There's a full moon tonight as I walk Mitzi around the neighborhood, as I have done for most of the past almost 9 years. With very few street lights, the neighborhood looks magical at night. Various house lamps twinkling, indoor lamplight spilling out through Arizona doors, the sound of people chatting. On one of the streets, there's a small street party going on, socially distanced of course. Someone is playing a keyboard in their garage and people have brought their lawn chairs.
Another month of this dreadful year has gone, we are edging closer to a hopefully better 2021. In our corner of Arizona, the COVID count continues to be low, almost flat. Elementary schools are open to in-class learning 5 days a week, the high schools are still part in-class, part online but that could change in a couple of weeks if the COVID numbers stay down. I have gone back to substitute teaching. Partly because I feel for the kids, I want to be part of their experience, a positive part. So far I have subbed for one day in high school and three days spread across fourth grade classes. I have actually enjoyed it even though wearing a mask for most of the day gets hot and uncomfortable, especially when I have to actually teach something and talk for more than a few minutes. Mostly though, the regular teacher has left the lessons on the kids' Chromebooks and they sit quietly at their desks, working on the assignments on the screens in front of them.
That's one of the BIG changes in school this year--the kids are SO quiet! They seem to have had it drummed into them that they have to stay in their own little bubble, they hardly speak to me, to their fellow students. Reminds me of some of the black and white photos we used to see when we were students of ourselves of "regimented" classrooms. So I try hard not to make them feel more regimented. I am extra kind this year, I speak gently and encouragingly, help wherever I can.
Today I had an email from a teacher I subbed for this past Monday saying how great I was and how he has passed my name along to other teachers, highly recommending me. Ironic, that's just about the first time in the 11 years I've subbed that I've actually received a positive email from a teacher I didn't know. It felt very good.
I still miss traveling so much though. I have read and watched several English mysteries that on the one hand brought back happy memories of places in England but on the other also made me feel that I WANT TO BE THERE! And Canada, I can't even get back to Canada.
I won't comment on our dreadful political situation down here. As I walked along the neighborhood streets tonight I remembered the several years that I used to walk with some former neighbors who have now moved to Phoenix. We walked together through the Obama presidency years and through the first Trump campaign. They are ardent Republicans, intensely disliked Obama and loved (probably still love) Trump. We eventually agreed that to keep the friendship we would cease talking politics. Which we did. Our neighborhood is overwhelmingly for President Trump during this re-election campaign, something that appalls me. I like a lot of the people who have Trump signs in their front yards though so I just try to let it all go.
And so October is just a few hours away. October in Quebec--the cool air, the beautiful trees, snuggling into sweaters. Not like that here in Arizona although it IS getting cooler in the mornings and evenings. I can't wait, though, until I can wear a sweater all day. I much prefer burrowing into wool than sweating in cotton.
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