The problem with having a blog

is that you have to constantly keep the thing updated. Not that I have kept it up to date; and what does up to date in blogspeak mean anyhow? Weekly? Daily? Yeah right! If the previous posting tells you anything it is that I most certainly will not be blogging on a daily basis. In fact, the previous post is why I haven't been back here; I wanted the little girl to keep top-billing for as long as possible.

The Ice's are settling into life as a family of four. So far it has been great. We have forgotten that babies cry so much, but we are getting used to the late/early feedings. I say this two days before classes start again. Ask me how I'm doing in a week when I have to be at school at 7am.

Speaking of school...the annual in-service week ritual begins today. By "in-service ritual" I (emphatically) do not mean school-wide meetings, faculty meetings, departmental meetings, the curriculum planning, copying syllabi and handouts, arranging desks or any number of the myriad of things I should be doing. I'm speaking of my annual midnight screening of the two best inspiring-teacher-genre films made: Dead Poets Society (tonight, in a just a few minutes) and Mr. Holland's Opus (tomorrow evening).

I watch these two to get me humming for another go at it. You know, keep-the-faith sort of inspiration. This pair of films pulls off the best of the genre in well-acted style. They poignantly (nice movie-critic term there) remind the viewer of what teaching is all about, albeit each does so in its own way and with its own particular twist. The John Keating character in Dead Poets is the foil for the boys in the film. I'm convinced that this character (although equally arguably the central figure in the movie) is actually a support for the unfolding growth in the cadre of young scholars. Here we learn more about the students than the teacher. Here we learn how the teacher impacts students but it comes through the characters of the boys. Mr Holland on the other hand is the central character of the film bearing his name. But there we see the introspective growth of the teacher throughout the film; and that in a variety of relationships (with his wife, son, a student (!), his principal, a colleague). Only at the crescendo (that was intentional) of the film do we see how he has truly impacted his students.

Both films convey the complex peaks and valleys of teaching. Both are well worth the ritual investment of time I spend each year (actually, I watch each one about three times per school year: August, Christmas break and April). Why April? When you have a spare hour ask anyone in education why April; you'll get your earful.

At any rate, this actually brings up a blogproject I will start very soon. I want to explore my vocatio as teacher from several angles: historical, theological, practical, perhaps others. I am actually this week completely revising my teaching strategies, syllabus, and goals for the year. This has been a long time coming and a long time in the making. And it has prompted not a little reflection on my part about what teaching is, should be, and what a teacher is and should be, and what the encounter between teacher and pupil is and should be.

So if you don't hear from me I'm either teaching, burping a baby, reflecting about teaching, changing a diaper or prepping to teach, burp or change diapers.

Any of you seen either of these two films? Care to comment?

For the Barthians out there; I've found another prayer I'll post soon.

Grace and peace.