I religiously tuned into the DNC, and now I’m all about the RNC. My husband won’t talk about politics, and my sister (my usual politico conversationalist) is busy with her first baby, so I’m starved for some election banter.

I’m doing it — I’m opening Pandora’s box…

Let’s talk about Sarah Palin. Anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, supporter of the death penalty, wants creationism taught in schools, lacks foreign policy experience, and has a pregnant 17 year old daughter. And let’s not forget the scandal regarding her ex-brother-in-law and state trooper.

She herself asked only a month ago “what is it exactly that the VP does every day?”

Now being staunchly against abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, and gay marriage may not be an issue of contention depending on your personal views, but I wonder to what extent her daughter’s pregnancy will affect conservative Americans.

Speakers from the Republican camp are calling foul on the attention placed upon Bristol Palin’s pregnancy. They contend that the lives of children of political figures should be off-limits. However, I find it hard to believe that these same speakers wouldn’t have a field day if the roles were reversed.

I’ve been watching CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, even Fox News all morning — and the consensus that I’m seeing is that John McCain may have missed the boat with this one. I’m not even sure he visited the harbor.

Regardless of whether you are a democrat or republican, liberal or conservative, what’s your take on Sarah Palin?

As a teacher I am confident in my professional abilities, but I never pass up an opportunity to gain knowledge and insight from those more experienced.

With a new school year fast approaching I am curious to hear what parents really value in a teacher. What makes for a great first day of school? How can a teacher make you comfortable and confident in the fact that they’ll be spending 6 hours a day with your child?

It’s almost time to go back to school! Very excited. New faces, new challenges. However, is it really necessary to bring out back to school ads, supplies, backpacks, etcetera by July 4th? As a teacher it evokes panic. For children it’s like some insane cosmic joke. For parents, possibly a comfort to know that September will be here before you know it. It’s mid-August and if you haven’t stocked up on crayons, notebooks and lunch boxes you’re out of luck. It’s like trying to buy a bathing suit in July. What? You didn’t purchase your suit in March? No pool for you this summer sucker!

Then yesterday I made a trip to my local super market. The school supplies are gone. There are a few dishevelled backpacks strewn about the floor and couple boxes of broken crayons. There is, however, an abundance of Halloween candy, costumes, and decor. It is August 14. Who has time to think of Halloween? Who is buying Halloween candy (which I assume will be less than fresh by October 31)? Who I am kidding — Halloween candy bought today would last until about 11pm in my house. Who has cash for a costume after spending a mini fortune on back-to-school clothes?

I can’t even get into the Halloween spirit until the middle of October. I need crisp fall weather. Red and orange leaves crunching beneath my brown leather boots. The smell of wood-burning stoves and apple cider. I know it’s only a few weeks before those inflatable snowmen appear on store shelves.

I have an aunt who is done Christmas shopping in July because she despises holiday shopping crowds. I get the whole “get it done now” mantra, but aren’t retailers and manufactures going to the extremes?  They’re taking the fun out of holidays and the change of season — and, at least for me, causing major consumer stress.

As a teacher you constantly ask yourself, Am I reaching my students?” Am I being an effective educator? Am I making learning fun? Do the students understand the concepts I’m teaching? Do the students even like me? Am I making any kind of impact on their lives?

I spent a lot of time during my second student teaching placement reflecting. It was an exciting time of year – I started just before Halloween and left just before Christmas. The students were anxious for the upcoming holidays. The snow was starting to fall. And there I was – a new teacher to contend with.

There was one student who worried me a bit. I’ll call him E. E was a very bright and articulate child, but school didn’t seem to interest him much. He was more concerned with football. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to be exact. He loved Tom Brady, idolized him. On library day he always came back with a book about football or his favorite player or team. Months later my heart broke for him when the Giants won the Super Bowl. He was a cool kid. He didn’t like to participate in any of my silly dances or songs. He often seemed uninterested in whatever activity we were doing.

I soon began to followed his lead. When talking to him I tried to relate any new learning to football. I made math problems with a football theme. I studied Tom Brady. I watched the games. I was all football all the time with this kid. Still, was it working? I couldn’t be sure.

Then today, while waiting to check out at the grocery store, I looked up and saw E in front of me (shopping with his mom). A huge grin appeared on his face. “Hi!” he said. “Mom, this is one of my teachers.” I was melting. He remembered me! He was happy to see me.

We exchanged some small talk. “How’s your summer going? Are you playing a lot of football? Do you know who your teacher for next year will be?”

Just as he was about to exit the store he turned around. “Do you still have our Cloudy With a Chance of Meatball stories?” You could have knocked me over with a feather! He remembered those stories? He liked those stories?

The class had been studying a unit on weather. We spent a few weeks learning about and discussing the weather. The water cycle, tornados, hurricanes, types of clouds, monsoons, snow, blizzards. You name it. We spent hours outside making weather observations. We made our own barometers.

Then we read Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs – one of my favorite books. Students then had to choose their own food and weather occurrence — Raining With a Chance of Pizza, A Blizzard With a Chance of Cupcakes, etc. Using story maps the children authored and illustrated their own books. They loved it.

E did a wonderful job. His story was inventive and humorous, casting himself as the wisecracking meteorologist. He remained reserved during the process, and I couldn’t tell if E was truly interested in the project. Until today.

As I said before, my sister gave birth to her first child on Monday.

She had joked for months about her desire to have an epidural. “As soon as I walk into that hospital I want an anesthesiologist in my room!” Her husband and I were well-versed on the topic, and knew that she was serious. At one point, after 2 hours of pushing, the doctors shut off her epidural. She (naturally) flipped out, while her husband convincing channeled Shirley MacLaine from that heartbreaking scene from Terms of Endearment. “Give my daughter the shot!”

My sis refused to push without pain meds. The doctor assured her they would have to perform a c-section if she was unwilling to participate. Defiantly she replied “well, then you’ll have to do a c-section.” The epidural was back on, and the baby followed 10 minutes later.
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