Wear red, but don't tell anyone

Well, perhaps it was not such a great idea to reach for one post a day.  Or maybe it was the fact that I posted two things on the first day of my new resolution, and thus, never posted again.  At least this time I made it back in less than 6 months...

My new goal: Become a regular blogger
Timeline:  October 28 (the day after cross country ends)


Really what has brought me back is the topic of the Chicago teacher strike.  To be totally upfront, I really don't know a whole lot more than the basics--what has been broadcast on CNN Student News and what I read while surfing the web during a not-to-thrilling meeting.  I also know that you were supposed to wear red last Friday to support the teachers, but pretend you were wearing red for a different reason so no one knows the real reason you're wearing red...  [look of confusion]

Despite my somewhat surface-y knowledge of the strike, I have developed one very strong opinion, which I will now impose on all of you blog readers:  making the longest status ever regarding your opinion of the strike does not make you any friends.  First, your friends who are teachers will probably unfriend you or laugh quietly to themselves about how you just made yourself look like an idiot.  And your friends who are not teachers will probably be annoyed that you're offering your two-sense about another political issue that you don't know anything about.  I know we have our first amendment rights and all (BTW:  Happy Constitution Day!), but let's get real--no one cares.

Okay.  Rant over.

To make a general observation that is related to the strike, I am extremely bothered by the inability of people at the top to admit that their way may not be the best way.  The people at the top of the educational food chain say they have to best way to fix the "system" and refuse to listen to the people in the trenches.  It happens in schools everywhere.  It's happening in Chicago right now.  I will not expand (if I do it will definitely turn into another rant), it is just something interesting that I wanted to point out.

And with that, I leave blog world and return to real life: sleep, school, cross country, eat, cheer, homework, student council, repeat.

6 months later...

Ok.  I need to get with the blog program.  In order to get in the habit for my classroom blog I am starting next year (hey, let's be realistic...  I could try to start it now, but it would never happen), I am going to try to post one "New & Good" thing a day.  To kick off this new habit I will start with two things:

1. This morning on the way inside to take my lunch to the fridge, one of the trackletes told me his knee was hurting.  As usual I responded, "Good.  That means your working hard, which means you're getting better."  This athlete has been working particularly hard and has quite possibly made the most progress out of any of the other 35 kids who are out for track.  He is not a typical track athlete and I wanted to make sure he was aware of how proud the coaches are.  To make this short story shorter--I got him a bag of ice for his knee and took it to his first block.  At practice he thanked me and went on about the ice for a few minutes.  I could tell he was feeling good that he is valued just as much as the other athletes.
2. At practice in the pouring rain:
• Me:  Maybe I won't go for a run after practice...
• Z:  Ya good idea
• M:  But running makes you warmer
• Z:  Well ya, but SO DOES A HOUSE

These kids are full of entertainment today :)