Basil vs. Sage

Fall has been lifting its chilly fingers and scratching at our doors lately. For some, a sigh of relief is audibly present as the windows are flung open and cool breezes squeegee out summer's stale, humid air. For others, a cloud of mourning settles in as flip flops are filed away and pool gates are padlocked. My garden is echoing similar sentiments. When evening temperatures dip below 50 degrees, the basil plants sport new coats of curled leaves and brown spots, as if to say their work on earth is done. No more fresh pesto and  flavor boosting. On the other hand, the sage plants flaunt their silvery gray leaves in a bring-it-on manner. It will take more than a little frost to stop their life juices from flowing.

Our fair city is also in the midst of differing responses to seasons. For the past several years our school board has elected to begin school during peak summer days, two weeks before Labor Day. Many reasons have been given as to the validity of such a schedule, the primary one being that high school students will fare better in their semester tests if they finish them before Christmas break.

Recently, a group of school district parents challenged such logic and went to the school board, requesting an after Labor Day starting time for school. Not only was it denied, the board approved calendars for the next three years, all with start times in mid-August. Not to be deterred, the post-Labor Day folks gathered enough citizen signatures to push the issue forward to a public vote. Their premise is that precious summer days of swimming, vacationing and general outdoor activities are cut short by the early start date. Regardless of which calendar is chosen, the required number of school days will be met and compliance will be made with the state's regulations.

The real question is, "Are you basil or sage?"

If you are basil, you cannot bear to give up one summer day. Your leaves will curl in protest when the sun's heat is taken away. Cool spring days are a waste of time to you and there is little value in time spent indoors. Family time is about backyard barbecues, trips to the lake cabin and traveling with sports teams.

If you are sage, you welcome the shoulder days of spring and fall. You enjoy cool weather activities and recognize that vacationing can happen at any time of the year. You appreciate time spent together, inside or outside. Movies, popcorn, good books and birdwatching are not determined by a calendar date.

As a teacher in the school district, I  report to active duty whenever the calendar dictates. I am less worried about the loss of warm, cool, or temperate days than I am about the education of children. The taxpayers of our city will need to determine whether they believe one month is better than another for learning. My only observation is that students are just as anxious to see their friends in August as they are in September. They are far less joyous about gathering together after Memorial Day.

August or September, May or June. The final votes will determine how our garden will grow.

10 Things Not To Say To A Teacher

There are no dull moments in the world of classrooms, lunchrooms and playgrounds. Each new school year begins with the hope of great things to come. Questioning, discussing, writing, reading and computing bring about earnest academic progress.

Each year also brings on a few questions and statements that many teachers would rather not hear from their students. Here are a few.

1) "What time is this class over?" Not only is this question asked at the end of class but it is also asked as the students are arriving. Social skill number one: please don't ask about the end time of a class, no matter how much you hate learning about arthropods.

2) "I left my homework at home." This is the primary excuse from students who haven't picked up a pencil in my classroom since the beginning of the year. Logic defies believing such a response. I usually dig right into their binders and magically find the unfinished pieces of business. Busted.

3) "I can't get my locker open." This statement most often comes from incoming sixth graders. There is definitely a learning curve in the 20 to the right, 3 to the left and 7 to the right process. I have never been able to open a locker so the kids are on their own with this one. Time for a new smartphone app.

4) "I threw up all night but I think I'm feeling a little better." It is at this point that I take two steps backwards. There is usually a residual green glow still evident on their faces and I would prefer not to be in their target range.

5) "Do we have a test today?" This is usually asked after a week of review, reminders, study guides and website postings. I'm always baffled how such a detail can be missed until the day of the test. Fortunately, there are usually a few students who are only too happy to point out the error of the confused student's ways.

6) "I like your toes." A colleague of mine was the recipient of this response a couple weeks ago. It is a baffling statement and probably best left unanalyzed.

7) "Is your hair turning gray?" It takes a great deal of self control not to share my theory of where I think the gray is coming from. Fortunately, most students aren't interested in the why of my hair color. They just enjoy making observations.

8) "I'm going to be gone for two weeks and need all my homework by the end of the day." Sometimes I'm not even sure what I will be able to cover in class tomorrow, much less two weeks in advance. I appreciate the student's concern but I would prefer that extended vacations happen in the summer.

9) "Do you remember me?" Former students often ask this question, forgetting that they might look a little different from their middle school years (a fact most are grateful for). Let it be said that I want to remember the names and faces of all my students but my brain is packed with student files. Please introduce yourself so we can skip the name game and catch up on what's new.

10) "I don't have a pencil." I understand the occasional absentmindedness that results in a lost writing utensil, but when the same student asks every teacher, every day, I want to poke my eye out with a pencil. There is no way to win this war so I will continue to buy golf pencils by the gross.

Yes, another year of school is in full swing and a whole new crop of students are making their way through the teacher maze. We'll get along just fine, until you ask me why I have so many wrinkles.