The View from Here

Last Chance

 

This is it! If you were going to keep your New Year’s resolution or work on that “to do” list for January, this is your last chance to getter done.

I flipped the page on my calendar this morning to see who has a birthday coming up- my dear friend Marilyn (1), my great-niece Jocelyn (2), my aunt Betty Ann (7), my niece Amber (8), my brother David (21) and of course ME (20)! Yes, David and I have back to back birthdays. Oh, the childhood horror stories! Lol

We are also getting ready for a return to winter weather. Cold, rain, snow (?) are all in the forecast for the next few days. Thank goodness I have the memory of Saturday to keep me going for a while. 75 and sunny- my favorite!

Gary and I had a great time at Hagerman. (I posted the rest of the pictures in an album there on the left.) I was surprised by how many people were there and I imagine it gets quite crowded in the spring. The auto tours are probably popular with a lot of older people or those with children. We will want to alternate our photo trips with some to Tishomingo, which is closer to us and seems to have more walking trails.  

Nothing extra planned at school this week. Just more reading, writing, and math. Poor kids; Mrs. Maurer never gives them a break. I’m just praying that everyone gets well.

Hang in there. And remember to watch the groundhog Wednesday.

Not enough words...

to describe how great it was to be out in the sunshine yesterday, with my husband, doing something we both enjoy so much!

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are from Hagerman. I'll load more into an album later.

Reading, writing, and reality...

Childhood is seldom the fluffy marshmallow fantasy that adults would hope for their offspring. My own experiences included a lot of physical and emotional pain. We moved a lot and I had to leave friends behind. I worked in the fields on weekends and during the summers for ten years. My grandfather was an unpredictable alcoholic. My parents argued as much as most parents. My uncle was in prison. I was in several painful accidents. Two men tried to kidnap me on the way home from school. One year my classmate stole my birthday doll. There were weekly gang fights at many of the schools I attended. My friend’s baby brother died in his sleep. My first boyfriend decided he loved someone else. I could go on and on. I don’t remember ever having a perfectly perfect life.

 However, I often feel that my life was a Disney movie compared to the experiences of some of today’s children.

I was talking to my daughter yesterday and to a colleague the day before, and we were trying to pinpoint the differences between the two.  I have reached the conclusion that the major difference between my generation and the current one is color.

When I grew up everything was black or white, good or evil, yes or no. Bad things seemed more isolated. Bad people were insane or evil, but either way they would be punished. Even if things went horribly wrong, your mom said, “That’s not right” and you had hope that tomorrow everyone would come to their senses and it would be right again. And we were more isolated and insulated. We didn’t even have a television for years. I didn’t see the news or know what was going on in the next town, much less the next country. Only major disasters and events filtered down into my little world.

Today everything is gray. There are no clear cut lines between good and evil. Everything seems to be acceptable “under the circumstances” because that is the politically correct attitude to adopt these days. You don’t want to be rash and say that someone or something is wrong. Tolerance. That’s the good word. There is no preaching at the dinner table about the evils of the world. That would just be wrong and might hurt someone’s feelings.

And children aren’t isolated from anything. Children see and hear things that would have shocked my mother. They shock me! And they see them so often that they don’t give any thought to them at all. Nudity, rudeness, crudeness, anger, and violence are a part of daily life for many children. If they don’t see such things in their own environment they see and hear them on television, games, and music videos. Cursing is so casual that many of my kindergarten students have heard and can use a dozen swear words. You might be surprised to hear what some of my former students have intentionally told me I could do! Many play games I wouldn’t let a teenager play. They watch movies I wouldn’t want to see! Add to that the fact that they see and hear the news about every evil, violent thing that happens in the world and it all becomes too much. They just accept and go on. And if that is the way they start childhood, you can imagine how they finish it.

I hope you weren’t waiting for a solution, because I don’t have one. I know we can’t go back. I know that communication is a good thing and that acceptance of others is also good. But it worries me when a kindergarten student tells me in casual conversation “we played Call to Duty last night”, or tells me all about the latest teen music idol. It all seems too much too soon.

Be careful today...little eyes are watching you!

100 Days!

We passed a major milestone yesterday! 100 days of school! Time for celebration and panic. We have accomplished so much, but we have so much more to finish in so little time. This is the time of year when I am “making a list and checking it twice” to make sure I have covered everything I can to prepare my students for the first grade.

Speaking of preparation, I want to share this post with you. It’s from my kindergarten blog, but I know many of you don’t always read what I post there.

Kindergarten Today- I read recently that Florida representative Kelli Stargel has proposed a bill to allow parents to be graded on their involvement in their kids’ education. She feels that parents should be required to make sure their children get a good night’s sleep, arrive at school on time, and have their homework completed. In addition she thinks parents should be required to communicate regularly with the teacher.

My grandmother would call that “cutting off your nose to spite your face”. I call it a prime example of yet another “leader” going off on a wild goose chase. While the proposal might stir up controversy and publicity, it accomplishes nothing.

Parents who are already doing a good job of preparing their children for school don’t need a report card. They just need a little guidance in specific ways they can help their child be successful in my class. They might like a little encouragement and appreciation now and then, but any competent teacher is going to give that to them without a law requiring it.

Parents who don’t care enough to prepare their children in the most basic ways are NOT going to be intimidated by a piece of paper that says the teacher doesn’t think they are doing a good job. They are going to be angry and uncooperative and resentful. I understand the desire to make parents comply with educational expectations. Years ago I had a child who arrived for the first day of school on the bus. I did not meet his parents until November when I sought them out at a ballgame!! I have students now who are habitually late, fall asleep in class, don’t do homework, don’t return notes, etc. etc. My expectations and my opinions don’t mean two cents to their parents. So I simply return to my philosophy of doing the best I can for and with the student while they are in my care.

And what does Ms. Stargel propose as a consequence of getting a failing grade from the teacher?

This is all part of the “blame game”. It doesn’t help our children if the adults around them are busy pointing the finger of blame at each other instead of working cooperatively to find solutions for real problems. I propose Ms. Stargel spend some more time doing her homework.  

Have a great day!

 

It's a whole new world...

The State of the Union message always leaves me confused. No matter who gives the speech, it is always filled with promises of unity and purpose that I know will be swept under the rug the next morning in the race to fund the pet projects and political agendas of those same individuals who were smiling and clapping after every optimistic promise. Of course I know very little about government and even less about politics. Who can possibly keep up with all the nuances of either unless it is their fulltime occupation or avocation?  However, I do know how much life has changed in the last four decades since I became an adult. Very little.

Oh, yes, there have been astounding changes in some areas of our life. But when you look at the topics that resurface year after year and term after term- poverty, unemployment, education reform, healthcare, military involvement, international competiveness, illegal immigration, safety, and morality- it seems that we are still treading in the same waters and waiting for the lifeboat. Instead of smiling and clapping last night I found myself thinking, “I hope you understand that you don’t really have the power to do that.”

And therein lays the problem. No matter how well intentioned our president, and I do believe most are, it seems there is very little real power at the top. We have wisely limited the things our president can actually do without the cooperation of all the other leaders in Washington, and I seriously doubt most of them could agree on where to have lunch, much less how to solve our problems.

I should not venture too far in my opinions from my own knowledge and experience, so I will tell you that our president’s promises of education reform did not inspire me. I have lived through too many broken promises, both as a student, parent, and educator. I am a poster child for what is good about education. I came from poverty, moved in and out of more than a dozen schools, survived a couple of horrible teachers, survived gang violence, was inspired by several gifted teachers, made excellent grades, graduated from college  despite tremendous obstacles, and became a teacher. However, I have also experienced many of the programs and attempts to change and improve education. My children have attended year-round schools. They have been in non-graded classrooms and magnet schools. They have been in this program and that program. Blah, blah, blah…

If there is one thing I have learned in the trenches it is that we will NEVER make education an equal or even equitable experience for ALL children.  Not going to happen. Not in my lifetime. Not in my children’s lifetime. Not in my grandchildren’s lifetime. We can start with the same expectations. We can start with the same curriculum. We can set the same goals. But a child attending Podunk School in rural America is not going to have the same educational experience as a child attending Gang Banger High in one of our major cities. And if you really want to see reality and inequality in American education, visit any one of the Texas high school campuses that looks like a college, and has a professional style football stadium and an Olympic-sized pool. It’s about the money folks, and it will never, ever be distributed equally, fairly, or uniformly. Get over it.

And education will never reach the one-size-fits all goal because the idea of “all” is inherently flawed. Children are not the same. Not even those raised in the same family. The idea of “no child left behind” was always ludicrous because some children didn’t even make it to the starting line! Now we have “Race to the Top”. Take a close look at that, and read why the governor of Texas won’t even participate.

As usual, my time is limited and my ramblings could go on forever. I just can’t resist one more comment. The President said we should teach our children that “success is not a function of fame or PR, but of hard work and discipline”. I’m sorry, but our children are getting a very different message from the media! And I’m not sure we can turn the tide as long as YouTube exists.

Well, off to work. Have a great day!  

 

Happiness

 

My students have a saying they use often- “Take what you get, and don’t throw a fit.” As I’ve had the privilege of watching them grow and change for the past few months, I’ve noticed that the ones who truly take that to heart and don’t always have to be the first and have the biggest and best are generally the happiest children in my class. It is the few students who are selfish, resentful and paranoid who are constantly whining and pouting and complaining. The least little deviation from their perception of perfection throws them into a whirlwind of despair. They are the first to “tattle” on their classmates for every conceivable offense.

My own favorite saying concerning happiness comes from Lincoln. He said, “Most people are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” A reminder that happiness is within our control. It isn’t what happens to us that is important, it’s how we react to it. Oh, I’m not saying that I’m all smiles and positive words all day long, every day. However, my general outlook is one of peace, contentment, and calm. If I get angry or upset or discouraged it doesn’t last long. I can’t wallow and whine for too long without feeling foolish because I know that my life as a whole is blessed beyond my expectations.

Perhaps that is the secret- expectations. Some might say mine are too low. I should want more and strive to have more. I should not settle for less than the best. Such thoughts remind me of my childhood when we lived without plumbing- no running water, no bathroom. I dreamed of the day we wouldn’t have to haul water in a bucket. So when we moved to a house with a bathroom and water, but no hot water, I was happy for a time. Then I began to wish that we didn’t have to heat water on a stove for our bath or over an open fire pit for the laundry. We later moved to a house with a bathroom AND hot water! It was glorious! I couldn’t understand why my friends thought it was a dilapidated shack. It met all of my expectations and then some.

 

The older I get the more happiness I gain from my relationships with other people. Sharing the joys and sorrows of others is far more satisfying than any material possession I might own or any temporary accolade I might earn. I wish I could convince some of my younger friends and family members that the house and car and job they have isn’t nearly as important as the way they treat other people. An electronic device or a fancy car won’t sit by their hospital bed and pray for them during a crisis. Money won’t make them well…or happy.

Make someone smile today!

Just so you know...

 

Yes, I still get up at 4am every morning. Sometimes I sleep until 4:30 on Saturdays.

My current favorite snack is Greek yogurt.

I love westerns and enjoyed True Grit so much!

I do not like food snobs or exercise snobs or any kind of snob.

 

I am adjusting to our new pillow top mattress. I feel like it is ten feet high, but that is just my perception.

I plan to never be without Tylenol Precise. lol Best pain relief cream I’ve ever tried.

I hate being cold.

Electric blankets are good.

I love talking to other people.

 

Sleeping with a humidifier rocks!!

I did NOT drag Gary to the cemetery yesterday. He kindly agreed to go with me and watch for dogs.

I am still abstaining from cola.

I currently spend four hours a day on the computer.

 

I still write a letter by hand at least once a month.

I hate how impatient most people have become.

I prefer cats, but enjoy watching dog shows.

 

I am usually positive, hopeful, and optimistic.

I like television dramas more than comedies.

I love my job.

I never tire of looking at nature.

 
 

 

 

A promise of spring...

 

Two months. Eight weeks. 57 days. Okay, so it isn’t official. It isn’t like March 21 is the actual last day of cold weather.  We have been known to get a late freeze in April. However, we also get a few warm days in February, so as of this week, I’m watching the ground. And I have already been rewarded by the sight of daffodils poking through the soil! Let the planning begin!

I received a catalog from van Bourgondien They have some remarkable daylilies although I need to show a bit of restraint since they are $16.99-$19.99 each. They also carry some very interesting coneflowers (Echinacea) including Green Jewel, and Pink Double Delight.

If you are looking for something bit different this year, go to Burpee’s website and check out these lovely specimens:

Petunia- Phantom

Marigold- Chameleon

Morning Glory- Cotton Candy

Zinnia- Queen Red Lime (I am definitely trying this one!)

Also, if you need inspiration, my favorite garden magazines are Horticulture and Oklahoma Gardener.

For those of you who are local, the Bryan County Conservation District (office at 200 Gerlach, Durant, OK, 580-924-5464) is having their spring tree sale. Tree lists are available, and trees must be ordered by February 18. Deliver will be approximately March 11, and trees must be picked up within three days. I plan to order some redbuds.   

Hang in there! Green is just around the corner…

Cold

 

Did I mention that I'm tired of being cold? Even the birds are cold. I felt sorry for them when I saw them all huddled together near the feeder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm being lazy this morning, so just a few photos. Later...

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my...

 
 

I don’t usually comment on national news or internet sensations or YouTube viral videos. However, I am as disturbed as everyone else by the new book just released about the abusive Chinese mom who wants to hold her parenting skills up for admiration.  I won’t even give you the name of her book because I don’t want to give her any more free publicity than necessary and I don’t think anyone should buy her book. I haven’t read it, nor have I read more than a few excerpts from it. Perhaps for that reason my opinion will be more biased than it need be, but if even one of the stories is true, then I have a few questions.

1. Why did the couple ever have a second child?
2. Why did the father allow such abuse to continue?
3. Why didn’t someone report them to authorities?
4. Why didn’t a teacher try to help the children?
5. Why didn’t some other family member- grandparent, uncle, aunt- try to intervene?

I will tell you what I think. I think that abuse that produces medals and good grades and accolades is overlooked by everyone because we are too busy focusing on the results. We are too enamored of the performance to care about how it was achieved. Sort of like applauding the animal acts at the circus until we find out how the animals were treated in order to get them to do tricks!

I think we should look around and give a pat on the back to sensible parents who are raising their children with love and common sense. Stop giving so much press to extremists.

Have a warm day!