Tuesday, September 4th
No, not for me! Never again. I loved preparing, getting ready, arranging desks, writing up my daybook. It always took me 2 weeks to learn everyone's name.
My first month teaching (1989), my junior kindergarten (JK) student told me "Daddy punched Mommy in the stomach last night." We know so much more about violence in families. I wished I'd known what I know now: that kids are affected by this.
I taught JK to gr. 8, plus a stint teaching student teachers at U of Ottawa. I taught kids of all backgrounds, some had fled wars and gunfire, running into the hills. I taught beautiful students with special needs, I learned the most from them. 25 years. Gone. When my mother and dad died, I had to retire. It is bittersweet.
Tuesday morning
I'd weeded it the day before. This strange area under our porch. I was determined to lift up our bricks and stones, as they are sinking in the sand. The bees and ants dig it up, and this has raised the level of the dirt around the stones. Also, in our big storms, the eavestrough overflows and it has splashback. (Good for the gardens!)
Tuesday afternoon
I'd had a difficult time with my client. It takes a lot of energy.
On the way home, a mother was having difficulty getting her child off of the bus. Then she stood and talked there for several minutes. I tried to be patient. It was the first day of school for our local kids.
JB said, "Let's go out to dinner. There won't be many days left!"
Off we went to Rideau Ferry. A red squirrel was happy.
It was yummy. I had their salmon on pita bread.
Dinner done, off to home. This truck (photo below) is one of the reasons we need the 'new' Health & Phys. Ed. curriculum, which teaches 'consent', that helps teachers explain the language to which children are exposed. "Slut shaming" has been common. Teachers need these tools. Women and girls need the language, men and boys need education. Teachers need the tools and the curriculum to help children recognize and understand the reality of same-sex parents, gender identity issues, and to respect differences.
Families have been changing. When I was first divorced (1993), society was shaming single-parent families. When I was newly divorced, a white, upper middle class teacher marched into the staff room and said, "I wish parents would think twice about breaking up their families."
I responded by telling her that living in homes where anger, hate, violence, or domineering spouses exist, is not a healthy place to be.
I ended up writing an article about this, which was published in our teacher newsletter. I hope it made a difference.
Thank goodness for people like Julie Lalonde. She is a speaker on violence prevention.
That was my Tuesday.
