Psyches Held in Line By Laws and Not Their Consciences

     My students arrived back after a three day weekend, so I asked a few students if they had a good weekend.  Most nodded with joy.  Some did a canned, "Yeah," and I knew that it wasn't so great for them being shuttled back to their families.  One was super excited and told me, "I finally got to see my dad.  He's at a halfway house."
     "That's wonderful!"  I thought fondly of my former foster student whose mom was in a halfway house while getting straight from her drug addiction.  He once told me that he had to do a DNA swab to determine who his dad was.  Fortunately, for my former student, his dad was a good provider.
      Then my current student added, "I haven't seen him for over 10 years!"
      "Why?"
      "He's been in jail for 10-1/2 years."
      "Oh," I said in shock that I tried to mask.
      "My brothers are in jail for life.  One of my brothers killed a couple people and my other brother wouldn't identify him, so they sent him to jail, too.  They're my half brothers.  My dad had a lot of women."
       Another student remarked, "My brother's in jail for life for killing a couple people, too."
       Though it was quite a bonding moment for my students, I was indeed shocked!!!  The reality of the students' psyches being held in line by laws and not their conscience started to sink in.  God has certainly placed an enormous responsibility on me.  What a task!  To try to instill a love for life in kids that have had it cheapened.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Hiking to Hidden Falls

     My job informed me that I had seven non work days to take before the end of June.  Woohoo!  I haven't had a paid vacation, since I worked as a mechanical engineer---20 years ago.  So I figured out my vacation strategy.  I'm going to visit my daughter, Sara, in Ohio in May while it's Mother's Day and warm, but not too hot or too cold.  Then I'm going to climb Mt. Shasta.
     Just thinking about climbing Mt. Shasta makes me anxious.  Thoughts of, "Can I still climb a mountain with arthritis in the arch of my foot?  I need to find a doctor around here and get some Diamox.  Will I be able to carry a backpack on my back and climb the mountain?  How much do I need to train?"
     My bicycling is waning, since I moved.  I've been so focused on kayaking on Lake Natoma that my cardiovascular fitness is a major concern.  Now I'm in hiking land though---at the base of the Sierras in Sacramento.  I did find a hiking club at Fair Oaks Presbyterian church, as well as some "Meet Up" hiking groups.  The church group had a moderate hike planned this weekend to Hidden Falls in Auburn, so I seized the day and joined them and started building up my cardiovascular system.

     We hiked a 6-mile loop through grassy, Oak-tree-filled rolling hills.  Wild flowers and poison oak abounded.  Isn't that life---beauty and pain intertwined.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

When People Steal

     This morning a student walked in complaining that her $10 bill was missing from her dorm room and there was no way that it left her room alone.  Thoughts of my Appalachian mother-in-law's quip in that situation came to mind and I repeated it, "If they had to steal it, then they needed it more than you do."
     "What?  I needed that money!  What the heck?  If they needed it more than me, then they could have asked for it."  A few minutes later she asked me to put that up as my quote of the day.
     "But you were offended by it."
     "No, it's actually funny."
     "It does take you from the feeling of being violated to actually putting yourself in the thief's shoes."  So I wrote it up on the board under my quotes of the day with the caveat, "...but it's still wrong btw."
     She loved the little addendum, "...but it's still wrong btw."

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Goslings Are Born!

     On Thursday my high school friend with whom I started kayaking showed me a goose nest on a river boulder in Lake Natoma.  The mom was missing, so I got to look at the big goose eggs nestled in goose down.

     After talking with my friend for a while in the little cove by this boulder, we watched the mother fly back to the nest.

       By our Sunday kayak trip the eggs were hatched and the goslings were bobbing around.  Many geese were on guard around the nest.  When a nearby cliff diver splashed into the water, one gosling was so startled that it fell into the water from the nest.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Sacramento, The Home of Athletic Outdoor Fun!

   Only in Sacramento can I go kayaking in the evening amongst Canadian geese and deer on a long, glassy lake and the next day go Spring skiing at a world-reknown ski resort, Squaw Valley.

     I hadn't skied for about 15 years, so I was a bit nervous. After a few hours I was moguling steep mountainsides again. Skiing is like bicycling---it comes right back to you.  I even rescued the ski of a 25-year-old man, who crashed on the moguls right below me!  That must have been something for him and his friends to see---to have the older lady skiing down the moguls well without using poles and delivering a ski! lol

      I have to say that I had the most scenic place to eat lunch after a fabulous morning of skiing.

Then it was time to ski down from my lunch perch.

      After this great ski day I learned how to stand-up paddleboard at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center.  That was much easier than I thought!  That sport really tones your core muscles and many levels of fitness can do Stand-up Paddleboarding.
     Immediately after my afternoon class, I showered up and headed up to Nevada City to go to the Community Asian Theatre of the Sierras (CATS) with my dad and see "The Teahouse of the August Moon.  It was a little slow in the beginning, but as soon as Lotus Blossom showed up, the play was really entertaining and kept me awake after so much physical activity earlier.  I laughed and was mezmerized by the Geisha Fan Dance that Lotus Blossom performed so professionally.  You didn't need to know Japanese, but if you do, I'm sure that it'd be even more humorous!  I would highly reccommend this play which runs through May 5, 2012.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Working With "At Risk" Students Update

     Another week of my new job has passed, and I still feel blessed to have this job teaching "At Risk" high school students math.  This week I not only taught math, but dealt with reverse racial discrimination and lessons about pride.  This population of students ranging from 16-24 need a whole lot more than a math teacher.  They need adults in their life who are successfully navigating this hazardous, but beautiful world.
     We've had about 4 students pass through math, their last barrier to "Seniors" class and high school graduation or a GED.  At first, I didn't understand why they were monopolizing my time by asking questions and being insistent about me grading their worksheets.  They wanted their check-off list signed off.  They have had their high school diploma out of reach for so many years and now it was in reach.  I was the only bottleneck left to the end---graduating from high school and getting a job.
     Unfortunately, these focused students took my focus away from some of the quiet flounderers.  I still managed to find time for my students on the opposite side of achievement.  My boxer has found a way to stay awake via leg exercises and a hand exerciser to keep his blood pressure higher.  He still hasn't passed his last major test of Module 1, but he's getting better and better scores.  He's learning math!
    I did have the misfortune of dealing with a young African American student who strongly dislikes white people.  She refused to let me help her.  Only my Asian Indian co-teacher was allowed to help her.  The worst occurred when I gently tapped this student's shoulder to get her to pay attention to this other teacher's announcement and the student spurted out, "Don't touch me!"  I felt like she treated me like a contagious disease. 
    At that point my other teacher and I had a talk with her.  The other teacher was very aware of the racial prejudice occurring and talked to her about it.  All the young lady would say is, "I just feel more comfortable with Ms. Partha."
    I explained at the end of the meeting, "We are getting you ready to get a job.  You will have to work with a lot of other people and this behavior will not fly." 
    Fortunately, I have mostly positive experiences with the students.  One student who is especially interested in my life and normally very pleasant mentioned how wrong it was that the teacher who had the vacuum cleaner that he took wanted him to apologize for taking it without asking her.  He also is busy reading a lot about inner peace. 
     I explained, "Pride is the reason why you don't want to apologize.  Pride is getting in the way of peace."  He agreed and darted off to apologize to her.  It's moments like that which make me thankful for the long road that I've traveled to become ready to be a teacher at this school with so many needs.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Intimacy and Abandonment

This morning I visited Fair Oaks Presbyterian a second time to see if their moving music and inspirational pastoral message was a fluke.  There was no bell choir or soloists or theatrical productions.  The large, uniformed, Chancel choir sang their four-part harmony again.  This time I tried to sing the alto part with them while using the choral book, but without practice that proved difficult.  A different pastor delivered the message at today’s service. 

He didn’t have the stage presence that the main pastor has.  He did make tears come down my cheek, however.  He spoke about the opposite of intimacy.   “It’s not hate.  No, love and hate are opposites, but the opposite of intimacy is abandonment.”

Abandonment.   Abandoment.   Abandoment.  Is that when you had a family to which you gave your life and now you are sitting alone in a strange church where everyone else is sitting in couples and feeling blessed by the children surrounding them?  Is that why I’m afraid to be intimate with a man again, because I just get abandoned?  Yes, I’d have to agree that the opposite of intimacy is abandonment. 

This pastor definitely twisted a thorn embedded within me.  I didn’t even notice that thorn.   Now I can pull that thorn out, so healing can begin.   I haven’t had a pastor do that since my former Daybreak pastor.

After that wrenching realization I got ready to go kayaking with a high school acquaintance.  We became friends on Facebook and found that we both like to kayak.  It was nice to finally kayak with someone else.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Blue Skies After the Rains

     The rainy season of Sacramento must have waited for me to arrive.  After weeks of rain some of the strongest thunderstorms in decades hit us last week.  My condo did spring a leak in the roof, but it is a rental and the water only damaged the ceiling, not my things.  Fortunately, for the landlord the repairs will be covered under warranty, since they recently got a new roof over that section.
     Today a beautiful blue sky appeared after I took my nephew to "Hunger Games."  As he and I departed that fabulous movie with smiles, I noticed the bicyclists on the bike trail along Lake Natoma.  The bike trail beckoned to me in a way that I couldn't resist.  I did have a lot more paintings to hang, but they would have to wait.
     Connecting to the bike trail along the American River is a breeze.  Gold River has a bike trail extension that connects our neighborhood right to the main trail.  As I pedaled harder to get my heart rate up, I noticed that the American River bike trail is a treasure to behold as I rubbernecked most of the time---nearly missing a few oncoming bicyclists. 
     The river itself is memorizing.  Lake Natoma is also gorgeous and had crew races today, so there was an unusal amount of long rowing boats on the water.  I passed a photographer taking pictures of the tall, purple lupine that emerged in large swaths along the trail and in the vibrant-green, grassy clearings.  Orange, golden poppies popped up here and there in the grasses and sometimes even on the river islands.  It was all so fabulous that I felt no pain from my infrequent biking.
     Riding back into my gated community I had a chance to gab with my neighbors that were walking their little dogs.  My neighbors are very nice, despite all the homeowner association "Don'ts."  One of the older ladies is an avid bicyclist, too.  She's the one who asked me to join the 49'er Club.  She let me know that the bike trail extends even farther than Lake Natoma and told me how to find that trail that goes to Beals Point at Lake Folsom.
    A trip to Beals Point will be an adventure for next weekend.  Now that I'm working, I've started the terrible habit of being a weekend athlete.  I will definitely have to break that habit from developing more. 
    After stretching, taking some Advil, and eating dinner, I laid down and watched "A Night to Remember," which is the nonfiction, 1958, English version of the Titanic movie.  It was quite moving, especially on the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.  That was such a terrible tragedy of manufacturing and pilot error.  At least we have learned from it.   After the storms of life, there are always blue skies.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!
   

Finding My Rhythm At Work

    My work is still a wonderful experience.  Yes, I teach students that have had to con others to stay alive on the streets.  Yes, there are students who I don't like to dealing with when they are oozing attitude.  Yes, there are pregnant female students.  However, there are others that are just so grateful to have a safe place to sleep and a chance at getting a job, so that they can take care of themselves and their future (or maybe current) family. 
    These students didn't have anyone instilling wise lessons in them.  They don't have deeply engrained work ethics, because most of their parents didn't have great work ethics.  Our school and Job Corp. instill great work ethics.  We are the students' good, adult influences and are so much more strict than a public school.
    We are the structure that these students didn't have.  If a student enters the room a minute late, they're tardy which affects their campus privileges, if chronic.  We are preparing them for a job and promptness is a necessary job skill.  I'm constantly having the girls take their facial piercings out, so that they can practice being presentable.  Some of the empty holes in the faces from the piercings aren't pleasant at which to look though. 
     If students get positive Intervention Reports, they get to live in the dorm with more luxuries like TV's in the rooms.  They also get the first lunch for consistently good behavior.  Apparently, the first lunch is very coveted.  On payday, which is only $45-$49 every month, the well-behaved students get a little more.  So behavior modification techniques are heavily used at this government intervention facility.
    To be a part of emparting hope for a new, independent life with a job is such an awesome experience.  The teachers and students act as a team.  The students know that we're there to help them help themselves.  Some students are much more needy than others, but it's all good.  One of my super needy students was one of three that completed high school math this week!  She was taking math three periods a day, since math was the last academic subject for her to pass before she finishes her "Seniors" class and gets her high school diploma.
    In "Seniors" they do an actual business plan for their future career, give a presentation about this plan, and do a detailed CAD design of their business.  In math they start their CAD drawing of their future business---property, building, landscaping, and parking.  CAD is interwoven into our math lessons which is one of the reasons why I was hired---despite a bad reference.  I used CAD for engineering and landscape design and CAD can take a long time to learn.
     Today I actually did my version of the students' CAD design for their "Seniors" class.  I'm trying to do all their CAD assignments, so I can anticipate their questions and know what is required for assignment sign-offs. My co-teacher is still the only one who knows exactly what the students are supposed to do on some of the CAD assignments, but by next week that won't be a problem.  It'd be easier, if we could actually trust the students to tell us the truth---that they did everything that was required for each sign-off, but like I said, they've had to be con artists to get by on the streets.  They know that we have to treat them with suspicion, accept our scrutiny, and don't hold it against us either. 
     Our classroom life is not all rules and hard work though.  I try to add a little joy into our math classroom, since most everyone walking through the door hates math.  I found that even the con artists like my happy faces and "Awesome!" on their graded worksheets.  I found that even the con artists like that I can speak Spanish to them, if they're Spanish speakers.  In fact I sang, "Feliz Cumpleanos a Ti!" to a young man who just turned 20 today.  I found that even the con artists, though 6'-4" like to share an umbrella with their little math teacher.  I had to really stretch my arm up to get the umbrella above his head!  Yes, we have a structured life at school, but it has smiles and love in it, too.  That's why I love my new, wonderful job.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Got Wireless? I Didn't!

      If you're an avid reader of my blog, you've probably noticed how I've been off line for many days.  Well, my new condo has been quite a challenge for my internet carrier, Comcast.  Sometimes my internet and land line worked, and sometimes they didn't.  During the first lapse of service, I just about exploded in a temper tantrum.  Then I settled in to just being highly disappointed in Comcast and trapped by their monopoly of our area.
     Fortunately, the last of the four internet technicians, the Navy SEAL of Comcast, arrived.  I decided that I was going to ask him as many questions as I could about his cabling and the ease of tampering with that cabling.  Who knew?  Someone on the outside of the condo could just be trying to make me crazy via internet connection loss.
     He showed me where the cables entered the condo and where the amplifier for the neighborhood is located---right across from my garage.  With that configuration my internet should be lightening fast like the service of my neighbor, who also has and loves Comcast.
     The technician also explained that lifting the inside cables to vacuum couldn't bring my internet down.  When he discovered all the "Daisy Chains" in the cabling inside my home, he was concerned.  "Daisy Chains" in most technical applications, whether plumbing or electrical, reduce efficiency.  I knew that all too well from redesigning high vacuum pump systems to reduce any inefficiencies like distance, bends, and "Daisy Chains."
     My internal lightbulb went on, "What if we move the motem downstairs by the TV where the cable comes into the condo?  That will get rid of one 'Daisy Chain'."
     "If you have a phone line by the cable connection, I'll do that.  That location would work much better."
      I searched for a phone jack, but there was none near the cable.  There was a security system box in the closet on the other side of the wall though.  I knew that that system is linked to the home land line, so I suggested drilling a hole through the wall to the closet to get to that line.
      It worked!  He did all the work neatly and stayed about 3 hours reinstalling the motem in the new location.  In the end he got me lightening-fast, reliable Internet!!!   Now I'm much happier with Comcast.  I'm much happier to be able to Google directions, find businesses and churches again, check the stock market which crashed while my internet was down, and keep up with my Facebook friends.  Hopefully, I'll never lose my internet connection here again.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Easter Without Any Traditions

Easter morning I dressed in my colorful Anthropology pants outfit with confetti-patterned top; azul-blue pants; and long, flowing, rust-colored sweater which looked like a celebratory party in fabric.  I also wore my 1.5”-oval, Ostrich-eggshell earrings to represent Easter eggs.  I didn’t really care if this new Fair Oaks Presbyterian church would be offended by my free spirited dress.  I was dressing for God, not people.  Easter is the Super bowl day of Christ followers---when the sacred lamb, Jesus, sacrificed himself as a sin offering, so that we could be worthy---forgiven of our sins---to enter Heaven via Him.  

During my walk from the parking boondocks to the large, popular church, I felt that it was just as extreme as some of those women in Easter hats and colorful dresses.  The church members greeted me with a nice welcome table and gave me a bag of promotional items like a “New Testament:  Psalms & Proverbs” NIV handbook.   I like reading the Torah and Tanuch, the Old Testament, with the New Testament, but the handbook was a nice gesture.

The Easter service began with the bell choir playing “Were You There.”  Thirteen women played two notes each with bells.  Tears came to the corners of my eyes while I listened to the beauty of their musical piece.  At times they changed bells to sustain bells which were quite a pleasure to hear.

Then the musical about Jesus rising from the tomb started.  It was like being in the audience of a TV church production.  I was just amazed at the professionally trained voices of the soloists.  The chancel (chamber) choir also sang “Hallelujah form Mount of Olives,” a beautiful 5 to 6 piece harmony by Beethoven.   They did such a wonderful job that I really wanted to become Presbyterian just to join that choir!

However, the main reason to join a church choir is to be a part of a church with a pastor or priest that has the messages from God that I need to hear.  The Fair Oaks Presbyterian pastor delivered.  His message was “Are You In?”  He was quite colorful, expressive, and charismatic.  He definitely is a potential pastor for me.  I will have to go to a few more regular services to see if he can keep up his freshness and zest.

Verbally wrestling reluctant Drew, I tried to get him to answer, “Are You In?” but in regards to going to Blair’s house for Easter supper.   He eventually was and we arrived with a few boundaries.  Drew knew that Blair and I just liked having him around.  I knew that I needed to steer Blair to ask more questions of Drew instead of talk about her medical issues.  Drew wanted his presence to matter.  He wanted to be more than a listener, but a sharer of his life, too.

Drew enjoyed the amazing Easter supper of orange duck, broccoli, and couscous and some of the conversation.  I did manage to steer some of Blair’s conversations toward learning about Drew, but our family’s ability to talk about ourselves is quite engrained.  I’m just glad that my kids and ex-husband did an intervention on me to make me aware of my lack of conversational ability.  Now I can try to improve that.

After supper Drew sprinted back to San Francisco State University.  Our Easter was quite different today.  I went to church by myself.  We had no Easter egg hunts, except mine to find my Ostrich-egg-shell earrings.  We didn’t have an enormous feast with my cousin, Alice.  We just had a different Easter.  It’s a new life to settle upon new traditions.
P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Morning Light Upon My Colorful Blossoms!

                 As I ate breakfast I was struck in awe by the sunlit, pink blossoms on the flowering plum tree just beyond the fence and cardinal leaves of my Japanese Maple tree which is the center piece of my kitchen area courtyard.  The rains had forced me to focus on the inside of the condo, but the blossoming courtyards of the condo were beckoning to me like plants that knew just how to entice me to walk amongst them. 

                Grabbing my camera after my last bite, I quickly seized the moment.  The gorgeous morning light upon the plethora of petals and colorful leaves called to me, and I knew that it was fleeting.

                Like the beckoning of the garden, the thought of my collegiate son arriving later in the afternoon crossed my mind and spurred me to finish unpacking the few boxes that littered the upstairs hallway and bedrooms and vacuuming.  It took a few hours, but the closets were well organized as long term storage in the two guest bedrooms and certain areas of the office/sewing/storage room and master bedroom were piled with boxes for future exploration.

                Next the bare refrigerator had to be filled.  I was quickly becoming the stereotypical, single career woman with no food in her frig!  Bel Air, the local supermarket, was full of people gathering food for Easter celebrations.  Moving the cart down aisles took a great deal of patience with the clustering of people everywhere.  Not being familiar with the store layout did not help my grocery shopping efficiency either.

                The Easter lilies were the first item in my cart.  I’d be eating Easter lunch at my sister’s house and Easter lilies always reminded me of Blair’s and my journey to find the perfect Easter lily for Mom.  I had to get her one.  When we were young girls, we walked over a ½ mile to our local grocery store to get an Easter lily for Mom, but none of their lilies were in bloom.  So we left and walked to a Short Stop almost 2 miles from our home and found our treasure---the perfect Easter lily for Mom.  We gently carried it all the way home and our mom was so happy! 

                Once I gathered a basketful of food at the grocery store for my upcoming week and my visiting son, I headed home to bake.   I created a peach pie recipe in my head based on my apple pie recipe minus the spices.  Peaches need only sweetness with tartness to make a delicious peach pie.  I picked a lemon from the tree outside and used half its juice for the pie, ½ cup of flour to thicken the pie juice, and used a cup of Splenda to replace the cup of sugar.  After draining the three jars of sliced peaches and mixing the flour and Splenda, I layered the pie filling in a Pillsbury pie crust---Splenda mixture, bits of butter, lemon juice, and peach layers.  Then I closed the pie with the top crust and decorated it with an Easter bunny and crucifixes.

                I also cooked up some brownies for Drew and then took the trash out.  Just as I was heading through the garage, my neighbor who was my dad’s patient came over to buy three books!  Yay!  So I signed a few hard copies for him.  One thing of which I always knew the location was my sharpie pen for signing books. J  An active author always has several sharpies on hand!

                Drew finally arrived just before the brownies were finished.  For some reason my phone and internet went down between my neighbor’s book signing and my son’s arrival.  I couldn’t open the gate at the front of our community with my landline.  I was so disappointed in Comcast.  They just repaired my internet and phone connections on Thursday, but apparently they only repaired a symptom and not the root cause of the problem.  When I tried to contact them about sending a repairman out ASAP, they hung up on my three times!  If there was another reputable internet provider for my area, I would dump Comcast in a nanosecond.  I hate monopolies!

                Drew’s Hawaiian shirt caught my eye as he pulled up in the metallic-turquoise Nissan.  A neighbor in a cherry-red, Mercedes, sports car slowed in the distance, as if to study my son walking back to my condo with me.  I warned my neighbors that my son is 6’-3” and a little scary looking (not to me, but to conservative, rich people), but he is a sweetheart.

                I remember when I took Drew to a Romero’s concert at St. James and saw the reaction to his appearance from some of the older, Rancho Santa Fe ladies that didn’t normally frequent the church.   Even though they had had at least 3 plastic surgeries, they managed to show fear on their tightly-stretched, Botoxed faces. 

After the concert Drew asked me, “Mom, are middle-aged women afraid of me?”

                “Yes.  It’s your long hair and height.  Even your grandfather is a little intimidated by your height,” I honestly answered. 

Honestly, I found the faces of the surgically-altered women much scarier---even scarier than an adult Halloween mask.  Their life was a mask---a superficial representation of a happy life with too much money.  It seemed that they had no love of inner, lasting beauty that exudes from the eyes that see God’s gifts, laughing wrinkles, and a truly happy smile.   I only hope that those poor women had experienced real love.  How truly horrifying it would be to live a full life and never know love which is priceless.  Love is more priceless than seeing the morning sun alight the plethora of colors of the leaves and flower blossoms in my courtyards.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Friday Night Sunset Paddle

      It was the end of a great first week as a SIATech math teacher.  Progress was slow for a few students, but they still made some progress.  Only two students were a major concern for me.  The boxer was moving slowly through practice assessments and inching his scores higher as I’d pass by, see what he didn’t know, give him a quick lesson, and let him loose on his practice assessments again.  The student I’ll call Boomerang was not making progress though. 

     His nickname, Boomerang, was earned, because whatever any teacher teaches him, he twists the lesson around, finds fault that the teacher or test writer caused, and never takes any responsibility for his own failings.  When I asked him how long he’d been taking this one final assessment on Module 1, he showed me his paperwork and said, “January.  I don’t see why I have to pass this final test when I passed all the unit tests.  These tests are wrong, too.  They’ve got wrong answers.”

     After he left at the end of the period, I started taking his Module 1 Final.  Nope, the answers were all right in that assessment.  I just needed to teach him a few techniques, so he could pass that assessment.  I rummaged through a lot of Pre-algebra workbooks and tagged pages for Boomerang to do for practice.  Then today I explained that he should do these pages, and he’ll do much better on the assessment.  I gave him a brief lesson as well that he watched via a suspicious sideways gaze.

      When I returned to grade papers, I watched him not work on the workbooks and start the computer assessment again.  He completed that final assessment and failed again.  I walked over and said, “Do you know that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?”

       “Are you calling me insane!”

       I calmly reassured, “No.  I’m explaining to you the definition of insanity.  Doing the final assessment over and over again for three months and expecting to pass it without trying to do anything different is insane and will just make you angry.  I’m not calling you insane.  Don’t take my statement personally.”

       Class ended and soon my teaching day ended.  On the way home I had an extreme need for kayaking.  I needed to get out into the wide open spaces and focus on all the beauty in this world!  Driving directly to the Sacramento Aquatics Center at Lake Natoma, I borrowed a rental kayak, since my private kayak launch area was overtaken by a sports team bonding session, and got into my peaceful zone.

       I found a lot of birds.  I saw a type of wood duck with a cool, rust-colored head with tufts of feathers like a horse’s mane on the back.  I found egrets nesting in trees with cormorants.  Down south in San Diego the cormorants nest on ocean cliffs and the egrets nest in the wetlands.  I’d never seen them nest in high trees before and in such a large nesting colony. 

       The vultures were all nesting next to the trees with the egrets and cormorants.  I guess even other birds don’t like vultures!  They are not only honor less scavengers; they’re the ugliest bird, too.

        Canadian geese are all over Lake Natoma.  They’re usually in mating pairs.

        After discovering a well hidden rope swing, curiosity lured me to explore the abandoned water pump station for the former river----which has been partially submerged when the waters of Lake Natoma rose. 

         It dawned on me as I was paddling that I had no idea what time it was while I was paddling back.  My waterproof watch was attached to my kayak’s seat.  This borrowed kayak had no watch.  I used the sun as a gauge, but I didn’t know what time the sun sets.  I paddled so hard that my elbows actually started to feel it, but I made it back to the Aquatic Center before they closed the women’s locker room at 7pm.  They actually kept it open for me, because I arrived at 7:08pm.  At least I have a spare car key on my lifejacket at all times, so I could have gotten home if the front desk left.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

    

New Kayaking Water---Lake Natoma

    After another great day at work, I decided to drive directly to Lake Natoma and use my new paddling membership at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

Settling in as a Teacher

    Day two went as well as day 1.  My classes weren’t just on good behavior, because it was my first day.   They are well behaved!  So classroom management is not my major focus, teaching is.   My biggest challenge is keeping track of which username goes with what secure government network---Job Corp or SIATech High School.

     Once I mastered the computer networks, I was able to take attendance, unlock exams for students that didn’t pass the first two, and check and answer my business e-mail.  I also had time to understand what AutoCAD commands the students are learning in their mathematics modules, so I could help them. 

     Of course, the students ask, “When will I ever use AutoCAD?”  So this morning to answer this question, I mounted on the wall one of my landscape, gazebo, and toxic and combustible gas delivery system designs which were drawn using AutoCAD or TurboCAD.   I also mounted a CVD pentagonal chamber design that someone designed using AutoCAD and a chart about the different types of fasteners.  What other math class would a fastener poster be appropriate?  Only this one for the students learning trades.

     At the end of the day I graded papers and attended my first staff meeting.  The other staff is really friendly and isn’t political or cynically complaining about the administration or district.  We just have our principal, who’s friendly and supportive.  The rest of the administration is in Oceanside, so we have a long leash.  It’s going to be a wonderful work life!  How wonderful to finally find my teaching niche!!!

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

First Day of Working as a Contracted Math Teacher!!!

   It was the first day of my new life in Sacramento.  I started my unusual math teaching job for students who have been expelled or dropped out of high school, orphaned, homeless, or Eritrean refugees to name a few.  As I waited in the security entrance to enter the school, I watched security wand every student that lived off campus.  I had no idea what all my classes would be like, but the day went better than I ever dreamed!

   My co-teacher has an extremely organized style which is exactly what I like.  She developed a student filing system and now that she’ll have more time, I’m sure that she’ll organize more.  When I told her that I had Aspergers, she didn’t know how to accommodate me.  I explained, “I am brutally honest and have few privacy issues, so you just say, ‘TMI---too much information!’”

    The students wear their trade uniforms to school.  One had a bright-orange, reflective vest signifying that he was learning the heavy equipment trade.  Many wore security guard uniforms.  The gray-blue, certified-medical-assistant uniforms stood out.  The culinary-arts program is ending, since the jobs in that area have dried up and a certified-nurse-assistant program will replace it.  Job Corp is definitely doing a good job of training the students for jobs that are available and needed.

    During an intervention meeting with one of my new students, I listened to the other teachers talk to the young man who was obsessed with boxing.  He passed his CAHSEE, so he was intelligent and not in need of accommodations.  He just wasn’t finishing his curriculum to get his high school diploma.  The teachers were extremely frustrated, since this was his second intervention meeting.

    “Where were you before you came to SIATech?”

     “The streets.”

     “Where will you go if you don’t graduate from SIATech?”

      “The streets.”

      “We can’t care about your high school diploma more than you.  You have to care and do the work.”

       After the teachers had exhausted their insights, I added, “When you’re stressed, you box.  So you focus on boxing, because it helps you deal with all your stress.  When you’re in math and frustrated, take a deep breath to relax yourself.  That’s what I do when I get stressed.  Then get up and write your name on the board to get help.  That will give you a little physical movement to help calm you down.”

     When I got to period 3, he was seated right next to me.  So as he stewed in his silent frustration over a math problem, I helped him.  Eventually, he said, “Look at this tutorial.  This is what I don’t understand.”

      Realizing that he just told me that he needed a different tool from which to learn, I pulled out a few math books---a pre-algebra and algebra book.  He liked the traditional algebra book and really started working.  I felt so jazzed that I was able to help him.  Now he has a better chance of staying off the streets.

     After all the tough classes for which I’ve taught or subbed, I found today that the challenging students weren’t even very challenging.  This seems like it’s going to be an easy career life.  Now I just have to get used to getting up at 5:30 am.

P.S.  To my blog readers:  If you want to support a struggling math/engineering teacher and author, please buy my first book, "The Romance of Kilimanjaro," soon to be followed by my second book at:  https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464960         Thank You!

   

Project Move: Day 32 Finished

    No, the boxes are not all opened and their contents put in their place, but I'm calling my move completed.  I know where everything is again, though it's not where I'd like it.  That will take another week or two.  However, I'm settled and ready to go to work as an "At Risk" secondary math teacher at an alternative high school.  My clothes are pressed, shoes polished, truck ready for the commute, appropriate teaching items discovered and loaded into the truck, and fitness membership and equipment purchased.  
    Though I won't be using my new skiis until next season, I went to Clarks Ski Shop in Rancho Cordova and bought everything at a serious discount!  They were so helpful, too!  They had me watch a video about the rocker K-2 skiis, so that I could understand the new technology, since my skiis are from 1982 and museum worthy.  Apparently, the rocker skiis are based on snowboarding technology which is what I've been doing while I wasn't skiing.  My kids wanted to snowboard, not ski, so I snowboarded with them.  I prefer the control of skiing, especially now that I'm older and don't want to get injured though.
     When I asked Clarks about ski clubs, they said that Alpine Adventures has Winterset for adults, as well as Snowdrifters for the kids.  They have scheduled bus trips to the slopes with discounted tickets and optional lessons.  When I was a kid, I was part of Avalanche Ski Club which did the same thing.  That's how I became an expert skier---catching the bus at the Arden-Arcade donut shop at 5:30am, sleeping and eating breakfast on the bus, skiing all day, hopping back on the bus at a specified time, and heading home.  I did that almost every Saturday with my friends.  It's fabulous that they have this for adults, too.  Next season I'm joining!!!
      After lunch at Rubios, which just isn't the same as San Diego's Rubios, I headed to Sacramento State Aquatic Center at Lake Natoma.  They'd previously given me a tour of the facilities.  I noted then that they had stationary bikes and rowing machines for inclemental-weather-day exercise.  After reading their catalog, I decided to get a Paddling Membership.  With that I can use their weight and locker rooms after work; borrow single-sit-on-top kayaks, tandem kayaks when I have guests, yak kayaks with the yokes, canoes, rowing ergometers (whatever they are), and Stand-Up Boards; and get discounts on their classes and outtings.  I also signed up for a river kayaking class, stand-up paddle class, and sunset paddle later in April and May.  What fun to have this center 3 miles from me!
     Now I'm ready to live, work, and play in Sacramento.  All I have to do now is pick out an outfit for work tomorrow and get a good nights sleep.  5:30am is going to be tough at first, but I'll get used to waking up at that time every morning.  How nice to know exactly what time to get up and where I'm driving every week day.  No more substitute teaching and living like a fireman waiting for the call to tell me where to go!  I'm a contracted teacher!!! :-)