Watching him grow up…..

Jeremy is turning out to be quite a nice young man.

I know, I shouldn’t sound surprised, but really I am…….

He can be such a doorknob sometimes…… and the person who is guiding him in this world is me….so really, the odds were stacked against him from the beginning.  :)

Jeremy wants to pursue a career in Education.  I think this would be really good for him.  He loves to “explain”, to “be correct” about information and facts.  He can be quite entertaining when he is excited about a topic.

He applied to York University, Faculty of Ed– and had an interview on Saturday. Jeremy worked hard on his responses, and even had a mock interview to prepare, and he feels it went well.  ***FINGERS CROSSED

For the rest of the school year he is doing an unofficial “placement” with me at my school.  I am grateful to my friends, who are welcoming him into their classes, and I hope he understands how lucky he is to have the opportunity to try out ideas and lessons with a real class.  I wish him well, and hope he discovers that this is a career path he wants to follow.  Let him take direction and criticism with the love and support it is offered.  I know he will be wonderful!

A new baby

My other friend Amanda (not the one who just got married), but another teacher-Amanda just had her second baby.  He is so tiny and perfect and cute.  We went to see him last night.  He’s big (for a baby) at 8 and a half pounds, but that’s still so small.  He has tons of blonde hair, and his skin is so soft.  I took photos of him, and his tiny perfect feet. 

Now, in my opinion, FEET ARE GROSS!!!!  They are weird and nasty.  (Mine personally included)– Toes are bent and crooked, dry skin, bumps, cracks YIKES.  But not new baby feet!!!!  These little puppies were absolutely perfect.  They are soft and smooth. 

It’s so weird to think that these tiny toes have never touched the earth yet.  Soon they will be dirty and grass-stained and running all over, (like Sam’s big brother John), but for now, we all can enjoy perfect baby feet!

2 weeks without Jeremy

Today Jeremy leaves for 2 weeks.  He’s not joining the army or going to the moon.  He’s staying with family south of Picton.  I think this will be really, really good for him.  He’s never had a part time job so the only person that ever “nags” him is me (and his father and grandmother), but still they are the people you live with.  We ALL treat the people we live with differently than people we visit or people we work for.  (Sometimes better sometimes worse, but always different).  He will be working hard, but spoiled by other people, it will be good.  (And he’s been all “teenager-y” lately so we could use a break from him, too)

But the most important impact will be on MY life.  (since its my blog–I can make it all about me)

Seriously, I have only been away from him for more than 2 days, when  he was 10 months old.  Never as long as he can remember have Jeremy or I ever stayed anywhere more than 2 nights without the other one.  (Now I’m not thinking he’s as mushy about that as I am).  No matter how (freakishly) big your baby gets, he is still your baby.

However, I am going to miss alot of tasks Jeremy does around the house.  When I am thirsty I just yell out “Oh drink fairy where are you???” and like a vision from heaven, drinks show up to me.  Blankets get wrapped around me on the couch, spiders caught and released outside (that is not my instruction-I say kill the thing), but dishes, dog walking and recycling all seem to get done with only a minimum effort on my part.  Most important, when I want to wandolier, I just call out “Jeremy, make the Wii go!!!! and the stuff all gets hooked up and turned on.  I will miss him.

Seriously, again.  He will have a wonderful time and grow up quite a bit, even in just two weeks.  I’m glad he’s not going to epcot or university yet.  I don’t think I’m ready!!!

For a final week, it’s going to be busy!!!

I was hoping for a quiet end to the school year.  No such luck.  Starting in a few hours, I go really hard until Mon. June 29th.  This was an initial date, but now I’m thinking to July 4th, until I really have NO plans. Perhaps writing it all out will help me to remember it all.  (This is not unlike my use of shopping lists–Whenever I write a grocery list, it never makes it into the store, but remains on the kitchen table or in the car.  But, the act of writing it out helps me to centre and focus.  I find I don’t NEED the list, because I wrote it)

So, Saturday: Grocery shop, house clean, get dressed up, Jeremy’s formal piano recital, drop J off at Brad’s house, go to staff party

Sunday: GARDENING–we have 6 bags of mulch waiting for the rose garden to get weeded.  And the magic fairies let me down again.  SO we will have to do it.

Monday:  School mass, no one has talked about it (because there is so much going on at school), and despite the fact that choir is finished for this year, we still get to sing.  Hmmmm  I think “Its a small world” is an appropriate Processional song. hee hee  (I won’t do that–I’ll pick nice songs).  Monday evening is Grade 8 Graduation.  Woooo  (Said with just as much enthusiasm and energy as you’d expect) woooooo blaah

Tuesday: Outdoor play day for all the primary students.  I am watching stations 5 and6 (what ever that means) but its always a fun day.  Tuesday night is Jeremy Jujitsu in Bowmanville. 

Wednesday: my class has been invitied to SK graduation, because they are our reading buddies.  So we will have to find a time to make them cards or something.  But we are going morning and afternoon.

Thursday: clean out the classroom, send everything home, hand out report cards.  I like this day.

Friday: Pioneer Play Day with the Gr threes, we do bobbing for apples, sack races and three legged races, egg and spoon race. Its like the church picnic in “Anne of Green Gables” only with out the singing or the ice cream. Students (finally) go home.   Friday night–Ju jitsu in Bowmanville

Saturday: Clean up because Jeremy is having a birthday party.  (Poor summer baby, never has people over, only get to go to WDW on his birthday and see Mickey Mouse–poor Jeremy).  Teenagers, food, drinks, movies, guitar hero, yikes.  Jeremy’s driving school

Sunday:  TEAM W is coming over!!!!!  Woo hooo ( or we are going there, not sure on the plans, but its us and them!!!!!!)  Jeremy’s driving school—******See I have just found a slight glitch in my busy week–Must confirm times of driving class and confer with Violaine– no prob, just needs to be checked!!

Monday:  STAFF MEETING 9AM, how horrible.   Plus side–Neil says its only and hour, Minus– a lot of our staff will not be joining us, Plus- I get to see the new staff that I’m looking   forward to having with us.  Plus or minus (not sure yet)  Get to meet the REST of the new staff.  Jeremy’s driving school Monday night, hoping to go to the Blue Jays game (we are not bad luck–this time they wont lose when we go)

Tuesday: Jeremy’s Driving school

Wednesday July 1: Canada Day.  Track (undecided yet), BBQ at mom and dad’s (yes a go)

Thursday:  Taking Nan to the hospital

Friday July 3rd; Jeremy going bye bye for 2 weeks–need to get him packed and organized.

Saturday and Sunday–NO PLANS!!!!

Boy I’m glad school is fininshed!!!  My job really gets in the way of my life sometimes!!!

EQAO

My students are currently writing EQAO.  I have mixed feelings about these kinds of standardized tests.  On the one hand, they are not fairly written (sometimes): for example in the math long answer section it says “Justify your answer”, which is not-so kid friendly.  That’s not how they talk, and I don’t know if they would understand what justify means.  All the practice materials (including from EQAO themselves) say “Explain your answer” or “Show your thinking” or “Show your work”.  Grrrrr 

Some of the questions are also vauge “How to get ready for school” could mean breakfast, dressed and backpack OR it could be study hard, think about what you know already, have a good attitude.  I wonder how someone who thinks “a little off center” will score when their answer is a valid (although unusual) interpretation of the question.

Plus, everything we as teachers are being inserviced on lately, goes against this form of rigid, silent testing.  We are supposed to be differentiating for learning styles.  Its supposed to be integrated and child-centred.  Students should have a choice when it comes to displaying their understanding: poster, play, report etc.  Certainly you can’t do an interpretive dance in leiu of the math sheet, (Although I WOULD accept that at least once -hee hee), but for culminating work, there should be a little choice.  This test does not showcase the talents of anyone but the very best writers.  Even the reading and the math are expected to give written answers.  Sometimes, even as adults, its hard to articulate your understanding if you have a natural talent at something.  Students who just “see” patterns in number, know instinctively that they are correct, but can’t fully explain it in words, let alone full and complete sentences.

On the other hand, the world has standards.  You can’t parent/teach/live solely according to your own rules.  (Strike that–you CAN live that way–but you need to be off the grid in some organic farm in Armpit, U.S.A–No cable, no running water, no grocery stores.  Hmmm I think I saw some of those types when I was in Tofino).  If you are going to be in society, you have to live by its rules and standards and norms. 

I’m sick to death of hearing from parents who don’t want me to say NO to their children, because it will stifle their creativity.  Well, if they are hurting themselves, others or MY property–they NEED to be told no.  I’m sorry that deadlines and losing marks when assignments are late makes your children feel bad about themselves–perhaps they should have finished their work on time.  My bank doesn’t care if I feel bad about my morgage–it still expects me to pay when I said I would.  We don’t have to be so rigid that it crushes people’s spirit and “their will to live”, but even at 8, a tiny bit of “the world is not there only to serve you” might be okay.

Personally, I prep my students for the “idea” of standardized tests: You WILL be writing multiple choice test as long as you are in school, you WILL need to make a point and support it with proof (Either in university or in court with your lawyer), so you might as well do the best job you possibly can.  None of the kids seemed too “freaked out” by the experience, although some of the answers could use some work!!!  Oh well–Its just what it is!!!!

How do you let go in a crazy world???

Jeremy’s prom is next week.  He has his (very expensive) suit and has a group that he is going to ride in the limo with ($$$) and sit and eat with ($$$$).  The topic of after parties is just coming up.  I know he is almost 18, and he will be out in the world (and possibly Epcot Centre) next year.  I also acknowledge that we baby him, and some of his immaturity comes from the choices that I have made.  (not all, but some). That doesn’t stop a mother from being worried. 

The news right now is filled with updates on the hunt for the body of Tori.  It would be the worst thing in the world to have a child missing or killed. I can’t imagine how that would feel, nor do I ever want to.  We lost Jeremy for 15 minutes at the Brighton Apple Festival, when he was about 13 years old and it was the scariest moment of my life.  I was almost physically ill.  Do we call the police? Who took him? Is he hurt?  Luckily, he had wandered ahead and was just as upset when we found him.

But its not just little kids who are missing.  Between the news last night, and this morning the police are looking for 2 boys, both in their teens.  One of them is an Army Reservist, who probably could take care of himself.  But still, his family is absolutely frozen with fear and worry.

As a parent, how do you find the balance between keeping them safe and letting them grow up and have experiences.  God knows, we all have done things and had experiences that our parents don’t know about.  Some of them even dangerous, stupid or frightening.  I certainly don’t want him to NEVER have silly fun, and be out with friends, but I don’t want him to get hurt, or lost. 

I guess its one of those Parental Mysteries!!!!!!!!