Recovering

Back to school and all its craziness. Cal and Meg left on Sunday and I haven't decided if the house is back to normal or not. Is it possible that normal is when Cal and Meg are not here? It's odd - they are happy, as we are, when they come home. There is no greater excitement or anticipation than when they come home. Yet, I sense there is some relief on their part when they go back to school. Oddly, while I can't say its relief, there is a sense or normalcy when its just Mo, Sam and me. I fight the idea that it is sad. Life does go on and I force myself to look forward and see the positive of life changes. The problem with high school and college is that life is boxed into 4 year segments and that makes time speed up. And, really, it's not quite 4 years since the junior and senior year are, in our time, as much about looking ahead and enjoying the present. We do so hurt ourselves by always looking forward instead of seeing today.

I was involved in an odd incident in school today. We had a big meeting about behavior and then a separate meeting was held with 20-30 students who are chronically in trouble, suspended, and disrespectful and a specialist in these behavioral issues. I was talking to a senior about strategies to get her into Middlebury when I heard a noise that I thought was a fight. As it turned out, it was 6-8 of these troubled students in the hallway - I guess returning to class. As soon as they saw me they laughed derisively. I decided to ignore them and went back towards my room and continued my discussion. Then one of the girls said loud enough for me and the student to hear "Hey, there is more of us, we can jump him." I can't say I felt threatened, but it was definitely meant as a threat. I thought about it a little after and contempated how it is a short jump from verbal threat to action. I'm frustrated that my colleagues and too many teachers in too many schools have to put up with this type of verbal abuse. The bright light in all this chaos was my discussion with my former student, who wasn't a big fan of my class. It was a delight to see her growing up and realizing her talents and beginning to apply them. That is why teachers teach.