Back in the Saddle Again
by Thomas McChristian
September 02, 2009
Nutshell Life:
As a “military brat,” I've always had problems answering the
question, “Where are you from?” I was born in Panama, the country,
not the small town in Nebraska, attended high school in the
Washington, D.C. area, and received a B.A. in English from Indiana State University and
a K-8 teaching endorsement from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Along the way on this strange trip, I met, fell in love with, and
married the woman who would make me her husband, the lovely Lisa .
We are currently raising two active and beautiful sons, Liam and
Keegan, while slowly renovating an old house in Lincoln.
My wife has taught art at Nebraska Wesleyan University for 19 years. She is currently working on another Empty Bowls fundraising event for Lincoln Food Bank’s Backpack Program, in which she will be organizing area artists, students, and teachers to create 700 bowls for a benefit soup dinner, which will be held on Saturday, February 27, 2010.
Before teaching at Bennet, I taught for seven years for Omaha Public Schools at King Science & Technology Magnet Middle School: one year teaching sixth grade math and English and six years teaching fifth grade English. I student taught at Murray Language Academy in Chicago, Illinois, where I successfully completed the teaching requirements for Japanese and classroom instruction.
My Expectations of Students & Parents:
Regardless of a school's setting, urban or rural, parents are an intregal partner in their child’s education and occupy a seminal role with the teacher in their child’s academic success. Thus, it is my expectation as a teacher that each student complete each assigned work on-time. Delays reduce the impact and efficacy of the assignment. Late work will be accepted, but the lesson’s impact will be diminished because the student has not been able to fully participate in classroom discussions or asked questions relating to the assignment. Therefore, please find a quiet place that is free from distractions for your burgeoning scholar to study. Check your child’s planner daily to make sure all homework assignments are being completed. Don’t forget to ask questions. “How was your day?” “What did you learn today?” Do not accept a shoulder shrug or “Nothing” as a real answer.
Bicycling:
Summer fun? Try biking nearly 400 miles through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado with Mr. Robb. When he mentioned the Ride the Rockies event early last spring, idealistically I thought to myself, “Wow! What a great idea. I should do that too?” Little did I know what awaited us in Glenwood Springs in June: lung popping, leg throbbing ascents over three mountain passes followed by 50+ mph screaming descents, crossing the continental divide twice, and pedaling by snow drifts above the tree line. After the second dismal day of riding, I was prepared to admit defeat, heave my bike over a mountainside, quit bicycling forever, hang my head in shame, and never return to Colorado. Fortunately, the rest of the ride was much more enjoyable (sadistically speaking), and I was able to take in the gorgeous scenery.
Next summer? If my wife allows me, we'll see where the adventure continues. Until then, if you see a flashing red light in the early morning hours before school, it’s might be me on my bicycle pedaling from Lincoln to Bennet. Please pass with care.
Some Favorite Sites:
| Bicycling: | Academics: |
|
Rides & Races:
|
* Metropolitan Museum of
Art * Brooklyn Museum of Art * Sheldon Museum of Art |
|
Bicycles: * Trek |
* Science for Kids |
|
Shops & Tools:
|
* Learning Shortcuts |
|
On-Line Catalogs: |
* Spanish
* Latin
* German
* Japanese * Chinese * Greek |
| For Parents: | For Parents: |
| * A Nation at Risk | * If
you're not smarter than a fifth grader,click here. |
| * Your Student's Success | * A Parent's Guide to 5th Grade |
