Quote of the Day: The great the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it. Moliere
From Waking the Warrior Goddess: Custom # 18 Rarely, if ever, drink alcohol.
Today I headed into Skyline to meet w/ principal regarding recertification. Teachers have to validate 100 hours of in-service learning every 5 years that they teach, pay a fee and get finger-printed. Is there any other job that makes you get fingerprinted every 5 years? I guess that’s to protect the students. I really enjoy the principal at Skyline, Doug Bingham. He very much makes me feel like a valued employee and person. He is always complimentary of the Community of Caring program, supportive when we try to do events and fundraisers and willing to listen to my concerns. Every year, in March, they get the numbers back for class sign-ups and I always wonder if my service learning classes will fill up? When they do, and it did again for next year, I always feel a bit of happiness and relief.
Community of Caring is a totally elective course and will only carry if students sign up for it. This is the 14th year that I have taught this and it never ceases to make me feel good that students want to be involved in service. I loved seeing my students today- they show sincere concern in their faces for me. They act so happy to see me. Mary, (permanent sub) said that Berkley, a special needs students, comes in every day and asks for me. She ran right over and gave me a hug today and told me that she is 17! It was hard to walk into my classroom. I have always been able to keep it organized and controlled and now I really have no control over what the students are learning and how they are being responsible at their service sites. It has been difficult to leave them during the school year. Mostly, I think, I miss my association w/ them and think often of what we could have learned together.
So really I have to decide if I will be going back. If I knew that someone would love the program like I have, I would be ok to turn it over. It’s a part-time job that requires a lot of time, energy, willingness to rub shoulders w/ amazing students, struggle w/ 40 kids at one time in a class, be willing to function among chaos, learn to deceive the liar and more. People who have never taught a group of high school students don’t know what an amazing experience it is, but also don’t know how difficult it is.
I’m trying to imagine my health and strength level in August. I will be bald, going through radiation and maybe happy because chemo is over. What else do I know? Will there be a needed time for healing? Will I be able to jump right back into life? Will I be cured? I know some of these answers will come to me. I know that I’m entitled to that personal revelation. I know one more thing for sure, that life has never let me just skip down the path without struggling w/ a decision.
My dear high school friend, Annette, came to visit today and said that she has been reading my blog and wondered if she really knew me. This blog has taught me a lot about myself. She said that I put it all out there- actually, there’s a lot I haven’t put out there. I know great things are coming your way, Annette.
I must apologize if I have been so ungrateful as to neglect to write a letter of thanks to many of you. I tried to think back last week to remember who I needed to thank, and my head was definitely in a fog. I’m sure I’ve forgotten some and I apologize because so many of you brighten my life every day!
I love the Andreas that VT me. You make me feel young and yet you’re so much wiser than me. Melissa Ryberg for you constant reminders that you are mindful of me and to have courage. And Phil and Kathy Muir-sweet message.
I’m reading a great book called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. One of the parts that caught my attention talks about life. It says: “You never know how hard it will be. You never know when it will end. You can’t control it. You can only adjust. And he added, no one gets through it on their own. Even a superstar like Manuel Luna couldn’t win without a village behind him.” I feel like I have a village behind me!
Students at the Food Bank- McKenzie (in blue C of C shirt) organizes Food Bank and Salvation Army
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