The Weekend at a Glance

I am impressed that I have accomplished so much in the last 48 hours - ok, it really hasn't been a ton, but I stoked at what I have done. 

    Saturday night was spent with my good friend Geoff. Both of us are entirely indecisive, but feeling adventurous, or inspired to get outside now that it has warmed up to just above freezing, we decided to go ice skating. This turned out to be brilliant plan as the Gallivan Center is under construction, but really the rink itself is done, and skating and rental is a mere $5 per person. Perfect! Afterward we warmed up with some amazing hot chocolate at Gourmandise Bakery. 

    Sunday was spent cleaning, baking, building and reading. Lots of "ings", but it was nice to spend the day doing normal, productive things. Grad classes have begun again and my first presentation is on Thursday. This particular course is a historical perspective of how American schools and curriculum have developed throughout the decades. As a teacher, it is frustrating to see that there are several mistakes that we continually make. It's cyclical. Facing the failure dilemma - is it students, teachers, schools? A combination of the three? What I found most interesting is in the late 1800s, a superintendent was quoted as saying using test scores to determine the effectiveness of schools was not the best policy, and ultimately drove educators essentially to teach to the test - sound familiar?

    Sunday night Mr. Dub and I watched a special on the Primorye region of Russia. This place, one that I have never heard of, is absolutely stunning. It is the home of the Amur Tiger, Asiatic Black Bear, and an animal I have never heard of, the Raccoon Dog. To say that I would like to visit this amazing region is an understatement.