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Wednesday, January 30, 2008

On strike

So I just finished my second day of picketing; figure I walked about seven miles each day up and down the sidewalk in front of my school. I'm usually one of those people who doesn't like confrontation, but I feel strongly about this. The teachers in our district have been paid less than their peers in comparable districts and our board doesn't care. They think because they get loads of applicants for every opening that they can low-ball us.

I hate it. But I'll keep it up as long as I have to.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Tagged - now let's see it I do it right!

My daughter knows me better than just about anyone, so she knows this is right up my alley. Of course, she also knows that one book would fit into several of these categories, so it is a major deal for me to choose which one.


One book that changed your life: I had to think about this for a while, after I decided that To Kill A Mockingbird belonged in the "books that made me cry" section. In high school, it was Wuthering Heights; in college, probably The French Lieutenant's Woman or The Fountainhead. Recently, I think the book that continues to reshape me is Tim O'Brien's Vietnam "is it a novel or is it a memoir or is it something else entirely" The Things They Carried. This war happened while I was in my young adulthood but I never really understood what it was like for those who went there until I read this - and I don't want to act like I know NOW, since that would be somewhat presumptuous for one who WASN'T there, but at least I have a better idea. Of course, as an English teacher, I hope that MANY books change my students lives: Siddhartha, Frederick Douglass's Narrative, Kaffir Boy...I could go on and on.





One book you have read more than once: Centennial by James Michener - I read it, then watched the mini-series, then read it again...and again. This was when I was home a lot with a lot more unassigned time, but I was just fascinated with the way that part of the country has evolved and how cool Western people are. I tried other Michener books and none ever grabbed me like this one.




One book you would want on a desert island: An anthology - something with poetry, shorts stories, essays and plays. I'll check my shelves at school - maybe one will be THE one.



One book that made you laugh: I also picked Al Franken, but it's Lies and the Lying Liars that tell them. I can hear his voice (albeit with that SNL smarmy character) and, of course, I am 100% in agreement in all of his assessments. Oh, wait, maybe I like the Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot more. Whatever. Franken cracks me up. But it was hard to pick between this one and a couple other satires - Jon Stewart's America comes to mind. And there's always Candide - crazy stuff from Voltaire.



One book that made you cry: I taught To Kill A Mockingbird for many years (and miss it so much) and near the end, Scout takes Boo Radley by the hand and escorts him home. When she watches him walk in his house and close the door, she says, simply, "I never saw him again." Gets me teary every time. This is my FAVORITE book of all time. Everyone should read it. Everyone. Period



One book you wish you had written: Any of Jonathan Kozol's books on the disgraceful inequities in the way children live in this country, particularly in terms of public education. I first read Death at an Early Age in college; most recently I was terribly affected by Savage Inequalities.



One book you are currently reading: Does teaching count? I'm doing three of my favorites right now: Siddhartha, A Doll's House, and J.B. I love watching kids react to these for the first time - especially some kids with Siddhartha. I am seeing connection with a text from some kids who haven't shown any before. My AP kids are doing the two plays and I love listening to them read aloud with passion and nuance. (Sometimes I really love my job!)



One book you are meaning to read: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy - One of my students did her research project on him and read the ending, which, rather than spoiling it for me, makes me want to read it even more. Summer assignment for sure!

Okay, now that I've been tagged, I'm tagging Eric - in between driving truck and looking for someone to take him in, I'm certain he'll enjoy thinking about this.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

This is getting on my last nerve...

We have been working without a contract since September, and last night we set a strike date of January 29. This is, fortunately for seniors especially, after midterms and second marking period grades, but it still will stink if we end up walking. There are two scheduled negotiation sessions before then, so, cross fingers for us, please!