Leap of Dave

Thursday, December 9, 2021

Dave Out Loud 2 Trees Edition

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

The difference: A Six Sentence Story

I have not participated in Six Sentence Stories at Girlie on the Edge's blog for some time now. Each Sunday she gives a prompt word and then later in the week posts a link to share the stories. This week's prompt word was guide.

The Difference

The sun was setting on the life of Edison Solomon, who had never really achieved the wisdom or ingenuity of either of his namesakes. Solomon, a trust fund baby born in 1941, the same year Walt Disney released Pinocchio, who had never learned to let his conscience be his guide or learn from his mistakes laid in his hospital bed wondering if he had many any difference in his life. The wondering wasn't real, only something to pass his fleeting time away; he knew he had made no difference at all during the first and now final 80 years of his life. Edison knew that the 8 weeks, give or take, he had left on this mortal coil was not nearly enough time to make up for his misspent youth, middle age, and old age. 3 failed marriages had produced no offspring, which was good as 3 failed businesses had produced no sizeable inheritance. He had no time for religion in his life before this point. but when the doctor had asked him if he had wanted to see the chaplain he listened to his inner Jiminy Cricket for the first time in forever and said "sure, why not?".

To see more 6 word sentences or perhaps to submit your own click here to view this week's edition

SINGLE AT CHRISTMAS W/ SONG STORY | RIVERTOWN CHRISTMAS | ALLEN LEVI & F...

I am preparing the concert in reverse that I talked about in my 100th post. It will feature an Allen Levi concert from earlier this year. This morning I recieved a message from You Tube that Allen had a new video. I Hope that you all are as moved by it as I was.

Friday, December 3, 2021

A Parking Lot Filled with Clown Cars

Adventures in Substitute Teaching

I recently listed my work as a substitute teacher among things I'd like to post more about here. There is certainly no dearth of topics in that regard so let's start with one of the things that has surprised me about my job as a sub, all the running.

I primarily teach in elementary schools. It seems like all of the elementary schools in my district could be called Forrest Gump Elementary because wherever most students are going they are runn-ning.

Most of the running takes place when individual or small groups of students are walking (and I use that term loosely) in the halls during or between classes, for example on their way back from their locker or the bathroom. This also happens before or after school on the way to or from lunch or recess, or on their way to or from specials (STEM, P.E, and Music to name a few). If it seems like it happens all the time it's because it happens all the time. I stop students from running at least 30 times a day.

Before you get the impression that the running is all done in the hallways there is plenty of running in the classroom itself. I have students who are just going 10 feet to the pencil sharpener but as soon as they get up, they are sprinting.

This is where I get most conflicted with my job as an educator/traffic cop. I have been the long term art sub at my school since the beginning of the school year. I have 4 rules I tell my kids. The 3rd is be safe, and running in the halls, classrooms, and stairs is, in the words of Ralph Nader, unsafe at any speed. My conflict stems from the fact that the first and last of my rules are have fun. As a teacher, I never want to crush the childlike spirit in my students. There is a natural exuberance that comes with being a kid. My oldest daughter never walked anywhere until she was about 7. Until then she skipped everywhere she went. She was homeschooled back then but regardless I would have not have wanted to be the teacher who had to tell her to stop skipping everywhere.

As the art teacher, I travel every day into the student's classrooms pushing a cart with supplies for our activities. As I mentioned, I stop at least 30 kids a day from running while rolling from class to class. These are often the same students over and over again. I'll stop a kid they will walk a few steps and then just start running again unaware or not caring that I still have eyes on them.

The biggest bang for your buck, running wise , at our school is at 2:10 when students begin to get dismissed for the day. I teach a class downstairs until 2:05 and as I walk my cart to the elevator, the hallway is like a parking lot filled with clown cars. Children pour out of every classroom to go wait for their parents cars to pick them up, followed by a second burst of kids through every door to get in line for the busses. While many kids are walking a good sized and speedy minority is off to the races. The process repeats itself when I get off the elevator on the second floor.

I have run in 3 5k's this semester and I have to admit that somedays I just want to run down the hall with them and I can't deny that some of them show some really good form. Perhaps I should get off my safety kick, get a stop watch in hand and start recruiting these kids to colleges on a track scholarship.