I teach Junior Great Books at our elementary school and my last class had four boys who got pretty rowdy at times. I'd say "Boooooys" in a threatening tone and glare at them until they settled down.
It took me awhile to get used to the whole "it's okay to show your anger to your class" philosophy. Now I realize that kids need to see their role models losing their temper in a controlled manner. I don't hold a child's misbehavior against them, and they don't hold it against me if I rebuke them by name. They quiet down and we move on. It's standard operating procedure in a classroom.
A couple weeks ago my middle-school daughter came home with a video that she'd taped with her cell phone on the bus ride home that day. It had snowed, and the roads weren't too great. The kids in the back of the bus were shouting and screaming, making the bus driver even more edgy. She finally lost it and started screaming at the kids.
I talked with my daughter about whether the bus driver's actions were appropriate (no) and if there were extenuating circumstances (yes). I asked my daughter if she felt threatened by the diatribe (no) and in the end, I didn't complain to the school.
I'm sure some would say I made the wrong decision. My daughter didn't think it was necessary, though, and I let her make the call. She did think that someone might file a complaint, though, which is why she turned on her cell phone and taped everything. Smart kid.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
It's March; It's Minnesota
Last weekend it was in the mid-forties, temp-wise. On Monday it started raining and the temps started dropping. It started snowing on Tuesday and the wind kicked up that night.
On Tuesday night the wind howled. That's not unusual in March. It's Minnesota. By Wednesday morning the temps were about 15 degrees below zero. The winds died down on Thursday and by Monday we're supposed to hit 60 degrees.
That's a 75-degree change in temperature. In some months, and in some places, this would be fodder for months of speculation. Not so here, though. It's March and it's Minnesota. These things happen.
That's just one reason March is my favorite month of the year. On Wednesday morning I had to drive kid #2 to band practice. A full moon hung low on the horizon, huge and bright. All the moisture in the air lent a glowing aura to the orb and with the winds howling, it felt surreal... especially as I turned off the main road onto my block. You could still see that eerie moon peeking between the homes of the suburban landscape, and it was one freaky juxtaposition!
I doubt many other people noticed or commented on it, though. It's March, and it's Minnesota. These things just happen here, don'cha know?
On Tuesday night the wind howled. That's not unusual in March. It's Minnesota. By Wednesday morning the temps were about 15 degrees below zero. The winds died down on Thursday and by Monday we're supposed to hit 60 degrees.
That's a 75-degree change in temperature. In some months, and in some places, this would be fodder for months of speculation. Not so here, though. It's March and it's Minnesota. These things happen.
That's just one reason March is my favorite month of the year. On Wednesday morning I had to drive kid #2 to band practice. A full moon hung low on the horizon, huge and bright. All the moisture in the air lent a glowing aura to the orb and with the winds howling, it felt surreal... especially as I turned off the main road onto my block. You could still see that eerie moon peeking between the homes of the suburban landscape, and it was one freaky juxtaposition!
I doubt many other people noticed or commented on it, though. It's March, and it's Minnesota. These things just happen here, don'cha know?
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