Meteor shower

Friends I have been alerted to the fact that tomorrow night is the perfect time to see a stellar meteor shower. The best time to see it will be between 9:30 pm - 2 am. I am hoping for a clear night because a friend and I intend to drive out of the city and find a cornfield to watch the stars. Of course I also plan to wear my long underwear and bring a sleeping bag as the temperatures continue to drop these days.

Who else is looking forward to Thanksgiving? I will enjoy a couple days off, that is for sure. I plan on going to St. Cloud on Thursday to celebrate with my dad's side and then a dinner on Saturday night with my mom's side. It should all be nice. I'm going to make homemade pumpkin pie from the pumpkins that have been sitting on my front step this fall. As I am making them from scratch I will think of years long ago when people did not have the convenience of Libby's pumpkin pie mix to dump into their pie shell and bake. I suppose if I were really trying to act like a pioneer I would also make my own crust, but I think I will settle for convenience on that one.

Breanna, I feel I can relate to not being satisfied with the educational system and the students being pushed through grades that do not have basic skills. While it is frustrating, I can't help but be somewhat optimistic that teachers do not intentionally pass students along. I think there are exceptions, such as the student with the extreme behavior issues and a teacher looks forward to having them gone even if they're not ready. I believe a large portion of the problems in education falls on the parents. And ladies with children, correct me if I'm wrong, but what I see is a lack in parenting. Not in all cases, but some. Does society invest in its parents and teach them skills needed for positive parenting? Just the other night I was at the grocery store and there was a small child (around 3) balling uncontrollably. She kept saying, "I want my mom. I want my mom. I don't want to go outside." The man who was with her (presumably her dad) said, "Am I hurting you? You're crying for no reason. Stop it right now!" etc. The tone in which he spoke to his small child in a crowded place was concerning. While I was not fearful for the child's physical safety, I wondered if she experiences the harsh tone of voice regularly and what affect that has on her emotional status. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if children continually experience confrontation and an 'in your face' approach, that's what they come to school with. The skills needed for positive social interaction and problem solving seem to be lacking. Just the other day I had the classroom I was in turn into a boxing arena because some boy said something about the other boy's momma. Instead of ignoring it, or responding differently the boy shoots back some equally condoning words and the boys are then acting like silver back gorillas huffing and puffing and trying to prove that they are mightier than the other. This of course happens when I am trying to give instructions and teach. So after I get them out of the classroom and everyone else is excited because of the 'fight' I am supposed to continue teaching like nothing has happened. So if teachers in the upper elementary and middle school grades must spend time teaching proper social interactions and problem solving skills then there is time being taken away from academic instruction and I believe this undoubtedly contributes to some of the low skills we see.

I do not intend to put all the educational systems problems on parents, but I think it is a big factor. Investment should be made in parents not just in the preschool years but also beyond. And how do we support those parents which are forced to work two and three jobs to make ends meet in order for their families to have basic needs met?

Okay, I will stop for now, but certainly welcome others opionions and thoughts. And don't forget about the meteor shower!
SarahA