World Teacher Appreciation Day

Apparently today is World Teacher Appreciation Day. I'm not sure how, but through some Olympian twist of logic the tradition at Clyde River School involves teachers cooking breakfast for all the kids, their families and other community members (this includes home delivery for elders). Having just finished 5 years of bed & breakfast I found myself manning four frying pans and an oven (all full of spattering bacon) all morning today. Time for a serious examination of past lives and any possible misdeeds involving pigs. A very fun time. I have mentioned the Newfoundland teachers, but have not written about my Inuk colleagues. They are seriously funny, kind, and great mentors for new northern teachers like me. So, the kitchen was quite wild this morning. I am so saturated in bacon fat that I am worried about attracting dogs and polar bears on the walk home. All in all, a wonderful week. On Wednesday my class celebrated the completion of a Workplace Safety course. This course is required before they can begin the work experience portion of the program. They faced enourmous challenges to get through this course, including child care, illness of their children (one of my student's children was taken out by medivac) part time jobs, other family members they look after and a terminally ill parent to name a few. It was also my birthday on Wednesday, so a great celebration in all. We made and ate pizza, I gave out certificates and they sang happy birthday to me. Thanksgiving dinner will be up the hill in the apartment block where the Newfoundlanders live. I call it Signal Hill. Should be lots of fun. I am posting some pictures of the Terry Fox walk held here on September 26.