Friday, September 18, 2020
Finally, rain
Blessed rain! After almost two weeks of smoke, the skies opened up this morning- lightning flashed, thunder rolled, and the rain scoured out the foul air and brought a huge measure of normalcy to this damaged part of the country. It's like a weight has been lifted.
Remember to pray for those who lost so much in the wildfires- it is heartbreaking to see the news.
Saturday, September 12, 2020
Day 5 of the wildfire smoke
Some media are saying that the air quality is "beyond hazardous", that it can't be measured. Whatever. I just know that it is lighter outside today than yesterday but it isn't because of less smoke, it's just smoke that is more white than brown. I am glad to not be evacuating, but I am tired of feeling like a brisket. Monday's predicted rains can't arrive soon enough for us. Praying for the firefighters and those who have lost everything.
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Be a teacher, they said...
Be a teacher, they said,
you are good at explaining things!
Be a teacher, they said,
you are very smart.
Be a teacher, they said,
you are creative and good with kids!
Be a teacher, they said,
you will have a good pension when you retire.
Be a teacher, they said,
technology will never be able to replace a live person who has a relationship with a class.
What they never said was that some day in the future, while America was sleeping, China would unleash a weapon of war on the world called Covid-19 and education as we know it would be irrevocably changed.
As it turns out, I am not good at explaining things on Zoom. I'm not even remotely smart with how to assign, assess, or advance my students remotely. My creativity has gone out the window. I'm 10 years too young to retire, and technology that I don't fully understand has replaced me.
As a teacher, you always hope to get your students to learn on their own- to make yourself obsolete.
I never thought it would happen to all my students. All at once. Overnight.
But wait- it gets worse!
2 years ago, my boss suggested that I become an administrator. I just finished a two-year Administrator Certificate program at WSU- 1 year of that included an internship. There are now no jobs available for administrators in the dozen districts within driving distance. If you thought teachers were useless when there is no school, administrators are more so!
When there are no students, you don't need anyone in charge of discipline.
When enrollment is down and there are fewer teachers, you don't need anyone in charge of evaluating instruction.
Obsolescence squared.
Maybe I could drive for Amazon. Of course, I'm an excellent driver.
you are good at explaining things!
Be a teacher, they said,
you are very smart.
Be a teacher, they said,
you are creative and good with kids!
Be a teacher, they said,
you will have a good pension when you retire.
Be a teacher, they said,
technology will never be able to replace a live person who has a relationship with a class.
What they never said was that some day in the future, while America was sleeping, China would unleash a weapon of war on the world called Covid-19 and education as we know it would be irrevocably changed.
As it turns out, I am not good at explaining things on Zoom. I'm not even remotely smart with how to assign, assess, or advance my students remotely. My creativity has gone out the window. I'm 10 years too young to retire, and technology that I don't fully understand has replaced me.
As a teacher, you always hope to get your students to learn on their own- to make yourself obsolete.
I never thought it would happen to all my students. All at once. Overnight.
But wait- it gets worse!
2 years ago, my boss suggested that I become an administrator. I just finished a two-year Administrator Certificate program at WSU- 1 year of that included an internship. There are now no jobs available for administrators in the dozen districts within driving distance. If you thought teachers were useless when there is no school, administrators are more so!
When there are no students, you don't need anyone in charge of discipline.
When enrollment is down and there are fewer teachers, you don't need anyone in charge of evaluating instruction.
Obsolescence squared.
Maybe I could drive for Amazon. Of course, I'm an excellent driver.
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