Another new innings...

...started for me this week. Having held the Illinois Teaching Certificate for almost a year and a half, applying in school districts and not hearing back from them, I finally got a break in the same school district as Nino and Chica's. Lesson learnt - knowing people in the system works as much here as anywhere else in the world! So even though the hiring right now has been as a paltry substitute teacher, its exciting nevertheless for a variety of reasons. Getting back into a profession very close to my heart even if its a baby step towards that; getting the opportunity of experiencing teaching, first hand, in a country other than my own; being able to step out after another long stint at home to name a few. And the good part is its working well with my schedule. Nino returns at 4:00 and I am able to return before that. Chica who still goes half day has been lucky to get a loving babysitter in a dear friend. And mornings just got better. Every morning Nino wakes up with the question if I got a call from some school to see if he would be able to don his 'responsible child cum caring older brother' hat today :) I had been counseling the kids since last week about all they would have to remember to do as I would have to leave, on some days, almost an hour and a quarter before they leave for school. Which is typically the time they are ready to go for the bathroom 'works' after having gulped down their milk. And A more often than not has office calls during that time, which essentially leaves the kids on their own to get ready, fold their clothes, make their beds, eat their breakfast, make sure everything that's supposed to be in the bags actually is (yeah we are last minuters) and biggest of all KEEP AN EYE ON THE CLOCK! And I am proud to say that on the very first day, I am a proud mom of kids who got ready 20 minutes before their scheduled time and were the first ones to reach the bus stop! Yeah, Chica wore pink and green socks with a black and white shirt and red leggings, but I am ready to overlook that because she did look amusingly cute nevertheless :)

So now notes from the first day of work. I spent my time laughing over this video with A last night and hoping my day went better than this ;)

I substituted for a Math/Science teacher in a middle school today. Some of the things that impressed me -

1. The day started with select News being broadcast for the students to watch throuhgout the school in the homeroom period. Such a great idea!
2. Outside every teacher's room, along with their name was a sign which stated "Mr/Mrs XYZ is reading                            . " (followed by the name of the book). How inspiring!
3. 6th graders were working on a presentation in groups of 4 on National Parks. The roles taken up by each group member were Geologist/Animal and Plant researcher/Historian/Tour Guide. They made slides according to their role and shared it on Google Docs with their group members which the Tour Guide then adjusted to, well guide the audience. Such a great project!

So that's the latest from my end. Tomorrow is another exciting day as I get to visit the young Kindergartners. My kids are more excited than I am about this one :)
 

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I am thankful for Basque athlete Iván Fernández Anaya

A few weeks back Nino read a book about Lance Armstrong and as is natural for a child his age, was so impressed by the feats he had achieved. He couldn't help marveling at the fact that a person could win the Tour de France seven times in a row. He was deeply moved by the fact that in spite of battling cancer, which he knew to be a deadly disease, he returned to cycling and by his will power and hard work went on to achieve all that he did. The book was obviously written before February 2011 when Lance Armstrong was charged by the United Stated Anti Doping Agency for using and distributing performance enhancing drugs and stripped of all his medals since August 1998. Very unfortunately we had to shatter the bubble he had created and bring down the cyclist from the larger than life pedestal the child had placed him on. The look on his face was not a pleasant one to see as he battled confusion, contempt, distrust. While it was a meaningful lesson in doing the right thing and the huge consequences following your choice of actions, still as a parent I felt a tug at my heart hoping that somehow everything could be undone and Lance Armstrong to go back to being the hero my son had just imagined him to be.


So today when I read about the Basque athlete Iván Fernández Anaya, I felt so heartened. I quote his glorious action

Very little has been said about this…..On December 2, Basque athlete Iván Fernández Anaya was competing in a cross-country race in Burlada, Navarre. He was running second, some distance behind race leader Abel Mutai - bronze medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the London Olympics. As they entered the finishing straight, he saw the Kenyan runner - the certain winner of the race - mistakenly pull up about 10 meters before the finish, thinking he had already crossed the line.
Fernández Anaya quickly caught up with him, but instead of exploiting Mutai's mistake to speed past and claim an unlikely victory, he stayed behind and, using gestures, guided the Kenyan to the line and let him cross first.
Ivan Fernandez Anaya, a Basque runner of 24 years who is considered an athlete with a big future (champion of Spain of 5,000 meters in promise category two years ago) said after the test:
"But even if they had told me that winning would have earned me a place in the Spanish team for the European championships, I wouldn't have done it either. I also think that I have earned more of a name having done what I did than if I had won. And that is very important, because today, with the way things are in all circles, in soccer, in society, in politics, where it seems anything goes, a gesture of honesty goes down well."
He said at the beginning: unfortunately, very little has been said of the gesture. And it's a shame. In my opinion, it would be nice to explain to children, so they do not think that sport is only what they see on TV: violent kicks in abundance, posh statements, fingers in the eyes of the enemy ... 

I can't wait to share this with Nino today to give him back hope, the trust that honest people still do exist and are recognized and the belief that no matter how 'big' you are, you really are only as big as your actions!

Like Ivan says, please do share this with your children and show them the video here.

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Soon enough...

You know what, after months of being away from the blog, except blogging about the events or the places we have enjoyed, currently I am in a frame of mind where I want to savor my kids wholeheartedly and completely and delight in the joy they bring to my life. Because now is the time with the new school year beginning, children of relatives and friends who are ready to fly the proverbial nest, to pursue their studies away from home, often cross country now, the things their parents have to say, the feelings they describe they are going through, the emptiness which is so evident in their hearts and minds, the few more days they are longing to spend with their children who are soon going to be far far away, it tugs at your heart, especially if you are mother with kids who are growing at lightning speed. The first thing you do is place yourself in those parents' shoes and feel what they feel, knowing that soon enough you will be them. Knowing that soon enough the very fights with your kids you crib about will exactly be the ones you'll crave; soon enough the physical and the mental work it takes being a mom of two young children that seems too much now would be the one you'll realize to be the sweetest, most enriching and most satisfying thing you have experienced in your life; soon enough the hugs and the kisses that are now so abundant that you often take them for granted would become rare luxuries because soon enough its going to be your kids leaping and taking flight out of your nests and eventually making their own.
Why don't I write about all these moments more often when I started this blog for just that, a tether to hold on to for just those 'soon enough' times. Well, as of now I resolve to and I will. I just want to keep the tone of this post philosophical, so whats been up with us would be the content of the next post which will come up pretty soon!

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Of Benjamin Franklin and Kissing

If you are finding the title of the post totally bizarre and wondering why the great Benjamin Franklin and kissing are sharing the same space, well let me just give you the exact conversation that took place between me and the kids last night. We were reading How Benjamin Franklin stole the Lightning and getting amazed by the various inventions he made and at the various experiments he did with electricity when we reached this page.

This is the conversation that followed.

Chica: Mom, but is this the right thing to do?

Me: No, it can be very dangerous to hold on to electric wires and do anything.

Chica: No, I mean even without the the electric wire, its not good, no?

Me (a googly when I was least expecting it and haven't lent a thought to by far): You mean kissing?

Chica: Yes, a boy and girl kissing?

Me: Yes it is not at all right for young children because they have very soft skin and lips and they'll get all damaged.   What, I had to say something, right! Thankfully she bought it.

Chica: Only grown ups can kiss?

While I am still thinking about the most appropriate answer, Niño pitches in with his two cents.
Niño: Its not good for grown ups either! Mom and dad don't do it!

Chica: You and dad don't?
Second googly in 20 seconds!

Me: Well one shouldn't do it in front of others for sure!

Niño: (very emphatically) I'll NEVER do it. Its ewwww!

Chica: You and papa can only do it when I and Niño close our eyes?

At which point, totally flummoxed by all the googlies being thrown at me in quick succession, I quickly turn the page and  begin reading the book again.

Well, time to do some thinking, I say! Any ideas?

As for the book, if you think in advance about the questions your children my have about the said page, its brilliant to share it with them! About a rather fascinating personality, it does exactly that - fascinate the reader with the variety of qualities Sir Benjamin Franklin possessed and used. An inventor, printer, publisher, mail man, contributor to America's freedom struggle and the Constitution, one is inspired to be so much more proactive in life. And many of his inventions like bifocal lenses, chairs with stairs to grab books on top shelves, wood grabbers were of such everyday things that kids also understand very easily and think he was one cool man! Plus they also start thinking about what lightning really is and how electricity works! The illustrations are very appealing too.



Another great book about the same man is Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin. This one is very well suited for younger readers too. While the former book goes in some detail about the various experiments he did and how he did them, this book is more of illustrations about the things that we use now, which were inspired by his inventions then - hence the title.

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