There will come soft rains...
There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound
And frogs in the pools singing at night
And wild plum trees in tremulous white
Robins will wear their feathery fire
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly
And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone.
-Sara Teasdale
It's true...you know it's true. It's sad to think about how much harm we've caused to our planet...how much harm we're still causing. The robins and frogs and wild plum trees would be much better off without humans around to muddle everything up. Very sad.
It's people like Ann Coulter, and her ilk, that see no problem with 'raping the land' (pretty much what she said).
Anyway, enough about that.
Yesterday was the glorious 'Astor Day Treatment TCI Refresher'
TCI, as I've said before, is Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, which is the set of verbal and physical techniques employed by our agency to deal with kids in crisis.
Anyway, it was useful to review all of the stuff, some of it gets a bit rusty, but I was fairly confident in my verbal techniques. We did some roleplaying, in once scenario, I announced the type of 'classroom intervention' before we performed the scenario...which everyone was supposed to guess. One of my more boneheaded moments, but people are used to this sort of thing by now.
During another roleplay, Mr. White was hilarious, shouting out 'Oh HELL no' and wielding a chair as a club. The roleplaying in general was fun because it was a good opportunity for us to let our hair down a bit and curse at each other and such.
After lunch, we did the physical interventions. I was dreading this part, as I've never had to do a physical invervention (aka 'therapeutic hold'), and I'm not quite comfortable with my own capabilities to perform the techniques, but it went fine. I was able to do everything, and I did fine on the test. It's really not that hard...and it's good to refresh, since I may have to use them some day, though I'd do everything humanly possible to avoid that sort of situation arising.
Today was the first day back for the kids...and it was good to see them again.
Now, as far as Mr. Armstrong is concerned...we don't know. The official word hasn't come down yet, and we're still waiting. However, the sooner we know, the better, as we can then inform the kids, and I can formally take over his math group.
And then we can start searching for a replacement for him.
Ed came home from the hospital today. Surprise! He's still a prick.
Oh well.
Today was Mr. Duch's last day, we had a farewell thingy for him in the hallway...and he got all choked up. He was our classroom clinician, and so we'll definitely miss him.
Well, in any case, I'm glad the TCI Refresher is over...it was definitely a shadow hanging over me for awhile, and now that it's done...I'm much more relaxed. Much less tense.
I thought my computer had died on me this evening, but it was fine once I smacked it a few times...still, I'm worried that this lil ole computer might not last too much longer. Time shall tell.
Anyway, that's all that I have to say for now...everything is on an even keel. I'm okay. You're okay. FUCK, my legs are sore from the physical interventions...I'm just no good at kneeling like that.
A little more poetry, courtesy of Lord Byron (one of my personal favorites) and then we're done...
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound
And frogs in the pools singing at night
And wild plum trees in tremulous white
Robins will wear their feathery fire
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire
And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done
Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly
And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone.
-Sara Teasdale
It's true...you know it's true. It's sad to think about how much harm we've caused to our planet...how much harm we're still causing. The robins and frogs and wild plum trees would be much better off without humans around to muddle everything up. Very sad.
It's people like Ann Coulter, and her ilk, that see no problem with 'raping the land' (pretty much what she said).
Anyway, enough about that.
Yesterday was the glorious 'Astor Day Treatment TCI Refresher'
TCI, as I've said before, is Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, which is the set of verbal and physical techniques employed by our agency to deal with kids in crisis.
Anyway, it was useful to review all of the stuff, some of it gets a bit rusty, but I was fairly confident in my verbal techniques. We did some roleplaying, in once scenario, I announced the type of 'classroom intervention' before we performed the scenario...which everyone was supposed to guess. One of my more boneheaded moments, but people are used to this sort of thing by now.
During another roleplay, Mr. White was hilarious, shouting out 'Oh HELL no' and wielding a chair as a club. The roleplaying in general was fun because it was a good opportunity for us to let our hair down a bit and curse at each other and such.
After lunch, we did the physical interventions. I was dreading this part, as I've never had to do a physical invervention (aka 'therapeutic hold'), and I'm not quite comfortable with my own capabilities to perform the techniques, but it went fine. I was able to do everything, and I did fine on the test. It's really not that hard...and it's good to refresh, since I may have to use them some day, though I'd do everything humanly possible to avoid that sort of situation arising.
Today was the first day back for the kids...and it was good to see them again.
Now, as far as Mr. Armstrong is concerned...we don't know. The official word hasn't come down yet, and we're still waiting. However, the sooner we know, the better, as we can then inform the kids, and I can formally take over his math group.
And then we can start searching for a replacement for him.
Ed came home from the hospital today. Surprise! He's still a prick.
Oh well.
Today was Mr. Duch's last day, we had a farewell thingy for him in the hallway...and he got all choked up. He was our classroom clinician, and so we'll definitely miss him.
Well, in any case, I'm glad the TCI Refresher is over...it was definitely a shadow hanging over me for awhile, and now that it's done...I'm much more relaxed. Much less tense.
I thought my computer had died on me this evening, but it was fine once I smacked it a few times...still, I'm worried that this lil ole computer might not last too much longer. Time shall tell.
Anyway, that's all that I have to say for now...everything is on an even keel. I'm okay. You're okay. FUCK, my legs are sore from the physical interventions...I'm just no good at kneeling like that.
A little more poetry, courtesy of Lord Byron (one of my personal favorites) and then we're done...
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!