prattling on and on...

I am an English Teacher. I didn't know I was going to become one. I went to college to pursue psychology. I didn't even really know I was going to go to college. I spent seven years after high school working pretty awful jobs. It was Jenny who finally suggested that I go to college. It is something that I will never be able to thank her enough for. I remember quite clearly how my life felt like it was closing in around me. I had hit, kind of an end. College, for me, was life. I found myself there in a way that many never do.

I hated school (for several reasons, a couple of them my own fault) and barely lived through it. I never saw college as an option at all. My first class, this one at Worcester State (I ended up at Umass Amherst), was an eye opener. I managed to score a motherly professor... I use motherly loosely as she was kind of fond of sexual jokes.... hmm... how... psychological.  At any rate, I loved the class, walked away with a my first "A" in a class.... possibly ever. That started a chain of classes, part time, then full, that were complete successes. It was something that I can only equate to Harry Potter going from muggledom to Hogwarts. Looking backward, I can see I had always wanted to read the big books.... literature. I tried "War and Peace"... drowned.... I read Melville... loved it, well most of it. then in college I was introduced to  Flannery O'Conner, Shakespeare obviously, Goethe, on and on. Still Steinbeck was my favorite, "In Dubious Battle," So good. I graduated Summa Cum Laude. I earned so much money in scholarships that I didn't have any bills at the end of my undergraduate degree. I was accepted into all sorts of honor societies. (one of which had a secret handshake!!! YES!! Phi Beta Kappa...) This was a life of honor and I was kind of the center of it. I attended one consortium class that served us lunch every day as we pondered the possibilities of college level education and its place in society. If any of you that are reading this were friends with me in High School you will understand how crazy this seems. This is me?!?!

After a high pressure talk with my mentor professor, I decided to teach school. (All the pressure was him trying to talk me out of it.) I got my Masters in one year. Henry was born that year, and I wanted to be working by the time he came around. All of that ego came to a huge crash in school system. I teach well. I have a good reputation and solid rapport with my students. But all of the special treatment kinda goes away in the trenches. I have "ideas" about school based on all of my "experience" and I am not afraid to put them into play. All of this to say that I have opinions, ideas and a slight ego = scary.

Well, that was kind of a tangent. I was going to write about why I have so many books around here.Jenny and I organized the kids' libraries today. I do love when a house is overrun with them... oozing out of every pore.  Henry loves reading. He's into it. He actually reads nonfiction most of the time... but I will convert him in time. Oh yes. Nora isn't as interested, and I feel kind of guilty about that. I read to Henry constantly, not as constant with Nora. I still read to her, but not as much. I am trying to have a half-an-hour reading time at the end of every day. We all read during the day, especially when we take a trip to the library, but this time is devoted, to reading. I am determined to make Henry and Nora's experience in school far better than mine. So far, Henry's has been great. He has had good caring teachers that treat him with patience and respect. I am going to be very involved with his learning for a good long time.

I am a proponent of education. Good education. Education, that changes people. It should be alive, and giving. I want this for Henry and Nora and for all of my students.

db