Day by Day

Brendan received his first paycheck on Thursday.  On Friday he asked Bob for 6.00.  I asked Bob if Brendan already spent his first paycheck and Bob said, "No, he wanted to borrow 6.00 to go out because he is saving his paychecks to buy a car."  Saving part - good, borrowing money when he has a job - missing the point of working.

I just ran my third 1/2 marathon today....this was by far the worse weather I have run in...but as I said to the women I was running with - anyone who trains can run on a sunny beautiful day...it takes character to run in 40 degree weather and rain/winds.  We ran in Asbury Park New Jersey.  At least a mile of the run (each lap) was along the water.  On a stormy, cold day, the waves were so high, dark and ominous, that it kept my full attention during that mile of each lap I did.  It is amazing to run in a 1/2 marathon, especially if you go down with a group of women and laugh harder than you have in months, support each other through the run and spend time getting to know people better than you thought you knew them. The other amazing part of running in a 1/2 marathon is studying the people who are also running-they come in all shapes, sizes and ages.  For the most part (other than the first few who run the whole marathon route in two hours), the...

Depends on how you want to view it.......yesterday was the first sighting of a slight snow, mixed with rain, so really the snow was barely visible.....here are some reactions: Adults around school - "Can you believe it....snow and it's only October-this is too early." Kids around school - "Look at the snow...do you think we'll have school tomorrow?" Kids at home - The bus door opens, Keera walks out with her tongue sticking out to catch the "snow" from the air and two older boys hanging out the bus door are yelling, "snow...look at the snow...it's snowing." Again - the snow was mixed with rain and barely visible as snow (basic fact)........no wonder there can't be total peace in the world-everyone has a different perspective and usually, everyone wants to be right!

My blogs tend to be more positive than negative, but sometimes you truly hit a day where you can't stand it anymore and if I truly want to use my blog someday for a bigger writing project, then I must share all, not just the good............ Here's what I can't stand - don't use leadership development as a disguise for passing the buck, sharing the burden, using people as resources to get your philosophies accepted and creating a team mentality so that you don't look bad by the end of the year. And don't use kids (especially just the leaders-senate) to put your image out there (reach out for the level 3's, the attention getters, the sped kids and the quiet ones who slip through the cracks-heck the  leaders are the ones who put themselves in bad situations and try to rationalize it with the school.) Don't drop the "housework", so to speak just because you want to go to "the movies", so to speak.....and be born a white, male-it helps....

I don't talk about work much because I don't want to be liable for what I put up on line, but I think I need to start blogging about work because it is such a big part of my life. This year with the new federal standards of RTI (right to intervention) and CT's take on that SRBI (something researched based intervention), every student needs to be accounted for. If a student scored in the first or second band of five bands of the yearly state test, when they get to high school, they must be monitored weekly (yes, my job for freshmen).  If they do not improve within four weeks, action must be taken and continue to be taken until the student improves.  It sounds like a great way to make sure students do not fall between the cracks, but - SRBI is based on test data-it has no room for the maturity level of a student or the family situations of a student, or that some students do not find their nitch until they are out of high school, or the fact that some students will never do...

This made me laugh when I thought about it, even though it was two years ago, so I am posting it, so I forever remember it.  I wish I can remember the exact way he phrased it at the time: When Brendan was a freshmen he had wood shop and he had a splinter in his hand.  He went to the school nurse.  She was busy with another student, so she gave Brendan the rubbing alcohol and a pair of tweezers.  She came back a few minutes later to Brendan, who was in great pain at that point, and she said "I meant put the rubbing alcohol on the tweezers".  He was in great pain because he had poured the rubbing alcohol on his cut. 

Brendan is now a bag boy for Shaw supermarket.  He hasn't officially started, but he is not looking forward to the fact that we want him to put 1/2 his check in the bank each week.  (Brendan goes through money as often as some of us drink water.) Kelly has been working at Shaws as a cashier for about a month or so.  Last week, she said that they sent a spy shopper through her line and then told her she wasn't being friendly enough (are you kidding me?).  Kelly's reaction was, "I said hello and have a nice day...what do they want me to give therapy to the customers?"  I laughed really hard at that.....I can't wait for Brendan stories.....anyway........ Do you remember your first job?  I started thinking back.  Besides cleaning the house next door for 10.00 a week, my first official job was answering phones at the Church rectory in the evenings (BOORRRIIINGGG).  Then my next job was working for a supermarket as a cashier.  I don't re...

My cousin Brett. Although I have not spent a lot of time with my cousin Brett, the time I have spent with him makes me wonder what it would have been like to have an older brother like Brett. He is kind, caring, family oriented, intelligent, personable and humorous.  When I needed a helping hand in Lake George with a 2,3 and 5 year old, Brett was there to lend emotional support (he probably doesn't even remember). When I was sitting with a tantrum screaming 2 year old in an international airport, Brett was there, not willing to go ahead in the airport because he didn't think I should be by myself in an international airport,  given the situation. When I've tried to figure  out where I come from, he has filled in some information for me that has helped me see the whole family picture.  It was a down-to-earth, honest conversation. When I was frustrated with my career choice of being in managment (so to speak), he was there to share his frustration and experiences....