Huh? Christmas already? Well, actually, yes if you are a Barry. We are having our first annual Labor Day Barry Christmas. Believe it or not, it is very tough to get all 55 of us together during the winter as most of us have our own 2-3 family Christmas days or weekends already and Iowa's new climate has caused blizzards to occur every 3 days during December, so last year we didn't even have a Christmas together! So this year we have decided to get together in Central Iowa for a weekend of golf, food, beer, poker, beer, food, presents, food, beer, church, food, a dinner, beer, and maybe more golf. If we get time, we will try to eat and have some drinks too! But this new tradition got me thinking how things have changed over time. I titled this blog 12 days of Christmas because we have had 10 days of school so far with a 2-day weekend in between before we got to this 3-day Christmas break. Much has changed in my life, my family's life, in education, and in our world. Long story short (well, okay, not really short!), I am reflecting this weekend.
Nine years ago I started teaching high school science at Carlisle and could have very well seen myself teaching science for 33 years and then retiring happily. Well, like I said, things change. On my 10th day of teaching that first year, I met with a textbook rep (speaking of change.....why do we still have textbooks? When ours got too old, I started teaching my students with the most current information from magazines and the internet. Basically no cost to the school and the students were learning more. Hmmm.....something to think about), and after about 30 minutes he said he would let me start preparing for the students as it will be a crazy day with the plane crash into the tower. Huh? What? What plane crash? Little did I know, the calendar said September 11th and I was about the experience the most surreal day of my short 10-day career. After seeing what was going on, I called my brother Doug who taught at-risk kids in Kansas City and asked "what do I do/say?". Just listen and be there for the students was his advice and remember that really no teacher or student had been through an event like this before, so just do your best. After an awkward day and a 2-mile long line for gas, life slowly returned to normal and I survived my first year. Now, in my 10th year, I spent my first 2 weeks meeting 35 new students, holding 4 after school groups, and talking students through domestic violence at home, a divorce, racial slurs, and finally ended my 2 weeks with helping a mom get her child some psychiatric help due to suicidal thoughts. Some things don't change though as I still sought the advice of many around me with these difficult issues. I also ended the longest day (Friday) by staring at my computer, completely drained, wondering what the hell just happened. The difference was now I was looking at my 3rd laptop, not my desktop Dell which took up a large corner of my science room, and even more room for all of its plugs and power sources!
What else has changed? Well, back then, I would end my week by correcting the many papers of my 85 9th grade students. Now, I am still correcting papers, but it is the papers of my 154 6th graders and 160 8th graders. Fortunately, I do not have the 167 7th graders or the 170 4th graders this year. Yeah, we've grown a little this decade! If I wasn't correcting papers, I would sometimes catch a drink with my co-workers, or 8 or 9 drinks. With my "wife-to-be" off performing surgery around Iowa, I was free as a bird to enjoy my youth. After my 5th day this year, I had to cut my drinks short to get back to help take care of our 3 kids, one a newborn. Sometimes I think kids haven't changed our lives too much, then I do a diaper change, some burping, and cry. That is what I do. Ironically, baby Quinn does the same thing! After a crazy game of "footballawrestling 0'bowling" where you play to 10 unless you get there before Jack, then you play until he wins, it is time for early bed for all, including me. If I manage to stay up longer than them, I am usually trying to catch up on my school work or trying to keep up with the 2 educational blogs that I operate. Speaking of blogs....were they around in 2001? Well, they were and even I was blogging, but my blogs were sent through email. Hence the title of this blogsite....a reference to how it all began.
So, in my 10th year of teaching how is my job/career going? I can't complain I guess. I have my own office, my own phone in my office and room (sadly...my old science room still doesn't have a phone in it!), I have way less papers to check, and only have to design 4 lesson plans a week (some years at the high school I had 15 lessons to plan a week). So I have it pretty good. But in my old job I would think science all day, even after school was out for the day. Now, I have to shut my mind off when I head for home. For my own mental health, I cannot take thinking work home with me. I may still correct papers and update my blogs and plan lessons, but the hardest part is still leaving the conversations and difficult discussions throughout the day at the school. I believe in another 10 years I will still be in that office and still teaching students about life (maybe 200 students per grade instead of 160 by then). I hope I am using a tablet and the students are using cell phones or similar devices instead of text books and other school materials. I am sure students will still be dealing with issues and problems, sadly that will likely never change. And the weirdest part of my life then? Jack will have already been through my middle school (originally I was going to blog about his first 2 weeks...then I got off track), Abby will be in middle school with her brother Quinn, and who knows....maybe another kid or two of ours still waiting to get to have their Daddy as their teacher. Yes, I am sure a lot will change in my next 10 years of teaching and those changes will be fun and exciting. The one thing I have to make sure that doesn't change is my ability to listen and help my students and family and understand with every troubling event in life, there is room for growth, learning, and a better day tomorrow.
Speaking of troubling events, family, and better days tomorrow....it is time for me to find what golf clubs I still own, head to the Barry Christmas, and try golfing for the first time in 5 years. Somehow, I believe I will be much better at the poker tournament tonight than the golf tournament today. Oh well, I hear beer will be served at both. I'm good at that. Happy Labor Day Weekend everyone, hug and kiss your family and be safe wherever you are.
Love&Prayers,
Ben
3 things to leave you with:
1. Jack did have his first day of school 2 weeks ago. He was one of the two kids out of 500 who got sent on the wrong bus on his first day and ended up in another town. Poor kid. Luckily, he knew some teachers from some "parties" we had and got a ride back with them. He loved every minute of it though!
2. Football is here. I am an Iowa State and UNI fan, but I will cheer for Iowa at times this year as they have an amazing team. How good are they? Just watch this graphic video of one of their players getting slammed into at an intersection. Don't worry, he is so tough, that he was almost going to be play today just days after this event happened. Amazing video and bonus points if you see his shoe come off the first time you watch it!
3. New TV season begins soon and I am without my favorites: 24 and LOST. Any suggestions? I am going to give "The Event" a chance and maybe Modern Family or Glee. Fringe now becomes easily my favorite show, and maybe even Reagan's too!
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