Tragedies in our midst

As Americans, we are optimistic and not used to seeing bombs explode but hear about these kinds of things in foreign lands, never expecting that they would find their way to our country or our town. It was such a shocking event therefore, when, at the end of the most quintessential celebration of human endeavor and international running and goodwill, The Boston Marathon, several bombs exploding and killed at least three people, wounded and maimed over a hundred. The wonderful response was empathy and helping and an overwhelming feeling of soldarity and love.
Having suffered through another senseless act of violence in Newtown on Dec. 14th, people were again in shock and horrified, but resolved to go into action against all odds. Runners who had just given their allin completing 26 miles were greeted with screaming, blood, and chaos, ,as they tried to get the victims into wheelchairs or medical tents or hospitals. It was compared to being on a war front.
Again, as with Newtown, people were wanting too know why. Was this an act of terror? Was it another desperate act by a mentally ill individual? Either way, we are forever changed in our innocence and our carefree way of thinking. So sad and senseless.

ESL 2013

Now that we are pushing through the new year equipped with digital capabilities via our iPads, teaching is enhanced incredibly and our imaginations are on fire with all kinds of new ideas for next year. We will see a large group of beginners and will greet another group whose level of English language proficiency is unknown. Planning becomes a guessing game, with only our experience this year as a guide. Change is  a thrilling process, no matter how awkward it may seem at times.

Following the original post about Sandy there was tremendous hardship suffered in NJ and Long Island, both former homes. The photos of the damage on the internet were horrifying, with New York City paralyzed and unbelievable fires with a ripple effect that still has people without power today for Election Day. People got out to vote in makeshift voting booths which is so powerful and inspires us to do this thing called voting despite all the hurdles we all face. I am happy that Obama won today because all the work he has started takes time, and he is a very smart guy, who cares about this country. His wife and daughters are wonderful examples for people to emulate. We have so much hope for the many changes going on globally and nationally that Obama understands. Hooray!

Hurricane Sandy came and went with a terrifying wind and a worst case scenario down on the coast. People evacuated due to mandatory efforts by first responders and police, Shelters were open and a travel ban was in effect and all schools were open. Tomorrow is Halloween and schools will open but our principal asked that children do not wear costumes in an effort to get back to academics as much as possible.
In all, we were luckier in this part of the state and I never lost power. My heart goes out to those who did lose electricity after a year ago when we were without power due to another Halloween storm. It is not a good feeling and we had no school for a week. I feel luckier this time and I was ready with a new flashight and kerosene heater, which I will keep on hand for the next power outage.

Students from China

When asked what students coming here to an American high school should know, the first thing that they must know is English. There are such vast differences between the two (or more) languages that the student would need to have studied at least a few years of English in their own school before coming to study in the United States. Students will be assessed for English Language Proficiency upon arrival in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking with a LAS Placement Test that takes about 30 minutes. They should receive counseling to prepare them for the cultural differences they will experience prior to coming here. There should also be screening of students; a student who is shy and non-verbal would not be selected because he/she would not be able to contribute in class. The ideal candidate will have an enthusiastic attitude and be willing to speak and take risks with the new language. Students should expect some degree of culture shock and be willing to adapt. Students who are not willing to make changes would be at a disadvantage, and may need more time to prepare.



I have had experience with elementary, middle, high school and adults from China, and they are as varied in their abilities as anyone in our country. The main motivating factor for most of these students seems to be getting good grades and thus getting into an Ivy League College. Having the opportunity to start young puts them at quite an advantage, and it seems that those with parental or family support do extremely well. They must also be willing to participate and become immersed in the new culture. Most students navigate the new system remarkably well.

Had a great conversation with Hilary & Dutch at Mt. Tom - They are going to Peru in November! So, I promised to make the Pisco Sour that was the favorite drink in Peru last year when Sarah and I visited Cusco and Machu Pichu and the Sacred Valley. In anticipation of their visit, I sent them this video to share with the students they are taking with them on their trip.

April and Easter

April and Easter are anniversary reminders of John's death and Tom's illness and so are tough in terms of being the start of Springtime and thoughts of new life. This year we wanted to get right to work over at Sarah's house helping her prepare her garden after the extremely difficult winter we all endured this year. It began the day after Christmas wih a blizzard that forced us (Dan, Maia, and I) to hunker down and stay overnight with Sarah. Matt left just before the storm worsened for Providence. We played Scrabble and Monopoly and really enjoyed it as an indoor bonding experience. That storm was followed by more and more snow. Sarah had to use her new snowblower a LOT to get out every morning to work. Most of us had to deal with ice dams and damage from heavy snow on our rooftops. Roof rakes to rid the homes of daggerlike icicles were in demand. Therefore, when we sensed a bit of warmth and after all the snow and ice had melted, Matt came over from Rhode Island and helped - he also ordered a load of manure as a surprise and the weekend of Easter we all went to pick out a new chicken coop so that the new chicks would have a fresh new place to live. All was going well untill people started getting stuck in the mud. After all was said and done, it was quite messy and more than a little frustrating, but it all went down as an unfortunate series of events that we had to just get past and move on. My Memorial Day, the garden and the chickens were all taken care of and the mowing had begun. Between Tom's brother, Rob, and me and Sarah the grass gets mowed regularly. One tractor repair session was all it took from the Sears guy who is a familiar part of the scene now to get the old Craftsman running fine. It should be good for this season and then maybe next year she can consider a new riding mower with a larger cutting span.