Janet's Blog

October is such a busy time for me.  I have to evaluate each of my thirty-five students online, for fifty different criteria for each child.  The old-fashioned method of using pencil and paper would be much faster.  Even though I've been testing kids individually and working on this assessment ever since school started in August, the final rush to get it done before parent/teacher conferences is almost overwhelming.  I certainly couldn't do it without the assistance of my faithful para-professionals.  But, finally, it's done!  What a relief! This assessment is partially the result of the No Child Left Behind legislation, which is about ten years old.  On one hand, such assessments provide valuable information about each child, so that I can tailor my lesson plans to meet each child's needs, and share assessment results with eager parents.  But, on the other hand, the whole assessment process takes away from the time I could be using to work with children to boost the

It was a family tradition that happened every fall:  Mom, Dan and Laura, and I took a drive in the country to gather dead weeds.  Then we drove back home to make winter bouquets. I think it happened for the first time in Norfolk, when I was in Brownies.  Mom was the leader of our group; Dan and Laura always came along to Brownies, too.  I don't remember if the whole Brownie troop went along to gather the weeds, or if Mom brought them to our meeting for the girls to make into bouquets.  Whatever the case, we all had such a good time assembling winter bouquets that it became a family tradition that lasted for years, until I was in high school.  I'm not sure why we called them "winter" bouquets, because we made them and used them in the fall.  The process was simple.  On a chilly Sunday afternoon in late October or early November, we gathered an assortment of beautiful dried weeds from the ditch next to some gravel road out in the country.  We always searched hard to

After endless days of near record-breaking temperatures throughout September, and even into October, it seemed like fall would never really arrive this year.  At last, the leaves on the trees are beginning to change from green to gold, and there's a little nip in the air in the evenings.  A cool breeze swirls through the few skittering leaves that have fallen to the ground.  Finally, summer's shorts and tank tops and flip flops have morphed into jeans and long sleeves, shoes and socks.  It's pumpkin picking time!   Every October, we take our preschoolers to the Adams Family Pumpkin Patch, located just east of Scottsbluff.  For many children, this first field trip of the school year marks their first ride on a big yellow school bus.  For many, the two mile bus ride is the best part of the trip.   The kids are so excited about riding on the bus that they just can't sit still.  Wiggling and giggling, three to a seat, chattering children crane their necks to see out

Have you ever noticed that many people just don't like change?  How quickly we become set in our ways, preferring comfortable routines because "we've always done it this way."  Familiar activities are safe because we know what to expect.  Change feels risky.  Change often requires us to trust in something or someone beyond ourselves. Change may require us to adopt new attitudes and new ways of doing things.  Even a little change, like yet another adjustment in Facebook format, causes much frustration for many people.  And, heaven forbid, if the church should change service times or music styles! Personally, I like change, at least some of the time.  I think that moving provides a wonderful chance to clean out and start fresh.  However, Bill hates moving so much that he doesn't plan to move ever again, so I guess I'm stuck in this house for a long time yet.  It's a good thing that we like our house, and that it provides the space we need.  However, we'