A Day in the Life

So yesterday at school we had a late start day. That means the kids get to come late, school doesn’t start till 9:00 a.m., and the teachers get to start early, actually (7:15 meeting start time).  After sugar, caffeine, and required discussion, we sodded off to begin school.  Because we started over an hour later than usual, the students’ energy level was high and the talking was frenetic.  We had a student pass out in P.E. in the morning.  He was drunk, under the influence of alcohol to the point where he was non-responsive. The ambulance and fire engine came – excitement in the school driveway! – and carted him off. He later explained that he gotten the 4Loco, now illegal in our state but vigorously stockpiled, off a “hobo,” and he had gotten it for free.  (Not a real gifted critical thinker, obviously.)  His grandmother died about an hour before his collapse and he didn’t even know it yet.  When his mother was called, she had to deal with the death of her own mother and the hospitalization of her son.  There was a girlfight between periods; these are becoming more common this year.  It became known that a ninth grader has been receiving tattoos, both from another student on campus and from an adult off campus.  Naturally the student, who thinks it’s cool, won’t give up the identities of his inkers and his mother is beside herself.  A senior was very likely beaten up by her boyfriend, who is also a senior, and who posted something about it on Facebook and then claimed his account had been hacked.  He was absent from school last year because he spent the time in jail for statutory rape instead of taking the SATs and going to prom and bitching about homework.  The girl denies that he beat her up but doesn’t have a better explanation for her split lip and other injuries.  The seniors are having their spring meltdown – a combination of stress and fear and insecurity about what comes next – months earlier than normal.  Another student, a junior, confessed (forgive me, Teacher, for I have sinned) to almost cheating; the same student was then caught for an earlier actual cheating incident.  He’s under duress because the DREAM act didn’t pass and now he thinks he won’t be able to go to college and so any work he does now is just for nothing.  During fifth period, the air-conditioning suddenly took on a new, louder, more urgent tone, conflicting seriously with class discussion, but that was better than sitting in an eighty-degree box of stale bodies and synthetic carpet odor.  One student spent half of sixth period crying but took her quiz anyway and probably aced it.  These are only the incidents and occurrences that I know about; and I know so very little.  Just a typical day in public education.  Pray for the teachers you know and the ones you don’t; we need it.  The students do, too, these semi-grown babes.

Lying Fallow

I've not posted in a while.  I'm letting this blog lie fallow for a while.  Every field needs a rest, so I hear from the farmers and gardeners, and crop rotation is healthy.  I'm still writing, in pen-and-paper journals mostly, even more regularly than before, since about November.  Cross-pollination is healthy, too, I hear.  I have a writing buddy, which is the most incredible gift!  Someone who actually goes on writing dates, regularly, and with whom the stretching and learning works in both directions.  So cool!  God is good. 

Christmas was lovely, winter break was relaxing and rejuvenating, New Year's was mellow.  Started back to school today and didn't hate it.  It's been a difficult year -- not the kids;  it's never the kids;  it's all the other bureaucratic bs that makes life and labor hard.  But...I've decided to rediscover the joy in this here job (English teacher joke there).  I'm going to rediscover it (revolutionary thought) by looking for it.  Hmmm.  Could it be that easy?  We shall see.

It's an intensive four weeks to the end of our first semester.  It will be challenging to remain energized, be effective and effectual in my (mountains of) grading, and not lose sight of the joys that exist in this work.  Working on being present in every moment.  Good stuff.  Just thought I'd drop an update in case anyone ever looks at this anymore.  I still read and am nourished by a number of the blogs on my blogroll.  I don't comment much, but some of you bloggers minister to my soul weekly, and I am thankful for you.  (I'm talking to folks like Linda, jo(e), Songbird, Rachelle, MomPriest, Lena, Lomagirl, WhatNow, and so many others.  You ladies rock!)