Today at school, we talked a little bit about Paris. I showed my Grade 4s and 5s that little boy and his dad – not just because the vocabulary (très, méchant, gentil, fleurs, maison, etc.) is right on point, but because when they see a child, they instinctively relate. Two days a week, I have…
Tag: gratitude
#NaBloPoMo, Day 18: Funk & Flowers
I haven’t been sleeping well, so today was one of those tired, foggy, grumpy days where it’s an effort to muster the teaching energy. Still, so many things to be thankful for. Today I’m grateful for: Having both my sisters, if just for a few minutes, together with me for coffee this morning. Noticing that E…
#NaBloPoMo, Day 12: Teachers
I am what they call a “planning teacher,” which means I am always teaching the students from other people’s homerooms, when their regular classroom teacher is doing his or her planning. At the moment, I work with four different groups of students in Grades 4 to 6. This job means that I get a unique…
#NaBloPoMo, Day 11: Thought, Empathy, Peace
Today I’ve been grateful for the teachers who put together our school’s Remembrance Day assembly. They made the effort to be thoughtful, to include the past and the present, to respect without glorifying, and to make peace the focus. I’m grateful for the students who obviously have pondered the discussions that happen on Remembrance Day, who…
#NaBloPoMo, Day 10: Walking
Today, I’m grateful for the ability and opportunities to walk. This morning was one of those mornings I’m not proud of, as a parent. I woke up at the normal time. AB, as has become her custom, came into my bed right around the same time, and we had a really nice little snuggle. When…
An Ode To My Old House, Now That We Have Parted – #NaBloPoMo, Day 8-9
{I’m cheating and calling this blog post two days’ worth (because who’s gonna stop me?): Day 8, I’m grateful for my new house… and Day 9, I’m grateful for my old house.} Dear Old House, I know we are done forever. I know you are now spending your time with other people, taking care of…
#NaBloPoMo, Day 7: Sixty Percent
Here’s a Saturday post, sneakily written on Sunday and backdated to Saturday. Heh. This gratitudinous moment is for my part-time status at work, something I’m actually actively thankful for every day. I work 60% of a full-time contract at my school, which means I have two full days, two half-days, and one day off per…
#NaBloPoMo, Day 6: Antibiotics
Today’s official gratitude is for antibiotics, and for the medical system we benefit from. Last week, E’s foot was hurting. Not such a rare thing. Then after he persisted complaining, we looked at it, and it had a puffy red patch. It was clearly hurting him to press on it, and he was starting to limp…
#NaBloPoMo, Day 3: Dance
Tonight, I’m grateful for dance. For the way it brings people together, in circles, squares, pairs, clumps, and huge crowds. For the catharsis of a solo soul-dance party with nobody watching. For the way it makes great music greater. For the rush of a great performance – for both dancers and spectators. For the beauty…
#NaBloPoMo, Day 2: Perfect Storm
It’s not just Monday. It’s the Monday after Halloween, a few days off the full moon. The kids had a three-day weekend (Friday PA day). And we just changed the clocks. School was a bit wacko today. It would figure that – less than 24 hours after I’d mentioned how well the kids were sleeping…