the string when I went to all the effort of hanging it for them. But this was not last year. No, I am more seasoned, more practiced, better prepared. I have a prize box in my classroom full of things I picked up at the Target dollar aisle. Pretty darn good stuff. The kids earn tickets all day long on an individual basis, I constantly have them on hand and pass them out to encourage follwing my directions. We have a drawing at least once a day, and sometimes more, if they earn it. It only took me a moment to decide that if it kept my kids from touching the string, a trip to the prize box was worth it. Ten minutes before the first bell rang, I hung the sign (above) on the door. I assigned a student to stand by as the class entered to hand out tickets to non-offenders. They entered. There were no offenders. I had headed them off before the thought could even enter their minds. No one touched the string. And yes, I'm posting this entry two days later because I am still thrilled about it.

Quick Summer Review

As a teacher just having finished her first year of teaching, summer had never meant so much to me as it did this year. As summers always do, this one filled up quickly. Danilo started everything off by getting nose surgery to clear his sinuses the first week I was home. WHAT A MISERABLE EXPERIENCE!! When all is said and done, we're glad he did it. I got to do those little jobs around the house that don't get done as easily when I'm working full-time (hanging curtains, steam-cleaning nooks and crannies). I had the opportunity to take a trip for history teachers sponsored by Larry H. Miller. We started in Casper, Wyoming and worked our way back on the pioneer trail learning about the settlement of the west. It was incredible, I am so grateful for the experience. Waterfights and rodeos and fireworks livened up July and we celebrated our 2nd anniversary in August. I got the chance to take Danilo on his first trip to Disneyland and California Adventures. He got the chance to take me on my first Tower of Terror ride.