Kenya Davis, Ferderica Cobb and Jon Luckett
I know I have been doing this awhile and yesterday was a big clue. The younger teachers were beside themselves anticipating spring break and the kids were ready and the young principal thought he had it in the bag when the opening bell sounded.
For me it was another day to enjoy and savor – seriously. A few weeks ago I got a profound sense of my finitude – not anything particular happened – I did my usual morning reading and meditations and journals, I did my usual school preparation, I did my usual greeting of the classroom animals and checking of the greenhouse plants. I did my baking of two dozen big cookies for sale to finance ZOO 122 and greenhouse. Then sometime on the way home from school – it was like the road to Damascus or something. A very strong sense of my own finitude and limited time here came over me. A very strong sense of how much I needed to continue to share the wonders of this world with others and to share the light and not hold any in reserve also came over me.
I have been doing just that. I ordered some little pots with seeds and planting peat pods and seed packs the other day. There is a different color pot and different seed for each month. Instead of lining them up along my window just for me – I decided to start giving them away. It has been a huge treat for me. Sometime I may share the details.
In the midst of all this, I have found a new friend of the classroom, Elaine Towner, and she has introduced me to two 4H people who will help me get the teaching resources I need for Zoo 122 and Greenhouse.
On Wednesday she drove three of my students, Kenya Davis and me to the University of Mississippi for the annual Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (a 6:00 am departure). It was my first time in six years to go, and I was delighted to see the quality of student presentations are still extremely high. Eight research papers are selected from across the state and the students present them to a panel of four judges and their peers, teachers and parents. We have hope for our students presenting in the future. As a mandatory part of the trip I took them to Square Books and they were very impressed as was I.
See if you can find one of Faulkner's famous references
Tuesday I will be leaving for the National Science Teachers Convention in Philadelphia and enjoy a reception for the Toyota Tapestry Grant winners, lots of great food and sights and workshops and a reunion with three of my Earthwatch buddies. Sunday, my birthday, I will leave for Albuquerque to see my wife get a national award at the National Music Teachers Association convention. A week from Wednesday I will have a whole lot more light (and photos) to share.
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