Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Kids
I haven't written about my children in ages, and because just about everyone (hello, three people!) who reads this knows my children, I thought an update might make a decent post.
Youngest first: F. is loving her preschool. She goes for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, and she is growing and expanding her world in so many ways every time she goes. What's amazing to me is what a great kid she seems to be. I mean, I always liked her, of course, but she's the only one of my kids who wasn't really friendly and tended to cling to me around other adults. But she's fit right in, has many friends and is loved by her teachers, who tell me she is super easygoing and has no trouble doing everything with the others (she's one of the youngest) and plays really well, and cracks them up on a regular basis. In short, a perfect mini-student. I'm so happy about this, and I knew that she needed something like preschool, because she needed a lot of stimulation and to play with other kids her own age. She's happy to see me at the end of the morning, but she can't wait to get to school when she gets up every day. It's worked out really well and I'm so happy for her and proud of her.
Middle next: I. is doing the "reverse integration" program for a year at a school for children with disabilities. He is positively thriving there, in a small class with a fanstastic teacher (My older daughter had the same teacher last year.). He's happy and has lots of friends of all ages and abilities and he's doing very well academically as well. Outside of school he's thrilled because the snow has come, and this kid likes nothing better than playing and working outside. His raking business didn't get a lot of customers in the fall, but he's already looking forward to expanding his customer base for snow shoveling. he's also just joined the Wolf Cubs and he couldn't be more thrilled. They built birdhouses on his very first day! He's a busy boy.
Biggest last: U. is back at her regular school after spending last year at the special school and she's adjusted to the change. She is a very popular person at school, and she's doing the Canspell spelling bee and she is a monitor for the kindergarteners at lunch once a week. She walks a neighbour to the bus stop every morning, and she's struck up a close friendship with a boy who lives on the next street over. She just completed a beautiful birthday gift for this new friend: a stationery box filled with supplies so he can write to his grandma. She always does well academically, and this year is no exception, despite the fact that they pile on the homework like there's no tomorrow. She always makes me proud and she's a happy soul.
So everyone is well and happy and making their mama proud. All's right with the world.
I haven't written about my children in ages, and because just about everyone (hello, three people!) who reads this knows my children, I thought an update might make a decent post.
Youngest first: F. is loving her preschool. She goes for 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, and she is growing and expanding her world in so many ways every time she goes. What's amazing to me is what a great kid she seems to be. I mean, I always liked her, of course, but she's the only one of my kids who wasn't really friendly and tended to cling to me around other adults. But she's fit right in, has many friends and is loved by her teachers, who tell me she is super easygoing and has no trouble doing everything with the others (she's one of the youngest) and plays really well, and cracks them up on a regular basis. In short, a perfect mini-student. I'm so happy about this, and I knew that she needed something like preschool, because she needed a lot of stimulation and to play with other kids her own age. She's happy to see me at the end of the morning, but she can't wait to get to school when she gets up every day. It's worked out really well and I'm so happy for her and proud of her.
Middle next: I. is doing the "reverse integration" program for a year at a school for children with disabilities. He is positively thriving there, in a small class with a fanstastic teacher (My older daughter had the same teacher last year.). He's happy and has lots of friends of all ages and abilities and he's doing very well academically as well. Outside of school he's thrilled because the snow has come, and this kid likes nothing better than playing and working outside. His raking business didn't get a lot of customers in the fall, but he's already looking forward to expanding his customer base for snow shoveling. he's also just joined the Wolf Cubs and he couldn't be more thrilled. They built birdhouses on his very first day! He's a busy boy.
Biggest last: U. is back at her regular school after spending last year at the special school and she's adjusted to the change. She is a very popular person at school, and she's doing the Canspell spelling bee and she is a monitor for the kindergarteners at lunch once a week. She walks a neighbour to the bus stop every morning, and she's struck up a close friendship with a boy who lives on the next street over. She just completed a beautiful birthday gift for this new friend: a stationery box filled with supplies so he can write to his grandma. She always does well academically, and this year is no exception, despite the fact that they pile on the homework like there's no tomorrow. She always makes me proud and she's a happy soul.
So everyone is well and happy and making their mama proud. All's right with the world.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Quite a week
Well, this has been...Well look at the title, willya? Sorry, I'm a little on edge, what with the extra course I've taken on and one thing and another. Things are well under control now, but it has been tiring adding this into my already jammed schedule. The bright side is that the semester is very nearly over, and while I'll miss my students (My first! Sob!), I will certainly welcome a bit of time to rest and regroup.
I'm looking forward to:
Speaking of reading, I ordered the new illustrated Life of Pi. It's a thing of beauty. I passed it around with great pride last night in my class. It was all I could do to keep from sniffing it continuously while the students were doing a writing assignment.
Booooooks.
Well, this has been...Well look at the title, willya? Sorry, I'm a little on edge, what with the extra course I've taken on and one thing and another. Things are well under control now, but it has been tiring adding this into my already jammed schedule. The bright side is that the semester is very nearly over, and while I'll miss my students (My first! Sob!), I will certainly welcome a bit of time to rest and regroup.
I'm looking forward to:
- Going to Ottawa to visit my sister (Hi Squirrel!)
- Going to Ste Agathe to visit another sister (who doesn't read this, so no Hi for her)
- Hanging out at home and doing housework, my form of meditation
- Slowly starting my Christmas preparations: baking, shopping, sleeping (sleeping counts!)
- Reading something that I'm not teaching on a course
Speaking of reading, I ordered the new illustrated Life of Pi. It's a thing of beauty. I passed it around with great pride last night in my class. It was all I could do to keep from sniffing it continuously while the students were doing a writing assignment.
Booooooks.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
For Squirrel
It's a rainy day, kind of chilly, but I feel happy for some reason. Well, there are lots of reasons to be happy but what I mean is that the weather isn't getting me down.
The students' union at the college where I work has called a strike to last through tomorrow. Classes are supposed to be held as usual, and Continuing Education isn't supposed to be affected at all, but one of my students in tonight's class e-mailed me and told me that his Cont. Ed. classes last night had two students each in them. Hmmmm!
So I'm not sure what to expect tonight. The thing is this was going to be an important class, as I've prepared a lecture that attempts (and succeeds in the attempt, I think) to tie all of the novels we've done on the course together and give a macro look at their place in the Can Lit tradition. I even told the students last week to make sure to come tonight because I have this kick-ass lecture prepared. I know it's not the release of the newest version of Halo or anything, so I didn't expect them to care, but I was kind of excited about it!
Oh well, we'll have to wait and see. I can always do that lecture next week instead, or "review" it for those who take advantage of the strike to skip tonight.
Oh, and my sister moved to Ottawa last week. She is one of my best friends and well, my sister, so I'm not happy to have her living away from Montreal, but it's not too far and I'm very happy for her and excited about this new stage in her life, an exciting new job and life in a new place. Good luck A.!
It's a rainy day, kind of chilly, but I feel happy for some reason. Well, there are lots of reasons to be happy but what I mean is that the weather isn't getting me down.
The students' union at the college where I work has called a strike to last through tomorrow. Classes are supposed to be held as usual, and Continuing Education isn't supposed to be affected at all, but one of my students in tonight's class e-mailed me and told me that his Cont. Ed. classes last night had two students each in them. Hmmmm!
So I'm not sure what to expect tonight. The thing is this was going to be an important class, as I've prepared a lecture that attempts (and succeeds in the attempt, I think) to tie all of the novels we've done on the course together and give a macro look at their place in the Can Lit tradition. I even told the students last week to make sure to come tonight because I have this kick-ass lecture prepared. I know it's not the release of the newest version of Halo or anything, so I didn't expect them to care, but I was kind of excited about it!
Oh well, we'll have to wait and see. I can always do that lecture next week instead, or "review" it for those who take advantage of the strike to skip tonight.
Oh, and my sister moved to Ottawa last week. She is one of my best friends and well, my sister, so I'm not happy to have her living away from Montreal, but it's not too far and I'm very happy for her and excited about this new stage in her life, an exciting new job and life in a new place. Good luck A.!
Monday, November 12, 2007
In case anybody still reads this dang thing
The first semester of teaching is -- as I knew it would be -- difficult, scary, tightrope-walking-feeling and did I mention difficult?
What I didn't expect at all is how complicated it would be to deal with so many other human beings, each with his or her own problems, weaknesses, strengths, annoying excuses, etc.
Another thing I didn't expect is how intense it would be psychologically. If I end up leaving it all behind, it will probably be due to this. More detail another time, perhaps, but suffice it to say that performance brings out my neuroses the way nothing else can. And teaching is, to a great extent, performance. Hello, neurotic me! How I hate you.
The first semester of teaching is -- as I knew it would be -- difficult, scary, tightrope-walking-feeling and did I mention difficult?
What I didn't expect at all is how complicated it would be to deal with so many other human beings, each with his or her own problems, weaknesses, strengths, annoying excuses, etc.
Another thing I didn't expect is how intense it would be psychologically. If I end up leaving it all behind, it will probably be due to this. More detail another time, perhaps, but suffice it to say that performance brings out my neuroses the way nothing else can. And teaching is, to a great extent, performance. Hello, neurotic me! How I hate you.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
A post cuz I'm sicka lookin at the last one
Today I was lying in Fiona's bed cuddling with her before her nap, and we had a conversation with a surprise ending:
Me: I wish I could stay here and take a nap with you.
F.: When you grow smaller you can.
Me: I'm not gonna grow smaller; I'm just gonna grow older.
F: **Thinks** I will grow smaller. I wanna be a baby again.
Me: Well, people don't get to be babies again. But you're gonna grow up and be a grown-up and maybe a mama and someday you'll even be a grandma.
F: And then all my hair will blow off!
Today I was lying in Fiona's bed cuddling with her before her nap, and we had a conversation with a surprise ending:
Me: I wish I could stay here and take a nap with you.
F.: When you grow smaller you can.
Me: I'm not gonna grow smaller; I'm just gonna grow older.
F: **Thinks** I will grow smaller. I wanna be a baby again.
Me: Well, people don't get to be babies again. But you're gonna grow up and be a grown-up and maybe a mama and someday you'll even be a grandma.
F: And then all my hair will blow off!
