Ahoy Mate-y?
It's disgustingly hot. The air quality in Oxnrd is awful. Yesterday looked worse. My head has been pounding. My students endured a day in 98 degree heat, no AC of course and that the temp.
My room like an Easy Bake oven, one student's asthma so bad his mom who has no health care insurance opted reluctantly to take him to an ER. It's just awful. We are breathing air really from several fires.
Here was the sun in the morning. Not that exciting to look at.
It's been grey and awful.
Winds from the Santa Ana's blowing my students around like leaves.
You know what you think about. You know what we teachers are thinking about?
We are thinking how vulnerable we are, our kids are. Today we sat uncomfortable, unsure at lunch, waiting the few minutes to let the kids get food and blow our way back over to the dirty, filthy dusty classes and we all just looked at each other. Recalled a few other times we've faced some hard moments together. Here we are. In a fire storm from hell breathing stuff and choking. With children.
If you live in Southern CA your life is an orange haze and a breathing nightmare that is being defined by our winds. Our neighbors are burning. Places I know and have lived in are blazing. Friends under terrible stresses throughout this area. My husband's district may well be an evacuation center by AM from Fillmore and Moorpark. It is so very difficult.
Until the wind stops I cannot imagine. A good thought kept for our firefighters.
My class of Sheltered Immersion 1st graders found the energy to play....
My class. In the morning I had 6 students out. And an obligation to make the day seem like things will be fine. But also a little time for them to talk about it. And they had a lot to say. Drew some pictures. Lots of fire in those. Did you see our sky yesterday? No wonder.
October 21, 2007 Oxnard, CA
And I had a headache today so I went off script. I'm sorry, Theme two with it's "Pigs in Wigs" will not be finished "on schedule."
It will be at least a day late. And I am not caring. Pacing is a great idea that i'll leave for these younger folk that "love it." Me, I decided to write to the feelings. So we recorded "what we knew." Then looked at the News awhile. And then went for silly.
I pulled out Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.
And as absurd as it seems here is what they wanted me to photograph to stand for the day....
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In the PM we made Chihuahuas to decorate our door for Red Ribbon week. It's Red Ribbon Week. We are teaching our Drug Free Program...I asked them and they wanted to make little Chihuahuas. Well.......ok.
So we decided they could say some drug free slogans but I forgot to take pictures....tomorrow.
Been wondering how you're all doing down there. Except for the population density, we get the same conditions here in summer. No air conditioning, though. We had to shut the windows in 90+ degree heat 2 summers ago because there were ashed blowing through the house. Forest fires ruin good weather. Still, with all the human drama, your situation is far more serious than what we face here with just trees and bushes.
ReplyDeleteTry not to breathe too much of that stuff. And stay safe.
You know I was thinking last night...there are terrible fires all over the US. And it must be just horrible to observe or run from, or breathe. I think this is WHY I do struggle with living in an area with lots of folks, coming from a more rural area.....but the winds certainly are turning this into a nightmare. I haven't heard the news since AM, I hope it is better. In my area, Oxnard not too many of us AC. I don't have it, school, no. It gets hot but this is unusual.Right now despite my feelings about the waste..I'd love to go sit in a room with it.
ReplyDeleteAbout 15 of my friends evacuated San Diego. Very hard to find hotels, I hope some come to me but we lost contact...cells even not too dependable.
But I'm hoping to go through the afternoon without getting upset. The kids are awful. I guess hot, tired, stressed. Or just naughty.
Thinking and praying about your situation there in So. Cal. From Riverside originally myself and remember the fast and furious Santa Anas which would kick up the dirt and sand blast our legs on the playground. So much worse are the conditions now, could only cry to see the devastation and human suffering on the news tonight.
ReplyDeleteSeeing your students and hearing that you're "off the script" for a bit I could only giggle to see that YOU are the "decider" for what is appropriate for young students at this time. That's the autonomy that professionals deserve. Go Sarah!
Thanks......it's been a hard few hot days.
ReplyDeleteThe news was awful.
Maybe the winds will get a bit better. We so need rain. But not tons of it.
Sarah