What kind of child?

So is it the child supposed to be when they grow up? My answer is the well rounded child. A child who is able to a little bit of everything; play sports, be successful in the classroom and be a good citizen.

That is the mission of the middle school. We are designed to keep all things in mind in all we do from the classroom to the hallways to the ball field. When in life is it enough to be just successful at one thing? By the time we are done with school, what does the world expect from us? We need to be able to be good at many things.

How do we prepare kids for this? We just do.

Golf

To say I like to play golf is like saying that my teenage daughter likes the Jonas Borthers. "Like" doesn't quite encapsulate the level to which we are infatuated with the two pursuits.

So bad is my infatuation that I look for the 15-30 minutes to chip and putt before I have to pick up a child of mine. So bad is it that I would know all the commentators on the golf channel. So bad is it that I played golf this past Saturday on a rain soaked fairway in 40 degree weather.

I love my family and NH. I enjoy my work and my own learning but golf is my personal quest for perfection. I can infuse all my competitive urges into this singular pursuit for a given amount of time and no one will think less of me. It isn't really supported to be competitive in the workplace, certainly not my workplace.

Don't misunderstand me, I do not spend endless hours on the golf course, contrary to what my wife might say. I find time throughout a busy week to keep the game in tune. When there is a large amount of free time, maybe in the summer, I do manage to fill a great deal of it with golf. It isn't solitary, I will play with anyone. I do prefer my family and friends but if you need a game, give me a call.

Looking forward to the warmer smells of summer and the late night round after dinner. But even now, you may find me playing if the snow isn't flying.

Self Analysis

I have found there are people who in life don't look at what they are doing, how they are treating others, and certainly are not letting people work in their own manner. It is true that sometimes people need a gentle "nudge" to improve or grow but then they are doing it truly because they were "nudged."

I find that we need to instill in our youth the ability to analyze themselves and their work or behavior. The ability to sensor themselves at the right time or to say the right thing at the right time can be as important a skill as learning your multiplication tables. Social development and the desire to succeed in the right way are two very important skills that schools can teach through modeling and certain lessons. It could be all they take from school.

Don't you wish some of the people we work with or are our neighbors had learned these things when they were younger?

Are we the same...

Are we the same as the kids we teach at the middle level? Limited attention spans, messy, and sometimes disorganized? I know I am. Shouldn't we empathize with their plight of adolescence as a result of our own challenges? Just a thought

Vacation: Rest or Excitement?

Can you have a vacation that is both restful and exciting? I don't know if it is possible.

When you don't go away for vacation and fill it with excitement, there is a good chance you will be rested but you will suffer from potential boredom.

When you go away and fill the week with excitement, you run the risk of needing a vacation from your vacation.

I have two solutions. The first is to extend the vacation to two weeks. Just when you are starting to relax, the week is over and a second week would allow you to really do both (have fun and relax).

The second choice is to have a snow day and to work on your blog. I am stuck with the second.