Some Thoughts on Teaching and Life in General.

Over my break I read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, again. I found this quote, and I realized how true it is to my life as a teacher.

"You think me foolish to call instruction a torment, but if you had been as much used as myself to hear poor little children first learning their letters and then learning to spell, if you had ever seen how stupid they can be for a whole morning together, and how tired my poor mother is at the end of it, as I am in the habit of seeing almost every day of my life at home, you would allow that to 'torment' and to 'instruct' might sometimes be used as synonimous words."
--Catherine Morland

Sometimes we make instruction, torment. It isn't just a torment for the students though. I have found moments of torment while teaching and waiting for students to answer a question or to become lively. What can I do to make it less of a torment? I have no idea. I just have to think about it and stop tormenting my students and instruct them.

Now Life. December came and went too quickly. I really have no idea where the time went. I taught every weekday until the 22nd. Then I went to my mom's on the 23rd and spent the whole weekend at her house. I LOVED seeing my family. Everyone was there on the 26th. My favorite part of the day was sitting up with my two nephews (aged 18 and 17) and talking about life. It was just fun. I don't get to do that very often.

Anyway, the old year left with a party and just watching movies with a friend. Then the new year came in with a mouse in my ceiling. I also poked a hole with my finger in that ceiling. I had a make shift patch and I didn't sleep for 3 days. (Part of that was due to the fact that I was the only one home for 2 of those days.) Also, the unavoidable was approaching. I was getting ready to go back to school. Not only teaching school, but learning school. I started my MEd (Masters of Education) yesterday. Right now, I LOVE one class, and will tolerate the other. It is going to be an interesting ride the next few years. I am excited to do this.

Here is the best story of them all. Somehow in my class today we were talking about my birthday and how old I am. The conversation went something like this:
G: How old are you Miss. Duncan
MD: 27 I'll be 28 on my birthday.
M: You're 27! And NO guy had EVER proposed to you?
MD: I know. That is really sad isn't it?

I better get working on that proposal. Heaven forbid I reach 29 and never be proposed to!