Stay a While

The day began with defiance. One of my homeroom students refused to put his winter coat in his locker, even though we had discussed it yesterday. "I'm just going to say 'No' to that," he told me.

"Then you're just going to have go to the office and talk to the assistant principal about it," I answered.

"I'm going to stay here with my coat on," he said firmly.

We were at an impasse, and so I called the AP. When she arrived, she had a similar conversation, except that hers ended when the bell rang. "I'm just going to go to my next class with my coat on," the student said as he walked out the door.

Tensions were high, but the situation was above my pay grade and out of my hands, and I had another class to teach. I looked up to see that a few kids had entered the room and had been watching the drama unfold, including one kid who had given me a lot of pushback about his coat the day before.

He caught my eye as he headed for the door. "I'm just going to put my coat in my locker," he assured me.

"Good decision!" I said.

Paid Vacation

 After ten days away, I returned to work today rested, recharged, and ready for anything. Or so I thought.

The discipline I had spent the whole first quarter building into my students seemed considerably lacking. The room was in disarray and my rocking chair was broken. Several were wearing coats and hoods, despite our school's dress code. Many others were without books, pencils, and/or iPads. It was a challenge to get the group to focus on even the most routine of tasks.

Still, I greeted each group with a hearty smile. "I missed you guys!" I told them, which was entirely true. "I'm so glad to be back!" I continued, which was not.

Dog Tired

After eight days on vacation, it seemed like Lucy was feeling a little down today. Maybe she missed having a houseful of pups and people to play with, or maybe she missed starting and ending each day with a sprint down the beach and a romp by the sea.

Or maybe she was just exhausted!

Hibernation Temptation

It was dark and cold at 6 PM this evening when I made a quick grocery run, and I was grateful for my fleecy flannel shirt. On the way, every light seemed twinkly and welcoming, and at the store all the hearty holiday provisions were tempting, but the promise of a warm home and woodfire at the hearth sustained me as I shopped.

It might be a long winter.

Prickly Paradise

Blue Skies
Offshore Thunder Storms
Fog
Warm and Humid
Cool and Breezy
Rain
Mist
Blazing Sunset
All the Stars in the Sky
Beach Combing
Pelicans
Crabs
Striped Burr Fish
Half a Sea Turtle
Lighthouse
Hunting Mansion
Enchanted Forest
Boardwalks
Lost Colony
Rocking Chairs
Crackling Fire
Hot Tubbing
Pool
Corn Hole
Tennis
Basketball
Ink Blots
Quiplash
Biscuits
Apple Sauce
French Toast
Shrimp Every Day
Homemade Pizza
Poundcake
Amazing Friends
Wonderful Family
Five Dogs
Wow!

Go Dog Go!

It's been a productive week:

Monday I facilitated an online discussion, graded essays, entered assignments to prepare for report cards, went out to lunch, and watched river otters frolicking as the sun set over Currituck Sound.

Tuesday I graded essays, checked the Monday work my students did, entered report card comments, got a pedicure, played corn hole, and walked five miles on the beach.

Wednesday I finished grading essays, answered several emails, posted my grades, hiked through an enchanted forest in search of wild ponies,

Thursday I checked the Wednesday work my students did, answered emails, shot some pool, visited the Lost Colony, and welcomed six guests and 2 more dogs to our beach house.

Today I exchanged emails with the teacher subbing for my class, planned for next week and the week after, reminded my team about the weekly newsletter, wrote my own newsletter information, sent the newsletter, baked biscuits, picked a dozen crabs and made crab soup, and visited a wild life museum.

If only I could always do my job from the beach!

How I Spent My Vacation

The day dawned blustery but not too cold, and so Lucy and Rosie and I took out customary early morning walk on the beach. Atlantic Flyway took on a new meaning as flock after flock of birds vee-ed their way south over our heads, sometimes pausing to just float in the offshore wind.

After that, it was a classic rainy vacation day: we cooked, and read magazines, and watched TV, and then headed south ourselves to Manteo for an afternoon at the Roanoke Island Museum.

Nature, relaxation, and education-- now that's a plan I can get behind!