Miscellaneous Missives

Happy Halloween!

"Today we have gathered to see that cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and with all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people." 
~adapted from the Mohawk by John Stokes and David Kanawahienton Benedict Thursdays are quote/question day. My students start class by reading a quote and writing about it in their journal. Today's quote (above) led to great discussions for my first three classes. The discussion even included how the quote relates to us as a school community. When we were discussing greetings, one student mentioned that sometimes we even greet people with our glances and looks. I was impressed with the conversations until my fourth class started. After I read the quote, I started with the same question I had given the other classes ("What does the quote mean? How do we connect with it?"). Silence. Did I ment...

After being annoyed with the book I started yesterday, I wanted to make sure the same thing didn't happen tonight. I had a book on hold at Walker (love the new Hennepin County Library system with all of the Minneapolis Libraries). It is a book that seems to "pop up" in a many instances as a good book. Of course I didn't want to be stuck at home again tonight with a bad or average book, so I called Magers and Quinn to see if they had two other titles (new releases that looked good in Bookmarks magazine) as back-ups. They did, indeed, have both titles. I also decided to take my Blue Sky Guide (20% off) coupon (for used books) hoping that perhaps I could use it on my new book purchases. Plus, I took the book I was trying to read yesterday (that I paid $5 for on clearance) hoping that they would give me a dollar for it. Maybe it was because one of the clerks recognized me as I walked in, but they gave me $3.75 for the book and gave me 20% off my entire purchase. M...

Main Entry: laziness Part of Speech: noun Definition: unwillingness to work, be active Synonyms: apathy, dilatoriness, do-nothingness, dormancy, dreaminess, drowsiness, dullness, faineance, faineancy, heaviness, idleness, inactivity, indolence, inertia, inertness, lackadaisicalness, languidness, languorousness, laxness, leadenness, leisureliness, lethargy, listlessness, neglectfulness, negligence, otioseness, otiosity, passivity, remissness, slackness, sleepiness, sloth, slothfulness, slowness, sluggishness, stolidity, supineness, tardiness, torpescence, torpidness, weariness Antonyms: activity, diligence, hard work, industriousness, industry, liveliness from http://thesaurus.reference.com I am feeling mighty lazy tonight. In fact instead of making dinner, I went to Chipotle. When I drove in my garage, I went directly to my apartment because I was to lazy to walk the extra 15 yards (?) to my mailbox. Because I felt like doing very little, I turned on the TV and became instantly bo...

This being human is a guest house Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. ~Rumi It seems lately people are becoming overwhelmed with illness. I, myself, am still struggling to be fully well. Yesterday President Obama announced that the H1N1 virus as become a national emergency. Each day brings news of illness... a colleague's daughter, a friend's father, a church member. This is a time to trust in the Lord and remember that healing comes although it may not always come in the form we imagined. When life seems overwhelmin...

It seems I spend much of my weekends and weekday nights correcting papers. Recently I came across a blog called "The Daily Grind." The author of this blog like me is an English teacher, and he often writes about the same frustrations I'm feeling. Today's blog was especially fitting. I read it after I finished compiling a list of fifteen examples of run-on sentences and fragments from the students' letters they completed (edited and had a peer edit). After I corrected the papers, I checked my school e-mail. One was from a parent saying her son received all 'As' last year... Of course this same student (honors) turned in a paper with no end punctuation on ten sentences. The Daily Grind commented on the same thing in his blog today: "I had just finished pointing out that in two paragraphs of writing, he had yet to write a complete sentence. He either had a series of run ons or a series of phrases. The shock on his face was not contrived, and I...

During my prep period today I was visited by two people whom I have the utmost respect. Both were frustrated for different reasons. The first was an esteemed colleague, and I totally understood the frustration. It seems horrible, but I was a bit content that I was not the only one with concerns with our students' inability to think. The next person was someone who I am always honored to be a "sounding board." One thing this person mentioned in the conversation was, "I did a M..." This is translated, "I said exactly what was on my mind even though..." I'm not sure if I should take this as a compliment although I did. Maybe I should also admit that I was happy that on this Friday my day was frustration free.