13 Hours of Rain

I should be marking right now. I have piles of exams on my desk and a shelf full of math portfolios to grade. But I'm not motivated. Plus I will not get them done in the next twenty minutes. Why bother? I'll blog instead. After school, our staff was asked to convene in our cafeteria for a short meeting. At the end of it, we celebrated the retirement of a colleague. Several individuals came up and spoke glowingly about this person. Thirty years of teaching. A leader in creative instructional methods. Challenged students to go beyond the status quo. Loved by staff and students alike. These were some of the many inspiring qualities of this educator. Got me wondering. My teaching career at my current school hasn't been filled with many glowing accolades. I love to teach. It is one of my passions. And I believe I do a pretty good job at it. But I am missing that personal connection with students and teachers. I do not coach. My extra-curricular involvement has been minimal due t...

She walks around the room In her adorable way With Piggy tucked under her arm And thumb in mouth. She discards her bedtime friend And grasps a block. "More?" she asks. "Yes," I respond. We create a tower together. Thoughout the morning Activities ebb and flow, I make a note of her discoveries. Star is her favorite shape. Everything is intially green. Her stuffed toys have names. The alphabet is fascinating, Especially B, M, L, W, & Y. Strawberries and grapes are yummy. Crackers are on the top shelf. Milk has a Hindi name too. Daddy and Mom are in her life. Naps are welcomed. We bake muffins together, Both in aprons. Her, mixing and dumping. Me, measuring and reading. Her, placing paper liners. Me, pouring the batter. We eat the fruit of our labor. She is "Daddy's Little Girl" for the week. But mine for this morning.

Today, I seem to be acutely aware of my blessings. I thought I'd list the ones that have been floating through my brain as of late. I have a competent and caring doctor, dental hygienist, dentist, optometrist, massage therapist, hair stylist, and aesthetician . My husband is doing an amazing job of raising our daughter while I am working full-time. She has definitely become "Daddy's Little Girl". I have a challenging and stimulating job. I REALLY enjoy teaching. I have become a master of making handouts! I will miss my work when I return to full-time parenting (but will gladly take on the role of homemaker again). Today, God was lightening my workload in tangible ways. My Educational Assistant volunteered to dump out my recycled paper box, my colleague's substitute teacher tutored a few of my weak students, an intern taught one of my classes, and we went out for supper tonight. By God's grace, we have enough finances to pay all our bills, fill our fridge with ...

It is report card time at many schools and I know of several teachers and students who dread this day with every fibre of their being. One group of students that are often filled with a large amount of anxiety are the "high achievers." Specifically, they are afraid of receiving grades that are not "high" by their standards. I have encountered these types of students numerous times in my career. And I believe that several of these students do not want to be challenged at the cost of their marks. They may exclaim, "Yes, challenge me! I'm bored!" But then they add the disclaimer, "Please don't compromise my 98%." I was one of these students in the past. However, as a teacher, I am supposed to encourage my students to develop new skills in a particular subject. When the student is learning, they often make mistakes. They do not score perfectly. Yet, over time, they increase their competency in the skill. And in the end, I award them the mark ...

A melancholy spirit invades my soul as I ponder the events of the last two weeks. The Flu Fear of the flu is spreading like wild fire. Students are getting ill. Teachers are getting sick. Our school board is running out of substitute teachers. People are furiously rubbing their hands with hand sanitizer. Janitors walk the halls disinfecting door knobs and other commonly touched surfaces. Parents are on their phones inquiring about an ill child at home. And I have been asked by several colleagues, "Did you get your flu shot yet?" It all seems surreal, like I've walked into another world. End of the World People are scared of the future. I have been asked by two students if I believe the world will end in 2012 as predicted by the Mayans centuries ago. I have sat down at lunch to hear two of my colleagues speak of how our planet has entered a downward spiral due to global warming. Apparently, the lives of my children will be difficult. They may enter a struggle for life itse...