Hope and Inspiration from Japan

This is not directly relevant to teaching but after reading this letter, I was inspired by the innate goodness in people.  Sometimes I assume the worse in people and yes, in some kids.  But as the following shows, I can also legitimately assume the best and have my expectations fulfilled.

A letter passed on from someone in Japan where she has lived for the past decade teaching English. Very moving!!  It has been passed along and e-mailed quite a few times so the formatting is messed up.

Hello My Lovely Family and Friends,

First I want to thank you so very much for your concern for me. I am very touched. I also wish to apologize for a generic message to you all. But it seems The best way at the moment to get my message to you. 

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have Wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy Of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, Food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight,
Share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in Their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get Drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their Home, they put out sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

Utterly amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone Helped one another."

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are Constant and helicopters pass overhead often.We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a Day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of This is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed For several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns Than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully
On the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for Survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, Yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up For water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening At the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No One out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I Usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the Sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check On it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find Food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is There. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is
OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs Of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for Another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, Rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit
Elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off Than others. Last night my friend's husband came in from the country, bringing Food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an Enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at This moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I Can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small
Because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel as part of something Happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is Hard, and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,

Being a teacher and a parent

My son is going to middle school next year so we are in the throes of learning about the transition and choices available to a middle schooler that he didn't get in elementary school.  Parents in my son's class know I teach and are asking for my opinions on what their child should choose, over and above their son/daughter's teacher recommendations.

I feel uncomfortable.  Now I have to extra careful about what I say so that I am professionial with my feedback and not undermime other teachers.

I admit I didn't see this coming.

After they left, the sun came out, the birds started singing...

I subbed yesterday for a middle school teacher who taught 6th & 7th grade science, language arts, social studies, and MESA (extra science for minorities).

I ended up with this group of kids for four periods.  They were disruptive and distracting to their classmates.  They also were not interested in doing any work.  I sent them to the office for 3rd period.  They returned 4th period and continued to mess around.  I sent them to the office for 4th period.  They returned 5th period and this time refused to leave the room when I sent them out.  I ended up calling the asst. principal to come in and escort them out.

Each time they left, the tone of the classroom would completely change.  The sun came out, the birds started singing, and rainbows appeared everywhere.

Developing a thicker skin...

I scored some job interviews last month, Yay!  I didn't get offers for either positions, sigh.  But, I tried my best and although I had my usual "Why did I say that?" moments, I know I said some impressive things as well.

I did not fall into a deep depression this time.   Moving on, moving forward.  On the other hand, my substitute career is zipping along.  I'm developing a thicker skin to rejection.  Of course, it helps to have kids and teachers affirming  my work as a sub.

Mucus Man and Runaway Boy

Monday - I was in the computer lab with a 4/5 grade class.  A student eye kinda exploded with mucus and goop was running in streams down from his eyes.  He asked to use the restroom and I was glad to give him permission except...he was entangled in his headphones.  Thoughts of water short circuiting the equipment and tripping over the dangling cables flashed through my head.  I tried to untangle him and of course a stream of goop ended up on the headphones as I gather it into my hands.

Yes.  I did fumigate the headphones and myself.

Tuesday - 2/3 grade split.  He was bored sitting listening to the readaloud so he asked to go to the restroom.  He stayed there, was discovered by the principal, and escorted back to the classroom.  I was embarassed.

He hated doing his assigned chore of putting his table's book bin back on the bookcase so  he left the classroom.  I called him back but he ignored me.  I followed up when I found someone to stay with the class and found him in the Resource room with the principal.  I was frustrated.  

HE was frustrated by the computer because it wasn't working the way he wanted in the 15 seconds he spent on it so he walked out of the PC lab and wouldn't come back.  I tracked him down in the Resource room again.  This time, I was just glad it was the end of the school day.  I hope the rest of the week improves..

The kids make it worthwhile

I had a hard hard class yesterday.  Usually most of the disruptive and distracting behaviors come from 10-20% of the class.  Yesterday, the disruptive and distracting behaviors came from 60% of the class.  Add to this two kids on contracts with some serious consequences (like 3rd warning parent will be called to take home).  I used all my tricks and skills to build rapports with students in this class but despite this, one of the contract kids ended up yelling at a hapless classmate.  I witnessed it and there was no provocation.

I activated the contract consequences but did take the time to explain why his behavior was not OK.

At the end of the day, the boy who got in trouble accepted the consequence and was willing to try to behave better the next day.  The hapless classmate hugged me after dismissal and told me how he hoped I would return to substitute again.  I felt as if the stress of the day melted away.  This is why I teach; we do make a difference.

Last week in review

Last Monday – I walked into the middle of a lesson and the teacher had the kids do independent work while he updated me on sub plans. “The one who would’ve given you trouble is suspended”, he said gleefully. I wonder if any of the kids heard. Since they usually travel in packs in middle school, I was not too comforted. But the day did go well with nothing to stress over…

Last Tuesday – “It will be an easy day for you” the teacher said. She was planning to teach until 1:40pm so I effectively would have the kids for 1 hour and 15 minutes. For 50 minutes, we had a guest teacher teaching art. BUT, you never know what to expect. I found out two kids I knew from Kindergarten transferred there and shall I say, they are VERY ACTIVE SPIRITED kids.

One of the 1st graders told me he hated this school and want to go home. During art, he became frustrated and angry, lashing out to kick anyone who venture too close and snarling at his classmates.  Finally during cleanup, he sat there and made hoarse cries like he had screams trying to burst out of his body but he was doing his best to suppress them. It was freaky scary. I told the class he was upset and needed some space; they finally steered around him. After the rest of the class left, he didn’t want to leave the classroom. He didn’t want to go to daycare either.  I ended up staying late persuading him to leave the room and writing a book for the regular teacher. The secretary told me his parents were recently divorced. Sigh.
Last Thursday - During library, a fifth grader tried to beat up his classmate when she (accidentally) deleted his work.  I did not witness this but the other kids did and stopped him.  The principal stepped in for this one.

Last Friday - Walked into a messy messy room.  I was not able to find a sub plan.  I asked teaching partners and secretary but to no avail.  As I was cleaning up, I found the plan + materials in a box.  Averted personal meltdown.