Well, Hello There!

I don't have a good excuse for not blogging in months. In my defense, I actually started several blogs, but didn't publish any of them for various reasons.  Here's a quick run down on what I've been up to since  May! If I get around to it, I might write individual posts for some of these...but this way Blogger will stop asking if I still want my account :)

 Senior Prank 2018--cute, not destructive, yay for balloons (although the popping was a little unnerving...)

 Bought one of these for my classroom door--google it--good stuff.

 Watched The Boy run track...

 Had a lobsta party

 Planted a garden

 Graduation!

 Visited South Park City for the first time (very fun)

 Took The Girl to have senior pictures taken

 Went to a conference with some co-workers

 Hiked with the family and the dogs

 Volunteered at VBS (Preschool games rule!)

 Road tripped

 Met these cuties...

Had a family tea party in South Dakota

 Picked enough cherries from our tree for a small snack

 Took a lot of walks in the neighborhood

 Celebrated Grandudes 70th birthday with another visit to South Park City (and other festivities)

 Found new local destinations (and informed The Girl that her wedding reception can be here)

 FINALLY sold those Victrola records

 Watched my plants grow

 The Girl bought a car (with her own money)

 Visited some colleges

 Made The Girl try on clothes from the 90's

 Traveled east with Grandma for a family wedding

 Played tourist in Boston

 #Table5...there is nothing else to say about that.

 The Boy went back to school

 The Girl turned 17 (!!!)

The Girl started school.....

and here we are!  Happy Fall!

April 2018 Books

Again, I seem to be a little behind in my reading log...

I've continued my Tasha Alexander journey and this month found an old friend (more in a few days when I write about May books!)

1. A Poisoned Season (Tasha Alexander)
2.  A Fatal Waltz (Tasha Alexander)
3.  Tears of Pearl (Tasha Alexander)--each of these continues Lady Emily's story.  They are entertaining...that's about all I can say.  If you like historical fiction/mysteries, you might like this series (see last month for the first book/s)
4.  Shadow of the Titanic (Andrew Wilson)--interesting mini-biographies of people who survived the Titanic.  Some stories I'd read before and some were new to me. It was interesting, not super exciting, but interesting.
5.  Forever My Girl (Heidi McLaughlin)--this is the book the movie is based on--I think it was a flash in the theatres a few months ago.  Never saw the movie, but it looked interesting.  The book was very Nicholas Sparks-like--a good entertaining read, but no big surprises.

That's all...no top ten, no super exciting new authors..but some solid good reads!  Have a good month!

Summer break?

And just like that, the school year is almost over.  I am ready for summer, I think, but I am kind of reluctant for this year to end.  It has been a roller coaster of a year--I'd tell you to read my blogs, but I haven't been a great writer this year, so that would be fruitless. And, the last few days of school have been a little crazy--at our senior exit assembly in the gym a fight broke out, followed by three (four?) more that day and four (five?) the next day... so it seems like it should be time for summer...but, there is a big "hmmm"....
As our seniors did their exit hugs (graduation is next week, but we do our "good-bye" assembly early because graduation day is, well, so much...) I thought--"I'm ready for the seniors to go to their next step, but I"m not ready to say "bye" to  "my" kids for the summer".  It is an interesting feeling--I used to be a big proponent of counting down the days, but I stopped a few years ago-Angela Watson describes it well here. It is just a change in how I think about school.  There are three days left with students--all three half-day final exam days--so hopefully these will be calm, productive days for the students and set them up well to have a good summer.....

Spring 2018

Good morning!
Some of these are from a couple weeks ago--I <think> the back and side yards are almost "done"....This morning I released 1500 ladybugs and hung two egg sacs of praying mantis..I'm hoping this solves the Japanese beetle and aphid issues of last summer (bonus if they eat the slugs in the garden, but I'm not holding my breath on that...I have my jar of Sluggo ready).  I've sprinkled the garden with red pepper to keep the creepy voles out (and the bunnies).  I'm hopeful!

 Side yard--ignore that last corner with the wheelbarrow...we have plans for it...eventually...the girl is relaxing on her chaise lounge..courtesy of a neighbor moving out who left it on the curb with a "free" sign.

 Plant starts, patiently waiting to be moved outside...sometime...tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, and flowers.  If the weather stays ok they might get a couple hours of outside time today or later this week.

 It's hard to see because the onions in the back are out of control, but there is a thriving blackberry (raspberry?) bush in the front--this is last week, it has taken over that whole corner this week.

 St. Francis and his livestock (birds, bunny, trash panda  racoon, chicken, frog...

 The peach tree and its blossom seem to have recovered from the cold weather and sleet last week, so I have high hopes for a couple peaches this year...

 Another "save" from the moving neighbor--a rubber tree..unfortunately, poisonous to house pets, so it lives on the front porch.  If it survives the summer it might get to go to work with me (and if it doesn't, I'll use the pot for something)

 The lone (of 5) surviving redwood from a family wedding a few years ago--it looks pretty good though!  Soon I guess we will have to find him a place in the yard (maybe in the front?)

 Godzilla leaving the gnome village...enough said..

 Old man beach gnome, not concerned at all about the village carnage (he's at the beach, man...)

 Geraniums, poisonous to dogs, so they have to stay outside, too. Morrison already sampled them and immediately threw up.  Fantastic.

 Garden is planted, except for the seedlings above (and a lot of them might go into pots)--carrots, leeks, spinach, beets, herbs, asparagus, garlic, onions, green onions, strawberries and probably things I've forgotten are in.  It rained and sleeted this week and I was a little worried about the seeds, but they have sprouted like crazy this week!

Ironically, the greenhouse has become a bit of a staging area instead of a plant growing area.  I considered moving the seedlings out, but is is so much easier to water them from inside that I left them for now.


So how are your gardens?

Books! March 2018....because its almost May?!!

1.  Uncommon Type:  Some Stories (Tom Hanks)--For lack of a better description, a really cute collection of stories, all written by Tom Hanks (yes, that Tom Hanks).  All the stories have a connection to a typewriter and there are common characters in several.  I kept putting off reading it because I don't love short stories, but when I finally sat down it was very good.
2.  The Widow (Fiona Barton)--Very similar in style to Barton's other book that I read a month or so ago (The Child).  I thought The Child was a better book, but this was entertaining.  Some mystery, some suspense, lots of interesting characters.
3.  Surface Tension (Mike Mullin)--This writer is from Indiana and I ran across his first book at the Literacy Conference a couple years ago.  He wrote a series about what could happen after Yosemite blows. This book is about a teenage boy who stumbles onto a case of domestic terrorism and his adventures escaping from the bad guys.  It was entertaining--my favorite character is his girlfriend...she should get her own book.
4.  In a Cottage in a Wood (Cass Green)-Lots of twists and turns in this mystery novel.  A woman unexpectedly inherits a cottage in a wood...creepy adventures ensue.
5.  The Wife Between Us (Gree Hendricks and Sarah Pekkahen)--another suspenseful mystery--my office mate has read and recommended a slew of these.  It was good--lots of twists and turns.
6.  A Table Before Me (Debbie Viguie)--the much anticipated next installment in the Psalm 23 Mysteries.  It was good...
7.  In This Grave Hour (Jacqueline Winspear)--I read all the Maisie Dobbs books that existed in about 2012 or 2013.  The last couple I read were just "meh", so I didn't read the latest release (2014 or so?).  I ran across this one and picked it up--it was very good--much more like the first few Maisie Dobbs books than like the last couple.  Good mystery, interesting characters, enjoyed it a lot an am on hold for the newest, just released a few weeks ago!
8.  The Great Alone (Kristin Hannah)--So very, very good.  About a family in the 1970's who move to Alaska. There is family drama, and wildlife drama, a few small mysteries, some wonderful twists--really liked it--probably a top ten contender.
9.  Not if I Save You First (Ally Carter)--Interestingly enough, also set in Alaska.  Written for a younger crowd--probably middle or high school?  About two teens who survive an adventure.  Kind of like Carter's Gallagher Girls books crossed with Hatchet.  Good book, always glad to read an Ally Carter book.
10.  And Only to Deceive (Tasha Alexander)--Those of you who actually know me (or who have followed my reading long enough) know that I LOVED Elizabeth Peters' (aka Barbara Michaels, aka Barbara Mertz) Amelia Peabody books (among others).  Ms. Mertz (her real name) passed away a couple years ago. Her last book was published last year, it was nice, but not great.  I started following her fan club on Facebook and someone suggested Tasha Alexander's books because they are a similar heroine and time period.  I'm really enjoying the series--I think I'm on the 4th or 5th book--they are good mysteries, combined with "regular life", much like Peter's books.  Worth the ready, probably not top ten, but entertaining.

So there is March...ten!  I'm at about four for April (and the month is almost over)...it must be a busy time of year!

Happy Reading!

Hamilton!?!

If I haven't said it enough, let me say again, that my team teachers are fantastic.  There are too many reasons to list, but let me tell you about the latest and greatest...

Last fall my teammate, ML, applied through the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to receive tickets for our students to Hamilton the Musical.  The program was designed to provide students from Title I (or Title I eligible) schools with an opportunity to see a Broadway Musical, specifically Hamilton, for a minimal fee. We didn't hear anything for quite a while...then one day during class she was checking email (don't worry, the kids were working on an essay and we were taking turns working with them)....and ML let out a little squeal...We "won" 100 tickets (plus 10 chaperone tickets) for $10 apiece. (We eventually were able to get ten more plus one more chaperone ticket because other schools weren't able to use all their tickets).  In the words of the Gilder Lehrman staff, "See Hamilton for a Hamilton".....

The event included not only tickets to the afternoon show but also a morning educational session, including student performances (more below) and Q and A with the Denver cast.  This raised a couple issues though...One of the first decisions ML had to make was who was eligible to use the tickets? Gilder Lehrman had requirements for the students--students had to be enrolled in 11th grade US History and each student had to complete a research project on a Revolutionary War/Early Nation Era Person, Event, or Document and turn their research into a performance piece (poem, rap, song, scene) of 1-2 minutes. So, our classes seemed like the best place to start, because we could provide time and structure in class to complete the project.  As some of you know, we team-teach two classes that are split between students with an IEP and students without an IEP.  When we counted, we had a total of 56 people enrolled in our classes.  Hmm....who else "should" be allowed to go?  Who would "appreciate" a musical about immigrants and might not ever get to see a show.....How about the ELA (English Language Learners) teamed classes?! (again, classes with two teachers and half students with ELA plans and half in general education).  ML shares an office with the social studies teacher who teams ELA, so this was easy to coordinate. This brought our total pretty close to 100, so we opened the opportunity up to students in other 11th grade US History classes--making sure they knew the project performance and had an overwhelming (at times) response.  In the end we took 97 students and 11 adults.

The second issue was how to get there....RTD (bus and light rail) with 110 people at rush hour?  Urg...School buses?  Can't use them in the morning, as they are needed elsewhere...ok...a charter bus (two, actually) it is...Buses are how much?  Urg.....Enter GoFundMe....and generous donations from our Life Groups, Book Clubs, friends, family and co-workers...and for the win...our principal who said, "We'll find some money...book the buses".

Issue #3....lunch....GL says "Have the kids bring lunches..."....Students say, "um, I get free and reduced lunch at school every day...what do I do?"  While I was planning how to make 100+lunches in the school kitchen after school, ML reached out to her fabulous friend who works for 104.3 The Fan in Denver...and he reached out to his contacts at Sam's #3 in Aurora (and graduates of our high school!)  who donated lunches...all the lunches...for free.... (and they were tasty lunches as well....mmm...pickles, chips, fruit, sandwich, beverage....mmmmm).  As an added bonus, the fabulous other ML (the teacher who teams ELA classes) bought an extensive and delicious variety of snacks and drinks for breakfast on the bus and a snack on the way home.

Issue #4  Chaperones...really a non-issue--in the end we took the Social Studies team-teaching staff, their ELA and IEP counterparts (me!),  the fabulous EH (A former team-teacher of mine who is retiring and also shares ML's office), the 11th Grade English IEP teachers (general and special education staff), an assistant principal (over the Special Education Department), and the school psychologist.  It was a fabulous group of adults who all worked super hard before the trip and the day of to make it fabulous for our students.

Not an Issue #5...$10 tickets...I was a little worried about the number of students who we had promised scholarship tickets to...ML was counting money and I was watching.  I said, "How much are we short?"  She replied, "None...its the exact amount".  We recounted...God is good...

Our students created some truly fabulous performance pieces and our fantastic Video Production Teacher volunteered his time and the use of the studio to record several to submit one (as required) to Gilder Lehrman.  Unfortunately, our student was not chosen for the live performance, however, we have some really awesome videos for the students who participated.

The night before the field trip I woke up at 3:14 am, not quite panic-stricken, but a little worried about the next day.   There were a couple details, some involving specific students and their needs and some involving things like keeping the lunches cold that worried me a little.... I said a prayer, asking for everything to be smooth and for everyone to have a great day.  Later, after, the day had been super smooth and everyone reported it was fabulous (great, fantastic, really cool....) ML, my office mate, and I were chatting on the bus. They both noted they had done the same thing....God is good....and He certainly heard us, as the day couldn't have gone better.

While I won't claim that the day and the musical were life-changing, I will say this: (comments in no particular order)

• The play was good--I enjoyed it and have some of the music stuck in my head today.  I really enjoyed trying to catch all the Easter Eggs (lines from Pirates of Penzance, South Pacific, Macbeth, 1990's rap songs....).  There were a couple instances of historical fiction, but (and?) they didn't interfere with the story.  Hamilton was not painted as a hero nor as a villain but as a human (and the same could be said of most of the other characters).  King George was hil-lar-ri-us......
• Our students were so great and grateful.  They were polite, they were attentive...I couldn't be prouder.
• In fact, as we walked out, one of my students who admittedly doesn't love school said (something like), "Miss...that was really good.  And I actually learned something.  Cool."  I asked, "From the play?" (worrying a little about the couple historical fictions) and he replied, "Nah, from the research project...the play was cool, but the research helped me understand what was going on". (What more can you ask for?)  Today the same student walked into class, threw himself into a seat and said to ML and me, "Hey. Thanks a lot. Sigh.".  We said, "Um?" He replied with, "I have that song, you know the one that goes ba ba ba ba ba ba ba, stuck in my head....". (Cue laughter....)
• And, as often is the case, my favorite moment was one I couldn't have seen coming....as I sat in my seat waiting for the second act, the student sitting behind me said, "Hey, Miss, is that <student name>? "  Since it wasn't an uncommon name, I was racking my brain and scanning the crowd, when a young man, turns around (apparently hearing his name) and says "Mrs. Lemire!!!!!"  Before I knew it I was being hugged by a football player sized giant of a high schooler....who left our school a couple years ago as an immature 9th grader somewhat in crisis.  We had a few short moments to catch up on his life...and I thought again about all the seeds that teachers plant that and never see flower and reminded myself to remember moments like that one when I'm struggling as a teacher.  Needless to say, that made me a little more teary than expected during the emotional second act.

So now I don't know how to end this other than...it was a great experience...ML (who I've bragged about by name on my Facebook page) is fabulous--this was a (possibly) once in a lifetime opportunity for many of our students and they had a fabulous day....It was remarkable as a field trip because there were no emergencies...a couple stressful moments, but nothing like some other trips I've been on or chaperoned....it was just really, really great.  Thank you (again) to everyone who made it great...through your donations, your prayers, your excitement to carry us to the actual day of....it was a really, really good day.  (The End)......

Books I read in February 2018

It is a short list, but a couple good ones!
1.  Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophesy (Rick Riordan)--A typical Rick Riordan book.  Entertaining, cute story.  Enjoyed it.
2.  Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard (Rick Riordan)--Ditto
3.  The Child (Fiona Barton)--Very good-lots of twists and turns.  About a reporter investigating a case and what she finds out.
4.  The Couple Next Door (Shari Lapena)--Another book with lots of twists and turns.  The book was fantastic--I didn't really love the ending, she could have ended it a chapter earlier and it would have been just as good, but it was worth the read.
5.  Lightning Child (RA Hakok)--I read the first book in this series for free a few years ago and read book 2 right away...now I've been waiting impatiently for this one--and it didn't disappoint.  Follows the teenage survivors of a global pandemic.  Now I'm back to waiting again!

Well, that's it...only five, but two possible top ten, so a good month of reading!

Questions from the classroom this week....

I was originally going to call this "questions and answers from the classroom this week", then realized that I don't think I have THE answers...I have my answers, that I've given when I was asked these questions, but I don't think I have the answers.  So in the spirit of thoughtful discussion...I present "Questions from the classroom this week".....

Question I:  "What do you think about arming teachers?"  The last few days, as always, have been interesting.  If you follow me on Facebook, you know that about a week ago, a friend posted this political cartoon. 

 

The original poster (not a teacher) and I engaged in a bit of a spirited discussion, joined by other friends (who also aren't teachers) who (in a nutshell) told me that if I wasn't willing to protect my students with a gun then I shouldn't be teaching.  We continued the discussion and they eventually brought it down to something like, "well, we get it if you aren't comfortable with guns, but lots of other teachers should carry".  The question, asked by them (and actually in the following days by my students and my own children) was "Well, why wouldn't you carry?".....Here is a selection of my answers in no particular order:

1.  Ask me to reenact my "where are my keys" skit.  Yes, I know that I could wear a concealed carry holster.  I could lock a gun in a drawer/cabinet/closet.  But in an emergency...do we really need teachers wondering where their gun is?  Scrambling to "the other classroom" to unlock somewhere and get their weapon?  We don't have our own classrooms at my school--almost all of us travel from room to room...which room do we lock our weapon in?  Is there a weapon locked in every room? In an emergency (or non-emergency)do we really want teachers wondering "derr...where are my keys gun"?

2.  I have no idea how I would react to an active shooter situation.  When I worked at the alternative school we took guns and knives from kids...but it was never in a crisis situation, it was always "What is pulling your pants down? Dude, hand it over...what were you thinking bringing that to school?!"  I am not trained in hand to hand combat, nor at this point in my life, do I want to be.

3.  I don't like handguns.  It's complicated.  In the Zombie Apocolypse scenario discussion that comes up every so often, I've said I would want a single shot, bolt action 22 with a ten shot clip. (If you worked at camp with me you know exactly what I'm talking about).  But I don't want a 22 in my classroom either.

4.  All the reasons other people have so eloquently stated elsewhere--who pays for the weapon, the ammo, the ongoing training? (And when some billionaire comes up with the money, I will respectfully ask him/her to buy me some textbooks, lined paper, a dvd player that works with my projector, a new projector, and toner cartridges instead...).  My job is to teach...if you have some spare money to help me do my job, cool, don't give money for a new component when I need resources for the original component!

5.  Despite this being a world in which high school teachers shouldn't hug their students, sometimes we do.  It just happens. Sometimes kids come flying across the room in crisis or excitement, sometimes they are in the hall and just fall in our arms crying...it happens...they are hormonal little people and face real problems and issues every day..  What about the kid who I give a hug to, because they are upset about violence that happened in their home...and they feel the concealed gun?  Nope..at that point, I lose my ability to help them problem-solve and become another violent adult in their mind.And some of them are good actors....what an excellent way to get a concealed carry weapon...pretend to be upset...grab it.  I'm no shrinking violet, but I am not a 22-year-old soldier...in fact, statistically, I'm old enough to be that 22 years old's mother....so please don't put in in a position where I could be overpowered and my own weapon used on me or others. 

6.  And here, folks is my number one reason for thinking that me carrying into the classroom is a terrible idea.  I teach high school.  I work with lots of kids with a variety of mental illness and diagnosed issues.  In my mind, there is a decent chance that if there ever was an active shooter at school, it would be someone I know...perhaps someone I know pretty well, who kept their plans secret or who engaged in an impulsive act....would I be able to use a firearm against a kid that I've sat with, counseled, problem-solved with, met with their parents, comforted......?  We've heard over and over how sometimes people slip through the cracks, someone should have done something...but that sometimes shootings happen out of the blue...we would never expect it from "that kid".  I don't know.  I did not sign up to be a soldier or a policeman.  I don't know if I could pull the trigger on any human, even one who was threatening me and my students...but especially someone who I considered "one of my kids".  I just don't know...Could I hit them with a chair?  Throw things at them?  I don't know about that either.  Probably at a stranger (although again, never having been in hand-to-hand combat...I don't know how I would react)...but at one of my kids, even one who was trying to kill me?  I just don't know.  And this is the only one of the six answers that I haven't shared with many folks until now.  But it is the one answer that springs into my mind at the oddest times and causes me to "what if" and "could I" over and over again.  It shouldn't be a factor in any decision I make...but for me, it is a huge factor.

Question II: "Well, what about arming more people, not necessarily teachers, at the school?  What about metal detectors and searching backpacks?"--I'm willing to hear and talk about this...come up with a plan of who, how they are trained, paid for, and what their role will be on a day to day basis...Sure, let's talk...We have school SRO's, I know they have locked weapons in/near school...someone with more expertise than me come up with a plan and I'll happily give my two cents.  And I don't have a problem with metal detectors at all--we had them at the alternative school twenty years ago--just make sure there are people trained and available any time someone needs into the school (since I get there at 6:45 am...someone should be there to scan me). And be consistent--the guy delivering snacks to the vending machines gets to be scanned, too...a uniform and boxes of snacks are not impossible to procure....

Question III: "Why don't we just ban all assault weapons?"  I don't know that this is the answer...I don't know that its not...but 9-11 was carried out by men with boxcutters...so if a ban happens, I think people with evil intent will just be more creative...so, by all means, do what you think is appropriate, but this alone (in my opinion) is not the answer.

Question IV: "What about more wait time/background checks/periodic checks on/about people who already own guns?"  Sure...again, give me a plan that has details...there are times we ask people to re-take the driver's license vision test, to make sure cars are safe, to have a license to drive and that they are in good health to do so...I don't think it violates my rights to ask me to verify that I am a safe and responsible gun owner. (I suspect this point could get some spirited discussion...).  I have to prove that I take recertification classes to remain a teacher (as do lawyers, doctors, nurses)...so "recertifying" gun ownership doesn't sound unreasonable...

Question V:  "What about walk-outs by students?  Are you going to be mad or punish your own kids if they do it?"  When my daughter asked this question I told her if she can tell me her reasons, and if she tells me when it is happening, then no, I won't be mad. I don't have to agree with the reasons, but she has to be able to articulate why she is walking out...  We talked briefly about opportunity cost--it might not be a good idea to walk out during the AP Gov test, during the SAT, during a Trig test...choices have consequences and costs.   I walked out in middle school to protest the boy's swim team not being able to wear mohawks to school....(We chanted "no hair, no fair!" in response to the boys having to shave their heads and scampered back to class as soon as the AP said, "ok, you made your point...get back to class").  Protest is still part of the first amendment...protest your little heart out but you better be able to tell me why...not just you "want out of class".  And, because I'm a suspicious "old lady"...if you've advertised your walkout ahead of time, please be alert and viligent about what is happening around you--keep your eyes and ears open for counter-protesters and others who might mean harm--and have a plan for where to go for safety (ie:  be outside, but near the unlocked set of school doors, so you can get back in...)  I told my own students that I'd appreciate knowing when/if a walkout is happening and I'll adjust what we are doing (so that we can talk about the purpose of protest in a democracy if nothing else) and so again, I can try to help them be safe while protesting.

and finally...

Question VI:  "Do we need more mental health support/resources/compassion in schools and in the community?"  Yes.  Do we really need to discuss this? Would it catch every person intent on harm?  Probably not..but do we need more resources? Without a doubt...yes.  Just yes.  How do we pay for them? I don't know...but I do know it begins with trying to know our neighbors, trying to take care of each other. It begins with teaching people (kids and adults) that it is ok to "narc" on someone if the report is going to lead to help.  And that all the time we need to be aware and thoughtful about how the people around us are feeling.  Many of the shooters in these horrible situations have been disenfranchised and isolated--their world was very small.  We have to get better at not only official services, but also at noticing and reporting things--not to punish people, but to get them help.  And we have to be better as a society about listening--not to throw people in jail or a hospital "without cause"..but to perhaps head off more tragedies by being more aware of the people we interact with.

Dear Friends of My Youth

Dear Friends of My Youth,

I see and hear you everywhere these days--in my daughter's silly skip up a friend's driveway, in the giggles from her friends, in your children's photos on Facebook, in the faces and voices of my classroom....

Sometimes it seems like we were just that age and sometimes it seems like it has been a million years.

Some of you I see often, others I haven't seen in years, others are gone from us (at least on this earth).

I'm thankful today for the many years of friendship among us and for the friendships that (hopefully) will last many years for my daughter.

Thank you my friends (and if you're not pictured below it is because had so much fun there are no pictures....)