The Angel Forever

Learning Fun for Spring Time

Posted on April 8, 2014 12:28 pm by TheAngelForever

Spring can be a tricky season. In some places, it can be non-stop rain. In other locations it can still be cold, while some others very warm. Thanks to this it is always nice to have a lot of inside and outside activities to do with the kids. Everyone on the Bedtime Math blog have been busy sharing some fun activities that also have math found within them. I mean check out what I am working on with the boys right now.

Take a few moments and please stop by the Bedtime Math blog to see some of the latest from all of the bloggers, including me.

These are just some of the latest and more always being posted, so please stop by and say hello to all of us. If you try one of our activities, be sure to take some photos and let us know.

Categories:
arts and crafts Educational My Other Projects

Time for the 2014 Ultimate Blog Party

Posted on April 4, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

April can only mean one thing in the Blogosphere. It is time to get hopping from blog to blog to meet new friends, and say hello to some from the past. Yes, it is time for the…

I really do enjoy The Ultimate Blog Party because it reminds us to head back out into the blogging community to do what we used to do all the time. You remember what that was, right? Oh the good old days of roaming around and leaving comments to our fellow bloggers. Now when so many people reading blog posts on Feedly or mobile devices many of us (including myself) are guilty of saying they will leave a comment later. So pull up a chair, have some delicious goodies, and let me introduce myself.

My name is Beth and I have been writing on The Angel Forever since February 2007 when I was expecting my second son. I wanted a place to capture memories and be able to vent. All these years later, my blog has given me opportunities and experiences that I never would have imagined. Even more important, my blog has allowed me to meet some amazing people online and in real life who are now my very good friends.

The Angel Forever is a lifestyle blog where I write about my life. I have been married to TechyDad for almost 13 years and we have two boys, NHL 10 and JSL 6. I often write about books that we are reading for Tuesday Tales and participate in the fun Disney Wordless Wednesday to show my always present #DisneySide. As an educator, a passion of mine is Public School Advocacy. This week we joined countless families around New York State who had their children refuse the grade 3-8 ELA exam. In addition to this, I am an autism advocate who tries to educate others. Why? Well, two years ago, our son was finally diagnosed as an Aspie. Now I strive to help others to understand his perceptions of the world. Knowledge is power and the more people know, the better the level of acceptance will be.

In a way, blogging is therapeutic for me. It gives me a way to express how things are going in our life and share our adventures. Plus, in life there are no limits, so something fun or important is perfect for sharing here on The Angel Forever. Some of those items are our Whovian/geeky side, my fondness for tech items (I am a Verizon Lifestyle Blogger), my creative side with arts/crafts/knitting/crocheting, and travels to museums near and far.

We hope to share more of our travels and life experiences as we keep on swimming.

Are you participating in the Ultimate Blog Party? If you are, please let me know your post link and I will be sure to stop by. If not, why not join the fun? Take some time to look around and enjoy. I look forward to the fun over the next week and beyond!

FYI, you can also find me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

It's Me

Previous posts about education and autism advocacy:

Categories:
Blog Hop bloggy friends me moments

Tuesday Tales – Diving into Divergent

Posted on April 1, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

It is no joke when I say, I just started reading Divergent by Veronica Roth.

Many of my friends have read the series and suggested it over the last few months, but I was reading other items that were on my must read list. The other day, I finally decided that I really wanted to know what everyone was talking about. I downloaded the book to my Kindle App and started reading. I have not read a lot of the book, but so far it has really captured my attention. I want to know more about the characters and the world that they live in.

The movie was just a short time ago and more of my friends have been swarming to see it on the big screen. I have been careful to try to avoid the spoilers because I want to experience the book for myself in my own mind. This book trailer shares the suspense that I feel as I am getting underway with this book.

I keep reading when I have time here and there while waiting for meetings, appointments, or the kids to get out of school. I can not wait to read more about Beatrice Prior and the dystopian Chicago world that she lives in. I want to know more about the five factions that the people devote themselves to when they turn sixteen. What are the real differences between the Candor, the Abnegation, the Dauntless, the Amity, and the Erudite? Only time will tell as I continue to read and play catch up on the series. Some days I really do wish there were more hours in the day for reading.

Have you read Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant yet? I would love to know your thoughts on this series. As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Categories:
books me moments Tuesday Tales

Reminder to Refuse the Tests

Posted on March 28, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

It is no secret that I am passionate about education advocacy. I am a teacher and I am not too shy to admit that for the second year in a row I will be refusing the tests for my oldest son.

My fifth grader will not be taking the New York State ELA and Math exams that begin on April 1. While the date is humorous, it really is no joke that the kids of NYS and across the country are being used as guinea pigs. This generation of students are taking high stakes testing that is tied to the new bungled Common Core Standards. Please understand that this is not about making education more rigorous for our children, and improving public education like the education reformers claim. Follow the money trail and check the facts. This is simply about the privatization of public schools and companies like Pearson, Gates, and others making BILLIONS off our our children and their data. Yes, most of this is just about data and companies hungry to make money off of it.

Please take a moment and view this powerful video from Change the Stakes. When you finish watching, remember this is the reality that all of the children in grades 3-8 in New York are going through all year long.

Do not forget, as parents and guardians, you have the right to refuse the tests for our children. There are no consequences for children, schools, teachers, or districts. Scare tactics are being sent out via the New York State Department of Education. Commissioner John King is spreading his propaganda about how the tests will help students, but it is not true. Our children are more than a number. My kids and yours deserve to be learning in a way that does not focus on tests that give us no feedback. Teachers are professionals that know how to use authentic assessment tools to let us know how our kids are doing. High stakes testing needs to end and we must move away from the theory that Common Core is a mess simply because of the implementation. That is a myth, but only made matters much much worse for the kids that are stuck dealing with this on a daily basis.

It is time to stand up tall and join the education revolution and REFUSE the tests because it is the right thing to do for your children. For more information about refusing the tests (it is NOT too late) please head over to NYS Allies for Public Education to learn more.

Previous posts about education advocacy:

Categories:
Educational PSA school

Disney Letter U

Posted on March 26, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Once again it is time to celebrate the alphabet with my Disney Side. This week the letter “U” had me focus in on one specific Disney character. I had to feature Ursula from The Little Mermaid. Ursula made an impact on me the first time I saw her the movie, but she came to life when I saw her at Art of Animation Resort. Yes, this larger than life villain made a major impact in my world. What are some of your favorite Disney Letter U items?