Hello friends

[little2add]

On 5/18/2024 at 11:58 PM, Nihil Obstat said:

My third child was born, a daughter.

Congrats

[dUSt]

Amesome!

[MIKolbe]

How beautiful and wonderful!!

[Didacus]

On 7/24/2020 at 10:23 PM, Nihil Obstat said:

Hello, my friends! It has been such a long time. I wonder who is still around whom I would remember?

I hope everyone is healthy and well. My family and I are. :) My wife (Moosey) and I are about to celebrate our seventh anniversary, and we just celebrated our daughter's second birthday.

How is everyone?

I'm still here El Wapo!!!

 

 

  On 5/18/2024 at 11:58 PM, Nihil Obstat said:

My third child was born, a daughter

On 5/20/2024 at 5:27 AM, little2add said:

Congrats

Congrats!

 

It's always good to have spares.

Edited May 28, 2024 by Didacus

[Archaeology cat]

Congrats, Nihil! Kids are always amesome. 

[Nihil Obstat]

I got that position I was hoping for. Staying at my current school, now with grade 4, and probably music classes for 3 and 4. As long as my evaluations go well next year, and there's no reason to suspect otherwise, then my contract now renews automatically each school year. So barring some really catastrophic budget cuts, I'm essentially guaranteed this job until I choose to retire. 

In four more years or so they'll pay me to do a master's degree as well.

 

On the other hand, our collective agreement expires in August, and the central table bargaining is going to go south very quickly when the union presents its opening proposal and the government laughs in our collective face. Saskatchewan teachers have been at it for almost a year now, including strikes and work-to-rule. I'm assuming their situation is a bit of a weather vane.

[Nihil Obstat]

I just want to mention again, for additional emphasis, that we have a Catholic school district which is fully publicly funded. Catholic kids have the right to attend a Catholic school and be taught Catholic teachings, at no cost to their families. 

All year I've had the privilege of teaching my classes about the Sacred Heart devotion, Marian dogmas, the meaning of Catholic Tradition, the sacraments, magisterial authority, even Catholic teachings on sexuality. Provincial government foots the bill.

There are few examples these days of the Church maintaining Her authority and presence in the public sphere, or of any workplaces where one can be publicly, recognizably, formally Catholic.

[Nihil Obstat]

I just noticed it's been two years since I posted last. I check the forum occasionally. Hello again, friends!

I'm finishing up my third year teaching now. I taught grade 6 back in 23/24 when I posted last, then like I mentioned, I went to grade 4 for 24/25, and I was back to grade 6 (my preference at this point) for this school year. We did strike back in the fall. I was out of work for three weeks, and it was terrible. The strike itself was very unsuccessful, because the government used some very heavy-handed tactics to force us back to work (and formally remove some of our Charter rights), however public opinion has remained on our side, and we are slowly getting some of the things we were asking for.

Next year I'm going to apply to start a master's degree. I'm really interested in doing a Master's of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (M.SoTL) - looks like a really neat program. Interdisciplinary, combining quality research and classroom practice at all levels. There are lots of good programs around, but that one is interesting me most at the moment.

One of my students asked me to be her sponsor for confirmation this year. It was the proudest moment of my career so far.  My oldest daughter had her First Communion just before Christmas, and my son is starting kindergarten next year.

I also started writing a novel last spring. It is a horror novel for an older middle grade audience, around ten to thirteen. It's very slow going, as I usually have no energy left at the end of the day, but if I stick to a good schedule I might be able to finish the first draft this summer. No idea if it will be publishable when I finish, but it's a fun process regardless.

[veritasluxmea]

1 hour ago, Nihil Obstat said:

I just noticed it's been two years since I posted last. I check the forum occasionally. Hello again, friends!

I'm finishing up my third year teaching now. I taught grade 6 back in 23/24 when I posted last, then like I mentioned, I went to grade 4 for 24/25, and I was back to grade 6 (my preference at this point) for this school year. We did strike back in the fall. I was out of work for three weeks, and it was terrible. The strike itself was very unsuccessful, because the government used some very heavy-handed tactics to force us back to work (and formally remove some of our Charter rights), however public opinion has remained on our side, and we are slowly getting some of the things we were asking for.

Next year I'm going to apply to start a master's degree. I'm really interested in doing a Master's of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (M.SoTL) - looks like a really neat program. Interdisciplinary, combining quality research and classroom practice at all levels. There are lots of good programs around, but that one is interesting me most at the moment.

One of my students asked me to be her sponsor for confirmation this year. It was the proudest moment of my career so far.  My oldest daughter had her First Communion just before Christmas, and my son is starting kindergarten next year.

I also started writing a novel last spring. It is a horror novel for an older middle grade audience, around ten to thirteen. It's very slow going, as I usually have no energy left at the end of the day, but if I stick to a good schedule I might be able to finish the first draft this summer. No idea if it will be publishable when I finish, but it's a fun process regardless.

Wow congrats on being a sponsor and your daughter's first communion!! And on starting a book! What do you like better about teaching 6th than elementary grades? I used to teach six and fifth but now teach a combined 3rd/4th classroom and love it. What university are you thinking of applying to?