Life in New Hampshire is good. I currently sit on the screened in porch of a cabin the woods in the middle of New Hampshire-there are no bugs, the temperature is cool but not cold, there is a fire in the fireplace incase I get cold and I should be working on curriculum but I just stopped to look up and the sky is so blue. So I went inside,got a beer and have decide to contemplate the true meaning of life (again). I will attend the wedding tonight of a young lady that I met 16 years ago at my first summer as woodworking specialist. She has grown from the awkward little girl into a very assertive woman. She always tried to live up to her mother and her success but all was usually in a state of conflict-when she chose to go off and be her self, then she became a success. Somehow there is a message there.

Education is still in a state of flux-trying to build a community of young people who really are not interested in community becomes a challenging process. However, as we finish MAP testing several students have raised their scores from previous years, mostly as the result of working harder. I hope that this is something upon which we can build. Monday will be another test as we seek to perform service to the building as we attempt to work together to paint. I have tried to stay patience and let students/staff determine our way with a little direction from me. We need to utilize the out of doors, the needs of the community to determine our vision. We have a vision but I am not sure who wrote it, definitely not the students! Next week I hope to formally name the program/school with a name chosen more by the staff but at least it is a beginning.

The fall of the year, the smells, the temperatures always remind me of the start of school and FOOTBALL. How cool it was to get dresseed in the pads, take the field, play the game both with the wins and losses, then to coach the game with the same smells. Homecoming was filled with assemblies and music-the best - Bill Haily, Buddy Holly-the girls always looked pretty and we were too cool for words! Those were the times. And yes "All I have learned about life, I learned from FOOTBALL"!

We started the 3rd week of the alternative school today. The first two have gone well and I believe that we continue to make progress. I talked with another Alternative Educator last week and he spoke of the importance of building a community before academic success could be improved. We have worked at building a community but today injected two new students into the program.
One student is 20 years old and needs 2.5 credits to finish. The other is a senior who need 7 credits to graduate but his girl friend attends the program which in itself is no problem but he is very jealous of anyone she talks to, thus creating more stress for her. The 20 year old cannot be in classes with another existing student because of legal issues down the road. And we are supposed to build a community.
We want to create responsible citizens who can make good decisions in voting in the future-their focus is totally on passing classes-I want no outside issues just the facts.
Another teacher and I were talking about sports recently, she said we should develop a poster about "All I learned about life I learned in Football" and since most of my life has been spent either playing, coaching, and officiating the sport perhaps I should start with society needs to develop those team work skills. In order to be successful (win the game) I must learn to block for the person that may be a different color, different religion, different class or just someone I don't like. How unique would that be for a political change.
Peace

We have moved to New Hampshire, me to direct an alternative school program, my wife to retire and mom to sell snow flakes. The school is broken but not a disaster as my daughter said. Kids are kids whether Missouri or New Hampshire, one to curses all the time another who does not participate and stands outside the circle, another likes to leave faking some excuse or the other. Many more broken but unbowed in their opportunities to learn. Have met wonderful people, I have a wonderful staff, even the one with the pink beard and the kids love him.
Another chapter in our life-I told them I would stay 5 years, no director has made it past 2 years. But I'm working on it even with a late start, I think that I can impact the place-we have been on the ropes course 2 times with amazing results but have not been able to bring the experience back into the classroom. I know-patience. But I don't have much time. good things will happen
Peace from New Hampshire

Words to live by- loyal, honest, kindness, tolerance, questioning, patience, listening-

Words are easy, living the words is hard. Teaching brings many responsibilities for walking the walk-each day I wonder if I walked the walk today. The people who work at the New Hampshire camp talk the talk with ease everyday, but what makes them different is that they walk the walk every day, part of their daily life routine, raising their families, dealing with all those who may come in contact with them. It is was defines them. I only wish that I could be thought of in those terms.

The end of the school year always brings reflections of life in a new school and new position. I had over 80 young people pass through the rehab program-66 successfully completed the program. There were 13 people in the after school program-7 earned credit. Of the ones that did not succeed, one is in jail for robbery, another is with child, another has returned to New Orleans and the others I have no idea.

This time of year brings quiet thoughts of what could have been different-I don't have much responsibility for any of these students so am not sure what I could or should have done differently. The ones that did not succeed were too broken already and no mater what I did, their course was chosen.

So words to live by, tolerance, patience, loyal, honest, kindness all are words that I used this year and words that seemed to guide me. Questioning may come next year, I am not sure how much I want to get invovled with questioning and change, I may have already fought all those battles I need to fight.
Peace

I wish I could wax poetic but I have a hard time even spelling poetic. Two days left and one day of teacher check in check out stuff. I will add another year next year-how many years do I have left? It has been an experience, a shooting after school (after I left), a commencement with too many people, one of my students robbing a couple, being involved in a car wreck, almost dying, arrested but has no clue what is going on because of his head injuries but I have made it to the end.
I feel that sometimes I should write a book telling teachers what they should do before they get this close to retirement but then what fun would that be if they had some idea what might lay ahead.
The year in review:
New teacher workshops (everyone else looked 12
School orientation (one of my old students teaches here!)
Supervising the cafeteria (discovered the "F" word is real"
Teaching Drug Rehab Kids (aren't you afraid?)
Officiating high school football (got the lowest rating ever)
Christmas Break (not enough snow to ski)
Mom being sick in February (very scarey stuff)
State Track Championships (two coaches came after me)
Graduation (in charge of helping people find elevator and
rest rooms-at least I was outside)
Signing contract ($400 less money-fewer days to work)
Today (well lived makes tomorrow a day of excitement)

And there it is..I did not know that I could compact 9 1/2 months into less than 2 inches! I love my life!
Peace

As we approach the end of the school year, one always (or at least I do) reflect upon what was and what might have been the past year. What was: learned that not having to drive an hour is good; what might have bee-I could have retired.

Pat's gardens are doing well but then they always do in May, June but struggle in July and August.

Everyone's health is good

7 days until the end of the school year.

OK the school tax levy failed 60% 30% but the sewer bonds passed over whelmingly! So what does that say about my chosen profession-I rank just above politicians but well below sewers. The voters said that they wanted to send a message and they did-I am so happy I have spent 40 years in the education field-I could have been a trash guy, made more money and been appreciated. But the amazing thing about education is that the teachers will do just as good a job today even though they feel like crap. They will continue to buy supplies when the school doesn't, they will continue to attempt to teach students who come to school unprepared, uninterested and from families who do not value education.
I am done, retire, maybe teach 2 hours aday and ...... I am going to get into either raising pigs or collecting trash. Then I will be appreciated.
Peace

O.K. so one of my after school students in returning from a rest room break, jumped up to grab the top of the door opening, missed and fell flat on his back (he is way too cool)-so am I responsible for his stupidity? Big tax levy vote tomorrow, jobs will be cut, class sizes increased if it fails-most people are talking of sending a message to the school board and the administration but I keep thinking "what kind of message is being sent to the kids" if the levy fails? Does the superintendent make too much money? probably but all raises are tied to job performance, ie test scores, reduced drop out rates, higher graduation rates-if the superintendent was a CEO and performed at this level, the reward would be millions. But-teachers complain about how much money is tied up in administration, so the talk is to eliminate days from their contracts so who will be the first teacher to complain when the teacher wants something done and the administrator is not there?

Spring is here-a friend of mine who taught in the junior high always said that you could tell when spring was here, because the 7th grade girls starting looking good! Probably get fired today.

If the levy fails part of my job (the after school part) will be cut, I can retire and still teach 4.7 with the school-probably make more money because would have the rest of the day to do something. Keeping a picture of Pemquid Light House web cam up and running because it is spring there too and watching the sun set slowly-too cool for words. Plus the view from Mt Washington is off the scale too. Would have been nice to have gotten a job out east but guess that age has pretty much shut that part out...maybe need to go learn to build ships!

Not much feeling about today as it is Monday and MAP testing starts tomorrow for everyone-will probably drive me crazy before all over. Best run
Peace from Missouri

It is trash day and I remembered to take out the bags and recycling to the curb.YEAH! Mom has doctor appointments today, TWOTH was going to take her but she is not feeling well, I will take time off school, and return to the hospital for her afternoon appointments :(-not one of my favorite things. Have not heard from brother for several weeks, guess he is too busy to check in.
Spring approaches, think it starts tomorrow-much rain and clouds, which really helps my mood. Still home, nice to have a late start to the day-I have unloaded the dishwasher, loaded the clothes washer, and put a load into the dryer plus hand washed some breakfast dishes! But didn't get to workout today as spent much of the night checking in on TWOTH who was not feeling well.
Sure would be a good day to be waist deep in trout water some place. Have pretty much come to the conclusion that retirement is not an option, especially in these economy times.
Thought that one of the democratic candidates made a great talk yesterday, but obviously I was the only one...guess that makes me a liberal. Oh well
I am still tired but spring is on the way.
peace

The rain continues, I am supervising students who for the most part could care less about being educated and escaping. Of the 7 in the room, one is checking out the new girl, one is asleep (he stayed up late last night playing X Box), another is listening to his music while the other 4 are working. Guess that percentage is not bad after all.
The sleeper I sent home, the girl checker out I sent home and the music listerner is about done too. But it is 5:00-only 30 minutes to go!!! Note to CPS, please cut this job!
I am very tired, chorale practice last night (which I love-Verde's Requim) but too late-spent most of weekend sitting on the couch with mom watching basketball games. She becomes stronger every day but I still have this guilt that I should be spending more time with her. I am not carving, reading but am keeping the dishwasher loaded or unloaded and the clothes washed and dried. Even cleaned some in the bedroom-I dream of trout waters and where the words are written.
THWOTH is now sick-I think that she has worked to hard helping with mom, but hard to say. Maybe she just needs a good nights sleep. I think about summer, do I go do the east thing or do I stay home and take care of the home front? Could find a summer job, add some $ to the coffers. I am tired so will put off the decision until later.
Speaking of later, have to go walk around the room one time so looks like I am working.
Peace

It is another Friday in my teaching career-after school suspension supervision is the best! Except on a Friday when the sun is shining and the temperature is in the 60's! I know that 2 of the fine young men are listening to more music than doing work but....I am tired! Driving to my noon teaching job, drove past the junior high fields and there was-you guessed it- the 300 lb PE teacher playing yes FLAG FOOTBALL!!! wow he must have started over in his curriculum book.

You know the thing I can't get away from is the smell of the hospital. I have washed my clothes several times but I figure it must be in my nose somehow! I don't understand how I can still be so tired. Going to sing this weekend-hard to believe it is Palm Sunday-maybe that will help! Only 25 minutes of supervision left. The man with whom I share the room is really cool-hard core but still with a good heart. He works with the hard core independent study folks all day.

Better get up and walk around the room to make sure that people are on task
Peace

One would think that February is a very romantic month with thoughts of love, Valentines Day, candy and flowers but the only flowers that I was around was the flowers delivered in the hospital to my mom. One never knows how they will handle death, dying or real sick people and when it is a loved one, it becomes even more difficult. Now that we are on the other side and mom is back home and doing the things that she used to do, I think it is easier to handle but the month was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.
I wish that I had some wisdom to pass on or I thought it might be easier the next time but I have nothing to give. If not for my wife and own kids I don't think I could have survived-it's funny because my brother was not really involved although I called him to update each day. Most of the conversations I don't remember-I know that he said that if she died and her wish is to be cremated to go ahead with the cremation as he didn't need to see her! I know that he cares but he just handles things differently than I. The care mom got in the hospital was good-even though there were some mistakes made she (we) survived them. The kids were the best-just listening to me was the best. I wish now I could sit with someone and have them listen but I don't know who would listen...maybe this summer I can sit and talk either with coffee or even better a brown soda about what happened and my feelings. Later I will share the angel story.
Peace from Missouri

What a week. Too much time in the hospital-too much time without sleep, too little of the right kind of food, too much time without exercise, too much school without plans! But stiil too much to be grateful for- I know a dangling something! But I am tired so I get a free one!
I envy those of you who have snow-even if you are tired of it. Missouri is dreary at this time of year-we get a forecast of "get the shovels ready" and only get a flurry or cold, wet rain. The sun does not shine and the wind blows from the north or even the south but still cold. But then you have that one day of 70 degrees and then back to the 30's-I say either get warm or stay cold-no wonder everyone gets the flu.
I love the stories of the grandkids and the kids, we have very funny people in our lives!

School is still school-a very soft job! I have to go answer a math problem (don't worry its fractions and I know those) Peace from Missouri

School people live for snow, especially in January and February-spring is too far away and Christmas holidays are too far gone. When the weather people say: "snow advisory, 3 to 5 inches expected" school people pretend to be upset, but deep inside we are just like the kids. We check the computer weather maps, we listen to TV and radio stations for up to the minute reports-yes, yes, yes snow is coming. It started snowing at 11:00, big flakes, couldn't see across the street, excitement in the teacher's lounge (workroom) was at a peak, lunch then early out, no school tomorrow-a long weekend. But.... then it happened, lunch....and the snow stopped, actually melted off the streets. No early out, school tomorrow-horrors of horrors!!!! Where do we go to find that weather person who got our hopes up for sledding, snow angels, cc skiing and a snow day.

So will go to bed at regular time, lesson plans for school tomorrow, teachers will be grumpy, kids will be grumpy and me-I think it is time to retire.

Peace

Did you know that more people kill themselves last Monday, January 21, than any other day of the year? Bills come due, Christmas is over and the winter cold really soaks in-so my question is, at what age will this be my thoughts. Right now, I love the cold of January, and since we started paying cash for Christmas there are no bills, I love Christmas but since THWOTH keeps a tree up the year round, Christmas never disappears; the hard time for me is April (TAXES) but then the Masters golf tournament helps me through that period and beside, Uncle Sam could care less, he just wants my money!

We are on the downside of days of school left (180) but have completed 95 yeah! Always think about what would be the options of retirement. I think that if I retire I would continue to teach something to somebody.
Played poker with the "boys" last night-I am the youngest one playing but they kick my butt. Good thing we play nickles and dimes because otherwise would be very expensive-think I won 3 games last night-but much fun. When they come to my house mom will probably want to play, who knows there are a couple of widowers in the group!

Close to lunch time so better stop looking busy. Peace from January in Missouri.

What does collaboration day mean to teachers? To young and aspiring it means a chance to meet with others in their fields and learn new and inspiring techniques of bring "the message" to young people (or getting better scores on the NCLB test). To teachers in the middle of their careers it is a chance to meet but not get too excited because they now have the wisdom and know how to bring "the message" (use the time to grade papers). To the teachers at the end it is a chance to pretend that they are collaborating but in fact "we" are hiding and pretending because we do know that "the message" is pretty much the same but the delivery is the secret-see 180 Shows A Year (I think it was a book, if not it should be).
So here I am collaborating with all of those who read this (1)? I wish I could be more inspiring and reflective upon my career-I still think that all teachers should teach pedagogy courses for two years as they leave the profession-just nuts and bolts, no pie in the sky.
But then I guess that I should be "collaborating" with some new teachers so that I could show them "the message technique" but I also question whether we still have time for "the message" because of NCLB-we need to score well (or our students need to score well) and "the message", well it can wait for another day (or political climate)!
Peace

Nothing inspires an educator more than two four day weeks back to back-of course one involves teacher collaboration activities (I though have offered to teach in the rehab place after spending my morning in collaboration activites. I will be done at 2:30 then they never know what I do after that). Oh the life of a teacher.

Right now I am looking busy until 20 minutes from now when I will use my master degree plus my 40 hours beyond the masters to supervise the lunch room. The weather people have forecast rain changing to snow with some accumulation-that usually means they have no clue but want to be on the safe side just in case we get blasted.

I have already written to a Missouri Legislator plus a phone call concerning their attempt to take over the supervision of high school activities across the state. A parent from a very rich part of St. Louis is upset b/c the state refused to grant their son eligibility to play soccer. Two things wrong, one he spent 4 years in high school in Africa (Missouri allows 4 years to play-no red shirts!) plus he wants to play soccer-a total waste as a sport.

Columbia schools are proposing a 59 cent increase in property taxes to help fund the schools and of course every crazy has come out of the wood work...one said that the Columbia schools have a 47% drop out rate. I think he has trouble with decimals b/c I think the drop out rate is 4.7! Obviously a well educated person! But this is only the beginning.
The Media Center teacher is upset b/c she has to supervise a student survey on the computers so I am hunkered down from her. Usually she brings one of her bull mastiffs to school for the kids to play with-it is like a large pony.

I now must go eat lunch-another rite of passage for new teachers. I did get my workout done and have nothing tonight. Yeah.
Must run.
Peace

True to living in Missouri the weather has changed again and we have (gasp) snow in the forecast-not enough to get excited about but at least more like winter. My class of after school long term suspension kids are still hard at work or at least looking like they are hard at work. I catch one watching music videos once in a while but at least he is here (probably at the request of his J.O.!)
School is back up and running-just finished our 5th day and our 85th overall. My retirement from real education has been excellent and this gig is the best! Just as long as I can go home at night and not have to worry about where some of these kids are sleeping or whether they can still pay their rent at the end of the month, life is good!
Politics: The wrong person won in NH last night but then the race is not over. Did the NH folks tell the pollsters what the pollsters wanted to hear-yes I am not racist and I will vote for the man with the strange name-then when I get in the booth I will vote for how I really feel? Did the other candidate starting to "choke up" and act like a real person have an effect? Was the "choke up" real or for the politics of the moment? But what an exciting time, great speeches, sounds hopeful that change will (can) occur, can they do what is best for us and not just the concerns of the "base"? Can the campaign stay positive about the good things?
I love my life and appreciate my gifts. I hope that I make a difference and on this Wednesday I know that when some of the students go home they will remember the old guy who taught me the importance of history, being a responsible citizen and how to appreciate "Our Town", "To Kill A Mockingbird" and "The Death of a Salesman".
Peace

Christmas is officially over, even though the tree and all the decorations are still up and shining. The youngest daughter and her family left today. It is always hard for visits because we know it will be several months (if we are lucky) before we see them again. The oldest daughter and her family were here for Thanksgiving but the visit kicked off the season and although we were sad to see them leave we knew that within 3 weeks we would have another visit. Now we have another birthday to look forward to, I know I am lucky to still be having birthdays as this year I lost several friends plus mom turns 93 in a week or so.

I still think about some of the Christmas times at the farm, without cable tv just family and much friends and family. The dinners with Grandmom Kidney reading stories to the girls and dad teasing them at the table with "Piggy Bites", aunt Bernice and Uncle John and the neat gifts they brought from KC, Aunt Thurley and Uncle Emil, cousin Sandra and their visits, the pictures in front of the fireplace (Heather and Laura had to sleep with their hair in curlers so they looked good), the times before the family even existed and we made trips to St. Joseph to the Christian Brothers Holiday tournament or basketball practice on New Years day-at 7:00 in the morning! Guess those times were much simpler and I couldn't wait to grow up and get things going in my own life. I remember when I was a kid that we went to town for Christmas with Grandmom and Grandpa Richter, then home for Christmas morning then drive to McFall for Christmas with the Kidney side then home to do the chores-and finally get to play with my toys that Santa brought!

The daughter has filled the holidays with traditions some started by the family but some by her. She doesn't strip the beds after we leave because she can go in and take naps and still be close because the sheets still have "us" on them. She didn't strip the sheets today when she left today and I expect that the WOFTH will take her afternoon naps there.

I have picked up all the cups with left over juice and milk in them, I have picked up the cookie crumbs and found all the stuffed animals that Molly has a tendency to store in various secret places. The fairy house was a big success as the fairy family started to move in and kept leaving new "toys" each day, much to the fascination of Molly and Harry-I expect that within a few weeks they will be moved in.
The house is too quiet, the play station is not running and we are not making any emergency trips to Sonic! They will be in Kansas City for a few days and I hope that their visit with that side of the state is good, but it is hard not to be selfish! The TV is mine again, movies and news, back to the regular routine however boring it can become-guess that is my choice!

Don't get me wrong the Christmas week was truly wonderful, from tracking their plane this time last week as they traveled through a snow storm, to the trips to Bouches and Shakespeares, the trip to see all the big fish at Bass Pro, the Fat Tires enjoyed by all and mornings of Amie's pancakes and bacon to the basketball game and of course Christmas morning after Santa had stopped by. School resumes on the 3rd (as it has done for 60 years in my life) and January and February are not my favorite times unless there is enough snow that we can get out an play.

There will be New Year's resolutions made and broken-another depression moment. I know that I will recover and workout with the object of climbing Mt. Washington, this time all the way to the top, then it will be June and another trip to New Hampshire, but it sure seems far away right now. So will get busy doing something and take this moment to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Peace

The daughter called this morning-I always think that something is wrong but Molly was concerned that I might be cold in my wood shop. She told her mother that she needed to call and check on me. She thinks that I stay year round in the woodshop at camp and she was very concerned that it was too cold for me to stay there. Remember when we thougth that our teachers lived at school and were always so suprised to see them at the store?