"It takes a village" lived out before my eyes...

The image will forever be etched in my memory. It was beautiful, truly beautiful. A grieving mother standing before her family and friends at the funeral of her 28-year-old son who tragically took his life. Grieving friends, her husband and her other children standing with her literally supporting her fragile frame. A grieving young son, who is one of our students, embracing his mother completely with his head nestled in her bosom. As she spoke, tears flowed freely and honestly down her face. What I saw next is the memory I will never forget.

Our student, who is very mischievous at school, took the kleenex he was holding in his hand and gently wiped away his mother's tears. Tears are flowing down my face as I write this! The bond of love between this son and mother was so powerful it filled the entire room permeating deep into our souls.

This funeral was the most honest funeral I have been to. It was beautiful! They freely shared their pain with us about their son and why he took his own life. The Pastor spoke beautiful words of hope and not condemnation.

It was my first Jamaican funeral. Let me tell you, I loved every minute of it, which I know sounds strange in light of this tragedy! I truly saw lived out before my eyes the old Nigerian proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child." This funeral had a profound effect on me. I want to be part of this village. Actually, I AM part of this village! I loved the music! I loved how these people communicated between each other when they sang and loved how they communicated between each other when the pastor gave his message! There was no fear or inhibitions, yet they maintained a reverence that filled that room with peace. I LOVED how when they sang the final hymn, "Farther Along," they meant every word. It came from a deep place within them which stirred my heart to sing and stirred my body to move with the same gumption! I didn't care that tears were pouring down my face. I was part of this village now! I also knew without a doubt, our boy would be okay. His village would continue to take care of him.

I know when living in community, things are not always perfect, but this culture has something special my culture does not have. I think that is why I was profoundly affected by what I witnessed that day. Don't get me wrong, I have a wonderful supportive family, supportive church and wonderful supportive friends. It is just different and that is okay. But I just love how this culture truly believes and lives out the Nigerian proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child." I hope we can learn something from this wisdom! I feel honoured to have been privy to this beautiful funeral filled with hope and peace.

PS I tell my Caribbean students that I am part of their "village" now so they have to listen to me! They don't know I'm part black inside! Look out world!

PSS I was also excited to be privy to the Jamaican food after the funeral! Curried goat and jerk chicken were on the menu and I bravely ate every morsel!

How about this hairstyle ?

I am enjoying my week long March Break thus far, but knew I needed to post these pics I took on my mobile phone the last school day before break. As I walked into this student's class that day I was immediately in awe of her new 'do!



I LOVE the creativity! It was even more funky and cool in person! Isn't it AWESOME! I wish I could do this with my hair! Enjoy your day.

posted with permission by student!

Chocolate Milkshakes

"Happiness" on Mary Lake

Today, one of my students in grade 5 said the following to me when he heard I was going to McDonald's for lunch:

" Miss W, are you going to McDonald's for your birthday too? You should go to Kelsey's and get a chocolate milkshake. It is like... TASTING HAPPINESS!"

Guess where I am headed tonight?!

Fruit Salad

As I was about to put a spoonful of delicious fruit salad into my mouth, I heard this soft chanting behind me. I was in our staff kitchen helping the students in the spec. ed. class make fruit salad. Two of the boys who have autism (one of the boys I wrote about here) were finished their duties and sitting on one of the green leather staff sofas. As I turned around, I saw these boys peeking above the back of the sofa smiling mischievously and chanting my name over and over again. The comical part about this teasing was the accent coming out of the mouth of one of the boys. He has a Canadian accent but was chanting in his parent's native tongue! I had to turn away and laugh! It was the cutest thing. The teacher then piped in and told the boys, " we do not tease in our class, so please stop!" Immediately the boys said to me, "I'm sorry 'Kawwwin'!" I'm just thankful they didn't swear at me! I LOVE that these autistic boys have a sense of humour. This "incident" made my whole day! Must have been something in the fruit salad!

We can learn so much about life through students with special needs. I am grateful they are a part of our planet. It is my desire the world will come to value these precious ones more fully. It is a honour for me to work with these children on a daily basis. My life is richer.

war within

***I came across this "work-in-progress" from November 2010 and decided to post it today. I also decided to not edit this piece and leave "as-is." Some thoughts to mull over!***

"Snow Angel" While walking the dog one cold January 2011 evening, I stumbled upon this freshly made snow angel, the design of a young child. I too LOVED making snow angels as a kid! Ahhh, the innocence of youth! I knew I wanted to capture this image, so thankfully I had my cell phone to take this pic.

i got into this power struggle with a student today, which is not a good thing (and which i normally never do). the class had a supply teacher so the students were taking some liberties - of course! thankfully i had the mind to get both myself and this student to step back and take a break. my principal happened to be visiting this classroom so i asked for his help. "how do i get out of this pickle i'm in!" i realized i reacted because i felt personally attacked - also not a good thing. never take anything personal when dealing with students. but somehow being in this environment takes me on a journey back into the memories of my years in junior high school, only with a clearer and wiser perspective. war of words. that is what this student and i were fighting about. this student is very good at manipulating words. semantics. it got me thinking of the war of sorts that goes on inside us, which eventually translates to unrest in our world. i got to thinking of northern ireland, the country of my ancestors, and its troubles. thinking of racism. generations that can stop it but don't. why do we continue raging our war within, which is reflected onto the community around us, when we speak of desiring peace in our world? what happened to the innocence of our youth?

"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." (Psalm 34:14)

"A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." (Proverbs 14:30)

" For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." (Romans 5:1)

Lost in Translation

I KNEW my year of learning high school German when I was in grade 10 was NOT a waste of my educational experience! I KNEW one day my proficiency in languages, or lack thereof quite honestly, would come in handy - even if it is 28 years later! (Oh my goodness. It can't be that long ago. Yikes!)

I agreed to house/dog/cat sit for my German friends over the holidays as they were trekking back to their motherland for Christmas. Prior to their trip, I enjoyed a lovely meal with the family to go over all the details I needed to know while they were away. These friends speak German at home to their children. So, I decided to try to have a conversation with their 4 year old son. It went something like this:

Me: " Mon -TOG, you travel to Deutschland?"
Son is staring blankly at me but grabs my hand and takes me into their kitchen to look at this:


A homemade advent calendar of sorts to track when they left for Germany.

I thought I would give it a go again...

Me: " So you leave Mon - TOG?"
Son: still staring blankly at me.
Me: "You know, Mon - TOG, Frees - TOG, etc.?"

I wish I had seen this calendar behind their door at this point in the conversation:


Me: "Mon - TOG you fly in a plane?"
Son, with a smile on his face indicating to me he understood my German, says in perfect English: "I have a dog!"

Lost in Translation! I better stick to speaking my native tongue!

I experienced a different kind of "lost in translation" adventure before Christmas with one of my grade 8 students. Our school was invited by our local Starbucks to come serenade the customers with Christmas carols. In addition, the customers had an opportunity to donate books to our school library. So we selected a small group of band and choir members to participate.

I drove my choir members to Starbucks on that snowy, wintry morning in my "Seniors" car, a 1999 custom Buick Century! I've always been a little embarrassed with my car but it is reliable and a comfortable ride. This car has an extra seat in the front so I can safely transport 5 people plus me! The students were quiet during our drive over and performed beautifully for the Starbucks crowd. The employees treated us to hot chocolate and treats after our performance, which was a lovely touch. A great time was had by all and we were pleased with all the books the customers donated for our library.



At the end of the week, one of the grade 8 choir members came up to me during morning recess and said,

"Miss W., I told my dad how AWESOME your car was to drive in. I told him you even have a COUCH in the back and front seats. But he said to me your car is really old. But I told him it was awesome anyways because I love the COUCHES!"

COUCH?! I laughed so hard after this student left! How adorable is that? Does this look like a couch to you...



...possibly! The world of teenagers, at times, is like being "lost in translation!"

Inside the mind of two children with autism!

I have the privilege of working with some amazing students with special needs. Sometimes I think they teach us more about ourselves than from what we teach them. One boy ("Q") in grade 5 who has autism, wrote a "get well" letter to his classmate (Tristan) who broke his femur while racing his dirt bike. Tristan came to visit the class last week during his recuperation. "Q" asked if he could read his letter to Tristan. "Q" stood up, adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses and in a strong, enunciated voice read the following:Priceless!

A few weeks ago, I walked past our teachers resource room and the following is what captured my attention:

I knew EXACTLY who the culprit was and let out a laugh! It is not graffiti. It is the handiwork of another student with autism. This girl is not as high functioning as "Q," but she is smart and very special nonetheless! She has given us an opportunity to "climb into her skin." Except I have no idea how to interpret her missive! Priceless!

a new lesson in "sharing" etiquette from a box of kleenex

One of my students in grade 5 (age 10) had this creative idea to ensure no one in her class would use her tissue...


Translation: " I cofet (coughed) on this so if I were you I wouldn't touch unless you want to get sick like me." (I believe this student wrote the LOL after some of her classmates told her she was being rude. She wanted to ensure she was only joking!)

Brilliant idea, isn't it?! Another school-life moment which made my day!

Thank you Nellie

I am a survivor. Barely, truth be told!

I was immersed in the wilds of "pre-teenage-dom" this week and let's just say it was quite the fierce adventure! I was one of four chaperones on our Grade 8 Grad Trip to our nation's capital, Ottawa. Overall it was good and I LOVED touring all the historical places and museums, including our Parliament. I have many stories and pictures I could share but choose to just highlight one moment that inspired and profoundly affected me. It caught me by surprise actually.

We were standing on Parliament Hill, looking at the statue of our first Prime Minister of Canada, Sir John A. MacDonald. Our tour guide, whom I could write an entire novel about, was rattling on about something. The chaperones were trying to keep the students quiet, which was next to impossible! Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed a group of statues in the distance. I wanted to explore but wasn't sure if I should wander away from our group. Curiousity got the better of me! As I approached this group of statues, I immediately knew who they were...

Nellie McClung and her fellow reformers who first fought to have Canadian women declared as "persons" in 1929, then fought for the women's right to vote in 1916...



As I stood in the middle of these statues taking my photos, I paused...

... for I needed to take a moment to reflect on the ramifications of this historical event.

... for I needed to take a moment to offer my gratitude for the sacrifices made by these women who forged the way enabling Canadian women to freely vote.

It was a gift. One I realized I took for granted until standing amidst their presence on "the Hill!"
It was an empowering, poignant moment for me. Thank you Nellie McClung and your fellow reformers! Thank you.

My solitude was quickly interrupted by the bellows of my students calling, "Miss W., Miss W., Miss W......"

Tragedy in my old neighbourhood

Amidst tragedy there is hope. I do believe that. I want to believe that. However, this mindset is difficult for me at times when I see stories like this involving the teenagers in our community. This stabbing took place near the public high school where I graduated. It is at good neighbourhood. This incident, murder actually, rattled our community. No longer are high school fights with just fists. They usually involve weapons of some kind. Why are so many young people today filled with so much anger. I deal with this anger on a regular basis in my job. It saddens me. It frustrates me. I see apathy. I see disrespect. I see deep hurt. I see fear. Even so, I do see a refreshing honesty. I can get bogged down and overwhelmed with the negative side of what I experience in my job and forget the teenagers who are making a difference.

It was a rough week. Yet, I was so encouraged and blessed by the following email I received from one of my former students at GCC, a private university preparatory high school:

"Hello Miss W.!
It is so good to hear from you. I just have to tell you that I still think about how much you made my time at GCC better. I am so grateful for you driving me to church on Sundays and really reaching out to all of us girls back in High School. You made my time at GCC so much better! Thank you!
I am still living in California.. . I have been working as a high school teacher for two boys who are professional surfers and due to their travel schedules cannot attend a traditional school (yes, they have a rough life -eh?). It is a great job and my students are very nice. ..
I just love Face Book - it is so fun to get connected with people from years past! Thank you once again for everything you did for all of us girls at GCC. I can't imagine how different my first experience living away from home would have been, if it were not for your kindness!"

There is hope amidst tragedy. I pray this generation of teenagers will make it safely to the other side unscathed.

Is this part of my job description?

The following is an excerpt from my Facebook status last Thursday:

"K.W. is wondering if it is in her job description to warn of impending physical doom due to certain wardrobe malfunctions! hehehehe! Nah! I'll let them figure that one out on their own!"

Is anyone curious of the story behind my status?! I felt like some secret agent writing in a secret code so as to not give too many details away in a public place where my co-workers lurk! I wasn't sure how much information I could share on FB but wanted to tell the story here on my own blog.

The person in question was the female student who dropped the "F-bomb" on me here. (Just in case you were wondering, she has settled down and is actually asking for my help again!)

Are there things you know now that you wish you knew back when you were a teenager? Things that would have made your life easier? For me, yes. Would it have made any difference though? I think part of the rite of passage of adolescence is learning things the hard way!

Let me tell you I was so tempted to impart my "wisdom" to my "F-bomb" student on Thursday afternoon when I walked into her class. I noticed she was wearing a tank top that revealed just a bit too much, with very little support! We do have a dress code at school but obviously no one approached her about her inappropriate dress. I'm sure they were dealing with other pressing matters! A thought crossed my mind as I was helping this young girl with her math. Do I dare give her this piece of advice that will MOST definitely be advantageous when she gets to be my age?! She will thank me! I wanted to whisper in her ear, " you need to buy a better bra honey, one that will support you more fully than the what you are barely wearing now. Gravity kicks in at my age and things change forever. There's on turning back. But you can do something about it NOW!" However, I exhibited restraint and bit my tongue. I didn't want her to" give me the finger" again! She will have to learn the hard way, just like me!

At least there are some of my students who appreciate my words of wisdom. One boy in grade 8 told me on Friday, "Miss W., I tell you things I don't even tell my parents or other people." I chuckled to myself because I'm not exactly sure what "things" he is referring to. He hasn't revealed any deep dark secrets to my knowledge! He does however like to go "off on tangents" when he is supposed to be doing his math. On Friday he asked me about drugs! I told him after he completed his math, I would answer a couple of his questions. There is never a dull moment. All part of the job! It truly is a privilege to be part of the team that is equipping these young students for their future endeavours.

The "F" Bomb

It was a first for me. Never in the history of my professional career working with teenagers - that would be 18 wonderful years- has this word been uttered AT me. Sadly, one of our new students in grade 8 (13 years old) not only uttered profanity AT me but also gave me the finger yesterday. She was suspended- for the second time. She has only been at our school for 1 1/2 weeks. Unbelievable. This young woman has many other issues going on in her life. My heart is sad. To be so broken at such a young age is unfathomable. I recovered from the "F" bomb and the "F" finger! But, I can't help wonder if she will ever recover from the deep brokenness sucking the life out of her right now. I hope so.

Living out my Golden Years with...

I'm excited to show you the face of my future caretaker in my "golden years!" Thankfully there are good souls out there who actually like me! Remember this story I shared about a couple of my students:

"Later on that morning, this same student and another boy were discussing how old they would be when they graduated from university as doctors. "D" looked over at me and affirmed, "Miss W., you will be REAL old when I graduate. I can be your doctor!" "T" pipes up and pronounces in a tender voice, "Miss W., I'm sure when I'm married my wife won't mind...but you can come live with us and we will take care of you in your old age!" Isn't that just the sweetest thing ever! This boy comes from a rough background. His mother is a drug addict. His oldest half brother is in jail. He and his siblings live with their dad now. It is a good thing. They come disheveled to school everyday but they work hard and are sweet. I just may take this boy up on his offer!"

Without further adieu, here is "T" :


"T" and his dad gave me permission to take his photo and post these stories for you my blog- readers. I am grateful. "T" was actually having a good hair day when I captured this shot. Shucks! He may be small in stature, but he has a BIG heart! I will miss him when he moves onto to high school in September but look forward to my "golden years!"

my most favourite apology and compliment ever

26 days ago.
my last blog post.
heavy stuff-not mine, but friends' heavy stuff- is swirling around in my head waiting to be words on this page.
as i wait patiently for the story to gestate, i encountered something today at school which deserves a blog post.

i am thinking a full moon will soon bring life to the dark, winter sky because our students have been "wanky" all week.
i am exhausted especially by the verbal banter of our intermediate students ( ages 11-13), which borders on rudeness and disrespect, to both their peers and staff. actually, it is rude and disrespectful.
today i had an encounter with a student in grade 6 who was disrespectful to me while i was trying to help him. i admit i may have been over sensitive because of the cumulation of attitude around the school all week. however he did what he did and it was wrong. i am also frustrated because i work hard to help these students-yes it is my job- but i do go the extra mile. i don't expect thank yous but do expect to be given respect. i am fair to these students and they know that. i also realize we have bad days and i do think i would have handled things differently had it not been a week from hell!
so later on in the day before lunch this boy came to the class i was in to give me a written apology. it was thick and stapled. in my mind i'm thinking, "wow, this kid has written a novel to me!"
as i was reading it, tears filled my eyes. in my mind i'm thinking, " oh K. what are you doing. do NOT cry in front of this boy. yikes. why are you reacting like this?"
here is the 5-page, large font, bold print, stapled "novel" that made tears form in my eyes:








i LOVED it! i laughed. i thought it was the sweetest thing because this boy really did mean it. he is a "bugger" in class and on the playground, but i do really like him and do see his potential. he has had a bit of a rough life in the 11 years he has lived thus far, but he will be okay. i wish i could post a pic of him because he is such a cute young man with gorgeous big brown eyes and long dark eyelashes ( no he didn't charm me into an apology !!)
i gave this boy a hug ( side hug in the public hallway!) and told him i appreciated this apology and accepted it.
i explained to him why i reacted the way i did too.
all was good and ended well.

so the rest of the day continued to be crazy until last period.
immediately as i entered the grade 8 class, my sweet "D" ( the same girl who wonders why they put letters in math equations...) said to me in an excited tone,

"O-M-G ( yes she spelled out the letters instead of using the complete words) Miss W, I LOOOVVVEEE your pearls!"

i looked at her inquisitively, paused for a moment and then the light went on!
i am still not used to this "text language" talk!
her innocent, naive comments made me laugh yet again which i was grateful for after the day i had!

Simple Surprises

I LOVE surprises.
I LOVE it when God surprises me. Actually, I shouldn't be surprised that God surprises me. After all, King David wrote song after song about God's wonderment during his seasons of despair and seasons of joy.

"God is magnificent; He can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to His greatness. Generation after generation stand in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts. Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking; I compose songs on your wonders. Your marvelous doings are headline news; I could write a book full of the details of your greatness.God always does what He says, and is gracious in everything He does. God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.God's there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. He does what's best for those who fear him-hears them call out, and saves them. God sticks by all who love Him, but it's all over for those who don't. My mouth is filled with God's praise. Let everything living bless Him, bless His holy name from now to eternity!" (Psalm 145 The Message. Thanks goes out to a new visitor to my blog, Courtney, who sent me this Psalm as an encouragement for me. Thanks Courtney!)

I LOVE it when God surprises me when I'm not looking! Simple surprises with compelling lessons leaving me changed in a significant way.

Today, I was once again flabbergasted by a question that flowed out of the braces-filled mouth of another 13 year old student of mine. Once again, I was in the school library with the same group of grade 8 students working on a math project.
Out of the blue, K. stared at me and inquired in a consoling tone,

" Miss W., can I ask you something? I don't mean to sound mean. Why aren't you married?"
Sighing, I said, " I don't know."
K. continued, " I don' t understand because you are nice and beautiful!"

Once again, isn't that just the sweetest thing ever! I love my job! Perfect timing I might add. My lady friends out there will understand my "time of the month" musings, " I feel sooo fat and feel sooo ugly. My boobs are sagging. What is gravity doing to me?!" (and the list could go on and on!) Just this morning I flippantly prayed- -well it was not really a prayer, it was just me talking to myself on my way to work-- that I just want a male companion to tell me I'm beautiful!!! I love that God sent this 13 year old boy to cheer me up!! What an encouragement today.
Simple surprises!

I also want to thank you my friends for your words of encouragement this week regarding my last post. Your kindness, love and empathy mean more to me than I can ever express. Thank you for letting me be me and expressing the deepest part of who I am. Thank you for not judging me. Thank you! I am doing much better. I am trying to embrace my hormonal changes!! hehehehe!
May I leave you with another Celtic prayer but this one is a Celtic evening prayer:

"I lay me down in the love of my Father.
I surrender my body to rest in the love of my Saviour.
I trust my life in sleep to the Spirit who fills me with life."

Strange Conversations to avoid a2+b2=c2

Colourful Chairs, Times Square, New York City, August 2009

Come have a seat. Sit with me for awhile. Let me spin you some yarns about the spiritual conversations I have been having all week with some of my students.

Their questions and comments come at seemingly inopportune times which is a mystery to me. Although one theory I have is they are trying to sabotage their struggle with the Phythagorem Theorem and other algebraic equations for lessons of faith. Why they wouldn't want to do their math when I make it so interesting for them is another mystery to me!! hehehe! I sing jingles, add actions and bribe with candy in order to help them understand the mysteries of math! Oh but I digress again.

Why they approach me and not other staff with their deep faith questions is beyond me. I do have a theory... "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..." :)

I want to make it clear I am in NO way proselytizing! I am VERY careful in my profession. These students are the initiators. I wisely answer their philosophical questions to the best of my ability at the appropriate time. I make it clear these are MY opinions and try to encourage them to have these discussions with their parents! I do try desperately to re-focus their attention to the task at hand. But the conversation always comes back around until I take a brief moment and let them get it out of their system. Then we can move on. I count it a privilege these inquisitive students trust me enough to want my opinion on such profound matters regarding the meaning of life.

So, are you curious what these young, impressionable minds are asking?

"Miss W., who created the world?"
As I was heading down to the library to work on math with three students in grade 8, I overheard them debating creation versus evolution. One of the students is a Hindu, one is a Christian and the other is nothing specific. Two of them were trying to convince this Hindu that God created the world. I LOVE the innocence of youth. I LOVE their honesty today. I LOVE how they just tell it like it is in their black and white world.

"Miss W., do you think God has a brother or a sister? Who do you think Jesus is?"
I arrived in the grade 5 classroom as the teacher was giving her lesson in geometry. I sat down beside the student I work with and immediately these questions randomly flowed out of his mouth. He is a Muslim boy and has a form of autism called Asperger's. So, his voice is booming loud and he has no understanding of the social cues of the classroom! Once again I tried to re-direct him to continue listening to the teacher's lesson. However, he persisted and could not focus until I answered his questions. It was kind of comical because I was basically trying to explain the Trinity to this Muslim boy in two seconds or less when I realized I was confusing him more! At recess, he asked me some more questions and I answered to the best of my ability. I asked him what he believed. I am learning more about the Muslim faith through my students. Interestingly, we do share similar moral beliefs, like abstaining from alcohol, abstinence, filtering our music and movie watching, etc.

"A., are you a Christian like Miss W.?"
The boy that asked our lunch room supervisor this question has autism. I have no idea how he knew I was a christian. I haven't even worked in his special ed. classroom thus I rarely have any conversations with this boy. Well except for telling him the type of car I drive! He has an impeccable memory and is fascinated by vehicles! I am still baffled by his question! Maybe he overheard me talk about my weekend and possibly I may have mentioned I went to church on Sunday. I don't remember. Whatever it is, this boy believes -accurately I might add- that I am a christian. And that is important to him.

"Miss W., what kind of genius puts a letter in a math equation?"
The best comment ever said to me! While taking this grade 8 student down to the library to work on her algebra ( 2x+1 =2; An example for those of you who forget grade 8 algebra!!) she blurts this comment out in all seriousness. I nearly fell on the floor laughing! She has a good point though!

Later on that morning, this same student and another boy were discussing how old they would be when they graduated from university as doctors. "D" looked over at me and affirmed,
"Miss W., you will be REAL old when I graduate. I can be your doctor!"

"T" pipes up and pronounces in a tender voice,
"Miss W., I'm sure when I'm married my wife won't mind you coming to live with us in your old age and we will take care of you!"
Isn't that just the sweetest thing ever! This boy comes from a rough background. His mother is a drug addict. His oldest half brother is in jail. He and his siblings live with their dad now. It is a good thing. They come disheveled to school everyday but they work hard and are sweet. I just may take this boy up on his offer!

"Miss W., are you a virgin?"
Okay that is not a deep, dark philosophical question but I had to throw it in - yes, I was asked this question out of the blue during math once again! My response, "get back to your work!!!"

I wonder what will transpire this week at school! I can't wait!

"This little Light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little Light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."

Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." ( Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)

A Hug a Day keeps the Doctor Away!

***update below***

Check out this story over at Alastir Appleton's blog. (Alastir used to be the host of the British series, "Escape to the Country.") I was actually touched by his story about a woman called Amma. I have never heard of her before, but I suspect she is very familiar in the Buddhist circles. Looking past our vast differences in theological views, I do think this woman is truly amazing for giving this simple but profound gift to people. Thousands and thousands of people line up just to be hugged. Why do you think that is?

Have you ever been hugged so snugly you don't want to ever let go? I have needed those hugs on many occasions and am grateful to those friends who extended them to me. I wonder how different our world would be if we graciously extended snug hugs to every person we encountered? Just some thoughts to ponder!

*** On the last day of school before Christmas vacation (Dec 18, 2009), I received more hugs from my students than ever before. They initiated it! It was GREAT and I had no problem hugging them back. A profound gift!***

Birthday Bash

Our disparate worlds converged back in 2006 and a unique friendship was birthed out of that union. Who would have guessed? Not I!

At first, he irritated me. Yet at the same time, I was also deeply intrigued by this eccentric barista. Remember my adventure with him here? It is hard to believe almost 3 years later I consider Anthony my friend!

I have a confession to make. I did something a little CRAZY on my birthday, which ironically enough fell on Labour Day this year! It also happened to be the first annual Brasilian Day in Toronto to celebrate Brasil’s Independence Day! My soul sista S. and I decided to join the festivities as part of my birthday bash!

Oh where was I? Oh yes, let me back-track a little for you...

Anthony thinks I look like the actress, Jamie Lee Curits and I think he looks like a cross between Elton John and the actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman. Every time I dine at Richtree Marche (the restaurant where Anthony works) he always tells me, "you need to come dressed in fish- net stockings like Jamie in "True Lies! You would look hot!"
Thanks Anthony! (I couldn't wait to tell Anthony that a man stopped me on the street in New York City back in August and said, "hey beautiful Jamie Lee Curtis!")

So when I showed up on my birthday without the fish-net stockings I was worried Anthony would be disappointed. On the contrary, he was VERY excited to see me, according to my sista S! You see I am convinced he is "batting for the other side" ( is that even an idiom?!) Not that I care, but I just don't think he is into me at all! At one point I had to use the washroom and left the watchful eye of Anthony. S. told me the entire time I was gone he kept asking her where I was and wondered when I was coming back. Apparently, S. told him it was my birthday and he asked to have his picture taken with me!!

Take 1: Say Cheese!
Take 2: Anthony didn't like his pic in the first take so we had to say cheese again!



To appease Anthony, after S. and I finished our meal, we decided to grab our dessert and go over to his barista kiosk and order one of Anthony's famous coffee creations. While sitting enjoying our tasteful dessert and pleasant conversation, Anthony left. I figured he was now on break and would come join S. and I at the bar. I couldn't have been farther from the truth. He left! Vamoose! We have no idea where Anthony went. I was disappointed, so S. encouraged me to write my name and email address on a napkin and leave it for him. I "hymned and hawed" for a brief moment then made the decision to go for it! Why not. It was my birthday! "Live in the moment" is my motto after all! So I discretely placed the napkin in front of Anthony's fancy coffee machine - where I was CERTAIN he would find it.

I never received that email from Anthony. My suspicion is the napkin got thrown out by the manager that relieved Anthony for break. Or it could be as simple as, "he is just not that into me!" Whatever the case, I know I will continue to have many more adventures at Richtree Marche with my eccentric, barista friend!

The Brasilian Day festivities at Yonge and Dundas Square ...
Here I am armed with my Brasilian Portuguese phrase book, wearing the Brasilian colours...
S. and I dancing the Samba with the crowds of Brasilians!

Goodbye

"A black-haired little girl with a joyful grin,

Lights up the room as she walks in.

Proudly standing, O Canada she sings,

Thinking about her favourite things.

Nail polish, lip gloss, clickity shoes,

Boy whales, girl whales, Miss W's whales too.

Excited about the day ahead,

She soon checks to see what she has read.

'Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?'

Her favourite storybook she rhymes off with glee!

Quickly her thoughts turn to that magic hour (9:30)

When new toilets, especially white toilets, have all the power.

Flush, flush, flushing we go, 'Don't waste the water...no, no, no.'

Finally, ready to work with all her might,

Enthusiastically she perseveres until she gets it right.

A black -haired little girl with a joyful grin,

Lights up the room as she walks in."

(I wrote this poem about "S", my student with autism, when she was in grade 4, December,2004)

("S's" Grade 8 Graduation, June 18, 2009. Photo posted with permission from "S's" parents )

That black -haired little girl with that joyful grin is now a black-haired beautiful young woman about to light up the halls of high school.

I can hardly believe it was 6 years ago when I first began working with this precious student who had autism. She could barely make a sentence that would make any sense to the average person, always echoing what you asked. This wonderful girl taught me so much through the years about life. God used this precious girl to teach me so many valuable lessons that drew me closer to Him and taught me more of His character. (One example I wrote about here Seeing her blossom into a high-functioning young woman, able to communicate effectively with the world around her, has been an amazing journey! She now can talk up a storm and converse with anyone. (She even has a Facebook account and chats regularly with her friends!) One would barely know anything was "wrong" with "S" if one met her on the street.

Yet, my heart broke for this young woman a few days before graduation. I was asked to drive "S" to her new high school in order that she could participate in the end of the year party with her new class. I must interject here and tell you that "S" has been integrated into mainstream classrooms all her school life. The new class she will be involved with at the high school is a special ed. class, with some integration into the mainstream. She is not able to communicate with any students in that class, unless the four new students coming in September are high-functioning. Thankfully, the teachers and EA's are wonderful people!

The disturbing part for me: The story unfolding behind "S" 's eyes.

"S" 's eyes were filled with heartache. She knew something wasn't right. It was almost unbearable to see the intense sadness in those big, beautiful brown eyes. We are not used to seeing sadness but rather joy and peace. "S" politely participated in some of the activities but was constantly looking out the door of the classroom into the Student Services Department where she saw many former schoolmates. She smiled, waved and where possible, chatted with these former school mates. Eventually "S" asked me if we could leave - 2 hours earlier than planned. I complied because I knew it was too much for her to take in at once.

As we silently drove away, my heart was weeping for this precious young woman. September will be a huge culture shock. However, she will survive. She is a fighter and will make the most of her situation. She will light up each classroom and influence the lives of those teachers and students lucky enough to know her! "S" 's peace will radiate incessantly!

I will miss my sweet "S" but will NEVER forget her magical, joyful grin!

(PS Thankfully "S" 's parents have asked that we stay in touch! YAY!)

"Peace 'S' "

-painted with parental permission by S.D., my best friend, from a photo I took of "S" in the staff room of my school -February, 2009

Long overdue for a good Yarn!

Time to amuse you, my bloggy friends, with a few of my student yarns I stowed away for a rainy day. Actually, it isn't raining here in my neck of the woods. In fact, it is a gorgeous, warm, "sunny-with -a-few-clouds-put-on-the-air-conditioner" kind of day. Long overdue I might add!


Thursday was a "feel-like-dressing-up-for-work-knowing-full-well-my-clothes-may-be-ripped-and-pulled-by-my-student-and-knowing-full-well-I-may-have-to-run-after-him" kind of day. Alas, I risked it all for the sake of fashion! I even wore dangling accessories! I felt glorious. The day went off without a hitch until.....

....the last period of the day in the grade 3 classroom. My lovely $2.oo yellow shoes had started to hurt my squished feet. In fact, I was beginning to get a blister at the start of the toe area. But I knew the end of the day was in sight when I could kick off my heels and breathe a sigh of relief. As I was sitting helping my student "Q" (the boy who has autism), his seat partner asked me in a very practical and polite manner,

" Miss W, do those shoes hurt?" Smiling I looked at him and said, "YES!" Without missing a beat and still using his practical and polite tone, he concluded, "then why are you wearing them?" He turned away and got back to work. What more could I say! One day he may understand why women put themselves through torture for the sake of fashion. Then again, he probably never will never understand the mind of a woman!! He's learning young!

Two weeks prior to this conversation, I had an interesting dialogue with "Q" about a skin tag that has suddenly formed on my inside right arm. Part of the aging process! Yippee! Anyhoo...

...Horrified, "Q" looked at me behind his horned rimmed glasses and yelled,
" Miss W, you have a GIANT pimple on your arm."

"Oh that," I said. "It's called a skin tag."

From that moment on, EVERYDAY "Q" seeks me out and asks in a concerned tone, "Miss W, how is your skin tag doing today?"
Thanks "Q" for drawing attention to this embarrassing piece of skin on my arm!!

"Q" is a cutie and there is never a dull moment when he is around. In fact, around the same time as the skin tag conversation, "Q" and his grade 3 classmates were embarking on writing the "dreaded" EQAO test. EQAO is a government, standardized test that takes place every year for grade 3, grade 6, and grade 10 students in Ontario. The students work hard in preparation for this 3-day testing, including "Q." He was allowed to have his work modified but his parents wanted him to keep up with the rest of the class. I totally respect that and am not in any way criticising their decision. But, it was difficult for "Q" to keep up. His poor little brain was in overdrive and you could see the strain on his face. So one day when I came to his class he greeted me with these words:

"Miss W, I have decided that I am going to run away to the circus. I have made up my mind."

"Why?"

"Because I want to run away from "V.F." I am tired of all this work. I have decided. But Miss W, I want you to know that you have always been so kind to me."

How cute is that?!!:) I loved his creative way of dealing with the stress of the situation! I am grateful he uses his words instead of being physically aggressive like some of my students who have autism!! I think I convinced him that being in the circus involves a lot of hard work too! Phew! He decided to stay put for now! We would surely miss him if he did run away to the circus. I think I would have to join him!

Well that is all for now folks. I am trying to catch up on all your blogs now. I may not have time to comment on all blogs but will soon.

I hope sometime during the course of your day you can share some yarns with those around you. Laughter is medicine to the soul!