My day, some reading material, and guns in schools

For those of you who were wondering, I finally went running today. Woke up at 7:00, ran, gave myself sore calves, met with my tutoring student, ate real food for lunch (cage-free eggs from vegetarian-fed hens), and took three massive crates of classroom stuff and a couple boxes of education books up to my classroom. All in all, a pretty productive day. (No, I didn't do anything with the stuff in my classroom. That's on the schedule for tomorrow.)

How did I accomplish all this in one day? I kept the laptop closed. (Until now, of course.) Remember my friend Google Reader? Yes, the one otherwise known as a blogger's crack-cocaine. Guess what I've found now?!?

Teacher blogs.

I could spend hours here.

This post, from The Daily Grind, made me think about how I view, and consquently treat, my students. Probably should print it out and keep it in my gradebook, so I'm constantly reminded to look at my students as what they have the potential to become, not merely as what they are (or what labels we've affixed to them).

Now, this other post, from On Teaching, made me cringe. (Not the post - the news story.) Harold ISD, somewhere north(ish?) of here, is going to allow its teachers to bring guns to school. Because of potential school shootings.

The district has a total of 110 students, in one building. But they're close to a highway, which makes them "a target." For what?!?

School shootings happen when a kid is mad at another kid - or, in Columbine's case, mad at a whole lot of kids. The mad kid then takes Daddy's gun (Daddy is a responsible gun-owner, but kids know how to gain access to things. That's what kids do), takes it to school, and kills someone. So now we're going to eliminate the middle man, and put the guns right there in the schools?

Kids are smarter than most adults tend to think they are. If your teacher is carrying a gun, the kids are going to know. They are going to find out - trust me. At the high school where I used to teach, not five minutes into the class period one of my students asked me if I'd gotten engaged over the winter break. She noticed I was wearing a ring on my left hand - not a traditional-looking engagement ring, just a ring. You think they're not going to notice a gun-shaped lump under my clothes?

An old boyfriend told me stories of how he and his buddies would hide Mrs. So-and-So's prized possession, a bust of Shakespeare. This became a game - she would always stash it somewhere safe and secure before class, because she knew the boys liked to take it from her, but the boys always found a way to get it. Always. Even though it was hidden under lock and key.

What's going to happen to a gun?

If any one of the boys at my high school decided he wanted to take my gun from me, he'd win. I can assure you a high school boy - especially those football players - can overpower me. What if four or five of them decide to play a little prank on me? On any teacher? They don't have to be doing it to be mean; they don't even need to have the intention to keep or use the gun after they wrestle it from you - mob mentality (and high school is, for the most part, mob mentality on steroids) doesn't need a reason or a rational train of thought. But guess what's very likely to happen during the scuffle.

Why open up this can of worms? Is this district really in that much danger? Why on Earth can't they take the money the "crisis training" (and lawsuits) will cost, and hire a cop? Or move the freaking building?

If you read the comments on the Star-Telegram story, they're appalling. The overwhelming majority of people think this is a good idea. Some even claim to be teachers. I don't what their classrooms look like, but in my classroom, carrying a gun would NOT make life easier in any way, shape, or form. I Googled Harold ISD, and found a "mommy" discussion board, which I was sure would condemn this action... nope, again, all the moms thought it was a great idea. Okay, not all the moms, but, again, the overwhelming majority supported it.

Why is this not more in the news? Are they actually going to go through with it?

WHY AREN'T MORE PEOPLE APPALLED?

School starts one week from today. Is Harold ISD actually going to go through with this? For no good reason (or, definitely, no good enough reason)?

What's going to happen to the rest of us, once this precedent is set?

Blogging for Blood Cancer - Day 5

Here we are, Day 5.

I was supposed to write to you all, my lovely audience, basking in the glow of my profuse sweat, after running for the prescribed time. Alas, I sat on my fat butt instead.

No, that's not true: this morning, I lay on my fat whole body instead of getting up and running, and by the time I got up I didn't have enough time to run and shower, and be on time for my tutoring appointment. Then, this afternoon, I went to get a haircut instead of going for a run.

Tomorrow morning the group is meeting at 6:15 in the am for a brick (this is a bike followed immediately by a run). I want to go, but not only do they want me to be there at 6:15 in the morning, I no longer have the big, honking SUV that so nicely transported my bike. And I don't want to take the wheels of the bike, because I don't really know how to put them back on. Okay, I know how, in theory, and I can do the front tire (I've done it before, but I always think I'm not putting it on tighly enough, and that it will fly off mid-bike) and I don't know how to put the chain back on back tire. And I'll get bike-chain grease all over my hands doing it, too.

(Now, part of the reason I didn't make it out the door this morning and came home from the haircut too late this evening, was because we have a new child in the house, and we have to make sure the other cats learn to play nice with the new kitten.)

So, I've told you about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's research and the many advances they've made in the fight against cancer, and about their patient services. There's also a political aspect to all of this. And we need your help here, too.

Now, the good thing is that this does not require donations or physical activity from you - all you have to do it click a few links and send an email when it's needed, asking your legislators to support legislation to further cancer research and availability of health services related to cancer. On the site I don't see a "Subscribe for email action alerts here" button, but there is an RSS feed button. I get emails from the LLS Action Center, so I'll bet once you enter your info once, they will ask you if you want to receive the emails.

This takes so little of your time, and it makes such a big difference to everyone. Please look into this side of the LLS's mission.

You can also check out the Toolbox for Advocates page, or see how you can help by volunteering.


So, Day 5. The end.

I feel terrible saying I feel relieved. Part of the reason why is that I feel I've done a pretty poor job of "Blogging for Blood Cancer." I feel I used it to push my Team in Training fundraising campaign more than awareness of the LLS and its mission. But it's also been hard to write posts talking about why you should support the LLS. How can I convince you of something that is so obvious, innate to me? Any argument I give just sounds silly and redundant. It's like explaining why you should breathe air.

I've seen my brother go through cancer treatment, and I saw my family go through it with him. I've seen my grandparents go through it. My mom and step-dad have both had close calls, but modern medicine took care of them before things got ugly. I saw my father-in-law lose the battle. Now I'm seeing my mother-in-law go through cancer treatment - and with her, so go the rest of us, including her four grandchildren (who saw their Granddad go through this less than two years ago). How can I not support an organization responsible for helping these people get better?

If you've been through it, as a patient or a family member, then you know. If you haven't had to go through this, I hope you never do. Supporting organizations like the LLS can help keep you from going through it.

http://www.active.com/donate/tntntx/Criss4shay

Blogging for Blood Cancer - Day 4

First things first -Ack!! Blogger looks different! What did they do to the dashboard page?!?

Now, in other news:

So I went running this morning. It sucked.

But I will go running again tomorrow morning. I might try 40 mins, doing 9/1 intervals. We'll see how I feel when I wake up.

Early in the summer, I tried motivating myself reminding myself that what I was doing was way easier than chemo. But I'm not selfless enough for that to work on me. I still focused on the heat and the suckiness.

Well, I just realized this is not the greatest advertisement for Team in Training, now is it?

Please remember the key point: DO NOT train during the summer. Especially if you live in Texas. When I was part of the Summer Team (even on May 26th), training went fine. Yes, it was a little hot starting in April, but it was doable. Not like now.

Either way - if Team in Training is not your cup of tea, there are many other ways to help the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Light the Night is a much less athletically intense event - just a nice, casual walk. Go here to find a walksite near you and find out when the walk will be.

If you're into hiking more than walking or running, Hike for Discovery is a new program for the LLS:

How does the program work? LLS will provide 14-18 weeks of
professional training and everything you'll need to make your hike fun and
successful. You will train in honor of an Honored Patient, a local blood cancer
patient whose struggle for survival will inspire and motivate you. LLS will also
provide transportation to and from the event, lodging and social events during
your stay. In return, you'll raise funds for lifesaving research and bring hope
to hundreds of thousands of people battling blood cancers.

And, because, really, what self-respecting program doesn't have one, let me present to you the Leukemia Cup Regatta.

If none of these float your boat, there are other ways to help the LLS continue their life-saving research and patient services.

(As always, you can just take the easy way out and make a donation to my fundraising campaign: www.active.com/donate/tntntx/Criss4shay)

Since it's Day 4 and coherent thoughts are no longer emanating from my tired brain, I leave you with stories from alumni participants from the above-mentioned events.