'Everyone, to some extent, is odd'

Quote of the week - without any shade of doubt - comes from an article from my Middle Level Psych. class - an article named Health for Life. It says, "We have to admit that everyone, to some extent, is odd." I just love that!

The point of this particular article was to discuss the concerns of what used to be an 'individual quirk' that made someone stand out, different, individual...is now, more often than not, a reason for medication. The author questions where the divide is between a child needing help and a child whose personality should be embraced. A tough questions indeed; especially coming on top of 5 other articles that range from 'Medicating Young Minds' to 'As More Kids Train for Sports Like Pros, They're Suffering Grown-Up Injuries.' One of the articles even addresses the responsibility that teachers have to work with adolescents to watch for group pressure and to help guide them - which I thought was really more of a parent task, but evidently not!

 Which brings me to another thought......during my New Hartford RTI session on Friday, Mrs. Becker commented that the main difference between teaching now and when she started, 28 years ago, is that parents now expect teacher to bring up their kids for them. There is no concern about kids doing or not doing homework and she said that the only parents who get upset about kids having to stay late for their version of detention (much more pleasantly named 'ZAP')  when assignments are not completed, are the ones who are worried about their child missing a sports practice or, even worse, event.

Here's my favorite though - and we wonder why kids have the wrong focus - 6-8 students left their reading intervention early last week (they are in the class because their reading is well below standard) for a football game. Yes, it is OK to fail reading as long as you are in 'the team'.  Heck of a message. What happened to being benched until your grades met standard?

So, where was I? Oh yes, quote of the week! I think that a little bit of 'odd' is a good thing.......but then, too much odd, makes life tough for all around. So, who gets to make the decision about how much is too much?

There's the question to ask.

How much odd is too much?

And, what is normal, anyway?

New Semester

A new semester has started, and I haven't blogged in....well, forever! If I want to claim this as part of my Teacher Portfolio, then I probably should 'get with the program' and note my musings a tad more consistently!Summer was great. I went 'home' to England, taking Ben with me. Mother and Son had the most amazing experience seeing family, sightseeing and even checking out the Olympic preparations! It was truly wonderful and probably one of the hardest 'leaving England' times that I have had to date. I love the U.S., and could not wait to see Paul and Steph, but England was just FANTASTIC! I barely had time to catch my breath upon my return as it was off to play my RAGBRAI support role. Paul had his annual bike ride across Iowa, while I hiked and visited some of this great state myself. I also made the commitment to ride myself next year, so as I type this a couple of months later, it should be noted that the bike has been purchased and a few hundred miles already logged!Post RAGBRAI was Olympic immersion, and before I knew where I was at, I was back at school in the midst of a new semester; discovering first hand just how hard it is to get back into the swing of class work and tight schedules after my lovely summer! I haven't had 'a summer' since the last time that I was at University, and boy do I see the benefit of year-around schooling now! I am really struggling to get back into a system and get a jump ahead on my schoolwork - I didn't even have my binders ready on my first day back (very un-Bridget).After two weeks back I am beginning to get with the program, and I am sure as the dark arrives earlier and reduces the temptation - or possibility - to ride either bike or horse, the self-discipline will be easier to find!Wish me luck; it is a long semester ahead, filled with tests, papers and homework galore. Let's see if I can make that Dean's List for a third semester in a row!