The schools call it Winter Break, but it really is Christmas Break and the past week has been Christmas week. It has been busy and hectic since school let loose a week ago. We have logged almost 800 miles and have completed two legs of the triangle: Wheaton to Ohio, Ohio to Michigan, with the final leg to finish later this week after New Year’s Day and the trip home. Continue reading Christmas week
Tag Archives: patriotism
Veterans Day and Heroes
- Grandpa, Beth, Olivia, and William pose beside the island on the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet, September 2006
Veterans Day is November 11th and for most schools in Illinois it is a holiday. But, Thursday morning found me at two schools on my day off. William had an honor breakfast and I was glad to attend. He is doing very well in seventh grade as he did in sixth grade. He is a solid young man, respectful and his character shines through. His school, Hubble Middle School, rewards students who display excellent character traits through their actions with ‘Hubble Huskie Coins.’ William had earned a ‘Huskie coin’ in the first quarter of the year and was being honored with other young men and women who had done something similar. Less than hour later, I was working as a crossing guard at Olivia’s school. When I can, I volunteer to be a crossing guard at Wiesbrook. It is always fun. After my crossing guard duty, I attended the Veterans Day flag ceremony.
I Voted!
I voted this evening. I arrived at the polls after six when the final push to the polls was happening. It was a hectic end of the day. Because of Election Day my school district does not have attendance, but instead has parent teacher conferences from 7:30 until 3:00 and the students have the day off. As a social studies teacher it concerns me that students get a day off for elections. However, looking at the broader perspective, safety, there is no easy way to secure a public building for a day and a polling place needs to be open and accessible. So voting won out and for the past few elections it has worked well. Continue reading I Voted!
Vote: Responsibility or Right?
Today is Election Day in the United States. It is always the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November and the day has been set by Congress dating back to the early days of our republic. The reasoning for the day is to keep from having Election Day on November 1st, All Saints Day, a religious holiday. Continue reading Vote: Responsibility or Right?
1492 – Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue, the rest of the story
This was supposed to be the weekend I caught up but, time is fickle and just as Johann Goethe, the noted German philosopher, wrote, “Every man has only enough strength to complete those assignments that he is fully convinced are important.” So therefore, I accomplished what I felt was truly important. Some of my to do’s will just have to wait for another day, or week.
Columbus Day is one of those holidays that was intended to celebrate diversity when it first began to be celebrated in the late nineteenth century. The holiday has since been mandated as an official federal holiday, but it is now outdated. Continue reading 1492 – Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue, the rest of the story
Week 4: Being Amazing and Brilliant – Part 2
It is hard to believe, but I am seventeen days into the school year with 155 remaining. Mind you, I am not counting them, but rather working to make them count. In my last post, I referenced Mawi’s Unstoppable Blog: A blog for unstoppable educators & anyone who wants to be inspired. I had stumbled across his post and shared it with my students last Friday – over a week ago. Over the course of the week, I have reflected back to that moment in class when I challenged my seventh graders to be amazing and brilliant. At the same time, I challenged myself to do the same. Continue reading Week 4: Being Amazing and Brilliant – Part 2
Day 59: Driving to Normal, my 50th post.
I have reached a milestone in my blog: fifty, five-O, 50 posts, or a half century. However, I look at it – it is a lot of writing. I never imagined I would have written so much. I have looked back at my writing, not all of it, and decided it needs polishing, revisiting, and it helps me remember what I have accomplished this summer. Some of the writing is reflective and some informative. It has been a pleasure to write. Continue reading Day 59: Driving to Normal, my 50th post.
Day 57: The Parade and the Race
The frenetic pace of leisure finally caught up with me and I had a very lazy morning. Friday’s events had worn everyone out and Beth and the kids slept late, or so I thought they would. Despite the excitement of Friday afternoon, Olivia was up ready to go at eight. William and Beth woke up later. It was cloudy and sprinkling, it did not look good for the afternoon’s parade or the evening’s canoe race. Continue reading Day 57: The Parade and the Race
Day 51:Rain, rain, and more rain….
We began today with overcast skies and it slowly started to drizzle and then light rain. It stopped and then started again. The pattern repeated itself many times until midday when the big rains came. By the end of the day, we had over an inch of rain on the ground and excited Ivy who did not get our much today. If she was anything like us, she relished in the light day. It was nice and I did get a few things done.
Our friends, the Harrison’s, returned to Wheaton this morning leaving us to entertain ourselves. We all got up to wish them goodbye and then the rainy morning took over. It left us all sort of lethargic and sleepy. William went back to sleep and took a long nap. Beth crawled back in bed and read a book. Olivia and I had fun in the front room: she watched the CBS Sunday Morning and the Tour de France with me trying to change the channel when I was not paying attention in bed and I wrote and paid minimal attention to the television. Both are classic Sunday morning television shows for July at the cottage. Unfortunately, the CBS Sunday Morning episode was a repeat and I remember watching part of it last fall. The Tour was not a repeat and Lance Armstrong is not leading this year. Continue reading Day 51:Rain, rain, and more rain….
Day 37: Independence Day
Independence Day, July the Fourth means is an important day for Americans. Since moving to the Midwest in ’91 Beth and I have spent many Fourth of July’s at the cottage on Lake Margrethe. I have missed only a few.
The Fourth in Grayling is much like anywhere else in America. They have a parade at eleven and fireworks when it gets dark, usually around ten. This year the parade and fireworks were on July 3, a Saturday, probably because the Fourth fell on a Sunday. I do not know why and it is not important. I do know that Grayling was not alone as William and I travelled from camp to Michigan we saw at least two parades and detoured around them.
Sunday, the fourth was like any other day at the cottage, quiet and peaceful with coffee to share with Grandma Weaver as we looked out across the lake. There is no view better. I have seen that view many times summer, fall, winter, and spring. Each is different. Sometimes it is foggy and the hills are barely visible, sometimes it is clear and that water is like glass, regardless of the time, there is no view that is the same. Sometimes the coffee is strong but the conversation is always good no matter how strong or weak the coffee. Morning is a special time at the cottage sometimes William will come down the stairs and sit with Grandma, though he is getting too big to share the chair with her. Continue reading Day 37: Independence Day