“Propel, propel, propel your craft softly down liquid solution.

Ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, existence is

simply illusion.”        Mr. Rogers

Indeed it is.   But, it’s an illusion worth keeping.  Today I’m thinking that life is full, life is complicated, life is complicated, life leaves me powerless at times, and that I’m glad I’m in the stream of it.

SNOW – a big snow storm in October!  A snow day today!  There’s much to say about the craziness of it, the no electricity, have fun talking and cleaning odd things and doing other chores that require no electricity, and hot cocoa on the sterno!  But mostly, what I want to say is how much we need these days of forced rest and we don’t know it.  Our brains, whether learning and teaching or planning and prepping for either, need breaks.  We don’t give it enough often enough.  Today I’m thinking about how much

My poor pear tree in October snow storm.

my brain really appreciated the snow storm in October!  (even if my trees didn’t).

A few thoughts and moments occurred today that I’m thinking must be related somehow.  In one of my Education courses, the students were exploring the printing with various objects (process vs product) in creative experiences.  The topic came up of whether food should be used in the early childhood classroom as an art supply, such as printing with cut in half potatoes.  My own personal and professional belief is that food is food.  I know that many artists use food; but my argument is that those artists are adults.  Children see us use food, their parents see us use food and it’s my belief that I am sending a message that food is unimportant.  Access to food is a class issue, an access to equity social justice issue for me.

The other moment was a story I heard on NPR about Child Services in any states removing Native Children from their homes.  I was driving and at one point I heard that 33 children were removed from a village of only 1400 people.  The journalist told the story of trumped up charges against a mother whose four children were then removed from her home.  In fact, the charges were so trumped up, they never even charged her with anything.  I was speechless while listening to this story.  I rarely find it hard to drive while I listen to the radio, but this story really shocked me.  Access and equity to fair laws, to raise our children the way we wish, and to be told the truth.   Social justice issue through and through.

This doesn’t speak well to how I could tie them together; but I know in my heart they are tied together.  With the Occupy/99% movement attempting to take haold; I worry that noone in America is paying attention to the real true facts that not only do only 1% have the wealth; but I’m beginning to think that only 1% have access to equity and fair treatment.  That is what I’m thinking about tonight.

Become a Big.  Do you want to make a difference in the world?  Yes, you could donate some money, bring some cans to the food bank, donate your old clothes, your old car, and put coins in the red bucket during the holidays.  These are good things; but I’m telling you being a Big Sister or Big Brother makes a donation that will last a lifetime – someone else’s.

Tonight I spent a few hours carving out pumpkins with my Little at the local chapter office of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. We talked about school on the drive there, and while we carved, we talked about Halloween, cats, pumpkin whoppie pies, pizza, cool friends, and the rock climbing opportunity her elementary school was giving her tomorrow.  We’ve been a match for two years: getting together twice a month for two years isn’t really a lot; just like the cans, or the old car or the coins aren’t a whole lot.

But I know that my Little is getting a glimpse at something different, at a possibility of other choices when she’s older, and at a different way to interact with life:  helping her learn to say please and thank you and eat with a napkin may be a small thing, but it lasts a lifetime.  Teaching and learning at its finest, at its sweetist, at its finest.  I wish every adult would find a Little: today I’m thinking about the power of mentoring.

This evening I had occasion to have dinner with three other very bright, and devoted women: women who have worked for years with young children and their families.  Discussion ranged from jobs and families to the state of politics, and about children.  This recent study was one of the topics we discussed: the harm  done to young children when they are exposed to excessive television.

My question this evening is this:  who will be the leaders thirty years from now when all of the children who have been raised surrounded by technology all are showing the effects of too much technology?  Or will it matter?  We know what’s best for children: there’s a plethora of research that shows us that the outdoors, being read to and playing with toys and pots and pans and friends are what make for healthy and happy adults.  But, apparently we’re willing, as a nation and individual families, to take a risk that too much technology won’t do much damage.  Especially when technology takes the place of play and the outdoors and social interactions with friends.  Today I’m thinking about taking the wrong kind of risk.

This afternoon on a walk with my five-year-old granddaughter, we stopped to admire a few ants — we were already carrying a Wooly Bear caterpillar in a jar with us (doesn’t everyone know that even caterpillars need afternoon exercise?) — and she informed me that she was learning about bugs in school and knew what regurgitate means.   She explained in excellent detail.

It was an interesting conversation to me as it related perfectly to a subject I covered earlier in class with my first-year students.  Reviewing Bloom’s Taxonomy and asking them, in small groups, to apply it to a task they had to learn is always interesting.  We then talk about decision making and it’s relationship to Bloom’s and this is where it gets interesting to me.   These first year students did not know what regurgitate meant when I used the word to mean “recall” in discussing the taxonomy.  I’m always flabbergasted each year by what knowledge is not there for young students.  This really took me aback.   There are so many facets to education, that it’s difficult to even state that there’s something wrong with the system, that’s obvious I think to all of us.  Exactly what it is, I work on figuring it out with others in the system.  For now let’s not regurgitate old mistakes – let’s fix the obvious disparity.  Today I am thinking about regurgitate.

‘There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life.’

Frederico Fellini Film Director
A beautiful day today — glorious sun, a not so glorious autumn color due to so much rain, good smells and too much food at the fair, the company of good friends, the hugs and kisses of little and big family members, and life itself.  Today I am happy.  Today I am alive.  Today I’m even almost totally rested.

Here’s to the beginning of another year of beauty and passion.  Here’s even to the Tuesday morning that will come this week when I must put in a 12 hour day.  Today I am thinking about gratefulness.

I am grateful for this, / a moment of truth, / grateful to stand before You / in judgment. / You know me as a liar / and I am flooded with relief / to have my darkest self / exposed at last. / Every day I break my vows— / to be the dutiful child, / selfless parent, caring friend, / responsible citizen of the world. / No one sees, no one knows / how often I take the easy way, / I let myself off the hook, / give myself the benefit of / the doubt— / every day, every day. / On this day, this one day, / I stand before You naked, / without disguise, without / embellishment, naked, /shivering, ridiculous. / I implore You— / let me try again. —Merle Feld, poet, playwright, activist, and educator

Wishing all I know a sweet year ahead.

When teaching is challenging, ask yourself what Mr. Rogers would do. (Those of my readers who know me, know that Mr. Rogers is my all time favorite person in the world – not counting family, of course.)

I’ve had a great week teaching, yet there are a couple of students who challenge me.  One is very shy, painfully shy, and perhaps has other issues or names for it.  So hesitant that when she approaches me after or before class, if I get too close — and too close appears to be within 2 feet – she backs up.  Add to this her incredibly soft voice, and it’s challenging.  I lean forward carefully whenever she speaks – she does sometimes speak in class – I try to role model body language knowing that other students are watching me interact with her.  But it’s difficult.  The most difficult is that her writing skills are quite minimal.  And, she asked me after class yesterday whether her low grades so far on her writing would affect her overall grade; and I had to be honest.  Like Mr. Rogers, he was always honest – sometimes honesty is comfortable and sometimes honesty is really uncomfortable.  It was clearly uncomfortable for her to hear my answer.  I encouraged her to use the Peer Tutoring service. I have great faith in this service at our college – I’ve seen other students really soar in their writing with one on one tutoring weekly.  But it clearly was not something she wanted to hear.

These moments pain me with students; but unlike a colleague or two I’ve known in my teaching career, I believe it does the student a disservice not to be honest with them.

To ask oneself what Mr Rogers would do, and then to do it. This is also, incidentally, a rather good way to live one’s life.

Today I am thinking about honesty.

“Here’s the lesson: If you have something to say on the page, don’t hesitate. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t make excuses. Seize every moment you find to write. Honor your voice and your stories. Starting now. Because this moment is all we have–take it from me. Write. Now.”

Great thought from a blog I just found while actually poking about looking for a picture to use as a writing prompt.  I missed writing on Friday (although funny thing was  I woke up from a dream that morning having blogged in my sleep and spending most of the day thinking I’d done my blog for the day – with no time to log on and check!).   I’ve had a busy weekend, and am still in the middle of being on call for some moving that’s going on while hubby empties a long overdue for it clean out a storage unit day.

This quote and the news I heard this morning about a dear friend’s passing coincide in a way that my dear friend would truly believe was no coincidence.  She was a loving soul, open to all kinds of living, and life.  We spent many many hours together as young mothers: she with one child (before she remarried and had two more children), and me with two.  We spent many hours talking as women, and many hours enjoying life with our children at beaches, and ponds and hiking and amusement parks.  I shall miss her so dearly.

What does this have to do with teaching?  Everything.  I am how I teach.  I cannot separate the me from the teacher I bring to the classroom.  Oh, I can do the professional behavior thing of not crying in class this week; but that’s not the same as my dear friend’s passing (at a young age of around 60) doesn’t remind me to enjoy the moment of my teaching.  Watch for the student’s smile; watch for the enlightenment bulb go on, and remember that one or more of them may be sitting there with heaviness in their hearts as they try to learn what I am trying to teach trying to still the heaviness in my heart.  Today I think of Carla and her living in the moment.