Received a text message tonight that said....reading your blog. you've actually written something.
And while I didn't doubt that she was right (as I've said...she usually is - it's kind of annoying sometimes but don't tell her I told you) I couldn't for the life of me remember what the latest episode of rambling was about so I just took her word for it (because again, she usually is right)
Once I got home from my 2nd trip to the city today I put aside my desire for sleep to just have a peek at the old blog.
Sure enough, she was right. I have written something lately. (and it's a heck of a lot more recent than the last post on her own neglected blog....I'm just saying).
And now that my curiosity has been satisfied, it is time for sleep. My very last early morning commute into the city (for school anyway) is tomorrow.
LAST DAY!!!!! Whooohoooo! I've been dreaming of this day for many weeks and am so glad it is finally here. I've enjoyed school but it's been a love/hate relationship for the past few months so I'm definately doing a happy dance now that it's done.
Night all. Love and Hugs heading your way. Oh and say HI in the comments if you do stop by so I know you've been around.
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Oh Ya....I have a blog.
How could I forget about something that was a daily experience once upon a time. Things do have a way of changing and rearranging what we do on a daily basis don't they.
Never have I been more aware of how quickly things can change than I have been lately. I find myself thinking about this alot actually. Like, how can I commit to doing something or being somewhere 6 months or 3 months or even 3 weeks from now because really, I have no way of knowing what change could be just around the corner.
I keep meaning to update all the little and not so little changes that have happened but who am I kidding - I'll never get around to telling the whole story. I barely remember it.
I think last August was the last BIG change-maker or at least what happened in August started the ball rolling. It could stop rolling anytime. I'm tired of chasing it.
About mid august I got sick. I'd had a cold/fever/flu and a few days later I noticed my face was swelling. There was an infection inside my right cheek and it just wouldn't go away. After a few days of trips to the ER for IV antibiotics it was actually getting worse and I ended up with the most disgusting and painful abcess on my face and after a CT scan I ended up in surgery to have it removed (and after years of recurring sinus infections, I have not had one since....even though the docs swear it was not from my sinuses) Anyway, after surgery, I was off work for about a month while the hole in my face healed and boy did I enjoy that time off. It really made me wish I didn't have to go back to work and I started thinking about what I wanted to 'do'.....you know, like what do I want to be when I grow up kind of stuff.
I'd had an idea in my mind about just this sort of question for about a year but it meant going back to school and at the time, with taking care of mom and with just trying to get my world put all back together after loosing the business it was something that I didn't think was possible.
BUT....with that time off post-surgery, I started again to explore this idea and then I was reading the newspaper one afternoon and came across an ad for a community college program offering training in exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I said to myself "self. you need to go there" and even though there were roadblocks along the way, I didn't get scared and bail. I jumped in with both feet and in mid October I started school.
Now THAT was a huge change and did it ever add to the chaos and confusion of our lives but it has been worth it, at least for the most part - there are some issues with school itself that make me question my decision of taking the course where I did but if I'd waited for an opportunity at another location I don't know that I would have actually done it.
So I am in the final stages of becoming a Medical Laboratory Assistant and I'm hoping in the very near future to be working in a lab as a phlebotomist.
And back in January, I jumped in with both feet again and said 'why not' when the opportunity to go north to Thompson for 4 weeks of clinical practicum was offered to me. There is also a good chance that once I am done school in the next 6 weeks that I will be heading back to Thompson for a 6 month term position - I would only commit to 6 months because if I've learned anything the last couple years it's that you never know what's around the corner.
In the mean time, I'm still working part time (very part time) and preparing to write the certification exam in mid June and after a month away from home I've adjusted to living with all these people again....boy was it nice living alone for 4 weeks.
There have also been a few very recent changes to our world but that's another chapter in the ever changing life of chaos and confusion and it's best covered in it's own post, for now I think I'll end this post and go finish up my homework.
Hugs to you all!
~K
Never have I been more aware of how quickly things can change than I have been lately. I find myself thinking about this alot actually. Like, how can I commit to doing something or being somewhere 6 months or 3 months or even 3 weeks from now because really, I have no way of knowing what change could be just around the corner.
I keep meaning to update all the little and not so little changes that have happened but who am I kidding - I'll never get around to telling the whole story. I barely remember it.
I think last August was the last BIG change-maker or at least what happened in August started the ball rolling. It could stop rolling anytime. I'm tired of chasing it.
About mid august I got sick. I'd had a cold/fever/flu and a few days later I noticed my face was swelling. There was an infection inside my right cheek and it just wouldn't go away. After a few days of trips to the ER for IV antibiotics it was actually getting worse and I ended up with the most disgusting and painful abcess on my face and after a CT scan I ended up in surgery to have it removed (and after years of recurring sinus infections, I have not had one since....even though the docs swear it was not from my sinuses) Anyway, after surgery, I was off work for about a month while the hole in my face healed and boy did I enjoy that time off. It really made me wish I didn't have to go back to work and I started thinking about what I wanted to 'do'.....you know, like what do I want to be when I grow up kind of stuff.
I'd had an idea in my mind about just this sort of question for about a year but it meant going back to school and at the time, with taking care of mom and with just trying to get my world put all back together after loosing the business it was something that I didn't think was possible.
BUT....with that time off post-surgery, I started again to explore this idea and then I was reading the newspaper one afternoon and came across an ad for a community college program offering training in exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I said to myself "self. you need to go there" and even though there were roadblocks along the way, I didn't get scared and bail. I jumped in with both feet and in mid October I started school.
Now THAT was a huge change and did it ever add to the chaos and confusion of our lives but it has been worth it, at least for the most part - there are some issues with school itself that make me question my decision of taking the course where I did but if I'd waited for an opportunity at another location I don't know that I would have actually done it.
So I am in the final stages of becoming a Medical Laboratory Assistant and I'm hoping in the very near future to be working in a lab as a phlebotomist.
And back in January, I jumped in with both feet again and said 'why not' when the opportunity to go north to Thompson for 4 weeks of clinical practicum was offered to me. There is also a good chance that once I am done school in the next 6 weeks that I will be heading back to Thompson for a 6 month term position - I would only commit to 6 months because if I've learned anything the last couple years it's that you never know what's around the corner.
In the mean time, I'm still working part time (very part time) and preparing to write the certification exam in mid June and after a month away from home I've adjusted to living with all these people again....boy was it nice living alone for 4 weeks.
There have also been a few very recent changes to our world but that's another chapter in the ever changing life of chaos and confusion and it's best covered in it's own post, for now I think I'll end this post and go finish up my homework.
Hugs to you all!
~K
Friday, November 05, 2010
Lets See If I Remember How To Do This
It's been awhile.
Bwahhhahahahah. Now there's an understatement if I've ever written one!
Awhile
According to dictionary.com is defined as an adverb meaning: for a short time or period.
So okay. It's been more than awhile. It's been ages. As in over a year people. That's like 'forever'! It really does seem like forever doesn't it and oh how I've missed this. Just sitting down with my rambling thoughts and letting them flow out my fingertips, across a keyboard and onto a screen.
So Hi. How are ya? What ya been up to?
I'm not so sure at this point I can even begin to express how I am and what I've been up to for the past 16months. Let's just say it's been long and eventful and maybe eventually I'll write about it (but certainly not sitting here in this very public coffee shop using their wi-fi and in plain view of people cuz really, nobody wants to see me cry and blubber and snot all over the place as I remember the things that have brought me to this point.)
Let's just start with the right here, right now and we can eventually work our way back over the past year slowly.
Right here. Right now.
It's 3pm and I've just finished eating a late lunch at a cozy little spot called Kaffe Haus or is it Hus. I dunno. I just know the cook's hot and the food rocks and oh ya....free wi-fi. I'm sitting at a table with my laptop in front of me just chillin and surfin the net....just for fun....cuz I can.
We are still landline-less at home, hence no internet at home but that drought is coming to an end very soon. The phoneline is being installed in 2 weeks and then I will be once again in the land of the 'connected'. Whooohoooo! I can't tell you how excited that makes me.
Wasting time and taking up space. Sounds like a darn fine way to spend a beautiful Friday afternoon (aside from having to dodge flying food the cook keeps tossing at me whenever I make a snooty comment at her while she's "working"). I'm taking a break this afternoon cuz I'm positive that by the time this weekend is over I'll be very thankful that I took a couple hours to just chill. There is much on the agenda for this weekend and I hope I get at least half of it accomplished.
At the top of the priority list is homework. Anatomy and Physiology is my main concern this weekend. I have a couple chapter assignments to finish, review and hand in Monday morning.....right before I write the exam on the first 6 chapters of my A&P text book. Oye! Grade 12 Biology class was a really, really (yes really) long time ago. I also have to work on a few assignments and complete the final exam project for my computer course and review for a test in my Intro to Medical Office Procedures course in the middle of the week. For those that don't already know or haven't clued in...I've finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up and I started school almost a month ago. We'll talk more about this another time.
Wow! The afternoon has flown by and my kiddos will be home from school shortly so I should go home and be there when the get there. I'd say it's cuz I miss them terribly and hate that I don't see them in the morning because I've left for school before they even wake up, and that wouldn't be entirely wrong but honestly.....I just want to get home before they do so I can hide the controller for the tv and the playstation and the xbox and any other electronic form of entertainment because there are at few hundred loads of laundry to do and we've been eating off paperplates for a couple days and the place is starting to look like a frat house. So while I get cozy in my jammies and start studying, there are some much needed chores the kids need to help out with. Doesn't that all sound like FUN?
Gotta run
Love & Hugs
~K
Bwahhhahahahah. Now there's an understatement if I've ever written one!
Awhile
According to dictionary.com is defined as an adverb meaning: for a short time or period.
So okay. It's been more than awhile. It's been ages. As in over a year people. That's like 'forever'! It really does seem like forever doesn't it and oh how I've missed this. Just sitting down with my rambling thoughts and letting them flow out my fingertips, across a keyboard and onto a screen.
So Hi. How are ya? What ya been up to?
I'm not so sure at this point I can even begin to express how I am and what I've been up to for the past 16months. Let's just say it's been long and eventful and maybe eventually I'll write about it (but certainly not sitting here in this very public coffee shop using their wi-fi and in plain view of people cuz really, nobody wants to see me cry and blubber and snot all over the place as I remember the things that have brought me to this point.)
Let's just start with the right here, right now and we can eventually work our way back over the past year slowly.
Right here. Right now.
It's 3pm and I've just finished eating a late lunch at a cozy little spot called Kaffe Haus or is it Hus. I dunno. I just know the cook's hot and the food rocks and oh ya....free wi-fi. I'm sitting at a table with my laptop in front of me just chillin and surfin the net....just for fun....cuz I can.
We are still landline-less at home, hence no internet at home but that drought is coming to an end very soon. The phoneline is being installed in 2 weeks and then I will be once again in the land of the 'connected'. Whooohoooo! I can't tell you how excited that makes me.
Wasting time and taking up space. Sounds like a darn fine way to spend a beautiful Friday afternoon (aside from having to dodge flying food the cook keeps tossing at me whenever I make a snooty comment at her while she's "working"). I'm taking a break this afternoon cuz I'm positive that by the time this weekend is over I'll be very thankful that I took a couple hours to just chill. There is much on the agenda for this weekend and I hope I get at least half of it accomplished.
At the top of the priority list is homework. Anatomy and Physiology is my main concern this weekend. I have a couple chapter assignments to finish, review and hand in Monday morning.....right before I write the exam on the first 6 chapters of my A&P text book. Oye! Grade 12 Biology class was a really, really (yes really) long time ago. I also have to work on a few assignments and complete the final exam project for my computer course and review for a test in my Intro to Medical Office Procedures course in the middle of the week. For those that don't already know or haven't clued in...I've finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up and I started school almost a month ago. We'll talk more about this another time.
Wow! The afternoon has flown by and my kiddos will be home from school shortly so I should go home and be there when the get there. I'd say it's cuz I miss them terribly and hate that I don't see them in the morning because I've left for school before they even wake up, and that wouldn't be entirely wrong but honestly.....I just want to get home before they do so I can hide the controller for the tv and the playstation and the xbox and any other electronic form of entertainment because there are at few hundred loads of laundry to do and we've been eating off paperplates for a couple days and the place is starting to look like a frat house. So while I get cozy in my jammies and start studying, there are some much needed chores the kids need to help out with. Doesn't that all sound like FUN?
Gotta run
Love & Hugs
~K
Monday, June 01, 2009
Because there's room on my calendar for a meeting
Well....no....there isn't really, but I'll make time.
It's important.
Very important to my oldest son.
He brought a letter home from school this afternoon announcing a parent meeting to discuss details of a trip he really really wants to take next year.
Permission for this trip to take place has been granted by the powers that be at the school board and now there is officially an information night this Wednesday to go over the finer details of the itinerary, costs and what's all involved......oh and a $99 deposit is required that night to ensure there is serious interest in this whole project. Ouch. Considering we spent the boys last $175 on bills this morning, coming up with that money's going to be tricky but I'll jump through hoops to borrow it. Actually there will be alot of hoop jumping through inorder to scrape together the $3000 (give or take a few bucks here and there) so he can go on this trip. If it kills me I will make sure he doesn't miss out on this chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity.
What is this trip you ask? Are you asking? I can't remember if I've mentioned it or not.
In a nutshell one of the teachers has put together a 10-day trip through Europe visiting a number of battle fields and historic sites commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Victory in Europe campaign and the 66th anniversary of the D-Day landings. In the past few years Tyler has become very interested in anything to do with this subject (even so far as to read the occasional book on it....and books are not his friends at the best of times) and loves watching the History channel so this trip really sparked his interest from the very first mention of it. So it looks like I'm heading to a school meeting re: The Normandy Trip on Wednesday and hopefully there aren't too many surprise costs other than that quoted on the original information sheet and somehow, someway we will get the money together so he can go. Ultimately his father would love to go along too since this is also an area of interest for him...... but for now our goal is to get the boy there.
~K
It's important.
Very important to my oldest son.
He brought a letter home from school this afternoon announcing a parent meeting to discuss details of a trip he really really wants to take next year.
Permission for this trip to take place has been granted by the powers that be at the school board and now there is officially an information night this Wednesday to go over the finer details of the itinerary, costs and what's all involved......oh and a $99 deposit is required that night to ensure there is serious interest in this whole project. Ouch. Considering we spent the boys last $175 on bills this morning, coming up with that money's going to be tricky but I'll jump through hoops to borrow it. Actually there will be alot of hoop jumping through inorder to scrape together the $3000 (give or take a few bucks here and there) so he can go on this trip. If it kills me I will make sure he doesn't miss out on this chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity.
What is this trip you ask? Are you asking? I can't remember if I've mentioned it or not.
In a nutshell one of the teachers has put together a 10-day trip through Europe visiting a number of battle fields and historic sites commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Victory in Europe campaign and the 66th anniversary of the D-Day landings. In the past few years Tyler has become very interested in anything to do with this subject (even so far as to read the occasional book on it....and books are not his friends at the best of times) and loves watching the History channel so this trip really sparked his interest from the very first mention of it. So it looks like I'm heading to a school meeting re: The Normandy Trip on Wednesday and hopefully there aren't too many surprise costs other than that quoted on the original information sheet and somehow, someway we will get the money together so he can go. Ultimately his father would love to go along too since this is also an area of interest for him...... but for now our goal is to get the boy there.
~K
Friday, May 15, 2009
Okay - so I threw out his winter boots but
THIS IS NOT MY FAULT!
Just because, as I was tossing them in the trash yesterday, I said aloud...."watch, we'll get 3ft of snow now" does not make me responsible for what happened overnight.
Honestly, if I thought I had that much control over what goes on around me I'd be buying a lottery ticket and saying something like....."watch, we'll win 3million dollars now".
I'll let you know if that happens and if it does then yes, I will take the blame for the snow but until then, this one ain't on me.
~K
Just because, as I was tossing them in the trash yesterday, I said aloud...."watch, we'll get 3ft of snow now" does not make me responsible for what happened overnight.
Honestly, if I thought I had that much control over what goes on around me I'd be buying a lottery ticket and saying something like....."watch, we'll win 3million dollars now".
I'll let you know if that happens and if it does then yes, I will take the blame for the snow but until then, this one ain't on me.
I personally blame the school.
And field trips.
The field trip scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled due to weather - in the form of massive, ark worthy amounts of rain.
It was rescheduled for today and I doubt the grade 1 classes will be heading out to the snake dens to see the red-sided garter snakes today either. I'm pretty sure snakes don't dig the snow anymore than I dig them.
This is my 4th child to make the annual 1st grade trek out to the snake dens and each year they ask "mom, will you be a parent volunteer on the field trip" and each year I pass on the opportunity. Actually it's more like an 'over my dead body' sort of reply. Sorry. Not my thing kids. Go watch Anaconda with your father and leave me alone.
I get the heebie-geebies just thinking about wigglie little snakes. When Emily went on her trip to the dens one of the father's took amazing photos and I was fortunate (?) enough to receive a bunch which I scrapbooked. That was hard enough seeing my little girl holding a snake in a photo. Don't think I could have handled it in person.
Enough about snakes. Ewwww. Ick.
Back to the weather. Ewwww. Ick.
So there's this creek in my backyard. Flooded like crazy this spring. It's been a couple weeks since I'd taken a walk down there so I went wandering Tuesday night and took some updated water level pictures. I'm so glad I did because the sky opened up in the wee hours of that night and it poured buckets for a good portion of the day on Wednesday.
The "before" on the left, taken on Tuesday afternoon and the "after" on the right taken on Wednesday afternoon following about 12hours of heavy rainfall.
Aside from the weather sucking so did pretty much everything else.
I spent a lot of time - just me, myself and my gamecube on the couch this week avoiding everything, everyone and the endless phone calls from 1-800, credit card companies, the dentist, the truck leasing company etc. Adding to my crappy week was Al repeatedly saying things like "Are you going to get dressed today? Are you going to go to town today? Ae you going to call about that job today? Are you going to call back about that job today? ARGH!!!!
I did call. I did talk to someone and things looked good but when she didn't call back the next day or the day after he started again "Are you going to call again about that job today? Maybe you should call so and so about a different job"
Add to that the phone calls from people telling me about all the new people being trained at the store where I've been hoping to get hired or worse yet going into the store and seeing for myself all the trainees. It was depressing and I didn't want to leave my couch......so I didn't unless absolutely necessary. That's right. I admit it. I spent alot of time on the couch looking for spaceship parts and trying not to get all my little alien friends killed in the process. Nintendo Pikmin is WAY addictive. 4:30 in the morning addictive. Opppps. Kinda slept in and the kids missed the bus once ---- okay twice (the 2nd time it wasn't because of the gamecube though) this week.
Anyway. The week was kind of a bust. Laundry. Pikmin. Ignoring phonecalls. Moping around and feeling like crap. Even last night I was in no way thrilled at being forced off my couch to attend a bowling banquet but since Al was working I had no option.
BUT
While picking up a few things at the store for the banquet the week suddenly got a whole lot better. The girl from the store who I'd talked to early in the week and was supposed to hear back from and didn't spotted me and came over to talk. And just like I thought - she'd been really busy and just hadn't had a chance to get back to me (and all Al's fussing and stressing and making me feel 2 inches tall and like I wasn't going to get this job at all was for nothing) and right then and there we made arrangements for me to start probably wednesday of next week.
Whoooo Hoooo!
I'm so excited.
I still don't know what exactly I'll be doing or what sort of hours I'll have but I'm ((((this close)))) to having a job and the relief is just unbelievably wonderful.
And today...... I still spent some time on the couch playing gamecube and I've realized it's not because I've been in a funk and didn't want to get off the couch.....it's because the game is just so damn fun. I can't wait till the kids go to bed so I can have my turn again....and Al works till 2 so I won't even have to share the tv with him. Heeeheeeheee.
Gonna go see if the kids want to go outside and make a snowman now. Anyone know where I packed the mittens?
Have a wonderful long-weekend.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
The best part of my day
yesterday (besides the long nap I took mid-morning) was hearing about Owen's best part of his day. He came home from school so excited to tell me about his day. From the moment he got off the bus he was in a cheerful mood and I think that was partly due to his declaration that........ "I didn't fall asleep on the bus today mom". I can tell when he's been woken up just seconds before having to get off the bus. He's half asleep and cranky, especially when the older kids bolt down the driveway and leave him behind. Today he was bright-eyed (getting him to sleep at half decent times the last couple nights might be helping too) and ready to tell me the best part of his day.
The conversation twisted and turned and started in the middle so I had to get him to back-track a bit so I could get all the details but the gist of it was that his class got to participate in "Artist in the Classroom" yesterday and this months artist is a young actor that has been sharing the technique of Improv with the classes.
Owen: Hey Mom - Me and Jayden and Aiden and Dane got to be a dryer today.
Mom: A dryer? Like a clothes dryer?
Owen: Ya! It was cool!
Mom: That is cool. You learned to do laundry....so now I don't have to.
Owen: NO!!!! We got to BE the dryer....and I was the door and then we said vroooooooommmmmm (making a sound that in his mind was a dryer running....but would be cause for concern if my real dryer sounded like that ---- it was more on the scale of an airplane preparing for takeoff. Although, that much power would probably dry clothes really fast).
So, while my hopes that laundry duties could be taken over by my 6yr old (a skill they could gladly teach in school thankyouverymuch) have been dashed, it was great that he enjoyed this Improv class so much. His group (which he repeatedly told me included "me, Jayden, Aiden and Dane" which was too cute) also did something with sharks and a third thing which at the moment I can't remember. Apparently though, being a household appliance was the big hit of the day.
Emily threw in her two cents about this particular Artist in the Classroom experience as well and I learned that her group was a lava lamp (she was the lava which btw is entirely more interesting to be than the cord that plugs the lamp into the wall LOL ) and an airplane.
My memories of elementary school (now called Early Years K-4) involved spelling workbooks, creative writing assignments and math homework. There were no Improv classes. No complaints though. This Artist in the School program (which is paid for by fundraising done by parents) is an awesome thing. Over the years they have experienced such a wide variety of activities from writing stories or poems with writers, writing songs with a musician, playing musical instruments from Africa, leaning dances from various countries, done pottery and painted murals and acting and puppetry. So many things I'm thankful they've had the opportunity to experience.
And speaking of the things they learn at school today (as compared to back in my day)
Last week I was helping my High School kids choose their courses for next year I was quite baffled by a number of the course options and I admit a wee bit jealous! One grade 10 option is a full credit little number made up of two half courses in digital filmmaking and digital pictures. Sigh! And the grade 11 component to this course involves website design/interactive websites and broadcast media/interactive media. Geesh. When I was in school that was A/V or photography club and it was an afterschool or lunch time 'extra-curricular'. I tried to convince the boy to take that course just so I could help him with his homework. The one that threw me though is a grade 9 elective called Recreation Studies which according to the handbook, is a course revolving around wilderness survival skills, outdoorsmanship, nature studies and mountainbiking and includes an overnight bike trip which is planned and executed by the students in the class. HUH? Again.....this would have been an 'extra curicular' club. Oh and Drama.....also an extra curicular in my day.....now a full credit course available in grade 10 and grade 11.
and the kids just got home from school and according to Owen the best thing about today is......"Nothing" Seems his teacher was a little "yellie" today....and I've seen the pack of 6yr old boys she has in her class. Some days she looks a wee bit frazzled at the end of the day. Poor girl.
I have to agree with Owen though. So far, there's nothing good about school today. Just before the kids got home I got a call from the high school resource coordinator. I'm somehow 'in trouble' again with this woman but I'll have to fill ya'll in on the details a little later after I've collected my thoughts and no longer feel the need to talk in CAPITAL LETTERS. I'm feeling a little YELLIE myself at the moment. Grrrrrr
~K
The conversation twisted and turned and started in the middle so I had to get him to back-track a bit so I could get all the details but the gist of it was that his class got to participate in "Artist in the Classroom" yesterday and this months artist is a young actor that has been sharing the technique of Improv with the classes.
Owen: Hey Mom - Me and Jayden and Aiden and Dane got to be a dryer today.
Mom: A dryer? Like a clothes dryer?
Owen: Ya! It was cool!
Mom: That is cool. You learned to do laundry....so now I don't have to.
Owen: NO!!!! We got to BE the dryer....and I was the door and then we said vroooooooommmmmm (making a sound that in his mind was a dryer running....but would be cause for concern if my real dryer sounded like that ---- it was more on the scale of an airplane preparing for takeoff. Although, that much power would probably dry clothes really fast).
So, while my hopes that laundry duties could be taken over by my 6yr old (a skill they could gladly teach in school thankyouverymuch) have been dashed, it was great that he enjoyed this Improv class so much. His group (which he repeatedly told me included "me, Jayden, Aiden and Dane" which was too cute) also did something with sharks and a third thing which at the moment I can't remember. Apparently though, being a household appliance was the big hit of the day.
Emily threw in her two cents about this particular Artist in the Classroom experience as well and I learned that her group was a lava lamp (she was the lava which btw is entirely more interesting to be than the cord that plugs the lamp into the wall LOL ) and an airplane.
My memories of elementary school (now called Early Years K-4) involved spelling workbooks, creative writing assignments and math homework. There were no Improv classes. No complaints though. This Artist in the School program (which is paid for by fundraising done by parents) is an awesome thing. Over the years they have experienced such a wide variety of activities from writing stories or poems with writers, writing songs with a musician, playing musical instruments from Africa, leaning dances from various countries, done pottery and painted murals and acting and puppetry. So many things I'm thankful they've had the opportunity to experience.
And speaking of the things they learn at school today (as compared to back in my day)
Last week I was helping my High School kids choose their courses for next year I was quite baffled by a number of the course options and I admit a wee bit jealous! One grade 10 option is a full credit little number made up of two half courses in digital filmmaking and digital pictures. Sigh! And the grade 11 component to this course involves website design/interactive websites and broadcast media/interactive media. Geesh. When I was in school that was A/V or photography club and it was an afterschool or lunch time 'extra-curricular'. I tried to convince the boy to take that course just so I could help him with his homework. The one that threw me though is a grade 9 elective called Recreation Studies which according to the handbook, is a course revolving around wilderness survival skills, outdoorsmanship, nature studies and mountainbiking and includes an overnight bike trip which is planned and executed by the students in the class. HUH? Again.....this would have been an 'extra curicular' club. Oh and Drama.....also an extra curicular in my day.....now a full credit course available in grade 10 and grade 11.
and the kids just got home from school and according to Owen the best thing about today is......"Nothing" Seems his teacher was a little "yellie" today....and I've seen the pack of 6yr old boys she has in her class. Some days she looks a wee bit frazzled at the end of the day. Poor girl.
I have to agree with Owen though. So far, there's nothing good about school today. Just before the kids got home I got a call from the high school resource coordinator. I'm somehow 'in trouble' again with this woman but I'll have to fill ya'll in on the details a little later after I've collected my thoughts and no longer feel the need to talk in CAPITAL LETTERS. I'm feeling a little YELLIE myself at the moment. Grrrrrr
~K
Friday, March 06, 2009
Automated Messages - a commentary
Caller ID is a wonderful thing. It allows me to know, to a certain degree, who's calling me.
I answer those I know and those with local numbers. I'll even answer a long distance call should the caller be so kind as to not block their ID. Actually, I'll even answer a blocked ID occasionally since there are a few people who call from their places of work and their ID is automatically blocked but we have a system for answering these. It's a secret. If you don't know it, then you aren't one of the ones that calls from a blocked ID that we really want to talk too. Oh - wait. Maybe you are and you just don't know 'the system'.
Calls I prefer not to answer come from the 800/866 long distance calls. You know, the ones.
The telemarketer who insists I absolutely want to save money on my long-distance bill and then heckles me when I say no. Really, I'm fine with my phone company thankyouverymuch!
I answer those I know and those with local numbers. I'll even answer a long distance call should the caller be so kind as to not block their ID. Actually, I'll even answer a blocked ID occasionally since there are a few people who call from their places of work and their ID is automatically blocked but we have a system for answering these. It's a secret. If you don't know it, then you aren't one of the ones that calls from a blocked ID that we really want to talk too. Oh - wait. Maybe you are and you just don't know 'the system'.
Calls I prefer not to answer come from the 800/866 long distance calls. You know, the ones.
The telemarketer who insists I absolutely want to save money on my long-distance bill and then heckles me when I say no. Really, I'm fine with my phone company thankyouverymuch!
The charity I've never heard of and quite frankly couldn't afford to donate to if I truely trusted the stranger on the other end of the phone and wanted to anyway and then heckles me for not wanting to help some poor school kids get the breakfast they need in order to have a productive day of learning - yes, really, she heckled me for saying no.
The marketing survey dude pretending he really wants my opinion for his stupid survey.....really - my opinion doesn't matter enough for you to call me at 8am or 10pm....or any other time of day.
Then there are the customer service (loose use of the term here folks) representative who is either calling to ask when they can expect a payment on my account *snort* or just making a courtesy call which is most likely on an account 'not in my name' so they sure as heck don't want to talk to l'il-ol'-me.
The calls that really, really, REALLY bug me though are any of the above that don't actually have a LIVE person on the other end IF by some miracle I'm in the mood to speak to them or IF by their misfortune I'm in a mood and want to tell them where to stick their phone and my phone number. If you can't be bothered to dial that number and be ON THE LINE when I answer then why the heck should I waste my time listening to your automated message asking me to either hold for the next available representative or worse yet run me through a whole damn marketing message that last a minute and a half before I'm given the option of having my number removed from your list so that "my captain" will stop calling me to tell me I've won some stupid trip - as IF!
Yesterday's phone call takes the cake on all of these automated messages though. It was a local number even. One recognizable. It's even on my calling list on my cell phone. If was from....
.
.
.
.
.
.
my kids' highschool
at 6pm
Seriously!
The highschool computer system called me with an automated voice message ( I also received an email message too).
Hello *pause* a child in your household *pause* ingrade
10*pause*was absent on March 5th during *pause* period 3. Please
contact the school or send a written note explaining this absense. To hear
this message again press 1
which I had to do about 5 times to really 'get' the full extent of what the heck the message was about and then figure out which of the kids was 'in grade 10'...cuz we're smrt like that.
Boy what grade are you in again? 9
okay, so that leaves.....The Girl.
Boy, when exactly is "period 3?" Uh, well, if you count EP then well um, but it's not really a full time slot so I guess um, it's the first class after lunch - maybe - uh, well. Ya. I guess the first class after lunch. cuz he's smrt like that.
GIRL! What class did you have right after lunch today? Uh, Uh, rattles off some letters of which I have NO CLUE what they stand for - I think it's a travel and tourism course but can't swear to it.
Ya Sure. Okay. So who's the teacher in that class? Audrey.
Ya okay, I know you are with Audrey (her EA) but who's the TEACHER of the class. Uh - Mr. F
And did you go to Mr. F's class today? Well, no. I was with Audrey in the resource room doing 'hygiene stuff' (don't ask....i'm just going to move right along and not even go there. it's 'programming i'm trying to be supportive of but think is well....nevermind. my bloodpressure can't handle that topic today)
So The Girl was "absent" from a class that in all honesty is probably above her head on so many levels anyway working with her EA on resourse/life skills things that the school has initiated and the school is calling ME to ask ME why she wasn't in class? PLUS.... this is a special needs student who's whereabouts should be monitored at all times. If she's not in a class that she should be in I would hope that the teacher would attempt to find out why - at that time - not 2.5 hours after school with an automated message.
I don't know how this automated system really works but I'm assuming that someone (a live person) has to enter the information of who "skipped" what classes into the system and then the system does it's thing. It's feeling rather impersonal to me, especially since my children are directly involved with these teachers on a daily basis. Couldn't these teachers, then in turn, have some direct involvement with parents when an issue such as this one comes about - not that this particular instance should be an issue at all since it's clearly a lack of communication between the resource dept and the classroom teacher on this one. Wonder if I could set up an automated call system.
Resource Dept phone rings 2.5 hours after school.
***anyway, now that i'm done ranting....I called the school - as did apparently a whole lot of parents today. It's a new system and they are working out 'The Bugs'. The teacher inputs their info into the system (when they do this i'm not exactly sure - during class when they take attendance? after school?) and they are only given the option of absent, late or present. There is no "excused" option that the teacher can choose which would eliminate this type of call. So yes, The Girl wasn't IN class so even though she was in school and pulled out of class (or in her case, just didn't go to the class in the first place because of other programming done during that time slot?) she was marked as absent and the system doesn't take anything else into account and makes the automated call. Like I said. Kind of impersonal.Hello
*pause* this is an automated system calling to inform you
that *pause*a child in your program in *pause* Grade 10, was
absent on March 5thfrom *pause* Period 3. Please contact the
teachertomorrow and explain why this child was absent from class.
I foresee many of these calls in my future unless they work out these bugs quickly. The Boy takes a "pull out option course" so each time he has Band so he's effectively absent from a couple of his regular classes each week.
~K
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Advocacy 101
Where was that chapter in all the parenting books I read when my kids were young?
I think all parents - whether they have a special needs child or not, should take a class on being an effective advocate for your child(ren).
The A word - Advocate - seems to be smacking me in the face alot lately, from a couple different directions. I'm 'sort of' used to it with Aarica and I'm the first to admit I'm not the best advocate when it comes to her as I should be --- but I'm learning and trying to pick up the slack I've created. There have been some issues regarding her lately. This whole highschool thing is just new stuff for me and it's taking awhile to learn the ropes and a whole new way of doing things compared to life in middle school. While I've learned to not expect the world from CSS over the years, I've never had more than a mild complaint or two about how things work through the school system and I've never felt my daughter has needed me to stick my nose in and question what's going on. We've been truely blessed throughout the years with wonderful people to help us. We've had wonderful daycare staff that to this day are a gift, good resource coordinators at the school, amazing teachers and awesome TA support with many of these people going above and beyond to help and support not only our daughter but also me (and my sanity) as well as our family. All of a sudden i'm in uncharted waters. HighSchool is a whole different ball game and I'm struggling........ but that is why I've scheduled a meeting with the resource coordinator at the HighSchool to get a few things off my chest about some issues and I am determined to help my daughter and not drop the ball.
But it's not just Aarica I've got to be an advocate for lately. It seems our youngest is also struggling with some issues both at school and at daycare and now I've stepped up to the plate to help him too. Owen is dealing with a bully of sorts - someone in both his kindergarden class and his daycare group and I'm feeling like I've come full circle. 10 years ago, I'm sure there was a parent just like me, talking to teachers about how their child is having problems with our daughter and now I'm talking to teachers about problems my son is having with another child. I almost feel like a hipocrite, complaining about some of the very same things Aarica has more than likely done to other kids over the years - but I know I would never have questioned any other parent for sticking up for their kid ....it's just odd to be on the other side of the fence for a change. No matter which side of the fence I'm on though - this advocacy thing is tough stuff. Lets just hope things all work out in the end.
I think all parents - whether they have a special needs child or not, should take a class on being an effective advocate for your child(ren).
The A word - Advocate - seems to be smacking me in the face alot lately, from a couple different directions. I'm 'sort of' used to it with Aarica and I'm the first to admit I'm not the best advocate when it comes to her as I should be --- but I'm learning and trying to pick up the slack I've created. There have been some issues regarding her lately. This whole highschool thing is just new stuff for me and it's taking awhile to learn the ropes and a whole new way of doing things compared to life in middle school. While I've learned to not expect the world from CSS over the years, I've never had more than a mild complaint or two about how things work through the school system and I've never felt my daughter has needed me to stick my nose in and question what's going on. We've been truely blessed throughout the years with wonderful people to help us. We've had wonderful daycare staff that to this day are a gift, good resource coordinators at the school, amazing teachers and awesome TA support with many of these people going above and beyond to help and support not only our daughter but also me (and my sanity) as well as our family. All of a sudden i'm in uncharted waters. HighSchool is a whole different ball game and I'm struggling........ but that is why I've scheduled a meeting with the resource coordinator at the HighSchool to get a few things off my chest about some issues and I am determined to help my daughter and not drop the ball.
But it's not just Aarica I've got to be an advocate for lately. It seems our youngest is also struggling with some issues both at school and at daycare and now I've stepped up to the plate to help him too. Owen is dealing with a bully of sorts - someone in both his kindergarden class and his daycare group and I'm feeling like I've come full circle. 10 years ago, I'm sure there was a parent just like me, talking to teachers about how their child is having problems with our daughter and now I'm talking to teachers about problems my son is having with another child. I almost feel like a hipocrite, complaining about some of the very same things Aarica has more than likely done to other kids over the years - but I know I would never have questioned any other parent for sticking up for their kid ....it's just odd to be on the other side of the fence for a change. No matter which side of the fence I'm on though - this advocacy thing is tough stuff. Lets just hope things all work out in the end.
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