If you have any cool ideas and apps, please feel free to contact me so I can add them.

Second class we worked on Information Processing 10.  I continued where my co-op left of, with excel.  Not much happened here, except the one student is falling behind as he missed yesterdays work.  It will be interesting to see if I am able to get him caught up before the students begin working on their large assignment.

As I continue to work with the students, I am beginning to learn their names.  That was my target today, to remember their names.  With names such that are traditional to the Arabic countries, I have a more difficult time remembering them.  I am sure I will get them all soon, it just takes a lot of focus and practice.  Thank goodness for seating plans.

Now the point of this particular entry is more to give me the opportunity to voice my own opionions and to help me see what my perspective is on the topic of students and their work ethic.  Where I stand now, I can definitely say the kids have changed, they seem to be not as hard working as they use to be.  This is an overall picture.  However, I do know there are still students who have a work ethic that is even better than mine was in high school.  

I still have not come up with any conclusions, but if this topic has spurred you to write on it, please do not hesitate to write me.  One great thing about education is the collaborating between colleagues and other professionals that share the same interest.  Maybe we can begin to make sense of this new shift in student work ethics and how we, as teachers, can help them to find that work ethic that we feel has been lost.

I guess, I have to look at teaching in the same manner.  We are all like a pair of sneakers whether we have children of our own or not.  If I am going to be the support my students need, I have to find out what their needs are, mold my delivery of material to their requirements and still let them have the freedom to be who they choose to be, even if I do not agree with it.

Hmmmm, we can learn so much from others if we just open our eyes and ears to listen long enough, even if it is from a boy who is only 10 years old.

After calling 911 to report this as I was not sure if I would have to attempt to break the neck of my new friend to quicken his passing or have an RCMP come and shoot the poor buck, a kind man in a transport truck stopped to help me out.  Well, the deer died not long after landing on the road and my new friend in the truck pulled the carcus to the side of the road.  I am sure it was quite a scene….me in my high heels and looking like a teacher, all dressed up, hauling a dead deer along the road.  

I got to school, just in time, wrote in the announcement book about volleyball practice being cancelled, got my stuff settled in the class and started into my IP 10 lesson where the speakers did not want to cooperate while showing the class a screencast I did and a Youtube video.  Well, the rest of the day went off quite well. Until….

I was rushing to get out of school and get back to Macklin so I could go visit the SGI (provincial insurance) office to get things rolling on my car.  I put all my stuff in the back seat of the car, pulled my keys and cell phone out of my jacket pocket which I left in the back seat, thossed the keys and phone into the front seat and closed the back door.  Went to open the front door and you can guess what happened.  When I tossed the keys, something must have hit the lock switch on my keychain because now the car doors were locked.  And, NO, I do not have a magnet box under the bumper of my car with a spare key.  Luckily the custodian is a savior of sorts.  He happens to have a pretty cool tool (slim jim) at his house.  We worked for a bit on it to no avail, but really, the act of car theft really is a gift not given to all.  So I decided I would call Canadian Automobile Assurance (CAA) to come to the rescue.  It turns out we did not renew our membership this summer.  I do remember having this discussion with my husband, but didn’t realize it had not been renewed after all.  So I called the only towing company in the area that would have one.  It turns out it costs $85 for him to come to Luseland from Kerrobert (15 minute drive) to unlock my door.  So, I began the chase of looking for my husband.  When he is finally located it turns out he is on the school field blowing things up (in the name of chemistry) and could not hear his cell phone or feel the vibration over the “explotions”.  When he does get the message, he calls me at the school and agrees to drive to Luseland (1/2 hour drive) to come unlock the door.  While waiting for Paul, I make another attempt to unlock it with the cool tool.  One of the other staff members comes out of the school and says her husband is a mechanic and he might be able to help.  She gives him a call and one of his partners comes down.  Within 2 minutes, he manages to stick a wire through the door and window and unlock the door.  Poor Paul, he was about 6 km out of town.  

Well, I am not sure if there really is a moral to the story.  Is it…don’t drive faster than the speed limit, don’t even think about using your cell as you drive, always have a spare set of speakers in the computer lab, never put your belongings in the back seat of the car and throw your keys to the front before closing the back door, all women need to carry a long piece of wire (copper coat hanger) in ther purse or always keep a spare key under the bumper by the radiator.  I really do not think any of these are the issue here.  The real issue is how you deal with the little things that come your way.  At the end of the day, my students learned all the concepts I wanted them to learn, the IP 10 kids still managed to have a great time in class, my one accouting student wrote a great test (only 2 points lost),  and my children had a great day at school (well except for the one with the bad social studies mark).  Most importantly though is I was able to be part of all of these activities.  I never wonder whether I would be missed if something happened to me….many other teachers have been doing what I have been doing for many years and will continue to do it, there are always replacements.  But, I would have missed being part of my childrens’ lives.  I know we have all heard the saying “don’t sweat the small stuff”.  But really, I am telling you….DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!!!!  At the end of the day, if you are still alive and well, your family is home safe, you are trying to make a difference in your students’ lives and you know what it is like to be loved and to love in return, I am here to tell you….the small things really do not matter at the end of the day….you matter, your students matter and your family matters….PERIOD!

As educators, we do not have to be told the effects poor eating habits have on a students scholastics. One mineral which the body requires for concentration is iron. Low levels of iron can be linked with a decreased ability to concentrate, especially in class (see Benefits of Iron).

How does this affect educators? I really am not sure exactly how I can help. I am only one teacher, working as an intern in a small school. Lack of food is hardly an issue in Luseland. As an intern, I am paying to work and so money is spent wisely around our house right now. I am not financially capable of donating funds to the many organizations that fight against poverty. One thing I do know is that while living in Ontario, our family had an open door policy. Many students knew they could come to our place for shelter, food, even a listening ear. This policy is still in place here in Macklin. I, most likely, will not have to open my house too often to a student who requires a meal, but I still have to wonder how I can help fight against this issue. For the next 30 + years, I will be part of many students lives. I may not be my students favorite teacher or win the “teacher of the year” award, but I will be an example in the lives of all those students I do come in contact with. They will be learning from me, by example. Poverty awareness is something that is not taught in my math classes and I most likely will not be bringing it up on regular basis in my computer classes. But through conversations with my students, teaching students the need to be aware of issues which may not affect them directly, and by encouraging them to pursue excellence in everything they do, maybe I can help my kids realize they play a part in the fight against poverty by the actions they choose.

It seems ironic this Poverty Action Day is being held the day after Canadian Thanksgiving; a day when families all over this country; whether born here, immigrated citizens or people visiting this country for a short time, can have the day off from school and work to commemorate the long journey and difficulties endured by settlers when they came to the New World. Many churches use this day to give thanks to God for the bounty provided during harvest or the many blessings which have been received. No matter how we look at Thanksgiving Day, it should be a day when we take time to think about the many luxuries we have in Canada and to also take the time to remember there are many other people who are less fortunate than us. It should encourage us to think about what part we play in the global community and how we can help fight the battle of poverty not only in the third world countries but in our own back yards.

6:00 am – alarm clock rings. You grab a swig of coffee as you let the dog(s) out to go pee. As you turn around to go and start your day, you step on the cat’s tail, spill your coffee and hear the wonderful sound of a cat who has just had his tail amputated. Over the next 2 hours, you unload the dishwasher, put another load of laundry on, check your email and get the kids up. While you are just hopping into the shower, you get a call from a colleague who realizes they have a parent meeting at 8:30 and they are unable to do their hallway duty. They want to switch days with you. Of course you agree, after all, we help each other whenever possible. One of your kids has just come to you to say they have to have $25 to pay for a special activity the school is taking their class on. You were suppose to have had the money in yesterday. You continue to get your make up on, while you “lovingly” tell your son the need to be more responsible.

8:30 – Ok, you are at school. Finally, you are excited that you are going to have somewhat of a scheduled day with one prep just before lunch. Oh no, the secretary asks if you can go into the band class during your prep. The only substitute music teacher available to take over the class cannot come in today. For some reason, she has yet another migraine. There seems to be a correlation between grade 9 band and when this sub is “sick”. You are wondering if maybe you should try this sometime, but then you remember the reason you entered into the profession….to help students.

I hope by now, you are getting the idea here. It seems every teacher has the same life, it is full and I mean overflowing full with activity. If it isn’t a meeting with a parent, it is the computer systems being uncooperative. We keep telling ourselves that we are actually suppose to be able to multi-task. This is true, but not to the extent that we are doing today. As we continue to fill our lives with all these stimuli, our nervous system goes into overdrive and eventually it becomes worn out, tired, exhausted. All that is left for it to do is to slowly shut down some of the necessary functions in order to survive. This may not be an exact replication of what happens, but this is how I have come to think of it. Our body can only handle so much stress before it says “no more”. Think of our nervous system as a car. It is shiny and new when it first comes off the assembly line. As the new owner takes it off the car lot, they promise they will take care of it. Those car washes, periodic oil changes and supreme gasoline help to ensure this car stays in great shape. Eventually, the owner lets their children drive the car. Oh my, they sure know how to test that cars capabilities; taking it over the back roads, through the gravel pits and even trying to bury the needle on a straight highway. The next time “Mom” or “Dad” take the car out, they notice the alignment is off and all fluids are down and there is so much garbage in the car, they decide it is time they set up some more boundaries or rules. But, these rules are not always respected by all drivers. Eventually small things begin to go wrong; the gas gauge is never right, the right blinker timing light is off and there is a rattle every time it goes down the main drag. Oh, and who can forget that second gear grinds every time Jenny drives the car. You can see how eventually the car just is not going to work very well any longer or at is optimal level. That is how our bodies act after we have ignored the signs of stress or over-activity. Our nervous system can only handle so much, then it begins to break down.

Knowing now that we are part of a very special profession, a profession that shapes the minds of every young person in our community, does it not make sense that we have to take care of ourselves so we can help others effectively. At one time mental health was something that was used to describe those who were in a mental institution. Thankfully, it no longer has the negative stigma of something bad. Mental health deals with more than just the hospitalization of those who are not able to live outside of a protected environment; it deals with every human being on this planet, how we view ourselves, how we take care of ourselves physically and mentally. For more information on signs of anxiety or depression take the time to through the Canadian Mental Health Association and read the section Understanding Mental Health.

Even though Blue Day is celebrated once a year, it is something that should not be forgotten. Become aware of the signs of depression and anxiety. Be sure to take necessary steps to ensure your mental health is not being jeopardized by your everyday activities. Finally, be aware of your students needs and capabilities and encourage them to work past their weaknesses with a positive attitude.

Now that I am getting closer to the “three week block”  I feel like I am running around the school to make sure I have four teaching areas for this time.  It looks like I will have math 10, accounting, IP 10, maybe IP 9 and possibly team teaching with my co-op on math 9.  I guess time will tell.

Enjoy this weekend folks.  OH, and if you have tree pruning to do, this weekend might be a good time to do that.  That will be my activity during my planning break.