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Birthday Wishes!

Interesting Turn of Events

Or...why I have had to move my blog.

I had mentioned just this past week, that I suspected that someone at work had been tampering with my laptop there.  Each night, before I leave work to come home, I log out of my computer.  However, this past week, I came into work to find that my computer had been turned completely off.  I never turn it off and only log out each night.  The thing is, I don't typically log out of my gmail and forums.

I mentioned it to one of my co-workers (whom I trust), to my husband and to my brother the other night.  No one really believed that it could be happening and no one really thought that much about it.  Fast forward to Friday night when I was checking my stat counter (something I rarely do) and saw that someone from the sch.ool boa.rd had been going through my archives.  Our sch.ool boar.d has a very distinct server and there is no mistaking it on a stat counter.  So, it is now completely obvious that not only has my computer been broken into, but whomever has done it has accessed all of my personal information.  Nice, eh?  And I teach in a Cath*olic Sch*ool.  Do unto others?  Right.

An Interesting Experiment

I created an activity in my classes this week in which I taped the words "Agree", "Disagree", and "Neutral" on the walls of my classroom.  I had a list of controversial statements and each time I read one, the students would have to move to the section of the class that held the sign that corresponded with their view.  When all students were at their prospective spots, I would listen to the reasons why they chose to move there.  This was not about debating, but about listening and tolerance.

Some of the controversial statements I read were:
"Abor.tion should be made legal for all women everywhere."
"Murd.erers should be executed."
"Mari.juana should be legalized."

In the first two classes, the first statement I read was:
"Homose.xuals should be allowed to marry".

The classes were pretty well divided, with about a third on the "Agree" side, a third on the "Disagree" side and a third on the "Neutral" side.  We discussed why they each chose the position they did and then moved on to the next statements on my list.

In my very last class, I decided to change things up a bit and started with this statement: 
"All people are created equal."
The entire class moved to the "Agree" side without hesitation.
We talked about why they all chose to move to that side and then I moved on to this statement:
"Homos.exuals should be allowed to marry."

Every single one of the students stayed on the "Agree" side.  

Interesting, no?

Reminiscing

Two years ago, our very brave and beautiful Cheetah lost her battle with heart disease.  We had adopted her when she was just a few months old and just a few months into our marriage.  It was 1996.  How cute were our babies then?

 

 
 

We miss her so much, still.  I pass by her framed paw print every single day and wish that she were still with us.  She always smelled so good and she always had the cutest little chirpy purr.  She was K2's Baby Girl.   Every day that we have with Bear is a blessing and I smother him with all the love I have all the time. K2 thinks he needs a new friend...a bunny.  Bear would eat that bunny for breakfast.  K2 is naive.  There will be no bunny.  

Yesterday, I stopped by to see my favorite Raspberry Muffin (G-Man) and while I was visiting, he painted several pictures for me and for K2.  Man, for a four year old, I think that these paintings are amazing.  I asked him to print his name on each and he did so quick as lightning.  Smart little Muffin, I tell ya.  I love that boy!

 

A Heart For Valentine's Day

 

Flowers for Auntie K1.  How beautiful are these??

A Red Snowman holding a revolver.  When asked about why his snowman was holding a gun, G-Man said, "He's a Police Snowman."  Phew.

A Good Day

Today has been a great day and I can't even believe that I am going to be typing the words I am about to type...
Semester two begins on Monday and I have three sections of World Religions University Prep.  Now, the classes are huge (30 in each) but that's okay because.....
I AM INSIDE THE SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!  No more portable for me!!!!  They have placed me in a real classroom for the WHOLE day!  I can't tell you what a coveted position I am in. In fact, it is SO coveted, that I am keeping it on the down low so as not to arouse any complaints from other teachers who have to travel from class to class.  I don't know what I did to deserve this, but I am ecstatic!  No more putting on my winter coat and boots and trudging the length of a football field to get to my portable, no more climbing a million stairs, no more worrying about when I can use the washroom as there is one RIGHT across the hall from my class!
Sigh.  A good day.

They're Just Taller

Upon making the switch from elementary school to high school in the fall of 2007, many people asked me to describe the differences in experience.  For the most part, elementary teachers have to do much more with much less.  High school teachers work hard, but there is more time to prepare and to get one's bearings before classes begin.  At least, this is what I have observed in my particular board.  I, of course, don't speak for all teachers in all boards.

As for the kids, as daunting as their sizes and deep voices can seem, they are essentially just taller. Similar insecurities, similar senses of humor, similar thirsts for validation and acceptance and similar excuses for not completing work as their 13 year old counterparts.  Yes, 17 year olds are just taller. 

We began exams this week and this marks the end of one semester and the beginning of a brand new one on Monday.  I won't lie; I am thrilled to be rid of some of the students with whom I have shared a classroom since September and to welcome in 90 new ones come Monday.  Man, 90 new names to remember.  Yeesh.

Something that always surprises me about students (and isn't it a good thing that I am still being surprised by my sttudents after 13 years of teaching?) is the way some of them express their gratitude.  Not only the way in which they express it, but from whom the gratitude is coming.  Always a surprise. 

I was marking my first set of exams yesterday afternoon, when I came across this little note.  Now, the note is sweet and it certainly made my day, but it came from a girl who, although very popular and incredibly bright, likely said only a few sentences to me all semester and only when I forced her to speak to answer a question or to present information.  If you would have asked me to tell you what I thought she thought of me before the note, I would have said that she thought I was a hack.  Weird, huh?

 This second note revealed itself today while marking my second set of exams.  This note came from one of the students in my "open" class.  This is the class that is geared to students who typically reside just off school property smoking various substances and intimidating those who dare cross their territory.  Sure, the spelling and grammar is quite poor, but the gist is lovely.

 Lastly, one of the students in my class from today (the open class) completed his exam early and asked me if he could draw me a picture while he waited for the exam time to be over.  Reminder:  these are 17 year olds.  I gave him a piece of paper and told him that if it was nice enough, I would put it on my fridge.  This was the result.  I don't know what it all means, but it was a nice sentiment from a kid with a pretty shady reputation in our school.  I'll take it.

 

 

 I know that for each of these cute little bits of gratitude, there are a dozen (or more?) students who totally hated being in my class and who couldn't wait to get out.  I don't have a big head about it.  It's just nice to know that a few took something away that was meaningful.