I recently had the opportunity to sub in a 5th grade classroom. What fun!! The kids were nice and interested in what I told them to do. Really. They had to silently read for 25 minutes and they did it. They responded well to my questions (what's a good book for a boy who doesn't like to read?) and gave me no grief. Why are the kids in my own district such shits?

Schools everywhere are cutting back. Some good teachers are going to lose their jobs because the old crusty teachers have seniority over them. That really hurts education. Really -- it's time to recognize that the way we keep teachers (and I suspect the way teachers get hired) needs change.

Back in the day, the students in my home district were not bad. They've gotten worse. While the demographics of the community have changed, I believe that if the school were built on a more solid footing of what is important -- core values -- and less focused on popularity and sports ability, then we might see a step in the right direction.

the 5th graders in Garrison seem more grounded by what's really important. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from that community. If we'd care to listen to the lesson....

What is it with allergies? Some people suffer from sneezing and itchy eyes; others suffer with stuffy nose and coughing. Me? I have horrible headaches and, in the fall, laryngitis. today my head aches and there is nothing to take unless I want to go back to bed (not a great idea at 10am).

Why do we have allergies that change? I did not used to be allergic to pollen. Rod used to need shots. Tyler is forever changing. I'm sorry to say, but I think we need some rain to wash away some of this dust to make me feel better (then, of course, those with mold allergies will suffer). Is there no end to this misery?

The cover of the latest Time magazine: "Should Schools Bribe Kids?"

I've not yet read the article but I do have an opinion about the question. The short answer: no. I wonder how we can get back to knowing how necessary education is. I am reading Three Cups of Tea and it's a beautiful book because the Pakistani children were scraping in dirt to get an education. In this country our kids seem to have lost the need for it. Or, the desire. Giving students ipods or laptops will not make them better students. I learned without those things. So did many others. All it encourages is a student body that thinks we need to give it something in order for it to do work.

Alfie Kohn wrote a book called Punished by Rewards. His argument is that we have hurt our students by making them think they should be rewarded for everything. When I worked at the Rockland Country Day School the same idea prevailed at the assembly. Just about every student got a certificate for participation in anything: the 7th grade plant sale, the organic garden, etc. In fact, there was little difference between acknowledging those who led and those to simply participated. Then there were the athletic awards. All athletes received medals. The outstanding players got a speech and a trophy. Those who were outstanding in academics did not receive such prizes.

The educational system in this country is going to hell precisely because we have gotten to the point where we think we need to bribe students.

It's time we started looking at teachers who make a difference in their student's lives and rewarded them. Or, better, got rid of those teachers who do nothing for their students. Just showing up for a paycheck is perhaps the attitude that made students uninterested in learning. Let's correct that before we start doling out bribes to get students to do work.

Now I think I'll read that article.

Tiger Woods is on the green again as the media waits for him to fall. I simply do not understand the vultures that fly above celebrities. We want to love them as we congratulate ourselves for not being them?

Personally, I am not bothered by men or women cheating on each other. Frankly, it's not my business. As long as my husband remains true to me and our marriage, it's all fair. Everyone else has their own issues to deal with. What I don't understand, is this society's desire to see failure in celebrity marriages. It's hard to make a marriage work; it's harder to make it work when everything you do or say is under the microscope. When you live in a fake world, how can you build a real relationship?

As for Tiger's problems with sponsorships, I really do get myself in a kink. The sponsors do not want to be connected with Tiger Woods until he starts winning again. So, I guess the moral of the story is: You may be a lying, cheating bastard as long as you win the big prize. If, however, you are a loser, then everything you do contributes to your down and dirty ways.

I cannot believe how difficult it is for people to accept change. What about the Health Care bill now law is so difficult to understand and embrace? Are people really so afraid of government ruling the country? Why? No one said "boo" when the Bush Administration basically did what it wanted -- including changing the definition of the word torture -- to push their agenda forward. Why, then, do we as a country have so much difficulty understanding that health care helps all people in the country.

When students are healthy, they can learn better. when students learn better they become more intelligent. When the people of a country are more intelligent, the decisions they make are better considered. When children are healthy, the likelihood that they maintain health into old age is greater.

Do we need to punish those who are unfortunate enough to be ill by removing their insurance?

I went on yet another interview today. This was for one of four leave replacement positions in the Byram Hills School District (located in Armonk, NY). When I was initially contacted by the head of the English department, he indicated that the interest was to find an experienced teacher who could handle the NYS ELA test. While I am fully capable, I did not want to have my time and energy wasted. So, I graciously said that while I know the test well, I have no experience scoring it. I added that I recognized that they needed to hire what they needed to hire, but if the scoring was a deal breaker, let's part ways before anyone wasted time. He was quite nice about it and said if I were hired they'd get me training. The interview went well.

I've come to the point where I will not beg for a job. I am very good at what I do and shine better when I am me. If they don't want to hire me, so be it, but at least I won't be selling myself short. Life is too short to jump through other people's hoops. Besides, how can I show myself in the best light if I don't provide my own lighting? I am who I am.

In the meanwhile, I am waiting for a non-teaching job to become available in Rod's department -- with the same pay as Rod. While I will not have summers off, the commute is the cat's meow. Wouldn't it be weird to have two offers at the same time? Aren't I a dreamer?

What's on Your List?

I just finished reading "The Next Thing on My List" by Jill Smolinski and it got me thinking about having a list of accomplishments I would like to have to my name. Sure, I want to be a better, nicer person, but I'd also like to do something with my life. Make a mark. So, I started a list:

1. be a runner. as in run a 5K (yes, the character in the book did this too, but still...)

2. get back down to 115 and stay there.

3. become a doctor - in language, literacy and learning

4. calm down

5. remember that others have troubles too. what looks good doesn't always mean life is grand.

6. write every day -- maybe even publish a book.

7. volunteer in an organization I feel strongly about.

So, it's a start.