a cocoon of familiar darkness

surrounds me and is lulling me into the most fabulous state of contented relaxation. i'm sitting alone in the dark- firstborn has his own place and is out and about; secondborn is spending QT with his father; and the Wick is playing church softball. oh and the dog is lying across my feet, snoring.

i'm having one of those odd moments where i can sort of see into and yet outside of myself. am content to sit here on this couch and let my world spin around me, without me, for just a wee. it's ok. it really is. sometimes when i manage to find this state, i can see so many things more clearly- perhaps as they really are, not as i perceive them to be, but then my perception is my reality and there you have it. di logic for the bargain price of well, free.

i've been thinkin about education...the dang legislators are locked up and can't agree on a freaking budget and we umm sorta need that to start our new fiscal year. but...selfish ones, they could care less who might be inconvenienced by their wishywashiness. i've also been thinkin about how much has changed in the fourteen years i've taught...hard to believe i'm about to begin my fifteenth year. the kids have changed. the parents have changed. administration has changed- oh my how that has changed! trends have come and gone and one thing remains strong. our kids need to be prepared to contribute to this world when they're of age. i'm greatly disturbed that kids are coming to me unprepared, unable to read, unable to write effectively, unable to crunch numbers. i'm not casting aspersions on any educators before me either...i do not believe any one group is to blame. if anything, it's our antiquated system. education should be cutting edge, top notch, full frontal assault against stupidity and ignorance. instead, it's a breeding ground (literally) of complacency and leftovers, budget cuts and personal agendas. it's pathetic and grievous at times, but it's what we have. sometimes i feel we fight a losing battle, struggling against society's ravishments and parents' insecurities, administrators' clawing need to micromanage in response to pressure from the state department. i will leave my thoughts on decisions made by that particular group for another blog- it will need its own for sure. i think that those people are over paid and wield too much power (and don't know their butts from holes in the ground) but hey, like i said...that's another blog. teaching summer school has actually not tired me but rejuvenated me...i'm free to teach unencumbered by everything that clouds teaching and learning. i can focus- for 3 full hours- on my 22 kids for 2 weeks. i can push all my energy to working on specific skills that i have found to be deficient. Behavior is not an issue- and oh my, that too is for another blog. i have some harsh things to say on that point, but for now, behavior is a nonissue. perhaps because someone paid good money for them to be there. sigh...why could they not just do what needed to be done the first time around? i'll tell you why- because some of them are nonreaders. i'm not exaggerating. do you know the definition of a nonreader? these kids can struggle through decoding words to a point...but the struggle hinders the comprehension process and it's just a vicious cycle. but ya know what? kids come to kindergarten unprepared...they don't know colors, they can't write their names, they can't read a lick much less recognize sight words...of course they are going to start off behind. why don't we have something in place to intervene immediately instead of waiting for this issue to snowball out of control? the system is indeed antiquated. and we're doing our kids, our community, and ourselves a huge disservice. educational reform is in a rut and needs to break free of the stifling box and climb out on a limb without a safety net. how else can we save ourselves?

and that's just part of rolling through me...on a much happier note:

the great town of starkville elected a new mayor this day. parker wiseman. i'm grateful for that. i have had the opportunity to speak with him on numerous topics on several occasions and i have come to think highly of him. i think that he has a lot going for him, and quirky though he is, i really like the way he thinks. besides, he has good energy and so does his adorable wife. and if you've met me, you know i'm all about the energy peeps secrete. and hells, we all make mistakes as we make our way through life. each task is a learning experience and perfection is just an illusion. yet it never ceases to amaze me that peeps don't get that, that they don't want to cut folks slack. ahem, allow me to be the first to say that i do realize that i am guilty of this myself...but it's a pattern i strive each and every day to break. so...i say it's time, regardless of who we voted for, it's time to push aside the squabbles and the silly stuff and pull together to walk forward. it's truly a great day.

ah...the wick is home, victorious from the fields. i think i'll pour a finger or two of gentleman jack and prop up with a sudoku puzzle

i love my life, even the trials and tribulations are precious to me