Well ...

I have been retired for about 2 weeks now.  One of the questions I am often asked is, "What are you going to do?"  This question has haunted me for sometime.  What am I going to do now that I have time on my hands?  So, here is a rundown of some activities that have served to pass my time.  They are not in any particular order.
Wake up, not at 5:00 a.m.
Water aerobics at Y
Cook
Read
Nap - this is probably my favorite so far!
Play with dogs
Brush dogs
Practice dulcimer and flute
Make cards
Scrap booking
Watch old movies
Volunteer at local museum
Being quiet - this is the hardest of all.  I am used to moving at warp speed and still get a feeling the pit of my tummy that tells me I need to grade papers, pack lunch, make parent phone calls, iron something to wear, make lesson plans and on and on.  This feeling usually happens Sunday night.

Retirement is a good thing, I think.  Of course, if I have to stand in the local breadline I may have a different view.  Hopefully that won't happen.  My friend, Ann, says she likes the flexibility retirement offers.  I agree.  My time is so flexible that I have postponed cleaning out a very cluttered bedroom for 2 weeks!! 

Did you know that a synonym for retirement is fall back?  I like that.  Next time someone asks about my career, I shall simply reply that I have fallen back!  Sounds very mysterious, doesn't it!

Ah, spring!

Spring break is coming up and the schoolmarm is taking a much need rest. 

Chicken Scratch

Question:  How is a chicken pecking at its food a metaphor for the public schoolteacher's job?
Hint: The following are from students.
What time is it?
Do you have a pencil?
Can I go to the bathroom?
Do you have a pencil?
What page?
Can I get a drink of water?
Can I go to the nurse?
Do you have a pencil?
Can I go to my locker?
What page?
What are we doing today?
Do you have a pencil?
Can I go to the library?
Do you have a pencil?
Do you have a pencil?
Do you have a pencil?

Answer:  Schoolmarm is chicken feed.  Students are the chicks!

Soapbox

Many of you know that I am from Indiana and quite proud it.  So, last week when I was watching the news and saw the current Ind. governor, Mitch Daniels,  featured I was pleased.  It was a short-lived moment of pleasure because out of this fellow Hoosier's mouth came this sentence.  "Student teacher ratio doesn't matter.  If you put a good teacher in front of 60-70 students they will learn."  Unbelievable.  Today I learned that Mr. Daniels is considering running for president.  In my mind this begs the question of just how much do we want/need the federal governmnet involved in public education.  I am afraid the new crop of politicians will hamstring public schools to the point of ineffectiveness.  Since nature does not like a void, the door will be open to more private schools or charter schools.  Perhaps that is all bad.  European countries have long separated the troublemakers from those who want to learn which is one reason their schools out perform American schools.  I would love to have a classroom of students who really wanted to learn and not have to put up with the clowns.  I don't have the answer to our country's financial problems, but I know that if education is cut much more we will all pay a steep price for a generation to come.

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.