Haunted...

Lately, I my brain has felt very large, very roomy, with space for things to go flying past and rushing around. But in the midst of what can only be considered tragic situations, I have had one persistent thought, one line that keeps romping through my brain.

Surely goodness and love will follow me, all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever.


Right now, at this moment, that doesn't seem like it could be further from the truth. If goodness and love have followed me to South Dakota, they're playing an excellent game of hide and seek.

today

One more bullet.

One more gun.

One more kid who will never again
walk in to my room and say
“Miss Bos, what are we doing today?”

It’s always the nice ones, isn’t it?
The kids who came early,
Who stayed late.
The kids who volunteered,
Who asked questions.

Maybe it wasn’t supposed to be him.
Maybe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time
Maybe they thought he was someone else.
Maybe the shooter had poor aim.

Then again, maybe it was meant for him.

Maybe he looked at the wrong guy in the wrong way
Maybe while wearing the wrong color.
Maybe he was seen talking to the wrong girl.
Maybe, there won’t be any more maybes, ever again.

He’s got a little sister at the elementary school.
Her mother braids her hair every Wednesday night
She wants to be a dancer.
After this, she’ll want to be doctor.

Maybe she could have given him a few more minutes

His mother won’t cry when the police tell her
She can’t say she’s surprised
It happens to other people’s kids every day
And, really, she’s too doped up to feel anything.

Maybe, like a sick game of roulette, it was just her turn to lose.

They say that parent are supposed to teach children
We hear “Clean your room!”
“Don’t talk to me like that!”
“Take out the trash!”

But no one is yelling,
“Stop killing each other”
Because really,
Would it matter?


One more bullet.

One more gun.

One more kid

Who didn’t even make the obituaries.

I was reading about Liz's fifth graders antics with the English language, and I thought perhaps it was time for my blog to feature another "my crazy students" story.

In the time that we have our students we have to administer a standardized test called the "qualitative reading inventory," three times, to test reading growth. If you are blessed enough to have your kids for a year you give it in September, January, and June. If you only have them for a semester, you give it in September, November, and January. I gave mine in the days before Thanksgiving, so that I would have enough time to grade the millionty questions that are involved in taking this test. During the test, the kids must read a text and then answer questions about it. The text for the 4th grade reading level is about Amelia Earhart and one of the questions is "What do you think Amelia Earhart was doing right before her plane crashed?"

The answer the test is looking for: Anything mentioning the Bermuda Triangle or flying over the ocean.

Answers my ninth graders gave, included, but are in no way limited to:

* Trying to fix the plane
* Trying to jump out of the plane
* Calling for help
* Praying
* thinking "oh shit, I'm gonna crash"



Dear Standardized tests,
Do not ask students "what do you think..." questions, because while none of those answers is right, all of those answers are reasonable.

Much Hate, Make yourselves less grading intensive,

Miss Bos

So some things happened this weekend that were less than pleasant. I was the closest I've been to telling TfA to take a long walk off a short pier, and take their minions with them. But instead, I know the bigger person would calm themselves down, draw on the words of Col. 3:12-13*, and move on with their lives. So here I am moving on.

It was a decent weekend complete with a coffee house, book store, grading, tv watching, and doing the dishes I'd been putting off all week. We have half days tomorrow and Thursday and the day off on Wednesday. While most teachers are turning Wednesday into a "catch up day" for themselves. I've decided to make it a "I never get to..." day. I'm turning off my alarm clock, staying in my PJ's, knitting, reading for fun, writing for fun, and refusing to let things stress me out. Somedays you need just that. But in order to be prepared for that I have to make it through the rest of the day today, and tomorrow.

Also the Christmas break count down has begun. I'll be arriving in Grand Rapids in 40 days.

I literally can't wait.

Much Love-
Kim








* Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

I spent last night trying to make the cake pops that I've been seeing all over the internet, but I’m pretty sure that there was something wrong with the chocolate because it kept coming out all goopy instead of nice and smooth. So while I’d intended to make ghosts and skulls, these are still pretty hilarious.

Here’s looking at you kid!

Also, I scored very high on my first teacher evaluation done by the TCHS Principal. He said he was very impressed by my "ingenuity in lesson planning, enthusiasm for the subject area, and ability to manage THOSE students in a way that pushes them forward."

In the words of the volleyball team.... "BOO-YAH!"

I've been not putting up pictures here for a while, but these are kind of awesome.

Over Native American Day weekend, (known as Columbus day to some) I had the pleasure of travelling with another teacher down to Rapid City. We shopped, we ate out, and we ended the night by going to the Black Hills Pow-Wow. It was awesome, so I thought I'd show you some pictures.I live here.


The Pow-wow started with a ceremony to honor the victims of domestic violence, which has been a problem here for many years.

The "tiny-tots" will always be my favorite category at the pow-wow. You can't tell in this picture, but the little boy in the blue bandanna is in traditional regalia and light up shoes. WIN.



These three little girls flirted with Emilie and I all night. Later we found out that they were hoping we had candy.

These two got engaged during the pow-wow, (and I think this is just a really cute picture).

If I'd been a little guy, this man's regalia would have frightened me. He was eerie and also he glows in the dark.

So that was my day in Rapid.
It was a really cool experience.
I'd do it again.

let me tell you about the "credit recovery" kids

I get defensive some days. 

Some days, when people imply that my kids are dumb; 

Some days when my administrator implies that there is nothing I can do to help some kids, that they are lost causes and I should stop thinking about him or her; 

Some days when they hurt each other or themselves, I want to shake them and find a better way to explain to them how much value each of them has as people;

Some days its just a lot to stand up underneath and I get defensive. 

I am not defensive that I am a good teacher. Some days I’m just barely teaching anything. Some days I’m not a very good teacher. 

I’m not a great teacher, but let me show you how smart they are. Let me show you the amazing level to which my kids are able to talk about race and stereotypes in their lives.  

Go ask my kids about civil rights. 

Ask them about THEIR civil rights movement. 

Go ask them what they want from the NEXT civil rights movement. 

My kids are BRILLIANT. 

No, not just the ones that passed my unit assessment. No, not just the ones that participate. Not just the ones that hand in their assignments. All of them. The things they say, the things they notice, the things they’re willing to put on the table. ALL of my kids are SO smart. 

Some days they’re tired. 

Some days they’re angry. 

Some days I’m talking too fast and giving them too much. 

But every day, at least once, they shock me with their brilliance.