298/365 What goes around

It's one of those round tower old-style hotels. This was where I did my first ever seminar, a day-long workshop for SDE on Four Square Writing, just a couple of weeks after 9/11/01. I thought it was familiar when I saw Hilton Oak Lawn on the itinerary for today. This was where it started. Now it is beautifully renovated, and I return to do a Four Square Writing seminar for another company, one of a dwindling schedule of seminar work. First time I was here I was easing my way out of the classroom, now I am easing my way back in. This building isn't the only thing circling back!

256/365 Treadmills, Football, Reading Comprehension and Dear Abby

Football night in America. Keith Olberman, Tony Dungy, Bob Costas, Dan Patrick, Rodney Harrison, Tiki Barber and Peter King keeping me company during the gap between the 2nd and 3rd Sunday games. Macbook and I are bonding over a new workshop session on reading comprehension. The Jags didn't put it together, but the first half of the game distracted me appropriately as I attempted to resume my running habit on a treadmill at the Y this afternoon. In the other room the teenage Dear Abby is running interference on several freshman relationships on the rocks. The husband off rehearsing for his debut with the Symphony... not a bad Sunday all in all.

212/365 Two day-Oy Vey

Shelby was the fictitious teacher in the "Highly Differentiated Instruction" classroom. This facetious question was placed on the Question Board during the 2 day workshop. By the way, my answer? We should all be paid more and have more planning periods." Several times I had to ask if the talking was for the benefit of the group. I even did an "I'm waiting.." Worst part was that the rude naysayer teachers were the young ones, mostly the group from the Teach for America program. At the underperforming schools these recend grads are asked to give a couple of years to make a change. The change that some wanted to make was to stay the same. It was a 2 day battle in a room that was more than 100 degrees. Oy vey. Tomorrow I need a little tourism to regain my appreciation for this island state.