To Blog or not to blog. That is the question.

Many of you may have heard of the teacher in PA who has been suspended for blogging about her current teaching experience.  She apparently used her home computer for blogging.  The school system takes issue with this teacher's description of her students' work ethic.  And, yes, she used some offensive language.  My dear daughter-in-law and a teacher friend have both advised me of this PA teacher's situation.  So, what's a schoolmarm to do??????????
Hopefully, this teacher's constitutional rights will be honored.  We are promised free speech as long as we don't infringe on the rights of others or commit slander or liable.  Also in the PA teacher's case a student alerted the school system of the blog which begs the question of why did this student call attention to his teacher's blog.
I will continue to blog, but guarding my thoughts carefully. 
Today is Presidents' Day so no school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The temperature is warm, the sun is out and I have an entire day to myself!!!!!!!!!!  Just lying in bed to read this morning was a huge treat.  I love mini vacations!
My students will be starting a research/writing project tomorrow.  I have tried to write very specific directions to make the task easier for the students and myself.  I believe my students are up to the task.  The problem will be that their mini computers are about worthless.  The computers work sometimes.  They always cause me extreme frustration.  I wish, just once, the school system would be in front of the learning curve instead of behind.  There is a mismatch with available technology and the technology we have in our school.  Our large computer labs are obsolete, every student doesn't have a laptop because the machine is in the shop or the parents won't take the responsibility for one, yet we are expected to complete research projects and benchmark testing on unreliable machines.  Good grief.
I had better close before I say something that could be litigious!

No more whining

Admittedly my last post was bleak.  Mea culpa, mea culpa.  I have read my dear friend, Karrie's blog, regarding her Sunday school lesson based on Hosea and am reminded that I am not in this school year alone.  And like Hosea's wife, I have forgotten God's love and promise to take care of me and all of my frustrations.  I also blew off church today in favor of a lazy morning and trip to Blowing Rock.  I don't feel guilty about the trip because I came home with a better outlook.  We took the Parkway to Blowing Rock.  The scenery was starkly beautiful.  How do people survive who don't have mountains and valleys to gaze at???  The ground was that particular shade of brown which occurs just before spring.  It is a soft looking color, one that begs to be touched.  There were also spectacular icicles.  Some short, some long and all grey -silver -white.  Not at all the color of snow, rather a pale shimmering color.  Of course the sky was Carolina blue.  What more can one ask in the way of evidence that God loves us and is watching over us.  It was careless of me to forget.  So, I will put the cares and frustrations of teaching into my God box and approach this week afresh.  My dear friend, Bonnie, is praying for me, too.  What else do I need?  What is it that Psalms says?  "I lift my eyes to the hills from where comes my help."  A poor job of paraphrasing, I know, but you get the idea.
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and the Westminster Dog show!  Chocolates and beautiful dogs.  Life just doesn't get any better!

Filled with loathing

I loathe teaching.  I loathe children that are not related to me.  I loathe Wednesdays.  I loathe February.