Friday

Where has today gone?

Short day at work because I had my 8th graders for the first time in over 4 weeks. With the Easter and Spring Breaks between 6 schools it has been awhile. I was excited to see my little web warriors again. I was pleased to be met at the door with hugs and all of them yammering about something. This is the kind of thing any teacher dreams of.

It was a stark contrast to the experience of a recent Baltimore teacher. One of my co-workers has a daughter working in the Baltimore schools. I have met her daughter. She is sweet, wraith like, and young. I have trouble thinking of the girl I met while she was visiting here is the same girl that needs to phone her mom every day to tell her she made it to her classroom safely.

Just one week ago, one of her co-workers was attacked by a student in her class. While this was going on, the others watched and one of them filmed it with a cell phone.

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/15832101/detail.html

This is nothing new at the school. Parents walk in and verbally and physically abuse the teachers. The student challenge every request or attempt to work, apply themselves, or learn. Frankly, doesn't it make you wonder "Why bother?".

Okay, I got more "heavy" here than I intended. Allow me to get back on track, because, it really was a pleasant day.

I called Mom early this morning and made plans to go The Bookworm. I gave her a gift certificate from there for Christmas and she didn't use it before this used book store moved from Roscommon to Houghton Lake. I picked her up after work and we headed over to HL to get some reading material. There was a steady flow of people while we were there and both of the owner's phone lines and her cell phone were ringing. The owner is a friend of Cari's and she spent a lot of time at our house growing up. She hugged Mom as soon as she came in the door and before she left. Then it turned out that her mother-in-law went to school with Mom. We laughed and said "small world"!

For me, the highlight of the visit was a job offer! She wants me to work for her in July. I love books, so the idea of working in a book store thrills me. I was so excited!

Dad and I have made plans to take an art class together. It is a one night only watercolor class with his favorite art teacher, Scott. It is being offered as a part of KCC's community education offerings. I wouldn't have know about it at all, except a friend of mine emailed the info to me and said she was taking it and thought I might want to also. Naturally, I thought of dad and forwarded it to him. Well, it didn't take much to convince me to join them. I have never painted before...well, since I was Allison June's age anyway. (how old is she now?) Dad agreed to share his brushes and paints with me so what the heck.

I have been a prolific writer this week at work and it reminds me that I want to take some time and hammer out an outline for my own writing goal...yes, I am still set on doing it. I want to take some time while everyone is visiting this summer to record some memories to embellish and add to my own. Are you game?