*Sigh*

In a world fraught with blame-placing and law suits, it is only logical that each person in the country will be affected by at least one in his/her lifetime.  The law suit that has been filed against my school district and some of my colleagues hit the media yesterday, so everyone's a-twitter about it.  This is all about some alleged lewd behavior on the part of a number of sixth grade boys that occurred last school year, and now the parents of the girls who "suffered" have filed suit, claiming that "we" failed to protect their daughters.  The suit alleges that the behavior took place all year long, and no one did anything about it.  I won't comment on my take on the whole thing.  Suffice it to say that this is all about money.  Plain and simple.

I am not one of the teachers charged.  I did take a moment of class today to mention to my classes that they may be teased and taunted by people on the outside about where they go to school because the suit doesn't make us look very good.  I advised them just to smile and walk away from any situation like that.  I should take my own advice!  But the truth is that it does hurt.  American public education has been under attack for the last 10-15 years, and stuff like this--along with the unprofessional sexual behavior of a few high-profile bad apple teachers who make the headlines because of their positions in the public trust--just makes it worse.  Every time we take a "hit," I cringe.  Some of it is probably deserved.  There was a wrestling coach in Avon a few years back that bit the head off a bird (or something) to inspire his team to be tough.  And another coach who left her team in the charge of chaperones at a restaurant after a game, so she could have a beer in the next room.  And, of course, there are the usual number of teachers who get into inappropriate relationships with students.  What are they thinking??  Every time something like that happens, I shake it off as simple stupidity.  This time is different.  This time, it could have been me. 

How many times in my 37-year teaching career have I been put in the position of having to be judge, jury, or simply referee?  In any classroom dynamic, there is an element of primitive rivalry, and if the teacher doesn't directly witness a situation, it's one student's word against the other.  And teachers aren't dealing with two students at a time.  Many of these "events" occur under the radar when there is a whole class to deal with instead of just one hot spot of discord.  I could write a book about things that have occurred, from a youngster who told me that he didn't know he couldn't spit out the window, to another who loudly proclaimed that I didn't have the right to assign a detention to his classmate for passing gas (loudly and deliberately) in the middle of class.  In the end, I have to pass instant judgment on a situation, sometimes without knowing all of the details.  I call them as I see them, and (as my father used to say) "You don't argue with the ref!"  In all these years, I have had two parents who have come in to challenge my judgment.  Both situations ended amicably, thank God. 

Still, the commodity I work with is CHILDREN, and emotions run high when parents hear from their darlings about things that go on at school.  I have often told parents at the beginning of the year, "I will believe half of what your child tells me is going on at home, if you will believe half of what he/she says is going on at school!"  Everything about the educational environment changed after Columbine.  No longer can we ignore an angry outburst just because of the situation.  If an upset youngster proclaims, "I'd like to blow up this school," and we tell him simply to cool off without taking other action--and then he goes on a violent rampage--it's OUR corporate butt that's in the chopper.  The old saw that a kid deserved what he got at the hands of another kid because the first one was obnoxious, no longer flies.  I have taken the attitude that it isn't my job to get to the bottom of every conflict in my classroom.  I de-fuse it when it happens, then work on the details later.  I don't want a single student to be able to go home and say, "I told Ms. McNary, but she didn't do anything about it."  It doesn't matter whose ox was gored; it just matters that someone paid attention.  I have to be that someone in Room 110 of Monrovia Middle School. 

What hurts about all of this is that I chose teaching as my life's work.  I go in every day and work my posterior off to do the best job I possibly can to teach language arts to the students of my school.  I come home tired and covered with work that has to come home with me because there aren't enough hours of the day to do it all.  Every time everything I've worked for gets negative press, it is like a punch in the belly.  Time to retire?  I need to check into that!

 

 

Hump Day

Time is flying.  Friday marks the deadline for midterm grades.  What that means is that we are already halfway through the frist grading period.  ISTEP testing is next week.  Once we get that over, we can actually begin to...like...teach?

Saw the Superintendent today who commented on my "tennis" shoes.  Asked if I was comfortable in them. I was a little concerned that he might not think I was appropriately dressed, so  I told him that I have plantar fasciitis in one foot--and he went into a whole bit about how how his wife has it, and that I can wear my tennis shoes any time.  Yay!  (I'm glad he said that because I was going to have to wear them whether he liked it or not!  I don't care to wear them because they are actually "walkers" and are quite clunky looking.  Not exactly my idea of exquisite footwear...)

Meg was supposed to come down yesterday early-afternoon to her in-laws' house in order to get Robin's flower girl dress fitted, etc.  She didn't get down until much later than she thought, and had to run to Greenwood to pick up a mower part (or something) for one of Nathan's golf course machines.  She didn't head down there until nearly 8:00 PM, so I went over to her in-laws' in order to help corral the children while she did that.  By that time of night, Ryan tends to get wound up.  Everything is a game.  Robin was pretty civilized, though, because she got to try on her beautiful "princess" gown.  She said, "I'm beautiful."  Yes, she is!

I'm glad the rain has stopped.  The dog refused to go out because of it.  What a neurotic critter she is!

Monday evening, my radio club's tour of the National Weather Service got canceled at the last minute, so I had to scramble to get everyone notified.  The ensuing confusion was a bit irritating.  I found that I didn't have phone numbers for everyone who had committed to the tour, but I finally got hold of everyone either by phone or repeater.  What bothered me was the number of people who were going to come without having first reserved a spot, even though I announced it for three weeks on the repeater, and our secretary had sent out an emailing about it.  Then there were those who seemed to know nothing about it and had their noses out of joint because the regular meeting was canceled, seemingly without their understanding why.  And, of course, there were at least a couple who had reserved a spot but weren't actually going to show up.  We are going to have to address communications at the next club meeting.  If folks don't monitor the nets or have email addresses, I hardly know what to do for them!

Back to work here.  Grading papers.  Ugh!

Some watchdog!

I'm still trying to figure out what possible purpose my dog, Frodo, has in life.  She doesn't eat bugs like my cats did.  She doesn't keep my feet warm at night (preferring to sleep next to me, sideways, in the bed).  AND, she isn't even a good watchdog.  Last night, while I sat here in my computer room/radio shack, my daughter and family arrived and had both sleeping children put in bed before I even knew they were here!  Way to go, Frodie!

The kids didn't arrive until almost 1:00 AM.  The verdict from the Sheryl Crowe concert was that Robin had been good as gold for the entire 2 1/2 hours of the concert, but that Ryan (who is still a Terrible Two) was a bit of a pill.  Still, I don't know of too many toddlers that can sit still through a long deal like that, so I guess things went as well as could be expected.

I let everyone sleep in this morning.  They slept close to the starting time of the Quaker Day parade, so we missed it.  We could have gone, but somehow it seemed too stressful to try to get there with everyone still in a good mood...  At breakfast, Robin ordered her "usual," saying "You know that I will ask for fruit and eggs and bacon because I enjoy your food."  Grandchildren learn very early in life how to work the grandparents based on what has become food traditions.  Robin and Ryan have come to associate my house with fruit, Gerber's meat sticks, olives, pickles, chocolate, and suckers--and little snack bags of raisins and treats for the trip home.  Hey, that's what grandmas are good for!  When Meg was little, her Grandma McNary always had a tin of homemade peanut butter fudge in the pantry just awaiting Meg's arrival.  When we walked in the door, Meg headed straight to the pantry.  I don't know what would have happened had the fudge not been there...but it always was. 

Later, we went to the Quaker Day craft booths, then went to Chick-fil-A to cash in on a couple of coupons that I had from school for free kids' meals.  We ate; the children played in the play area; Nathan read the paper.  Business as usual!

After food, we headed up to Rockville Road and 465 to a nursing home facility where Nathan's grandmother lives.  Today was her 89th birthday.  I went along to help corral the children so that Nate and Meg could have a bit of a visit.  Grandma Brown is in hospice with congestive heart failure, but she was up, talkative, and in good spirits, bragging on the handsomeness of her great-grandchildren.  (I agree!)  We didn't stay long, but it was good that we went.  Who knows how much longer she'll be around?  God bless my daughter.  She is so good with children and old people.  (Excellent practice for when they put me in The Home, as Meg and Nate have threatened to do for a few years now.  Heh heh.) 

I came back home while the Muncie entourage went to visit with Nate's folks here in Plainfield for awhile.  They came back here to pack up and head home.  At one point on the venture home, Meg called me on her cell phone to say that the children had been yelling just to make noise...but that Ryan, strapped in his car seat, had announced from the back seat, "I'm leaving!"  He's a hoot!

I got through the day with my feet intact.  (Yay!)  It was a drop-dead gorgeous day.  I was a bit surprised to see a female hummingbird in my yard this afternoon.  (They should be gone by now.)   Not complaining.  The little cuties always brighten my day. 

So, busy day today; but I still have tomorrow at my leisure.  I like that...

 

Friday!

I had a pretty good day, today.  Students were relatively well-behaved, and we were on a shortened schedule due to a pep rally at the end of the day because it is Homecoming at Monrovia.  The rally was a "powder puff" football game down at our field, which is away from the building, down a hill on a rock road.  I told the principal that I would either need permission to stay in the building, or a golf cart ride to the football field because of my foot.  As it happened, she already had a cart waiting outside for her that she was going to use to transport her and a student on crutches...so I got a ride.  Yippee!

I caught N9CQ on the radio this evening to excuse myself from parade duty tomorrow.  It seemed that he had enough help to line up the parade, and I need to save my feet.  I did wear my "walkers" today, and it helped.  The arch supports are all-important!

After school, I came home and took a snooze, then awoke to wonder when the kids would be arriving.  As usual, they were running late.  They were due at a concert at Deer Creek Music Center (now Verizon Wireless) at 7:30.  It was already about 6:00, and they were still at home!  The original plan (I thought) was for the kids to deliver the grandchildren to Grandma Judy in Plainfield, then both grandmothers and the g-kids would go to the Snack and Craft evening at the church (babysitting provided on request) while Meg and Nate went back to the Music Center for their concert.  I had requested a babysitter at church but worried that the children were going to be so late that the babysitter would be idle.  I made up my mind to pay for her time until the children got there.

When I got to the church, the organizer gal told me that she hadn't been able to find a sitter...  Plan B was that I would take the children home and watch them there, but a phone call from Meg (thank you, cell phone!) said that they decided on the spur of the moment to keep the children at the concert with them, and that they were already there.  Whew!  I have no clue how the children will behave at a Sheryl Crowe concert, but I guess I'll find out soon enough.  They will all be here for the night when the concert is over!

Guess I should scurry around and get some things done before the thundering herd arrives!

Is there life after feet?

The week has been a short one, with a beautiful full moon outside.  But teachers all know that a full moon causes students to get weird.  True enough this week!  My team (the four 8th grade core teachers) have 6th period as our "prep" (teacher talk for "preparation period".  Translation:  free period).  The youngest member of the team--a former student in his late 20's, athlete and coach--mentioned to me today that by prep period, he is too exhausted to accomplish much.  Man, I was happy to hear that!  I thought it was just me because of my age!  Teaching 8th grade is like stamping out brush fires with your feet.  You just get one under control when another blazes up. 

And speaking of feet, mine hurt!  I have had flare-ups of plantar fasciitis (heel spur pain) before, in one foot or the other.  It usually takes months to clear up, IF I do everything right.  Unfortunately, it isn't always possible to do what needs to be done--especially as a teacher. (Teachers and mail carriers get this a lot.)  My extra pounds don't help, of course.  This time, the pain is in my right foot and was so severe this afternoon/evening  that it felt like someone was sticking hot pokers into my heel.  I've hobbled around, trying desperately not to further the injury, but it didn't work.  I have to get smart!  Walking shoes, aspirin, stretching, ice, and patience.  Lots of patience.  I'm a little concerned because I volunteered to help line up the parade for Plainfield's Quaker Day on Saturday morning, which means being on my feet for a couple of hours on asphalt.  I think I'll have to take a folding chair...

Tomorrow evening is Snack and Craft at my church--a kind of girls' night out to work on crafts.  I think Meg and Nate are going to a Deer Creek concert, so Grandma Judy has agreed to watch the children...but then, they will probably spend the night here, so I'm thinking the g-kids need to come here after the church event for some semblance of bedtime before their parents arrive after the concert.  Too bad my house isn't ready for overnight company!  Oh, well! 

Finally!

For reasons known only to God, AOL wasn't giving me the option of posting on my blog from my daughter's, even though I've done it before.  Go figure!

My trip to Muncie on Saturday was not without incident.  When I left Plainfield, I had a couple of errands to run.  One was to take Nate's parents' anniversary present to Danville to drop off at his brother's so he could deliver it on Sunday.  Danville is considerably west of Indy, and my destination for the day (Muncie) is considerably northeast of Indy.  Rather than backtrack through the city and traffic, I thought I would take state road 39 north out of Danville to a road that would take me through Westfield, Noblesville, and Anderson...to I-69 just south of Muncie, and on in.  Well!  It didn't exactly happen that way!  State road 39 was closed just north of Danville.  That is uncharted territory for me, so I followed the detour which took me miles and miles west, out of my way!  I managed to snag a ham friend of mine just before I lost the repeater, and he helped me find state road 32 eastward (which is the one I wanted, but I didn't have the number).  Thanks, John!  I drove through a number of little towns, then Westfield and right through downtown Noblesville (which took some time), then realized that I wasn't going to know how to navigate Anderson to find I-69 because I had never been there.  Radio to the rescue again!  I got on the 146.700 repeater and asked for help.  As luck would have it, one of the guys that responded to me knew the area like the back of his hand and stuck with me.  I was passing the landmarks as he described them to me.  Perfect!  Better than a GPS!  The trip, which should have taken two hours from Danville, actually took three.  Guess I won't be doing that again!

I should say, at this point, that I did have an Indiana atlas in the car and had looked at it.  Had radio not been of help, I would have pulled over and looked at it again.  I mean, I'm not stupid!

Megan and Nathan left for their overnight party while the children and I settled in.  We watched some videos that I bought at Marsh--pre-viewed--because Marsh had closed its video rental department.  We ate popcorn and generally got along just fine.  I let the children stay up late.  When it was time to sleep, I spread a blanket on the floor in the living room and got the children's sleeping bags, thinking we could have a "slumber party" in the living room (with Gwamma on the futon, of course).  For a few moments, I actually thought it would work because the children got quiet, but Ryan soon got his second wind and started being squirrely.  It's contageous.  Robin was getting that way, too.....so, after several warnings, Ryan had to go to his bedroom.  We all settled down then and got some (a little) sleep.

Sunday, Nathan came home without Megan about 12:30 PM...and headed right for bed.  He had to go to work later in the afternoon, but since they had stayed up all night, he needed a nap.  Meg arrived with two friends about 2:30.  The friends stayed and visited for a couple of hours.  The children were pretty good, but I still felt that they were under my charge...and I was pretty tired.  We had early baths and on-time bed.  Ahhhhh...  Still, I think Megan and Nathan had a really fun time.  It was good for them to be with adults and to get away from the children for a little bit--as Meg put it, to act like teenagers again--and I'm glad I could contribute to that.  It gets easier as the children get older.  (At 4, Robin is almost civilized.  Ryan will take a little longer BECAUSE HE'S A BOY!!)

Today was a beautiful day.  I thought I could get a lot done at their house, but I forget that, with little ones around, one needs to cut one's to-do list down by three-fourths.  In the afternoon, Nathan mowed while Meg and I took the children and went grocery shopping.  Thereafter, I fixed a chicken stir-fry, did some dishes, and hit the road for home.  Just before I left, I was sitting in their back yard when Robin brought me a marigold from their garden.  "This is for you, to remember the good times we had here."  Uh....huh??  Did a barely-4-year-old say that?  To be honest, I almost cried.  It was funny but touching at the same time.  Robin-baby, I don't need a flower to remind me of our good times, but I will treasure it always!  I'm going to find a way to preserve that bloom!

So now it is after 10:00 PM on a school night.  My little house sure seems quiet and orderly, even though it is a mess.  The only saving grace about the new week is that it is Homecoming Week, so I don't have to dress up.  Every day is a different dress theme.  (Tomorrow is "Hawaiian Day."  I don't have anything that even remotely looks Hawaiian!)  Another saving feature is that the week is only four days long.  Yeah!!

Friday's over; Hello weekend!

Am sitting in my little bungalow this morning, checking into the SATERN and SAROF nets on HF radio.  It's been so long since I've been on the national net on Saturday that they almost forgot my call sign!  Not good!

Yesterday was an "interesting" day at school.  The elementary school back behind the high school and middle school had to go on lockdown for awhile because an irate parent went ballistic, threatened the principal and pushed the superintendent.  Don't know what the issue was, but this guy is a former student and one-time coach of ours.  Guess he has a temper, huh?

Then, too, there was the issue of the bird in the Middle School...  Apparently, a bird got in.  A student caught it.  Opened his hands to show it to the principal and whoosh!  It flew off again.  Guess it was finally re-caught and released to the outside.  Poor thing had to be petrified!

Meanwhile, I've had several complaints of inappropriate remarks and name-calling originating from the same student.  The young man is already in trouble outside of school, and it looks as though we are going to have problems keeping him on the straight-and-narrow on the inside.  With things that have happened in our district and elsewhere, there will be zero tolerance for that sort of thing, and he may become a victim of that if he can't learn to control his comments...  He isn't bullying, exactly...but what he is doing could be considered harassment.  That's a no-no at any level in schools these days.

I will be heading up to babysit my grandchildren today and overnight.  I have already received my travel instructions to bring "lots of fruit" from Robin.  She is my little fruit freak!

Guess I should get moving here.  One more set of nets to go...