My mind is too busy - Midnight thoughts

You ever see the time and say "Darn! already? I need to get to bed PRONTO! Maybe if I read this book (required reading for class) I will get so sleepy that going to sleep will be a breeze," only to have the exact opposite happen? Really? It never happened to you ever?? You are so LYING! lol
My book is Place and Community-Based Education in Schools by Gregory A. Smith and David Sobel.
Russian Mission has a great community based or place based system they have used for years so I thought I would say "oh yeah, I know..." and I admit I scanned some parts that seemed too... what is the word.... lets just leave it at "I skimmed over a few paragraphs" then got to underlining a few phrases. Then got to thinking over a few statements. Imagining the responses to some of the things I would have liked to say..... then I realized I was making myself all the more awake with all this thinking.
So I turned off the lights and kept thinking..tossed. Thought. Tossed. Thought.
I got so tired I decided this can become something worth talking over with some people.

So here goes:
My thinking process accelerated with the sentence "it is important to acknowledge that public education has from the beginning been more concerned about diminishing community ties than strengthening them." (31 Smith, Sobel) Instant flashback in fast-forward of the stories of boarding schools, punishments for speaking languages other than English... a kaleidoscope of comments about what kids are doing wrong in school, how they just 'don't care' about their education... the root of our problem with school today from low scores to low attendance.

Solution? Teachers - put your pride in your pocket and really see your students as children - human beings - feelings - emotions..... and expectations from others other than the school. No assumptions needed, wanted or otherwise. Learn more about the communities you are joining. (let me say that again - the community you are joining as a member) and let it not be only what they need to do for you.

I know. I opened a can of worms. Before all the snide remarks come flying let me ask. 1. Who actually knows the history of the community from a community member's viewpoint? I will take myself as an example. I can thank my teachers in elementary and high school for allowing elders into our classroom to tell us about starvation, famine, illnesses, family kinship ties and traditions and how that affected how the elders saw life and the importance of doing what is right as opposed to what is easy to do. That those factors instilled a sense of community such that when one member is lost the pain reverberates to the whole community. That grief is not something dealt in a day - so we take more than one day away to help console each other to deal with the loss. That is why the namesakes of the loved one is so closely tied to the family who has lost a loved one.

Even as we teach and even as the children are attending school they are a part of a larger world which in a lot of cases the teachers refuse to "see" they look, they judge, they critique... rarely do they live as a member of the community. Yet, they occupy such a large part of someone's child's day.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!
I am back in Bethel after a short visit (freezing visit) to Russian Mission. On average it was -45 below. My son came back with me only to say he misses home. He left to his sisters this evening. I returned before our Russian Orthodox Christmas on January 7th and due to illness I pretty much missed the celebrations in Bethel.

School was due to start on the 9th, and it has been canceled this week due to frozen pipes. Yes it is that cold here.

My daughter Maxine got engaged over Christmas break. I do believe she is planning on a June wedding. She ALMOST tried February which would be not good. June is better. much. much. MUCH better.

I am taking deep breaths and getting my binders and ideas on paper/computer.

Ready

set

WAIT!!! (okay we cannot wait much longer... go ahead)

Here we go.... the first steps of 5 months of being bent into a formalized, certified...teacher.

Let it be official!

(wish me luck!!!)