Thursday, May 3, 2007

Meeting, shoes, hassles.



I had the meeting with THAT teacher last night. It was fine. I was very NICE. *gag* I can do it, but sometimes it seems so cynical when you really want to scream, "Why don't you get a job where you can be happy and maybe could actually succeed and get out of my f*cking life!!!!!" But that wouldn't be NICE.

She probably wanted to scream something similar back at me, but was also NICE.

I was interested that she was not intent on telling me what the school would do to prevent something like this happening in the future, nor was she willing to make a school wide comment, but was quite content to lay the blame FIRMLY on the music teacher. Which may or may not be accurate, but wasn't exactly professional or, well, appropriate.

I managed to mention NICELY that she speaks at the speed of an automatic weapon with about as much intonation, and that just maybe that is why my kid cannot understand Catalan yet, and that maybe when my kid doesn't understand her she could try to say it, oh, a different way rather than repeating herself over and over again as she does with me. I mean really folks, I will grant that there are people out there that aren't so good at communicating, and that lack these basic empathy skills, but she is a grade 2 teacher for crying out loud. I mean DUH.

OK, Vented. I did manage to end the meeting with her feeling reasonably content, with me feeling like I had hopefully given her a couple of clues about what may help her communicate. Every time she talks about it though, she lashesfolds her arms tight across her chest and says..."I can't speak English" Like there ends her responsibility.

I was nice partially because it works to get what needs to be done maybe part way done, but, as I explained to my kids who were hoping for bloodshed knowing what I can do when pushed, it is a rare situation when making someone else feel miserable, angry and incompetent actually helps. It usually only makes you feel a certain sadistic pleasure, which, come on admit it, most of us do wish for when someone else frustrates or enrages us enough. It doesn't solve anything or even open a door towards solving anything. There is enough shit in this world without actively contributing.

So I was nice.

I even managed to point out that discussing my child with me in front of the entire assembled parent body was not helpful, although I played the language card, not the fact that it is profoundly unprofessional and inappropriate. And makes me blind with rage. Seems that should have been pointed out at oh, say, .....teacher's college, and maybe at a staff meeting or two?????

She didn't apologize until nearly the end. But I have also managed to get more resources to help the little one to learn Catalan which is good, and they are going to put into place a policy about ensuring that there is always supervision for the children. Have I mentioned that this school is well over 150 years old. Seems that shouldn't still be on the to-do list. But that might sound bitter.

*sigh*

I miss homeschooling in a lot of ways.

Ah well.


I am going to have to do some painting or something to wash the angry bile taste away...maybe a long walk in the mountains at the same time.

Moving right along,

If you notice the picture at the top, and look c.l.o.s.e.l.y. that is a SEA GLASS threshold!!! Whoa, what a cool idea! I love the colour of the door as well. It is a truely lovely little spot. There are so many gorgeous little nooks and pockets here if you keep your eyes open. Here's another that I love...





I haven't quite figured out what it is about it that I love. The colour, yes, and the variety of textures, and the age, and the beauty hiding behind the decrepit and broken and dirty, but that still doesn't quite hit it exactly....though it is getting close.....


.....later.........


See these shoes? These are my favorite shoes. They are very very comfortable. I spent a lot of money on them. Do you see what the dog did to them? I am very very angry at said dog. Very.





He has not been looking repentant enough for MY liking. The kids keep asking if we re going to send him back. No. What do they take me for?
All my other shoes are pretty darned uncomfortable for the amount of walking I do. I am at a loss. This is not exactly the land of the comfortable shoe here. Maybe I can mail order them. In fact, the man and I are both pretty handy with repairs, and I am going to see if we can sew the leather back together. This would of course have been easier if we were on the boat, where we have all the sail repair tools and material, but I'm not bitter at all.

D*mn dog.

The man has to work tomorrow again. Grrrrrr.

Must. get. to. the. mountain.....

....later...........

Ok, I know that the world can get a lot worse than this, but today I have

broke the dogs dish

my heel has split and it hurts to walk

the dog ate my shoe

painted other shoes and they look like shit

mailed a package and had to go to the post office THREE times to get it done

got oil paint on a favorite shirt

changed

got tuna water all over myself

changed

got tuna oil all over myself

changed

now it's raining and I can't go to the mountains

I think I am going to go to bed....

4 comments:

Angel said...

Bad Dog!! BAD DOG! My one dog ate a pair of my sandals that I Loved too.....and he's still around. gotta love the dog more than shoes.

way to go with That Teacher. I don't know English....um, maybe you could learn and try to communicate better with Youngest child? Be a little Nicer?

sic chuck on her.

Beth said...

Just having one of those days - huh?

I would probably cry (after my initial rage) if the dog ruined my favourite sandals. You simply cannot replace certain items...

Did you end up going to bed? A nap often helps. (Or you wake up grumpier.)

Jocelyn said...

Couldn't you just sic the dog on that teacher?

Sigh.

oreneta said...

Beth: Bad dog and HOW! I will admit though that I grumbled about it again when my feet got sore this afternoon....

Beth: I did cry, after I finished being angry.
I didn't go to bed in the end, I decided that it was better to sit and play with colour. Literally. I can't say I painted, I wet the paper, wet a couple of colours I love and dripped them on the paper and watched the colours blend and swirl. It sounds kind of strange now, but it was about perfect.

Jocelyn: Wish I could...she'd end up barefoot like me....