Saint Patrick's Day Memories

Today as I was picking out which green sweater to wear, I remembered an interesting encounter with my paternal grandmother that took place on Saint Patrick's Day in about 1958. I remember that I was in junior high, and I think my cousin and I decided to walk over to our grandmother's house after school. Right away, I noticed that my grandmother was not wearing green. Since her mother had been born in Wales, I thought that grandma would be wearing green. Boy was I wrong to assume that. In an indignant tone, she said, "I don't wear green on this day. The Welsh wear orange." Wow, that was news to me. I didn't know that a Welshman would wear orange on the day that the Irish wore green.

I was about to get a lesson about my heritage. It turns out that the Welsh would wear orange to show that they were protestants, while the Irish Catholics wore green. To this day, I always think about this history/culture lesson that I learned about my heritage on St. Patrick's Day when I was just a very young teenager. I have yet to wear orange on this Irish holiday, but I always think about it.

I wonder if my grandmother would be dismayed to see me wearing green. She most likely would be somewhat disappointed. After all, when I named my first-born son Ryan, she said, "Why did you give him an Irish name?" It's a good thing I added William as his middle name. William had been the name of her Welsh father and was the name of my father, her first-born son.

This holiday also holds another special memory for me. Forty-nine years ago today, on March 17, 1961, I had my first date with the young man who would one day become my husband. Yes, Jim Wessely and Sally French had their first date on this day many years ago. We went to the sixteenth birthday party for the girl who actually introduced us, set us up, and I think even arranged the party so we would have a reason to go out together. I was a very shy, skinny sophomore in high school. He was a very popular senior. Now, I'm not sure I should kiss and tell, but he did kiss me on our very first date. Shocking, isn't it? I was a bit mortified. We went to the prom together about a month later. At about the same time as our first date, the following quote by him appeared in the school newspaper: "The perfect date for the prom for me must be cute, sweet and short." I fit the short part...I guess that is how I made the cut!

It took 31 years for us to marry after that first date and first kiss. Today, I made new St. Patrick's Day memories with my wonderful husband when we fixed ourselves some corned beef and cabbage for dinner. I've been a very lucky girl to have this great guy in my life through all these years. I hope we have many more St. Patty's Days together.

February - Celebrating a milestone reached

Thanks to a blogging buddy, I've been nudged into posting an entry to my blog. Where did February go?

I spent most of the first week of February at CCIRA (Colorado Council International Reading Association) in Denver. It seems at bit strange that I would first attend CCIRA after I had retired, but there is an explanation for becoming a part of an educational conference at this point in my life. I had been asked by a good friend to co-edit the Colorado Communicator with her. Since I really knew very little about the organization itself and the people who held leadership roles in it, I decided to go to the conference. I had a wonderful time attending the sessions and came away with many things to think about and explore. I am actually working on a post about some of the sessions that I attended.

Of course, an extra bonus that I gain from the conference was spending time with my good friend Dr. Linda Button. Linda and I met many years ago at what was then Colorado State College. We lived in the same dorm and we both pledged to Sigma Kappa. While we were never close friends in college, we re-connected about six years ago when I attended a meeting in Greeley at our alma mater, now the University of Northern Colorado, where Linda was a member of the faculty. Since we have both retired, we have tried to make it a point to stay connected. Re-connecting with friends and building friendships are a great benefit to retirement time.

February was also the month where my husband and I tried to jumpstart our diet and exercise plan. I did spend more time at the gym during February than I have in the past few years, but I can't say that I have spent enough time there. My husband has been much more committed, and for that reason, he has had better results.

February is my birthday month. This year was a milestone. I finally was eligible for Medicare. Who would have ever thought that I would celebrate that? I entered retirement a bit naive about the reality of paying insurance. In fact, I went back to work full-time from January to May in 2008 in order to get insurance. At the end of that job, I had to begin paying my insurance through COBRA. Ouch! Finally, at age 65, I no longer have that big insurance bill staring me in the face every month. What a relief!

Every Friday during January, February and March, I have also been attending classes Colorado Master Gardener classes. I've longed dreamed of the day when I would finally be able to take on the obligation of working toward a certificate in master gardening. I knew I would be making a huge commitment when I took this project on. Not only do I have to attend classes weekly for three months, but I also must contribute 50 volunteer hours in order to meet the qualifications for the certificate.

In February, I was blessed with had two special birthday celebrations. My good friend Judy met me in Colorado Springs and took me to lunch at The Margarita at Pine Creek. http://www.Margaritaatpinecreek.com

We both love this special place! It was so great to laugh, talk and reminisce with Judy. The crazy thing is, it wasn't until she said something about teaching in Alexandria, Virginia, that I remembered, "Oh that's right. Judy is an ESL teacher just like I am." In fact, that is how we met each other. She worked with me at the University as we worked to get the ESL endorsement program put together. Now, our lives don't revolve around professional things. She is now my "retirement model." I hope to someday enjoy retirement as successfully as she does.

East High Girls Gather
At Sally's House

I had a big birthday bash at my house on the day before my big day. Actually, the gathering was a get-together for a group of girls I went to high school with. I am a newcomer to the group. They've met three times a year for over 25 years. I lived out of state when they first began meeting, and just joined the group in November. What a special group of ladies they all are. We all had a great laugh when my husband asked if he needed to turn the t.v. on for us before he left. I guess he thought we would have nothing to talk about. As you can guess, we didn't stop talking, laughing and sharing our stories for the entire time we were together. I love that this group loves and supports each other through the good times, through illness and death, and through the loss of husbands and parents. It truly is comforting to know that I have friends who knew me back when and continue to be a part of my life.

Moments of Clarity

Clarity eludes me most days. That may be why I am grateful for those rare moments of absolute clarity that do present themselves occasionally. Such a time came to me in November 2009 when I heard Sandra Cisneros speak at the Pueblo Library. One of my favorite authors, she had been chosen as a guest speaker when All Pueblo Reads selected her book House on Mango Street for its book of the year. I attended her lecture, not looking for clarity of thought, but rather because I had always wanted to see her in person. House on Mango Street was one of my favorite books to teach when I was teaching, so I really looked forward to hearing what ever insights she had to give on her writing.

Photo: Pueblo City County Library

As I do whenever I hear a lecture or a speech, I scribbled notes in my little journal. My notes that day might have become just another record of things I heard and duly noted for future reference if it had not seemed that she suddenly began to speak to me directly. "If you don't tell your story, it doesn't count," Sandra stated boldly. "She is right," I thought, and in my own mind, I also heard, "You are retired now, so you no longer have any excuses for not writing."

Once the talk was over, I was able to see and speak with many friends in the audience. Because I am inspired not only by the words of others but also by interaction with others, seeing many dear friends and former colleagues kept my enthusiasm for the insights I had gleaned during Sandra Cisneros' talk at a high pitch. A much admired former professor, Dr. Margaret Barber, was one with whom I spoke. Margaret, in her first year of full retirement, shared a few thoughts about her new status. She seemed so sure of herself and how she was going to spend her time. She seemed to know exactly what path she was going to take in this time of her life. As always, I found myself learning from her. "I must not squander the gift of retirement," I thought after speaking with her.

It was in this state of mind, that I walked out of our beautiful library and headed toward my car. Gazing out over my city, and thinking of my experiences of the day, I had one of those rare moments of clarity. In fact, I spoke aloud to myself, "I am where I need to be in my life, and I am living in the exact right place for this time in my life." Now that may not seem to be very profound words to some, but for me they were significant and important. Part of what I have struggled with in retirement has focused on where my husband I should live. Pueblo has not always been the place where I wanted to spend the rest of my life. In fact, I had always hoped that my husband and I would move from Pueblo once we retired.

But on this day, back in November 2009, I knew for certain that I needed to stay right where I was. After years of wishing I could leave this place, I knew that Pueblo had seeped into my very being and implanted itself on my heart. "If I leave here, I won't write," I thought to myself.

Many affirmations began to tumble into my mind as I spoke my moment of clarity into being. They became bright little gems of thought that made my insight into knowing that I was just where I needed to be in my life for this time and this place even more precious. Some of these affirmations included these following thoughts. I know the educational community here; therefore, if I wish to contribute to future educational ventures, I know where

we have been as an educational community and where we wish to go. I have connections here. My husband served over 40 years as an educator here, and I have been a part of this community for nearly 20 years. This community has given me much; now I will be able to give back. Besides, how can I leave a community that names a street after my husband? We are established here; we don't have to waste any energy getting reestablished.

I have begun my garden here. I have accepted the climate, soil, the wind,

the heat and all the other factors that go into making this place an interesting place to plant a garden. If I moved, I would have to rethink my garden. I would have to adapt to a new environment both physically and socially. I am here. Here I will stay for now. It is in this place that I wish to establish my new identity as a retired educator. It is here where I wish to learn what I will need to learn for the next stage of my life.

More on my life as an educator

This fall, I did some consulting for my local school district. I also keep in touch with fellow teaching friends. I read educational articles daily. I have not been able to give up my life as an educator even though I have technically retired. Hopefully, I will come to the point where I find my new role as an educator.

I find that I am still passionate about what I do, did, or hope to do in the field of education. I am not sure where that passion will take me over the next few years. I am open to discovering the journey.

From 2004 until 2008, I worked in teacher education at Colorado State University-Pueblo. In many ways, the days I spent at the University were among the happiest in my professional life. I loved many aspects of my job because I had to do many of the things I enjoy doing the most.

A grant in Teacher Quality Enhancement had been awarded to the Teacher Education Program at CSU-Pueblo. The emphasis of the grant was to create an endorsement that will allow teachers to be trained in teaching the linguistically diverse. I honestly could not believe that I had been hired for my "dream job."

Once I was settled into my very own office at the University, I read the grant and then asked myself, "Now what?" I then asked the associate dean, "What do you want me to do now that I have been hired?" Basically, her response was on the order of: we hired you to figure that out. My best advice came from my daughter Amy. After listening to me vent my frustrations about not knowing what to do next, she said, "Mom, I think you just have to treat it like a start-up job." Again, I thank God for Amy and the advice that she has given me over the years. Now I had a bit of clarity, and I also had a lot of freedom since all I really had to do was meet the objectives of the grant.

I learned much in the process of honoring the job I was hired to do. I had no idea how university systems worked. I had to learn that. I had no idea how to create a program that would be approved by both the University for which I worked and the State Department of Education. I learned how to do that too. I learned how to take the State Standards for an Endorsement in Linguistically Diverse Education and apply to them to objectives for courses that would be taught in our endorsement program. I learned how to create curriculum for a University program, and I learned how write University syllabi. Believe me, I had much help with this along the way. I read many books, many articles and did much research. I met with others who were experts in the area of LDE (Linguistically Diverse Education) to get their advice on what they thought should be included in the program.

I wasn't just hired to seek and secure the award of an endorsement at our University, but I was also hired to recruit students to take the new classes that were being created. I had to find people to teach the classes, and I had to prepare myself to teach some of the classes.

Most days, I loved my job. As with any job, there were frustrations. I became very aware of the limitations that a teacher education program faces when preparing students to teach. There are many issues that must be faced in teacher education. Many of those same issues had been there and had frustrated me when I was going through my own teacher education program before I was awarded my teaching certificate. Once I was a fully certified teacher, I really faced the inadequacies that are inherent in any teacher education program.

Because I have worked in teacher education, I certainly don't want to fix blame for teacher lack of preparation on all programs across the board. I do believe we have to see change in the way teachers are prepared and the way they are supported in their first few years of teaching. Recently, when I read this article in the Denver Post: http://www.mscd.edu/newsroom/top_story/2009/sept30.shtml

I believe Metro State is really leading the way in reform when it comes to teacher preparation and I applaud their courage and commitment.

I am also enclosing another article that I believe is a must read for all of us concerned with teacher education. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113349924

My life as an educator

In 1965, the year I turned 20, I was just beginning my upper level courses that would lead to a degree in elementary education at what was then Colorado State College.  That summer, between my sophomore and junior year, I had the very unique opportunity to work as a tutor for Project Head Start in Leadville, Colorado.  I was a young, idealistic preservice teacher who jumped at the opportunity to work in a project that was aligned with my belief system about the value of education and economic opportunity.  While I never articulated my beliefs at the time in this manner, I was also a believer in social justice.  I firmly believed that it was only through education that those living in poverty would be able overcome the social and economic inequities that were found in our country at the time.

Those of you who may know anything about Head Start, may remember that in 1965, the Office of Economic Opportunity,  began the eight-week summer program that would launch

 Project Head Start.  I was one of many tutors and teachers that were hired that summer to serve over 560, 000 children throughout the country in this newly created program.

 As a refresher, I want to briefly outline the reasons why Head Start was created.  It grew out of Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty, and I think it is interesting to note that it was created by the Office of Economic Opportunity.  The basic premise for this program was established on the belief that education was the solution to breaking the "cycle of poverty."    It was a time when the civil-rights movement was greatly influencing education.  It was thought that "government was obligated to help disadvantaged groups in order to compensate for inequality in social and economic conditions."  Head Start was to be a comprehensible program for preschool children that would meet their "emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs."

I wish I had kept a journal of those days because now, nearly 44 years later, my mind is a bit fuzzy about it all.  As I stated before, I was young and idealistic.  I had great dreams about the kind of educator I would become.   As a young woman coming of age during the 60's,  I embraced the Civil Rights Movement and the "new" ideas about education, but I also respected and looked up to my mentors who had been in education for a long time.  

My mentor for the summer of 1965 had also been my younger sister's kindergarten teacher the year or two before.  As a family, we already embraced Idelia B. Riggs as a gifted teacher.  As I reflect back on her now, I still consider her as the consummate educator, and as one the best with whom I have had the privilege to know throughout my entire lifetime.  She must have been in her sixties when I worked with her, and she had taught everything from kindergarten to college.  She had been the principal of a one-room schoolhouse at one point in her career.  She especially knew what children needed to grow and to prosper educationally, emotionally and socially.  She embraced the ideals behind Project Head Start and imparted them to me with all of the reasons why the program could be successful.  She said that the children of poverty in the area were beginning school without the skills that other children brought to school.  Sometimes, they didn't even know how to use indoor plumbing.  Yes, in 1965, in our program in Leadville, some of the children did not have indoor plumbing.  We had to teach them how to use the bathroom facilities.  They did not receive proper nutrition at home and many were undernourished.  They lagged behind their peers in knowing how to grasp a pencil or how to turn the pages of a book. Many did not know the alphabet.   They did not know how to write their names.  Many did not know colors or shapes.  They did not have group or personal social skills.  All of these needs would be met, as best they could be, by our summer program.  The program was comprehensive.  School readiness was achieved by giving the children equal portions of playtime, story time, art activities, and basic academic preparation such as learning how to recognize and form letters through reading and writing.

1965
Head Start Children
Leadville, Colorado
Photo from personal file

I have a vivid memory of the lunches that these children received.  The government's philosophy was that this program should have "maximum feasible participation" for success.  Therefore, those who would benefit from the program, the low income population, should help plan and run their own programs.  Many of the women whom planned and cooked the meals were the mothers of the children.  Everyday, they prepared wonderful meals.  I loved the Mexican rice we had nearly everyday.  To this day, I love the rice at El Nopal Restaurant in Pueblo because it tastes just like the rice from my Head Start days!  Believe me,  in those days the meals fed these children were good.  They are nothing like the terrible meals that are put together in an off-site place and served to low-income kids these days.  In the 60's, at the Leadville Head Start, meals included not only wonderful Spanish rice, they also included fresh baked dinner rolls or cinnamon rolls everyday!

Our lead teacher, Mrs. Riggs was a very practical woman who put up with no nonsense from anyone.  Her character was stellar.  She saw her role as an educator as one as a public servant.  She was not interested in feathering her own nest or building her career.  She was there for the children she taught and for the families she served.  In my mind's eye, I see her now.  She is wearing the apron she always wore over her clothes so she would have "a place for those tissues to wipe a child's nose or tears," or as a place to keep stray crayons, pencils or rubber bands that she might need while she was teaching.  She believed in expecting the best behavior and performance from all kids.  Patient, kind and loving, she was also demanding when it came to giving something your best efforts.  We ALL learned from her.   As I said, I could never have had a better mentor.  Mrs. Riggs, and the ideals of Head Start, greatly influenced my philosophy of my own role as an educator.

I am including a treasured letter that Mrs. Riggs wrote to me in August, 1965.  It reads:

 Dear Sally,

May I again express my appreciation for your top quality contribution to our Head Start program and staff.  You are a genuine and capable and very personable young woman, Sally, - a credit to your fine family and the best of our American Youth.  And besides, you're just plain sweet. 

Fondly yours,

Idelia B. Riggs

Hello to all your family, too.

**********

Today, I made Spanish rice for dinner.  It was good, but it was not the Spanish rice that those Head Start students' moms used to make for us each day for lunch.  For years, I've wondered just what that secret ingredient was that they use for the delicious flavor.  

As I ate, I began to think of Mrs. Riggs and my that summer when I had the great privilege to work with her and learn from her.  How I wish I could discuss today's state of education with her.  I know she would have some very strong ideas on what must happen if we are to achieve the lofty ideals that we had in the 60's.  

Where have I been?

I'm sure no one is asking where I have been, but I decided for my mental health, I would begin blogging again.  Why do you need to blog for your mental health, the reader may ask?  Well, I just read that blogging is good therapy for one blogger who writes about the stresses of being a chef's wife on her blog, http://chefswidow.com  I looked at her blog and decided she was right, blogging can be good for your mental health.

Retired English Teacher, that is me, has gone and accepted a job again.  I am working full-time, until the end of the school year, as a reading interventionist at an elementary school that is seven minutes from I home.  This should be a piece of cake.  Right?  Wrong!  Working has sent me into stress city.  I stayed home from work today for multiple symptoms of illness, including, but not limited to sinus and ear problems.  The doc at the emergi care place at first was all set on sending me to the emergency room for an evaluation of my heart.  Yada, yada, yada.  Been there, done that, not going back.  I insisted that I most likely was not having a heart attack; I just felt like I was, and by my symptoms, I made them think I just might be also.

After the doc checked me out, she concluded that my primary symptom was stress.  She advised that I call work and resign as of today.  I am sure she has a very valid suggestion.  Just thinking about returning to this job stresses me out.  Then, I also think about quitting.  This stresses me out.  The jury is still out.  My husband thinks if I want to quit, I should.  Then he reminds me of the salary I am earning.  My daughter, Amy, the one who seems to always have the best advice for me says, "You need to exercise to deal with your stress."  Of course she is right.

Most likely, I will have a long talk with my principal tomorrow, and then, I will take it day by day.  I also hope to blog(is that a verb?) to alleviate stress.  Hey, my fingers are getting some exercise, and so is my brain!

Five White Shirts A Week

This blog is mostly about my life as I transition into retirement. Now, that I am home full-time and Jim is back to work, I am washing five white shirts a week. I offered to do Jim's laundry last week since he is working and so tired on the weekends. I have never done his laundry except when he has been ill. When I married him, I was thrilled to find a man who did his own laundry! There was a time after he became principal of SHS when he took his shirts to laundry owned by the parents of one of his students once a week to be laundered. Jim hates starch in his shirts, but his shirts kept coming back starched. He asked the owner to not starch the shirts, and he kept getting light starch in the collars and shirts anyway. Again, Jim requested "no starch." The owner, a wonderful Chinese man, replied to Jim's request with, "No. You the principal. Must look good. You get starch."

Now, I am the one who is taking care of Jim's shirts. He isn't getting starch, but I am thinking I really should touch them up with an iron. Goodness, is this what retirement means???

Yesterday, Jim forgot his phone, so I had to take Jim's phone and a thumb drive to him at work. It was my first visit to Pitts since he took the reins over the Ponies. I walked into the lunchroom since his secretary had informed me he was on lunch duty. It was filled with eighth graders eating lunch. It had been a while since I had seen that many eighth graders in one place. I was pleased to see that it seemed to all be going well and was quite orderly. Then a fight broke out. I saw it first and told Jim. I'm not losing my touch! When he returned to my side after getting things taken care of with the two fighters, I said, "I need chocolate. This place makes me want to eat chocolate." Funny, the reaction I had. I have had two weeks of not eating any sweets of any kind, and the middle school lunch made me mad for sugar. We left and went to his office before I could give in to my cravings.

I don't mind being home and taking care of things here while Jim is away. I am cooking three meals a day most days so that we eat a bit more healthy. I am learning to cook again. That is ok too. In fact, yesterday, when Jim got home for dinner at 5:00 I had a pork loin roast ready. (A breeze to cook in my new slow cooker!) It was served with wild rice, spinach, and apple/raisin/celery salad. After dinner I finally gave in and ate two pieces of dark chocolate. Chocolate is a MUFA, so I gave in and ate some. Jim was able to nap before going to the SHS alumni meeting at 7:00. I worked on professional development courses that I will teach and prepared for the Romano presentation scheduled for the 30th until he came home. So, I put in 2 1/2 hours at the computer working in the evening. It's all good.