May has always been a hard month for me. This year is no different. I think it’s because it is a time of transitions, endings, and beginnings, with old routines and comfortable schedules ending, and new patterns emerging – some of them far from home. Anticipation of the “next step” can be felt as early…
High school Activities
Slice of Life Tuesday: Making Graduation Week Happy Instead of Hard
Sunday was a gray, overcast day and as it went on, my mood soured. I attributed this change in my emotions to the weather until I went on an errand late in the day. A father, presumably of a 2020 graduate in a neighboring town was in front of me in line at the fabric…
Everyone is Disappointed About Something Right Now, #SOL20: Day 14/Year 3.
The gauntlet was thrown late yesterday afternoon on the immediate plan to close public schools in Wisconsin due to slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Governor Evers issued a mandate that all K-12 schools in our state be closed from March 18th through a tentative reopening date of April 6th. The option for districts…
A Gift: Pursuing One’s Passion
As I have a student who will be graduating from high school this spring, I am interested in knowing the thoughts of others regarding the direction students will be headed after their graduation in 2020. My soon to be graduate is strong in mathematics and art, obviously using both sides of his brain. His propensity…
Field Trips: Navigating our World
Last Thursday I was lucky enough to go on a field trip to the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul with my son’s art class. The high school anatomy class students were also in tow. For about 45 kids, mostly in grades 11-12, there were three teachers and two parent chaperones. I had not…
The Cat in the Hat!
My son was the Cat – The Cat in the Hat! This shy timid boy, sang and danced the stage for musical theater became his bag. Thing One and Thing Two turned out to be cool, friends of son three who was never a fool. To be in a musical for all to see, springing…
Promoting the Unboxing of Students
Today is Slice of Life Tuesday and since many participants in this weekly forum hosted by TwoWritingTeachers.org are educators, my blog today focuses on an educational topic. It is also a post that applies to parents and offers encouragement to allow your student to find their strengths, whether or not those strengths fall within the…
The Pressure to Conform or Not
This morning I asked my son what day it was for week of special dress up days at the high school. I had seen that they had a theme for each day of the week this week, from the 17th through 21st celebrating the season. For example: Tuesday was Favorite Winterland Clothing Day. This meant…
Learning to Serve
Now that school is underway, students seem busier than ever. My youngest is an example. He has a full course load including AP classes, plays a varsity sport, and has a job as well. So far, he’s been juggling it all fairly well with the only side effects being those of tiredness and limited time…
Support What They Love
Tonight was senior night for my son’s soccer team. He’s only a junior but it was impossible not to be swept up in the excitement that filled the air near the pitch as the match was about to begin. Their record going into this game was 17-1-1 over with an undefeated record in conference play….