Shirl and Pearl do it again.

Most evenings I speak with my parents. On the weekend it is not unusual for us to speak twice. I guess we are having trouble cutting the apron strings.. but then I am only 58 years old. Some things take more time than others. Having access to my parents on a daily basis helps with the lonliness and keeps us close. And having caller ID is useful as well.

Dad and I always talk politics.. provincial, federal and international. He reads the New York Times daily and then tells me all about it in the evening. He is very good about cutting bits out and sending them to my class. We get some great science stuff from him. I can make several pies while I am listening to him comment on the goings on in the world... the world according to Nink.

Mum and I talk more about the family, what she is knitting, what I am sewing. She visited Salluit two years ago so I try to keep her up to date on the goings on here. Shirley is a very funny lady. She can be downright dangerous at times. She will say something that will send me into fits of laughter. Then we start. Last night was one of the worst nights for fits of giggles. I couldn't get my breath at times. We started remembering silly things we have done over the years. A cooking disaster, a trip, other major fits of laughter. It is a wonder we have not ended up in Dartmouth. (in Nova Scotia the mental hospital is in Dartmouth) There are lots of people who would like to commit us when we start. In fact one of our minor adventures took place in Dartmouth. I was driving across the bridge. I had to make a sharp left hand turn just as I passed the toll booth. I was concentrating on that turn so I forgot to put the money in the toll.
All sorts of alarms went off. My solution was to drive faster and get away from the confusion. Not what you are supposed to do. But when did Pearl and Shirl do what we were supposed to do!

Yesterday Salluit was one of the warmest places in Canada at plus 5 C. I was out around 7pm and it was raining. All day we had a huge snow fall. The snow flakes were huge and fluffy. Often the snow is so dry that it does not pack well so that it is difficult to have a really good snowball fight. Last night was perfect. You can imagine entertainment can be a bit thin on the ground if people are out having snowball fights. The running and yelling is good for the lungs and good for the soul.

To-day it is around plus 2 C. There is a bit of wind but it is still a soft day out. I have duty outside today so I am grateful. It is very overcast. No snow falling. The sky and the land is the same colour. The rocks peaking out give a horizon line. Helicopters don't fly up here in this kind of weather. We have had a mining company here with huge Russian helicopters flying around looking for areas to investigate for a possible future mine. A large torpedo shaped instrument hangs down from the helicopter that picks up some type of informantion. That data is studied and then they go out on the land in these huge snowmobile type carriers to gather samples. It is all rather exciting to watch. There is more and more mining activity here in the North. That changes the educational requirements of the communities here. One of many changes.

In the past few weeks we have had a great many babies born here in Sallluit, two with in the teaching community. Last Sunday we had a baby shower for the young mothers. What a treat to sit and hold a baby. We had three babies at the shower and not on e cried. They only women not holding babies were the mothers. Watching the Mum's bundle up the babies is interesting to watch. The babies are bound very tightly in several layers of blankets so that they can be put in the Inuit style coat that mothers use. One young mother had taught with the Cree so she used the Cree way of binding the baby and then put baby in her Inuit coat. That baby has both a French name, a Cree name and an Inuit name ( which is the inuit word for snow). How brave of these young mothers to have their babies here in the north, far from major hospitals and their families.

The sun is trying topeak thru the clouds. Perhaps we'll have some sun today. what a treat that would be.

Since today is Shrove Tuesday I am having the gang in for supper. I am doing apple pancakes, sweet potato pancakes, German potato pancakes and blueberry pancakes... or as Ealias says 'Pampakes'. Then we'll have a waffle buffet. I have made several different batches of stewed and fresh fruit with fancy sauces for a sweet ending. As if we need any more sweets.

Have a great day.

Another very cold but sunny day

I can't describe how cold yesterday was up here in Salluit. The wind was the worst of the ordinary wind.. it was preblizzard. Th e little bits of my skin that the wind touched hurt like knife cut for several hours. I have had a rather sharp severe headache in and round my left eye. I finally figured out it was where the wind hit a tiny bit of my eye when I was walking to and from school. That is only a 3 minute walk. Gladys froze her cheek last week doing the same walk. I see lots of my students with dark brown patches of skin from frost bite. It peels off after a week or two. It looks like those old skin diseases we had when I was in school.

I pull my hat right down over my eyebrows, then pull my hood tightly over that and often put a scarf over the whole lot. On the big walk around town last week I gave up my scarf for little Danille. I was able to wrap the scarf severeal times around his head and neck. From a distance it loooked like his head was in a giant pumpkin. He could hardly see.

Sometimes I try to wear sunglasses, even if the sun is not out. The problem with that is the metal or plastic becomes very cold, very quickly giving the bridge of my nose a bit of a cold shock. The walk home is directly into the wind. That is a real pain in the head.

I was sure the weather would work itself up into a full blown blizzard so I took lots of work home with me in case we had no school today. The class is well into fractions so I needed to figure out where to stop that unit and start another. And I have to go over their work closely to see who has done so poorly that they need to do it again. I often redo a unit as homework.

Victor, one of my boys , is a very young 10. He finds it difficult not to do play fighting. It is a natural for him to want to wrestle around, push others into the snow and do the things that boys like to do. He is a good kid. There is a ban on play fighting as often someone gets hurt , or even feelings get hurt so that the play gets rougher and rougher. I have the class reminding Victor that he must not play flight. Yesterday he wrote in his Journal: "I am a good boy but I keeps on forgetting the rule." I am still chuckling about that. I like that he has positive image of himself, the grammar needs a bit of work tho.

So many of the kids are like him. They are good kids but they forget the rules. The rules are not natural to them. How do you ask Inuit children not to throw snowballs? How do you ask little boys not to wrestle? As a teacher I fully realize that accidents up here are dangerous. Even broken arms and legs have to be flown out to other villages with better medical care. We do have a nursing station in Salluit but we ship patients to other villages as a matter of routine.

This week the pregnant wife of the vice-principal had to go to Iqualit 24 hours after her labour
started. I can't imagine being in the middle of labour and then having to get on a plane to go to a hospital. She had to leave her other two children here in Salluit with Michael and Patsy. The older daughter speaks some English so she can communicate with the other children in that home. The youngest has picked up Inuktitut so she will be OK but they will be missing their Mum and Dad. We had planned a baby shower for her on Sunday but she was at the nursing station. We'll do it when she gets back and has recovered.

I was up early to watch the Canadian women play their last curling match. I hope they won it. When I dashed to school at 8:45 they were way ahead. I think I will take the afternoon off tomorrow to watch the men go for the gold. I only curled for a short time while at DRHS and I was not very good at it at all. I have so much respect for how they do those complicated shots. I would be hard pressed not to fall on my butt. I do wish the talking heads would explain more of the game. I am learning some of it by watching but if they gave out real information I might enjoy it even more.

Have a great day.
P

Another cold day

We are in a period of very cold weather... clear but cold. The Northern Lights have ben fabulous but it is cold. My windows allow a great deal of cold air to circulate thru the house. The contractors used sliding windows in several rooms which makes for a great deal of ventilation. The floors in the living room and dining room are so cold. The house is built up on blocks so the wind goes under the house as well as around it. I was never a sock or slipper person until I went north. Mum bought me the nicest mohair socks in PEI. They are good house socks.

Getting out of the house in the am is a bit of a chore. I don't like to have my seal skin mitts off too long as I am closing up the door. So I open the door and slip the key in the lock. Then I only have to have one hand exposed as I go out and turn the key. In that short space of time the key is painfully cold to the touch. I wish I could turn the key with my mitt on but not possible. I think I should contact LL Bean to test their gloves and mitts in cold temps.

I bought the seal skin mitts after several years of cold fingers up here. No matter what I bought, no matter what the label guaranteed nothing worked well. These mitts are fantastic. If the sun is out the rays will warm up the inside of the mitt. As I move my fingers around I discover patches of warm air. What a treat. The village dogs sneak up on me trying to steal my mitts. They will grab a seal skin mitt to eat. I walk with my fist doubled up to give them a smart smack on the snout if they get too close.

The only time my hands have been cold was during last week's march around the village for No Smoking Day. That tells you how cold it was. You can just imagine how cold the rest of me was.
And what a job the bitter cold does on make-up. I have my face covered with both a face mask and a scarf. The air I breath out clings to my eyelashes. It freezes on the eyelashes producing long White lashes. Rather like my hair. I see the look on others and it is quite cute. Don't know what I look like. Then when one goes inside the snow lashes melt, taking the mascara with it, pooling under the eye. That lovely racoon look we girls are going for. I wonder why I bother to use it? And I should have my head examined for using any lipstick when I am going to pull a face mask over it within a few minutes. I use all the wonderful Channel products Aran gave me and then pull a face mask on. Smart!

My class memorized Alligator Pie yesterday. It is so cute to hear them with their Inuk accent. I don't want to laugh at them but it is so cute. Memorizing is one of the things they like to do. We also do tongue twisters. We all have a good laugh at each other when we do that. They are most keen to get it right. They are given 3 chances to try. Even the shyest tries. Having all the chocolate bars as rewards helps. But it is not just the chocolate.. it is the sense of competition and being able to do something.

The days are much longer now. I don't have to turn any lights on until almost 5 pm. What a difference. The mornings are not so dark and depressing these days. As I lay in bed hearing the wind zooming around the house I wonder if it is going to be a blizzard and a snow day. The dining room table is covered with sewing projects. I need a home day. On Sat and Sun. we are all too busy being social to get things done.

I must go arrange some math. We are into fractions still. I will be glad when that unit is finished.

Cold, bloody cold

A mass of cold air has settled on Salluit the past few days. It is clear, sometimes a bit of wind but the cold is intense. My window in the living room has not been repaired ...just a patch job... but it only was broken last June. Eight months is not a long time to wait for such a repair. That makes the living room rather cool on bad days. ANd people wonder why I was sick for two weeks in Oct. Another teacher's home has the same problem but they are expecting a baby soon. That will be difficult for Mum and Dad with a newborn.

With all the cold clear weather people are skating and playing hockey on the river ice. What a hardly group. I couldn't do it for love, nor money. I havn't even walked down to watch. I know I should but it is a long walk from my home and the only days I have for a walk are on the week-end. Then I'd rather sleep. I do walk to the Northern for my groceries though.

My students have been working very well the past few weeks. January was a bit slow but these days I can hardly keep the work done up ahead. They are also cheerful little scamps most days. A serious, on going, problem is the lack of sleep . The young students are often at the arena until late into the evening. Trying to teach preteens who have had very little sleep is a challenge. It is surprising that so many show up when they are so tired. Several of my boys are now time keepers at the arena so they are up there all hours... not just when they are playing hockey.

There are several girls' teams as well this year. So it is not just the boys who are tired . One of my female students is playing in the women's league. She is a fine player at age 11.

The social life has been rather hectic as well. Hopefully that will come to a close this weekend. There is a baby shower for one of the spouses of teaching staff. I will be hard at it, baking again. Next weekend there is a birthday but that should be a low keyed celebration. Never have I cooked as much as I have the past two or three weeks. It seems like I was cooking and baking constantly. The day I had to get up at 6 am to do yet another cake was a bit much. But then things may heat up again the first of March. Several pals are due in for a prolonged visit. Hopefully they can do some of the cooking while I am at school.

My parents continue to ship huge, heavy parcels with a great degree of regularity. We received two this week. Kativik , my school board, has not allowed us any money for three years for art supplies. Recently there was a sale at Walmart on coloured pencils and we were lucky enough to receive 5 boxes. Almost all our materials for Valentine fun came from my deal ole oldies. Sara also sent up a large envelope of materials that she found at the Dollar store for us. My classs and I are so pleased that so many people remember us. I read somewhere that most teachers spend over one thousand dollars of their own money per year on their students. I think it is a great deal higher in the North.

When we are south we can see things that would help us and the students in the classroom. In an English classroom you can never have too many books. Not only do we have to pay for it but we also have to ship it north. There are no special discounts for teachers sending up school supplies. I am most fortunate that my parents take such an interest in my students. Right now my room is bursting with blooming flowers because of the bulbs that Dad sent up in the fall. He even sent a box of dirt. The students measure the Amaryrillis each day... you would not believe how fast it grows.

We have only had one half a snow day so far this year. The weather remains cold and clear day after day. Sara has lost more time to storms than we have in the north even though Nova Scotia has had a record breaking warm winter. Mum says she is wearing her Salluit fleece in Florida to play shuffle board. Hopefully the weather will stay like this for a few more days. The planes are arriving regularly with fresh fruit and veg. The last turnip I s aw in the Northern store was over $8.00. I have stewing beef, carrots and potatoes but cannot afford a turnip. Dad is sending one from Florida. What a treat that will be when it arrives.

I hope this finds you all well.
p

Cold, bloody cold

A mass of cold air has settled on Salluit the past few days. It is clear, sometimes a bit of wind but the cold is intense. My window in the living room has not been repaired ...just a patch job... but it only was broken last June. Eight months is not a long time to wait for such a repair. That makes the living room rather cool on bad days. ANd people wonder why I was sick for two weeks in Oct. Another teacher's home has the same problem but they are expecting a baby soon. That will be difficult for Mum and Dad with a newborn.

With all the cold clear weather people are skating and playing hockey on the river ice. What a hardly group. I couldn't do it for love, nor money. I havn't even walked down to watch. I know I should but it is a long walk from my home and the only days I have for a walk are on the week-end. Then I'd rather sleep. I do walk to the Northern for my groceries though.

My students have been working very well the past few weeks. January was a bit slow but these days I can hardly keep the work done up ahead. They are also cheerful little scamps most days. A serious, on going, problem is the lack of sleep . The young students are often at the arena until late into the evening. Trying to teach preteens who have had very little sleep is a challenge. It is surprising that so many show up when they are so tired. Several of my boys are now time keepers at the arena so they are up there all hours... not just when they are playing hockey.

There are several girls' teams as well this year. So it is not just the boys who are tired . One of my female students is playing in the women's league. She is a fine player at age 11.

The social life has been rather hectic as well. Hopefully that will come to a close this weekend. There is a baby shower for one of the spouses of teaching staff. I will be hard at it, baking again. Next weekend there is a birthday but that should be a low keyed celebration. Never have I cooked as much as I have the past two or three weeks. It seems like I was cooking and baking constantly. The day I had to get up at 6 am to do yet another cake was a bit much. But then things may heat up again the first of March. Several pals are due in for a prolonged visit. Hopefully they can do some of the cooking while I am at school.

My parents continue to ship huge, heavy parcels with a great degree of regularity. We received two this week. Kativik , my school board, has not allowed us any money for three years for art supplies. Recently there was a sale at Walmart on coloured pencils and we were lucky enough to receive 5 boxes. Almost all our materials for Valentine fun came from my deal ole oldies. Sara also sent up a large envelope of materials that she found at the Dollar store for us. My classs and I are so pleased that so many people remember us. I read somewhere that most teachers spend over one thousand dollars of their own money per year on their students. I think it is a great deal higher in the North.

When we are south we can see things that would help us and the students in the classroom. In an English classroom you can never have too many books. Not only do we have to pay for it but we also have to ship it north. There are no special discounts for teachers sending up school supplies. I am most fortunate that my parents take such an interest in my students. Right now my room is bursting with blooming flowers because of the bulbs that Dad sent up in the fall. He even sent a box of dirt. The students measure the Amaryrillis each day... you would not believe how fast it grows.

We have only had one half a snow day so far this year. The weather remains cold and clear day after day. Sara has lost more time to storms than we have in the north even though Nova Scotia has had a record breaking warm winter. Mum says she is wearing her Salluit fleece in Florida to play shuffle board. Hopefully the weather will stay like this for a few more days. The planes are arriving regularly with fresh fruit and veg. The last turnip I s aw in the Northern store was over $8.00. I have stewing beef, carrots and potatoes but cannot afford a turnip. Dad is sending one from Florida. What a treat that will be when it arrives.

I hope this finds you all well.
p

How can a person who lives alone cook so much?

Never, ever have I been so busy. The kids are going thru the work like crazy. I can't believe how well they are working. I have strong competition with the hockey arena for homework time but it seems to get done. Today Victor was not in school at 9 am. I was rude and suggested it was because his homework was not done. Soon there was a phone call from his mother saying he was at nursing but I was still not a strong believer. Then poor Victor shows up at 10 am with the homework done and a real injury to his eye. I had to tell him that I had doubted him and was so glad that he had done his homework. That guy will be able to get away with murder for awhile as I feel mega guilty.

With Valentine's just around the corner I am hosting my annual dessert party on Sunday. I have been baking pies for the past week. But the best items are all last minute baking: my world famous Brazilian coffee roll,the almond paste 8 layer chocolate torte that in my family is called Rank Cake ( the first tim e I made it I was only 12 or 13.. it was on the cover of Good Housekeeping and it was not a ssuccess... Dad said it would have tasted good overseas... meaning in a POW camp.. but I managed to pull it together and it is super good), a wonderful cherry cheesecake, my chocolate cheesecake and of course my chocolate pound cake( that has a good story to it too... I was serving it one night in Sallulit when a gentleman started to cough... I thought he was having a heart attack... so I yelled... are you OK? is it your heart? Once he stopped coughing he said his heart was Ok when he came in the room but after all the whipped cream, chocolate and sugar he was not sure.. I still think about that when I serve that cake. I wonder if I should stop making it but everyone loves it). I am also making my chocolate ginger snaps.... man oh man they are good.

On Friday there is a pot luck at Annie's so I have two big pots of beans on. I will also make a huge pan of squares that are so like a pecan pie.

And there is the cake to do for Luc's birthday on Tuesday. As well there is all the cooking for the school for the 14th. I keep saying you have to be part camel to be a teacher. I carry loads of stuff to school each day.

I am also sewing like crazy. Diane's birthday is Monday so I did two cushions for her. Marie Andree's birthday is soon after so I am working on an apron for her. The vice-pricipal's wife is having a baby any day now so I have made the cutest little coat and matching vest for the new baby. Since this is teacher appreciation week I am also working on a shirt for my classroom right hand, very important person, Lissie What is in the air? I keep thinking maybe I should discontinue these new vitamins.

The students had their Culture class this morning so Lissie and I cleaned up the room. What a difference , now I can actually find things . Teachers may be part camel to carry things to school but we are also part squirrel. I find sheets that other teachers have made up and I think I can use it. How I am never exactly sure. Lissie is great at organizing the books. She has done so much remedial work with the slower students that they are ready for a more advanced book. Keeping all the books in order is a full time job. She is excellent at it. It is wonderful for me and the students to have a helper in the class. She can take part of the class for extra help or watch the others while I give extra help. Also when the students have trouble understanding the math directions in English she can redo the directions in Inuktitut. We work very well together. There are 17 students registered in this classs and that is too many for a second language classroom. Having a helper makes it better for me but also much better for the kids.
Lissie also keeps me from being so lonely. She has a great sense of humor and it is great to have some one to laugh with... or is she laughing at me?

Our weather is very special right now. There were ice crystals in the air this morning so we had a rainbow over Salluit. There is no wind right now so all the chimney smoke is going straight up. The sun is brillant today. A beautiful day here. Many of the kids are skating on the river ice. There are even hockey games down there.

With so much sun these days it is not difficult to be in Salluit. The scenery here is the best in the world. I often wonder why I love it here so much. I get in spells where I complain too much but I have made a home of sorts here. The teaching goes well. I thought that it would dark all winter here but it is only Dec and Jan that are really bad but then I am not that far north. Yesterday I was watching live TV from Cape Canaveral in Florida. I was amazed at how light it was there at 7 am so perhaps I am farther north than I think... I am just getting use to it.

I must go clean off my desk before the kids get back from gym class. Then the class will be perfectly clean.

P

A sad day in Salluit

Last week we had a service of rememberance for Noah Kumakuluk, the young teenager lost in a storm last Feb, 2005. Both schools gathered in the gym of Iksuik( means elbow) to remember Noah. Most of the adult population of the community was there as well. I t was a very sad afternoon... one of the saddest I have ever experienced.

It was not long before most of the room was quietly crying. One of the high school teachers, Xavier, had put together a slide show with pictures of Noah. The pictures were beautiful... Noah, the land around Salluit, but very difficult to look at. The photos of Noah brought back his impish smile to me. I have never been in a room where so many people were so emotional. over 800 people. The sadness was something that got ahold of me. I could feel it... it was an organic thing...it moved around the room... I felt I could reach out to touch it but I didn't have to as it was touching me.

Students had been asked to write letters of sympathy to the family. My student, Aloupu's letter, was one of three chosen to be read at the ceremony. Poor Aloupa was home sick so the principal, Annie, asked several of my students to read the letter. All refused except Trudy. Poor Trudy had only a few moments to look at the letter before it was time for her to go to the stage. As she walked thru the audience her courage started to fail her. Then when the first reader gave up and fled the stage in tears, Trudy lost her courage totally. I quietly went up to her to tell her she could do it. Had she not asked a great question to the NHL players that had been in town the week before? She did compose herself and did a fantastic job. Trudy is not used to a great deal of success in school but she always says:" I'll try Pearl."

Needless to say I am most proud of her. It was not an easy room to read to. So many people were openly emotional and poor Trudy herself was upset but she reached down in side of herself and did the job. One can't ask for more.

A trophy has been dedicated in Noah's memory. This trophy will go to the student most like Noah. He did not have a great deal of academic success but did have major success in Marc's IPL group. These boys fix washers, dryers, skidoos and 4 wheelers. They also contribute many hours daily to the free school breakfast and lunch programme. It seemed like a great moment for the family when the trophy was unvieled.

At the closing of the service people were asked to shake hands with the family. There were perhaps 20 or 30 family members there. That was very difficult for me. The saddness became sadder as I moved down the line. Very very painful.

When I came home I headed to the shower for the longest, hotest shower of my life in Salluit. Ususally I try to save the water... not fill up the sewage tank but this was a day that I needed a long hot shower, a strong cup of tea and early to bed.

Many of the students in Pigiurvik school are related to Noah. The next day it was difficult to look at these children as I had done in the past. Several of the family are the scamps of the school. They are the children that I have gotten to know first, and better than most. That happens with kids that are rule breakers. Noah had been the same until he started working with Marc in IPL and the food programme. It was hard to imagine that these older boys and girls ,who are the terrors of the hallways, had been sobbing for hours the day before.

We are deep into fractions in my class these days. Most of them are getting it espically when I use food to get a point across. Their journal writing goes very well. And we are busy sewing Valentine hearts . The boys asked to join the girls in this project. It is often the busiet time of the day for me as everyone seems to need help at the same time . At Christmas time we were making ornaments and it was the same chaos. I cut the wrong thread on something and said:" Oh shit!". One of the girls quietly said: "It's Ok Pearl, we won't tell our parents." I am trying to keep my witts about me this time.

And how are you dong about keeping your witts about you... or have you given in to being witty?
P

Pearl plays a good joke

Yesterday was a really cold, windy day in Salluit. It was my turn to do outside duty. I can't tell you ( tho I probably have)how much I dislike that part of my teaching contract. It is such a pain in the butt to put the heavy boots, pants, coat, hat and gloves on so many times in one day. It is a never ending chore. It seems that once I get out there it is time to come back in... then another bell goes and I am dressing again. There can be so many discipline problems as well.

As much as I complain I seem to have a good time once I am out there. Yesterday was no exception. Once out and down the stairs I could hear someone softly calling my name. I looked around and could not see anyone who wanted me. Once I turned back, I heard the voice again. That happened a few times. Finally I figured out someone was playing a joke but who and what joke? It was three of my boys: Aloupa, Charlie O and Lucassie. One would pop up from behind a truck or skidoo to call my name. Then another chap would do it from another part of the yard. They were using the mirrors and windows to keep an eye on me. They were laughing and having a great time. If I moved in their direction they would mingle in behind the girls skipping. After bit I could see who my little devils were and the area they were working. One after another I got them. We would chase each other around the trucks and skidoos laughing.

I thought about crawling under the school truck and coming up near them but then thought: not a good idea Pearl. My luck I would get stuck under there and not a good lesson to teach them. It was a fun time. I was able to rush around and that kept me warm. The boys had a good giggle at my expense. The afternoon recess was more of the same.

When we came in from the afternoon recess the vice principal was in my classroom. I was not sure why but I used his prescense to tease my kids. Even he did not know what I was doing. I pointed my finger at Aloupa, CharlieO and Lucassie and told them that since they had been chasing me and tormenting me on the school grounds I had asked the vp to speak to them. Their faces dropped like stones. From the look on my face they were sure they were in trouble. Then I said "Just kidding" in Inuktitut. The expression sounds like "EEE lo KAA". They were shocked to here me speaking Inuktitut and it took them a second to see that it was all a joke. When they got the joke of it they were rolling around on the floor like pups. Their classmates were laughing at them as they had looked so serious when they thought the vp was in to dress them down. Once we settled down to work they would still mutter and laugh under their breath. They use the phrase all the time on me. "Pearl, I am moving to Ivulivik... EEEloKaa"... "Pearl I lost my homework.. eeelokaa".. so it was great for me to be able to get them back.

In fact you hear it all the time in the staff room, out on the street, every where you go. The Inuit are great jokers. They are not used to the white people saying it.

Tomorrow we will have a ceremony to mark the d eath of Noah the young man lost out on the land last Feb. 2nd. The bodies of the hunters lost that day have never been found. It was thought that once the snow melted and people were out on the land for summer camping that the skidoo and bodies would be found. So the thinking now is that they must have gone thru ice somewhere.
Noah was an IPL student. We used to call that Industrial Arts in Digby in the 60's. h
He was in Marc's group learning to repair ski-doos, fridges,dryers etc. The IPL boys make and serve breakfast every am to 40 to 50 students. The boys are a little rough and ready but Marc has had a great influence on them. It is a fantastic opportunity to bring these boys back into mainstream society. They are so often social outcasts.
Noah had a great sense of humor. He went from a very violent and disturbed young person to someone who could be trusted to help everyone. He was a good person and showed the teachers what could be done with, and for, a teenager with patience. He is missed.
Tomorrow an award will be given to the student who has become most like Noah. Tomorrow will be a difficult day for Noah's family and Marc.

It is difficult not to dwell on the last year. Salluit had so many violent deaths in the past 12 months. Soon it will be the anniversary of the teacher who was shot in her classroon and the death of the poor boy who shot her. Only this week a teenage girl was stopped with a loaded rifle in the community. There is so much to do here to help the young people solve their problems in a non-violent way.

We are now in the non fun part of fractions. The cookies were a great success. Now to knuckle down to do the learning.

What have you life long learners learned today?
P