4 months

Sometimes, the kids come out of nowhere with something that makes the stress and lack of sleep worthwhile.

Ms. Holmen,
You are my first physics teacher ever in my life. Your passion towards physics affected me to be more and more interested in physics. I learned a lot from you; specifically the calmness and the thinking process when I see a question. Thanks a lot and have a wonderful Christmas holiday.

Well, shucks, kid.

mottos

I was asked an interesting question yesterday.

It's been ages since I blogged, but the nutshell version of the last 12 months is that I moved to Vancouver, spent a year working in the outdoor ed and boarding programs of a prestigious boys' school called St. George's, went on some amazing trips and saw some amazing parts of BC and Alaska, and ended up being hired by a different independent school to teach IB physics.

I was asked... didn't it feel like a step down, to leave St. George's and come to where I am now? It was an interesting one, but not a hard one to answer. I love Saints. I loved living there, the friendships (particularly with the boarding staff), the kids, the routine, the rhythm of work life and personal life being integrated. I miss going home to a building of extraordinary young guys about whom I care very deeply.

But I wasn't a teacher there. I come to St. John's as a very new, very rookie teacher, but a teacher nonetheless. I have classes. I'm not someone's student teacher or someone's intern - I'm no longer defined in relation to someone else. It's stable. I can think about a plan beyond June.

I realized on my walk to school this morning that what I should have answered was "sine timore aut favore." That without fear or favour, we must forge ahead, as Mr. J would say. I've been given two amazing chances to be a part of the life of two amazing schools, in two very different capacities.

So no, not a step down. Maybe sideways.


Edit: Instead of "we must forge ahead," what I should have said is ad futura cum spe

a great need

Kelly posted this the other day. I don't know why it's resonating.



"Out of a great need

we are all holding hands

and climbing.

Not loving is a letting go.

Listen,

the terrain around here

is far too

dangerous

for that."


- hafiz

east and west

It's been quite the summer.

I've been in Gatineau, Quebec and Vancouver, British Columbia, and many places in between!

Right now, I am sitting in a house belonging to a school where I am working this year. I am going to try to blog regularly, so for a start, here is a synopsis of my summer in picture form:

A six-province summer

No, you don't need to be a facebook member to see the photos (or so it tells me).

I am spending this year here at St. George's working in their Outdoor Education and Service & Charity departments. It's going to be a great year.

this week

Here we go... week 2 of 4! April 30 is coming, slowly. I both want and don't want it to get here!

Things to look forward to this week:
-fine dining
-going by the university - there's a book I want to read that's not in the public library. And maybe I will actually get to the gym! Imagine that.
-Benji-ducky and dinner at the Milnes
-Career Fair - a different sort of morning, and a guy for whom I have a great deal of respect coming by Tec Voc
-WSD Science Fair - evaluating projects and seeing what neat ideas the kids come up with

And then, there will only be 2 weeks left! Crazy thought.

time for a new one?

Out on the front porch,
watching the cars as they go by,
Eighteen blue, twenty one grey,
Looking ahead for the first time that we could drive,
Out on our own,
To speed away


-"Sidewalks" by Story of the Year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6NtK44T8AU

PFD lifeline

Secretly (or, not so!), "teach me to kayak" = "let's hang out and have an adventure."