Recap and looking towards summer

I just got to thinking about this past school year. Students' last day is tomorrow and we finish up on Monday. We started off with 6 furlough days. However, the school year was bumpy - not because of my class. My students this year were a great group. However, this year included:

• a heart attack and a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes
• my mother's continued decline in health, resulting in placement in a nursing facility
• a broken tailbone
• shingles

Enough already. On the flip side:

• I am going to be a grandmother this fall.

So this summer, I am going to:

• take it easy
• read books
• exercise
• spend a week at the beach
• knit

What are you doing this summer?

Warms the heart and makes my day

This letter comes from a family whose mother cannot speak English. Her son in middle school writes the letters. I love getting letters from them. They warm my heart. I write back, using Google translate. I put the reply both in the translated Spanish and in English form, just to make sure that the the son can read the English so maybe the Spanish conveys what I mean.

This warms my heart. It's one reason why I teach.

By the way, there were 271 flattened Capri Suns to turn into the school. We receive cash from the company for them.

Our School is Filled with Loss of a Teacher - Death Comes Too Soon

Today, our school system lost a teacher in a car accident. It happened on the way to work. I did not know her, but know the people who work with her and know her.  Today, hearts are aching in ways that affect the core of our very being.

We were notified by our superintendent of the loss through email. He is new to our system so we are learning about him as he is us. However, his sincerity and caring came through that letter in a way which offered me comfort in knowing he is our leader.

I had the opportunity to talk to a friend this evening who saw the care and love that was shared that day while the family, students and faculty were in shock. I cannot imagine the numbness and tears that flowed that day. But in all of the tragedy, there were people, suffering through their own grief, offering others solace. Holding each other up to make it through the day, making sure the children's needs were attended to, that the school day could continue, offering comfort and security to children and adults.

We don't know why tragedies occur like this. A mother, teacher, and friend to others was taken away too soon and so suddenly. But God's grace was present today in the love that was offered comfort to the distraught. In school. Acts of kindness, prayers of silence, prayers that were spoken, and prayers which have no words, but are prayers of action. We can try all we want to to set boundaries as to where prayer can and can't occur, but God's presence knows no boundaries and the love flowed today for the school and those who loved Nancy so very much.

Praying for the repose of the soul of Nancy. Praying for her family, her students, both present and past, and for her coworkers and friends who have lost someone who made a difference in the world. She will be dearly missed She has entered into the Church Triumphant and light will perpetually shine upon her.

I offer this music that offers me peace and comfort. May those who are mourning the loss of Nancy feel comfort in these beautiful words to beautiful music.

School

Today was the first day of teacher planning for the school year. Always filled with anticipation and hope and excitement. I'm 54 years old and I'm still in school - and still learning.

 I walk to sign in....

I see the person in uniform...

My name gets called....

I was afraid of that.

Two pieces of paper served to me.

Sigh... what a way to start the school year.

I'm still learning, right?

School and anticipation of Summer

The school  year is nearing the end as we enter into the last twenty school days. Teachers are getting a taste of summer as the days lengthen and the days are beginning to feel like summer - we have the same anticipation that students do about the summer with the feeling of freedom that the summer offers us.

We can no longer worry about the alarm clock, stay up late, go here or there as our fancies allow us (or our pocketbooks). We march to the time of our own clock. These anticipations are felt as we may stay up a little later or hit the snooze button one more time. We plan summer time activities in our heads. You get the idea.

But the days ahead are not easy ones - for special education teachers, we have the end of year reviews and the development of next year's IEP (individualized education program) for each student. It's time consuming, the scheduling is hectic, and my brain cells feel expended.

This year has been particularly difficult as the last half of the year, which has lent itself to the unbloggable, which has affected me deeply and profoundly. It continues, and it will for some time. Yesterday added more to the story of more "stuff" - it would be so helpful to feel some sort of support. Sigh......

In today's world, teaching encompasses so much more than what we think of as teaching. Children eat two meals at school today and for those of us who work with young students assist in that at some level, some of us more so than others. We are taking care of some of the very basic needs while they are there, some of it because of the nature of the child and the fact I am in special education, but for some of those needs, it is because the parents expect it. So many parents send their children sick to school, some because they must work and taking off means they do not get paid. Others because they would prefer to send their child to school sick for no other reason than they want them to be cared for by someone else.

With that being said, there are parents that take very good care of their children, and nurture and care for their children that will allow the child(ren) to grow up to be emotionally healthy people who have  had their needs met.

So the countdown is on - with a furlough day this week at the end. Hope all you teaching types (and those who are not) anticipate summer with the same childlike way you did in your childhood. What do you anticipate for the summer?