It has been a week of high winds and with it great upheaval. The northeasterly that blows through the farthest southern tip of Lake Michigan is a force to be reckoned with. One cannot imagine the strength and depth with which the wind and water combined does to not only our shoreline, but to the minds of those caught in its path. So it was over the past 2 weeks in the life of an educator. While I struggle to understand the multitudes of personalities that I encounter in one day, I also struggle to understand me and the role I have in each of the lives that I encounter. I want to understand, to get into the minds of, all the while settling my own mind. Like you, this is not an easy task. How to maintain peace in the midst of the northeasterly, that is the greatest of all tasks. I am getting better at maintaining my resolve while I turn face into the wind and accept the strength and conviction found in the power of nature. While I teach my integrated chem/phys course, I am constantly reminding my students that it is the law of the universe to constantly find stability. Nature does what nature does. It does not read books, or go into lengthy discussions about how to stabilize, it just does it. Unbridled freedom dictates how it will go about stabilizing itself. Human nature does not quite have it that easy. Rather, it takes into consideration things such as individual rights, due process, history, condition, circumstance, all the while taking into consideration, cause and affect. So it is that the great northeasterly does what it does best, spirals the onlooker into an unpredictable spin. The good news is that eventually it will land. As it was with Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, she knew that she was who she was, and knew where to rest her head, where to find that peaceful solace.
What about those who do not know where to lay their heads, or those who are incapable of finding peaceful solace? That is the million dollar question, and what we as educators face daily in our school environments, how do we handle the young lady who has not slept in 2 days because her familial dysfunction? How do we tell her that the most important thing in the world is that she graduate from High School, and question why she would dare to skip Spanish 101? Do we teach her a life lesson by throwing her into sweep room, the place where those discontent with school go for punishment? Do we suspend her, because she is insolent and disobedient? Do we hug her and say, "wow, you have shown great character by coming to school anyway, even with your eyes so swollen due to lack of sleep and tears." Do we escort to the counselor where she can find a peaceful solace? Do we feed her as Jesus would have done? Or would we throw stones, "she is just one more we will have on welfare-row?"
Yes, this young lady is real, and I encountered this yesterday. This beautiful young lady was one of my first encounters coming to Michigan City Area Schools in August of 2008. I had her every morning, and she was a tough cookie. Our relationship escalated one day when she became physically and verbally threatening to me. I could not understand why she had such dislike for me. I didn't really want to know why, I just wanted my peaceful world back. I wanted her gone. I loved her as I do all of my students, I cared for her, but, I couldn't reach her, so I thought. I held my resolve much like I do as I face the northeasterly. She was subsequently suspended for 3 days for "intimidation of authority."
We got through the school year, and she went on to high school I taught 2 more years at the middle school. Mid-way through her freshman year, and my second year at the middle school, I got an email from her. I did not respond, as I did not believe that she should be emailing me from her class at the high school, nor did I want to get involved. A couple more months went by and a teacher from the High School wrote me and said, "this young lady wants me to let you know that she is going to juvie, (juvenile detention) and that she thinks of you, and wants you to know." I was shocked. What impression had I made on this girl, what do I do with this information? I assured the teacher that I would be praying for this young lady, and to please keep me informed.
Speed ahead to 2011. My second day of school this young lady sought me out. She heard rumor that I had come to the high school She made sure she came up to greet me and gave me a huge hug. She does not have any classes near mine, nor is her locker, but, she seeks me out. I know when she is troubled as she will be in my corner of the world. She has come to my room a couple of times when she is hungry. I feed her a breakfast bar, or whatever I happen to have. She sought me out, you see, she knows I will ask if she is ok. Is it possible that we are the port in the storm? How often am I the storm? Either way, it is okay, you see, the universe is constantly in a state of stabilization. Like the northeasterly, it has its purpose. Call waters for too long create a state of complacency, and stagnation. Far too often only the bad bacteria grows and it devours those things that allow for flourishing life-forms.
I have begun to read a book titled "Five Percent." It is written by the Peter Coleman of Columbia University. It is helping me understand that it is considered that 5% of all conflicts are irreconcilable and the reason behind this phenomena is that there are 57 areas that prevent conflict resolution. When one begins to understand that there are those factors embedded in human function, one comes to understand that maybe the only thing one can do at times is to stop, listen, and nurture a person through until nature has time to stabilize.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Friday, March 26, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Another Day another Dollah, Makes you Wanna Hollah!
Seriously, that is about the extent of it all.
Today, has been one big crisis after another. Not for me personally, but for this country that we are living in. So, in keeping with the crisis mode that I have been in all day, I decided, rather than try to make some eloquent, creative essay of said events, I would create a bulleted, talking points, overview of the nightmare, called, March 23rd!
1) Whilst showering, it came to me, like a bolt out of the blue, (or maybe it was the rapid turn from perfectly warm to chilly cool, upon partner's flushing)education, teaching, how it should all be handled. Clearly, something needs to be done. It is a sad state of affairs. Two major union groups all fighting for the money of its members in order to demand what is fair and equitable. Because, god forbid, anyone do the honorable thing in the first place and demand a quality work place for its professionals. (Okay, I digressed...give me a break, I am in education!)So, education is compulsory. Every child in this country has a right to a public education, a free education on top of it. The Federal government has enforced its will upon the smallest of school districts in an attempt to level the playing field. I don’t know if it is because they are really concerned about Johnny being able to read, as much as they want to be superior to other countries. Regardless, the reason, it is what it is. So, the government regardless of branch is mandating all children be taught to read and write and meet certain standards. Yet, and this is the kicker, every school district is relatively different. From district to district, teachers are paid different. From state to state, different expectations are in place for the teachers, which explains why you need certification from state to state, yet the Feds, are saying all children must be able to pass what they deem is a “standard.” So, then, why not make teachers government employees, much like postal workers, military, police, firefighters? All educators have to pass through the same rigid standards as the military. As they progress on, they climb in rank. As they continue on and they fail the standard of excellence, then they are asked to go back to training, regroup and come back, and are rewarded as such. As they have done their service in the trenches, they are rewarded for good service and are allowed to retire with a good pension, and a retraining. This keeps the blood fresh, moves educators ahead and equalizes all aspects of the profession. They are a part of a huge pool of professionals, and as a result benefits, become extremely affordable. This also guarantees a fair and equitable way of ridding the system of the “fat.” It also ensures that there is equitability in the delivery of the product.
2) On my way to work, I was listening to WLS, and the guest announcer Jonathon Hoenig’s interview with Jesse Jackson. He was asked if Nancy Pelosi’s carrying a gavel in was (imagine the imagery that came into my mind, puke!) equal to the Civil Rights passage. His answer, “absolutely!” I thought to myself, “What?” (listen here ) Hoenig recalls that we have spent 17.6 Trillion dollars on welfare since Johnson. Then he identifies the illegitimacy rate amongst blacks, as being at 70%! As Hoenig points out to Jackson these statistics and asks if healthcare isn’t just another enablement, Jackson quickly points out that it is not a race issue. Well, anyway, after I was stunned at the statistics, and Jackson first equating it to the Civil Rights passage, and Martin Luther King, he advises Hoenig that it is not about race. At that point I arrived at school and had to get to work.
3) My day was filled with the daily frustrations of being an educator in this current climate. I filled my student’s heads with as much knowledge as I could in a 6 hour day. Touching on every content area I could. Spinning around on my heels faster than our computer system (outdated mind you) could spew out new data. Then I resigned my day with a meeting of the minds with my 2020 Challenge team. The refreshing part about that is that there are a couple of future leaders in that group. The day was filled with fear, concern, uncertainty about the impending RIFing that I am sure to be handed on the 15th of April. You see, I have only been in the district for 2 years. Although I am a veteran educator with honors, experience, and multiple endorsements, I am viewed in MCAS as a newbie. Go figure!
4) Next, my travels bring me home. Nothing bad there, really, although, I have been inundated with all the ramblings of the day. Healthcare this, Education that, IRS this, Divorce settlement that! What I really want is to literally shut my brain off for a while. I don’t want to think, to worry, to try to grasp the reality of my world.
My world; All in all it is a wonderful thing. Many times it is quite beautiful. But the larger world, the really big picture ain’t so good. I mean, daily we uncover how out of control our government is. How out of control our commerce is. The reality is that there is so much wrong out there. I have many answers, most people do. The sad reality is this, we have no say! Oh, one more thing…today I went to apply for a job at another district. The anti-RIFing CYA! Guess what, before they even wanted to know my credentials, my ability, my track record, they wanted to know my gender, my age, my social security number, and yes, my race. So much for Federal laws! I will count that district out. Any organization that puts that before my credentials, the credentials that matters, would do anything they wanted, even cover up pedophilia in their sports program. In the future, you can run my social security number, after you have offered me an interview, not before! Jesse, we need to talk!
Goodnight!
Today, has been one big crisis after another. Not for me personally, but for this country that we are living in. So, in keeping with the crisis mode that I have been in all day, I decided, rather than try to make some eloquent, creative essay of said events, I would create a bulleted, talking points, overview of the nightmare, called, March 23rd!
1) Whilst showering, it came to me, like a bolt out of the blue, (or maybe it was the rapid turn from perfectly warm to chilly cool, upon partner's flushing)education, teaching, how it should all be handled. Clearly, something needs to be done. It is a sad state of affairs. Two major union groups all fighting for the money of its members in order to demand what is fair and equitable. Because, god forbid, anyone do the honorable thing in the first place and demand a quality work place for its professionals. (Okay, I digressed...give me a break, I am in education!)So, education is compulsory. Every child in this country has a right to a public education, a free education on top of it. The Federal government has enforced its will upon the smallest of school districts in an attempt to level the playing field. I don’t know if it is because they are really concerned about Johnny being able to read, as much as they want to be superior to other countries. Regardless, the reason, it is what it is. So, the government regardless of branch is mandating all children be taught to read and write and meet certain standards. Yet, and this is the kicker, every school district is relatively different. From district to district, teachers are paid different. From state to state, different expectations are in place for the teachers, which explains why you need certification from state to state, yet the Feds, are saying all children must be able to pass what they deem is a “standard.” So, then, why not make teachers government employees, much like postal workers, military, police, firefighters? All educators have to pass through the same rigid standards as the military. As they progress on, they climb in rank. As they continue on and they fail the standard of excellence, then they are asked to go back to training, regroup and come back, and are rewarded as such. As they have done their service in the trenches, they are rewarded for good service and are allowed to retire with a good pension, and a retraining. This keeps the blood fresh, moves educators ahead and equalizes all aspects of the profession. They are a part of a huge pool of professionals, and as a result benefits, become extremely affordable. This also guarantees a fair and equitable way of ridding the system of the “fat.” It also ensures that there is equitability in the delivery of the product.
2) On my way to work, I was listening to WLS, and the guest announcer Jonathon Hoenig’s interview with Jesse Jackson. He was asked if Nancy Pelosi’s carrying a gavel in was (imagine the imagery that came into my mind, puke!) equal to the Civil Rights passage. His answer, “absolutely!” I thought to myself, “What?” (listen here ) Hoenig recalls that we have spent 17.6 Trillion dollars on welfare since Johnson. Then he identifies the illegitimacy rate amongst blacks, as being at 70%! As Hoenig points out to Jackson these statistics and asks if healthcare isn’t just another enablement, Jackson quickly points out that it is not a race issue. Well, anyway, after I was stunned at the statistics, and Jackson first equating it to the Civil Rights passage, and Martin Luther King, he advises Hoenig that it is not about race. At that point I arrived at school and had to get to work.
3) My day was filled with the daily frustrations of being an educator in this current climate. I filled my student’s heads with as much knowledge as I could in a 6 hour day. Touching on every content area I could. Spinning around on my heels faster than our computer system (outdated mind you) could spew out new data. Then I resigned my day with a meeting of the minds with my 2020 Challenge team. The refreshing part about that is that there are a couple of future leaders in that group. The day was filled with fear, concern, uncertainty about the impending RIFing that I am sure to be handed on the 15th of April. You see, I have only been in the district for 2 years. Although I am a veteran educator with honors, experience, and multiple endorsements, I am viewed in MCAS as a newbie. Go figure!
4) Next, my travels bring me home. Nothing bad there, really, although, I have been inundated with all the ramblings of the day. Healthcare this, Education that, IRS this, Divorce settlement that! What I really want is to literally shut my brain off for a while. I don’t want to think, to worry, to try to grasp the reality of my world.
My world; All in all it is a wonderful thing. Many times it is quite beautiful. But the larger world, the really big picture ain’t so good. I mean, daily we uncover how out of control our government is. How out of control our commerce is. The reality is that there is so much wrong out there. I have many answers, most people do. The sad reality is this, we have no say! Oh, one more thing…today I went to apply for a job at another district. The anti-RIFing CYA! Guess what, before they even wanted to know my credentials, my ability, my track record, they wanted to know my gender, my age, my social security number, and yes, my race. So much for Federal laws! I will count that district out. Any organization that puts that before my credentials, the credentials that matters, would do anything they wanted, even cover up pedophilia in their sports program. In the future, you can run my social security number, after you have offered me an interview, not before! Jesse, we need to talk!
Goodnight!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Kiss
The Kiss is a watercolor painted by me yesterday. I am fascinated with trees. Trees hold all the knowledge in the world. As they stand guard over a neighborhood, forest, city town, they are witness to all the comings and goings of man. The things a tree must see totally intrigues me. So it is with my "Lady Tree" she is my queen, what I long to be.
A couple of months ago I began painting her as I painted my dear friend and step-mom's Christmas gift. It was a simple tree with dogwood blossoms and the sign of life, renewal, and friendship at the core. As I witness her emerge, there she was in the midst of the design a graceful lady. Just like Nancy, graceful, non-waivering, consistenct, strong, proud beautiful.
Later that day, I painted a smaller version of the original painted for her. From that I created a summer, fall and winter version of the same tree. I was transfixed as I without intent created the tree morphing through the stages of a woman's life. Someday I will reproduce that for you my reader to see. Until then, I merely use the forward of this blog as a introduction to my Valentine present to myself. The Kiss.
The Kiss was painted yesterday to honor Klimt's The Kiss. I love that painting. Every Valentine's day I cast my sights back to any pictures on-line that I can find of it. So, it is that I decided to create a nature's kiss. The Kiss by M.E.LaLuna as featured at the beginning of this blog takes the lady and shows her gracefully dancing with her lover, hands entwined.
Love is nature's dance. A Lady full of grace, stands watch over lovers and dreamers.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
December 16th...another day in paradise
Seriously, it was. I am here. It is good. Not much more than that. Oh except that I met up with two dear friends. One of these days I will get all of my good friends together at the same time and have a total friend extravaganza! Until then, it is nice to know that I have some.
Peace! Oh, Happy birthday Ricky!
Peace! Oh, Happy birthday Ricky!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
December 15th...Teach me...
Teach Me, by M.E. LaLuna, 2009
Teach me how to say “I Can”
I never really learned that phrase
It is something practiced everyday
For most…
Teach me how to reach to stars
I never really stretched that far
It is something reached for
Far away…
Teach me how to sail the seas
I never really set my sails
It is something only sailors dream
Isn’t it…
Teach me how you live each day
I never really took that breath
That fills and expands
A life…
Teach me how to be myself
I was never really introduced
Robbed at birth and forced to be
Someone else not me…
Teach me how to love
I only know how to say
Three words,
I practice everyday…
Show me that I can,
I am
Me…
Teach me how to say “I Can”
I never really learned that phrase
It is something practiced everyday
For most…
Teach me how to reach to stars
I never really stretched that far
It is something reached for
Far away…
Teach me how to sail the seas
I never really set my sails
It is something only sailors dream
Isn’t it…
Teach me how you live each day
I never really took that breath
That fills and expands
A life…
Teach me how to be myself
I was never really introduced
Robbed at birth and forced to be
Someone else not me…
Teach me how to love
I only know how to say
Three words,
I practice everyday…
Show me that I can,
I am
Me…
Monday, December 14, 2009
December 14th...just another day...
It is/soon to be a was just another day. Waking up this morning, was not a pleasant experience. I was in a fog. I didn't want to get up. Mornings are hard enough for me, normally. I like to take my time, slowly wake up. I resent being rushed in the morning. I despise it. The perfect job for me would be one where I do not have to arrive until at least 9a.m. So what do I do? I get a job as a teacher, and my day begins at 7:15a.m. That all means that I have to awaken by 5:45 just so that I can get my keester out of the door in time to arrive by 7:15. The problem is that I do not get my nice slow pace. In order to do that I would have to be up by 4am! That is never going to happen. My bio-rhythms just will not allow for that. Seriously, I have been this way from the time I was a little girl. Me and mornings are just not friends. The perfect schedule is one where I wake up, when I wake up. No alarm clock, the natural way. If I was allowed to do that, I would wake up naturally at about 6:30. So, you see that would allow for a nice slow pace in the morning, with still enough time to get ready for work, and arrive on time.
But, today was just another day, and I woke up at 5:30, slowly stretched, made my coffee, showered, dressed, and ended up racing for school. The dress I chose, well, it was a little shorter then I remembered, so instead of a carefully layed out plan, I had to do a quick change, which made me rush all the more. Sometimes best layed plans are best layed aside. So, for Me it was just another day. Has anyone seen Santa?
But, today was just another day, and I woke up at 5:30, slowly stretched, made my coffee, showered, dressed, and ended up racing for school. The dress I chose, well, it was a little shorter then I remembered, so instead of a carefully layed out plan, I had to do a quick change, which made me rush all the more. Sometimes best layed plans are best layed aside. So, for Me it was just another day. Has anyone seen Santa?
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