I better stop my vitamins

Oh my we are busy in Salluit. I am taking a new course of vitamins and I have too much energy. I am like that ever ready bunny.. but ready for what! I have had several of the girls from my class home with me after school most days this week. We have been cooking and sewing up a storm ( well, not the storm I have been praying for .. I thought I needed a rest).

Yesterday I was reading to the class a story of Elsie who loves corn bread. No one knew what corn bread was, so fool that I am, I said I'd make some. I took Miss P and Lissie home with me and they did it. What fun we had. I also needed to make a birthday cake for a student so they helped with that and a lemon pie for a teacher who was so kind to me this week. The girls love getting into the house. They will clean up the dishes and vacuum for me too. I love that perk.

The girls know where I keep the hot chocolate and cups. They are in the door, filling the kettle, setting out the cups and filling the cookie plate in very short order. They love choosing the napkins we will use . I do like things set up pretty.... yes deep down I am shallow. Yesterday they were using the ones Sue and Gaj sent that say "Good girls don't make history".

Today was girls' lunch at school so we can sew up our scarves. I met this fantastic lady at Tim Horton's who gave me bins and bins of material. There is enough for us all to make scarves and fleece vests. School was cancelled for the afternoon but the girls stayed with me. They are really no trouble ... I must be crazy to spend so much time with these girls. These new vitamins must be dope or something. I am so mellow it is weird.

There have been several violent incidents in the schools the past few days. That is why we are closed this afternoon. Although I can feel it in the air and my students have been a bit more troublesome this week, it really does not seem to come into our classroom. This morning Trudy and Aloupa got up to sharpen their pencils while I was still giving directions. That is not allowed and they sure found out about it. Honestly that is the extent of problems that I have to do deal with... and yet other classes are a zoo.

I do not take all the credit for such a class. They had Gladys for two years. She did a fine job teaching them English, teaching them to respect learning and teaching them a classroom can be a fun , wonderful and exciting place. All I have had to do is keep up with her incredible pace.

With the help of my classroom aide we keep the kids busy.. really busy. With Lissie helping me we can give the slower kids extra help. No kid left behind is the slogan used these days. That really helps because so many kids get frustrated when they can't do the work. Frustration leads to anger and anger leads to violence. I am also so lucky with all the things people send my class that we can stop to sample corn bread and molasses... have a fun break from the hard learning. I received a lovely packet from Sara yesterday full of Valentine stuff from the dollar store. When she buys for her class she buys for mine. It makes a big difference in our classroom.

The girls are all excited about the arrival of Feb and Valentine's day. It is not such a big day for the boys. Last year Gladys and I had a dance at noon for both classes then a big lunch and games. I made the girls great hairbands and the boys bow ties. (the lady in Tim Horton's strikes again) They loved themselves. We taught them how to jive and waltz. This year we are going to show them the movie "Grease" before the big day. Perhaps I can be Olivia Newton-John... with white hair not blonde. I hope you all realize that white hair, as the Boomers mature, is the new blonde. I can't wait to hear someone yell out at me:"Hello Blondie!'.

Hope you have some fun moments this weekend. think blonde and you will.
Pearl