November 3, 2007

• Testing, testing

  What a week!  Monday started out ok.  I decided not to give my students new words, but to instead review their old words with them.  I noticed they were starting to forget things they’d learned in the beginning of the year and decided not to let it continue.  So I told them to get out all their lists.  I assigned them to form groups and make up a story or dialogue and present it to the class.  We’ve gotten two-thirds through the presentations, and some of them are doing very well.  I tested them on Friday.

  This week was also the week I wrapped up the French Revolution study (and tested Friday) in the special education World History class I teach.  It amazes me how many times things get repeated in our history. Not just war, but “good intentions gone bad.”  It was the first time in history people under a monarchy actually got rid of their king. It started out as a “good idea”, because the country was going bankrupt, and the poor were starving and going without while the king and his court lived it up.  At first it seemed as if the lowest class was finally getting a voice…until the power ended up in the hands of a few who not only misused their power, but let their paranoia grow and destroy.

  I’d always thought that the revolution was “poor against rich” and that the rich were the only ones killed.  It turns out that the obsession with making sure the revolution continued resulted in the arrest and death of anybody who even dared criticize how things were going, or, to quote one historian on a documentary we watched, “wasn’t enthusiastic enough.” As many as 800 people a month were sent to the guillotine over the year-long “Reign of Terror.”  It surprised me how much like the neighbor-turning-in-neighbor of Nazi and Communist days it was.

  The week ended in a 6-hour state test I had to take today (Saturday)  to prove “subject competence” in American Sign Language so that I can teach it.  I’ve been so nervous about the test!  Tuesday night I was ready to go interpret for something when suddenly I got the vision squigglies of an oncoming migraine.  Twenty minutes later the squiggly vision passed and I went and interpreted, but then I fought a headache on and off for a couple of days.

  The test wasn’t as bad as I anticipated (interpreter certification was harder).  The test was given in three subtests, and covered language accuracy, deaf culture, and linguistics.  Linguistics is my love and strongest area, and that was the third and easiest one of the bunch.  It takes a month to find out whether I’ve passed; if I need to do it again, it’s not available again until next May.  If I do pass, I’m going to celebrate; I hope this is the LAST test ever required for me to continue teaching!

  Anybody remember the 60′s folk group New Christy Minstrels, or the songs “Green Green” or “Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire?  Barry still performs and goes on tour with a fellow named  Pete Talbott, and they’re going to be in town.  Barry is a Christian and so they’re going to be performing and giving their testimonies at the little Foursquare church I’ve started attending.  The pastor said they came there on their previous tour, so they’re visiting again tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it. 

  Barry has pitched in on performances at a local coffee house when some core members of the New Christy Minstrels come, too, and I did go to one of those.

  Then tomorrow afternoon is the baby shower for my oldest son’s wife.  She’s due some time in mid-December, but her mother had a history of birthing early, so they’re not taking any chances having the shower later in the month.

  That’s about all the news lately….  it’s all one day at a time and hanging onto the Lord.  And He is definitely good  I pray for you, don’t stop praying for me please!

  Love to all,
  Gerrie
  

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