Some Other people's thoughts on things I think alot about...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2008/aug/26/inthepastmonthive

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/21852/rsc-seeks-greater-involvement-with-amateur

http://susan-oncemorewithfeeling.blogspot.com/2010/01/professionalamateur.html

Interesting thoughts from people on professional vs. amateur. The whole debate in theatre reminds me when I was a teacher and I would be frustrated because we were supposed to be professionals, but because we were also in a union the aspects of contracts and working to rule meant some teachers didn't necessarily approach the work as a professional but more as though it were just a job. I think that how you approach the work of theatre can be the same thing. If your approach is to attempt a level of excellence (whatever that would be for you) it is very different than if you just do the minimum.

Solutions...

So, frustrated with my perception of 'too late' with Ollie's grade 2 year I decided to put together a plan for doing what I can this summer to help him improve over the summer. The big issues seems to be focus (behavioral) and writing (cognitive/process). I can only do so much with the focus issue as it is one thing to get a a single child to focus and quite another in a class of 28 (what his class in the fall will have). So, today I made a worksheet up asking simple questions about our trip to the museum yesterday. The answers could then be taken and used to write a short story about the day. I am not skilled in Division I. I do not know what they are supposed to be able to do, so I had to rely on Ollie's cues about how skilled he should be. He wasn't happy about the exercise, but once we finished it, he seemed a lot more relaxed about it. He was really stressed about the idea of writing a story. This is hard for me to deal with because prior to this year he would try just about anything fearlessly. This school year has changed him in that regard. I am not sure why, but hopefully I will be able to help him enough so that he is comfortable writing in the fall.

Principal punched in face by angry parent...

I periodically surf the yahoo news articles and saw the above headline (or something like that). The article didn't give many details other than a male parent entered the school, was arguing with the female principal and then began hitting her in the face. He is now being charged with assault. This story bothers me because something like this can happen, and what bothered me even more was the "comments" afterwards. Many commenters were appalled but many were applauding the hitter and asking "what did the Principal do to create the situation?" as though that mattered. Sad sad sad.... Many people ask me if I intend to go back to teaching. I don't know. I have had 'scary' parent-teacher interviews where I signalled to the teacher at the next table over to 'rescue' me from an aggressive parent. I have had parent meetings that have caused me to cry later on. I didn't just stop teaching because I wanted to be home with my kids (although that was part of it), but also because I was so tired of dealing with the parents of the children I taught. Not all of them. The majority were amazing, supportive people. However, the terrible few, usually the parents of my most challenging students, made the job not worth going back to. At least not for a while.

So I miss the work. I miss the kids. But I don't miss feeling like with some kids I care more about their learning than their parents. And I don't miss being treated like an idiot by people who have a major teacher-hate thing.

A Visit to the Past

Last night I went and watched the Alberta Regional CIG finals at Eastglen High School. I went to cheer on the Westwood Team, as well as to watch the improv as a whole. I also figured that I would see several students from the past - which I did. It was a good night of Improv. Westwood did not win, they placed second, but they played very well. I still find it hard to watch CIG without thinking like a coach and analyzing all the scenes. I think that is why I prefer watching Theatre Sports now, because there is less structure and fewer rules so I don't sit and think about story, and character, and using the suggestion and all that. I did let some of the analysis go, so I got laughs out of the evening. I think that the kids should feel good because they entertained well and I know from experience how hard it is to come second (particularly when you are used to winning). I heard from one of the adjudicators that the team (WIT) was taking it really well and genuinely seemed happy for Harry Ainlay. I hope so because they deserve to feel good about a great night of entertainment.

It was good to see the kids from the past. They made me feel good, because they seemed happy to see me too. That's always nice for a teacher. They make me remember the GREAT THINGS about my teaching career and then I think a little less about the crappy things that went on in those last few years. I always felt bad at the end, because at the time it was so hard to watch WIT play back then. It was all wrapped up with feeling betrayed and bullied. I shall have to go and watch Theatre Sports and Chimprov (if I can stay up late enough) so that I can watch them as mature (?) adults, and separate their improv from the whole high school memory stuff.