I love my jobdescription! I have never done anything else then being a teacher and after 11 years of experience it feels like a second skin. The fact that I work with exceptional pupils makes a workingday never dull! Every day is unique. Altough many things did change the last two years.
When I started out my job took place in a very old building in the middle of the historical city center of Mechelen. Across the school there was a little church where one of the Masterpieces by Rubens was hanging: the admiration of the three kings! So when there was going to be fire in our school the whole fire departement of the city was going to be hanging around! And we even had John Voight over because he used the church as a location for the movie 'The Dog of Flanders'!
Two years ago we moved our precious school! The roof was coming down when the blackboard was moved downwards, safty regulations seemed to be issue and once in while there was no heating. After ten long years and many construction nightmares we were able to move away to a different location. Moving a school is also a work of patience and I decided that the half of my class room had to move to the dumbsters. I wanted to start fresh in my new classroom.
The building we have now is modern and gigantic! And no stairs! You can actually do some run practice or drive your bike through the halls. It is a brand new place with many opportunities. It took a while to get used to it but now if starts to feel okay. But it takes more then just a new building to have a school that works.
Like every teacher I need inspiration and when a collegue of mine suggested that the educational fair (NOT) in Utrecht was the place to hang ouf for a day I doubted for a day or two. Fairs can be great. You get the opportunity to see the latest changes, publications, media-applications and other things that can give your life as teacher more color. But also can cause some frustrations and dissapointments.
Finally I decided to go and it was so much fun. The fair itself is hard to grasp! Suddenly you end up in one big building with a group of people that all care about education. And before you know you start to dream. The latest technology that can give your lesson more dimensions, new forms of administration or lessonplanners, teacherkits that promise you the best lessonmaterial, educational (and at the same time fun and smart) games that will stimulate the social skils of your pupils, cool designs for your classroom, the latest publications, the most recent language programmes to teach your pupils a new language in a fun way, pencils and pens that look cooler then ever, brochures to plan your class adventure outside the school, ........
I can go on for hours what I have seen that day! After spending some hours down there I was not on this planet anymore. I imagined that I would be able to have that smartboard with multi media tools, having all the ICT programmes that will give my pupils the individual approach they deserve, have the books that just nurture my creativity, have that printer that would create colorful worksheets, have the newest furniture that will not hurt my back and let my pupils feel more comfortable, ...................
Not hard to imagine that I left that place feeling inspired and dragging along tons of promotional material, cool gadgets, pens, stickers, brochures and catalogues. My feet are still hurting so the feettablets they handed out at one place were actually really to be used instantly! But also my head was aching and I knew that by the time I arrived back in school most of the things I had seen would stay dreams.
Because all these things cost hard cash. And that is a not something I have in abundance. Nor does my principal! He would wish he did. Because the new building seems to have cost a fortune and still does. When I fill out a form to have some chalk or paper for my classroom I need to think twice. It is the money issue that has taken over my profession and there are days that I feel as empty as the account that my principal has.
So for now I have to settle for a classroom that looks not as appealing as it could do. And it is only in my dreams that I am able to teach as I wish. I would just like the aspect that my boss also attend one of those lessons that I am teaching in my dreams. The chat we would have after that lesson would be so much as fun as well! So all I can do till the cash till is full again or we happen to win the lottery, is keep on dreaming. Perhaps I should start filling out lottery forms instead of lesson plans!?
vrijdag 30 januari 2009
vrijdag 23 januari 2009
Superwomen!!!
Yes, he did it: Barack Obama is the new president of the United States of America! It was the first time ever that I wanted to make sure that I was able to watch the oath because yes, I wanted to witness hitory. And in Washington DC about 2 million wanted to do the same. It was a day full excitement and when O took the stage and delivered his first maidenspeech it was very quiet! But it is not this speech or this man that I want to go on about. It is the lady dressed in yellow on high heels with a big smile on her face: Michelle!
What a woman and not because she happens to be O his wife! There is more to this woman that catches my attention. To me M is the typical woman of our times. Being a woman in the 21st century is a very big challenge. It seems that these times demand superwomen in order to survive. But what is a superwoman?
Perhaps it is that woman that is able to combine everything: a job, ten hobbies , being a four star chef in the kitchen, keep her body in shape, look every day like she has a hairdresser living in her bathroom, a businessagenda with no open spaces to be noticed, three children to fill up her big family car, gain a five diget salary and aim for the big job opening at the top!
Superwoman seems to be a woman like Rachida Dati. This killerlady is the present minister of the justice departement in France! If you don't know what she looks like check out her name on google and you will see and read what I mean. A few hours after she delivered her child she was back with her head at work. Once she had dropped off the kid at home with a nanny (or husband (?) or grandparent) she was heading back for work! Declining her right for materninty leave! GREAT job!!! She looked great that day: dressed in black, wearing high heels and a big smile! And that with still stiches in her stomach of the caesarian!
Time magazine and our national press wrote an article on her, stating mainly the facts and pointing out that this superwoman just makes other women looking weak! Some women have fought to get all the rights she now is declining. Many women will feel as if that they will have to able to do the same things as she did in order to look good! And trust me it is already happening around me. I know so many people that seem to be up and about whole the time to make it work. I know now more women that are not happy with their lives then men! But once a while it has to do with great expectations on the malesculine side!
And therefor I just love M so much. O has made it into the White House and he openly thanked M for that! 'She does everything that I can but then on high heels!' he said once about his wife. But you can be sure that M had to make up her mind to let O do his thing. At a certain moment she even had to get up very early to go to the gym. O was out and she was sitting there with two little girls. It must have been hard to make up her mind and that is perhaps the prize we now pay for all the womenrights that have been fought for.
M is also a woman with ambitions but she faced the truth very bravely and settled for less many say now! Well, less then is better! Out there there are more women that state now that they feel okay with being not superwoman. They don't want to be up and about to save the world and feel perfectly fine with just being a wife, a mother, a friend and a good employe but with no killer instinct! And these women feel neglected and consider themselves useless for the society.
Look at M her bodylanguage it tells enough! Her long arms just swing around when she gets on stage. It seems like she would love to make a strong signal with these arms that she is more then the wife of O. She still wants to be the woman that will make this work not just for O but for her whole family. M pointed out that this is an adventure! She still wants to give the children what they deserve and you can be sure that is not the private bowling alley or cinema!
I appreciate the women that have been up and about fighting for all the rights and that many public functions are open to us! But at what price! M knows that she has got to be carefull. She knows that when she will openly get too ambitious she might end up where Hillary ended where her darling husband made her go for a while! Some people asked her openly what her mission is once her husband is in the Oval Office. Her answer was rather not a straightforward!
But to me that was the best answer. M has the right to just be the woman that she is. She has nothing to proof! If she decides that she just want to drive her kids around and perhaps bake cookies for the next bakesale at their school, decorate the White House, trying to stay tuned with her husband and his job and giving him a massage now and then in Air Force One then that is fine with me. O will need her at his side. But you can be sure that M won't walk behind him. M is the cement in Household One!
She might do more then just the average but perhaps she will do it more silently. It is not the woman on high heels walking down the Elysée who wants to save the justice departement and her job who will gain my respect. No, all these women that make sure that their families feel good, feel loved, get the attention they deserve, keep the house warm and comfy, show real interest in everything and everyone that are the women that can save the world!
M is the first Lady and she will make sure that the words her husband has send into the world will have a chance to turn into reality. O mentioned values as a very important issues. Values make the person and we learn them where it starts all: at home! I think that all the women globaly that try to teach their familymembers values are the real superwomen of today.
So yes, Miss Dati you might got into the big league but it takes more then a black suit and high heels to gain my respect! Remember that also your beloved daughter Zohra will need a set of values to get around. Perhaps it is time that you ask your boss for M her phonenumber. She is the real expert and so are millions of women out there that deserve a round of applause because they want to be just heroes at the homefront.
Domestic goddesses around the world don't give up with baking cakes, ironing dozens of shirts, cleaning the bathroom, driving around the kids, work from nine to five for your monthly salary, do the grocery shopping, reading the gossip columns and ten thousand other useful things that make the difference for others!!! Being a mother is a full time job with no paycheck, company car or extra benefits but it is probably the most valuable job of all! RESPECT!!!
P.S.: By the time I have ended this piece of writing, the news got out that Dati was send off and will be on the list for the next European elections! Turned out a bit too much to handle afterwards, I guess! Have a nice evening Rachida and give Zohra an extra kiss! She will be happy for sure that you are home early!
What a woman and not because she happens to be O his wife! There is more to this woman that catches my attention. To me M is the typical woman of our times. Being a woman in the 21st century is a very big challenge. It seems that these times demand superwomen in order to survive. But what is a superwoman?
Perhaps it is that woman that is able to combine everything: a job, ten hobbies , being a four star chef in the kitchen, keep her body in shape, look every day like she has a hairdresser living in her bathroom, a businessagenda with no open spaces to be noticed, three children to fill up her big family car, gain a five diget salary and aim for the big job opening at the top!
Superwoman seems to be a woman like Rachida Dati. This killerlady is the present minister of the justice departement in France! If you don't know what she looks like check out her name on google and you will see and read what I mean. A few hours after she delivered her child she was back with her head at work. Once she had dropped off the kid at home with a nanny (or husband (?) or grandparent) she was heading back for work! Declining her right for materninty leave! GREAT job!!! She looked great that day: dressed in black, wearing high heels and a big smile! And that with still stiches in her stomach of the caesarian!
Time magazine and our national press wrote an article on her, stating mainly the facts and pointing out that this superwoman just makes other women looking weak! Some women have fought to get all the rights she now is declining. Many women will feel as if that they will have to able to do the same things as she did in order to look good! And trust me it is already happening around me. I know so many people that seem to be up and about whole the time to make it work. I know now more women that are not happy with their lives then men! But once a while it has to do with great expectations on the malesculine side!
And therefor I just love M so much. O has made it into the White House and he openly thanked M for that! 'She does everything that I can but then on high heels!' he said once about his wife. But you can be sure that M had to make up her mind to let O do his thing. At a certain moment she even had to get up very early to go to the gym. O was out and she was sitting there with two little girls. It must have been hard to make up her mind and that is perhaps the prize we now pay for all the womenrights that have been fought for.
M is also a woman with ambitions but she faced the truth very bravely and settled for less many say now! Well, less then is better! Out there there are more women that state now that they feel okay with being not superwoman. They don't want to be up and about to save the world and feel perfectly fine with just being a wife, a mother, a friend and a good employe but with no killer instinct! And these women feel neglected and consider themselves useless for the society.
Look at M her bodylanguage it tells enough! Her long arms just swing around when she gets on stage. It seems like she would love to make a strong signal with these arms that she is more then the wife of O. She still wants to be the woman that will make this work not just for O but for her whole family. M pointed out that this is an adventure! She still wants to give the children what they deserve and you can be sure that is not the private bowling alley or cinema!
I appreciate the women that have been up and about fighting for all the rights and that many public functions are open to us! But at what price! M knows that she has got to be carefull. She knows that when she will openly get too ambitious she might end up where Hillary ended where her darling husband made her go for a while! Some people asked her openly what her mission is once her husband is in the Oval Office. Her answer was rather not a straightforward!
But to me that was the best answer. M has the right to just be the woman that she is. She has nothing to proof! If she decides that she just want to drive her kids around and perhaps bake cookies for the next bakesale at their school, decorate the White House, trying to stay tuned with her husband and his job and giving him a massage now and then in Air Force One then that is fine with me. O will need her at his side. But you can be sure that M won't walk behind him. M is the cement in Household One!
She might do more then just the average but perhaps she will do it more silently. It is not the woman on high heels walking down the Elysée who wants to save the justice departement and her job who will gain my respect. No, all these women that make sure that their families feel good, feel loved, get the attention they deserve, keep the house warm and comfy, show real interest in everything and everyone that are the women that can save the world!
M is the first Lady and she will make sure that the words her husband has send into the world will have a chance to turn into reality. O mentioned values as a very important issues. Values make the person and we learn them where it starts all: at home! I think that all the women globaly that try to teach their familymembers values are the real superwomen of today.
So yes, Miss Dati you might got into the big league but it takes more then a black suit and high heels to gain my respect! Remember that also your beloved daughter Zohra will need a set of values to get around. Perhaps it is time that you ask your boss for M her phonenumber. She is the real expert and so are millions of women out there that deserve a round of applause because they want to be just heroes at the homefront.
Domestic goddesses around the world don't give up with baking cakes, ironing dozens of shirts, cleaning the bathroom, driving around the kids, work from nine to five for your monthly salary, do the grocery shopping, reading the gossip columns and ten thousand other useful things that make the difference for others!!! Being a mother is a full time job with no paycheck, company car or extra benefits but it is probably the most valuable job of all! RESPECT!!!
P.S.: By the time I have ended this piece of writing, the news got out that Dati was send off and will be on the list for the next European elections! Turned out a bit too much to handle afterwards, I guess! Have a nice evening Rachida and give Zohra an extra kiss! She will be happy for sure that you are home early!
woensdag 7 januari 2009
The promise
I know that writting an entry about the war in Gaza can be rather tricky. I might hurt people their feelings and that is the last thing that I really intenionally want to do but I feel like trying to express what I feel when I read the newspapers and watch the news. It is not a happy sight to see the troops of Israël engage into a war that just seems so hopeless to begin. It is not a happy sight to see the inocent victims that don't get to see a free world. Because after all these years I wonder what this war is going to bring? Will be the outcome peace? I doubt it. Although the idea that if this conflict would come to an end then many conflicts will, makes it so much more complicated and interesting at the same time.
What really annoyes me for the moment is the fact that this war is used for many causes. The price of oil was in free fall and ever since there was one shot more then usually the prices go up. My wallet is the first to feel if people out there in the Middle East want to make clear that they want to tell their violent story. I feel so helpless when I see the chaos created amongst innocent people when I watch the news. Inside and outside there is rage but ....
Some years ago I travelled to Jordan and what a trip it turned out to be. I walked through a country with a tremendous history, smelled incredible spices, felt the heat and ate wonderful food, met very friendly people but above all I was face to face with a nation with a breathtaking natural habitat. And it was not Petra that took me high up in the sky. No, it was an other trip that made me wonder how nice the world could be if this war could end.
MOUNT NEBO!!!! I have to be honest before hand I not knew it was going to take my breath away or make me feel light inside. But once I survived the long walk up I was face to face with a view that I never will forget. And there it hit me: this is the promised land, this is worth fighting for! Don't get me wrong not with weapons of destruction!!! While you standing up there and watch over a desolated land you will be overwhelmed with a very strange sensations. In the bible the word says that Moses stood on Mount Nebo overlooking the promised land. When the pope visits the Middle East he visits this place and stands up there and stares at the horizon. At Mount Nebo you can look the promise right into the eyes and makes feel so humble and respectful.
You see a landscape that just makes you wonder that Mother Earth must have an incredible power. The desolated heat you can sense once you drive down towards the Dead Sea takes you on a trip to the unknown. We took pictures of the sunset and we were silent for minutes. We were all travelling but then in contemplation. And suddenly the war is very close. There are tourists that will tell you can hear even gunfire when lying out there in the sun with your mudmask! When I watched the sun going down I felt very human and lonely at the same time.
But does it justify a war? For the moment Israel engaged into Ghaza and apparently kills many citizens. And that can't be justified. And to say that Hamas started is so childish. After all these years those two countries can't seem to settle for less: they want it all! They were promised something and that is worth a war. If we then in the West hear that Israel tells us that it will be a long conflict and that many more people will die if Palastina doesn't want to settle for less many of us don't understand this.
For some days now in many nations there is the outcry that this is unjustified and that we have to help Palastina! Yes, we need to do that and I totally agree. A person in need you have to hold out a hand and reach for. Being a human being with a sound mind makes you feel compasionate and you want to ease the pain. Try to understand the hell he goes through and calm him down and take care of him. It is a good thing that there are caring people on this globe that believe in a world without hate or revenge.
Is it going to help to end this conflict? I am very sorry to burst your bubble but no! If it would be a very clear black and white story it perhaps would have already ended. By now so many forces are at work that trying to understand the whole story is rather hard. I have heard so many people over the last days saying that they can't understand this. Well, be sure that there are even people in Israel that don't understand this anymore. That there are Jewish people who dream of a free land with no violence. There are many more then we can realise that even understand their Muslim neighbours and their call for a homecountry of their own. And even some rather extreme wing ones!!
Have we already forgotten what Rabin tried? And God, where we close!!!! I was a college student at the time and we were just into the whole Jewish story and it's clash with history. Our college professor took us on a very interesting journey and tried to explain the whole picture. Suddenly there was this Jewish guy who understood that you have to make compremises and that life can only be peaceful if we all want to settle for less. He reached out and tried to explain this to many all over the globe and found an alley in his enemy Arafat . So when I heard the news that he was killed by gunfire while he was singing for real peace I have to admit I cried! Suddenly peace was so out of reach.
We were back to square one. Many people only then realised when Rabin had tried to do. But then it was too late!! Some months later I bought the book his wife Leah wrote about him. I understood suddenly what a courage this one guy must have had. He had fought the war and yes he had killed people but deepdown he knew that if you want to find peace you have to use the power of the word. He truly believed in that force. Arafat probably has felt the same force. He even visited the house of Rabin in secrecy to pay his respect to his family. Must have been really strange to find your closest enemy on you doorstep to pay his respect for your loss.
Many years further, Arafat has died, many things have been tried to stop the violence. Hamas is the one now in charge and Israel has a governement that seems not to know where they heading for. I still believe in the force of the word. So when I hear people that tell me that Obama is to blame I am fed up!!! No war can be justified by any act or word. You can't point the finger at one person and then just get on with killing people. Then a bom could be the answer. The problem is that Hamas has said many times right out loud that they won't settle for the force of the word! They believe strongly in 'Jihad' and that the only law that they can obbey to this the law of their book of faith. Less is a word that you won't find in their dictionary!
And that is the reason why I have a hard time with now wanting to express my point of view. There are so many sights to one story. You have to be rather critical and take the time to reflect about this situation. I admire the people at work out there who want to help all people in need and I am sure that amongst them they are victims that even don't know what they got into. What we get to read and see are things they never see or read. They live the moment and want peace!!!
The promise I made is to understand the whole picture and keep believing in the force of the word. Let the force be with the people that really can end it. It will make heroes out of them but it will take time, patience, courage, diplomacy, faith and settling for less. We were promised all the land of peace and we have got the responsibilty to take care of that promise even when that means settling for less! Quite a challenge!! To all the soldiers for peace I want to cheer for: GO FOR IT! I believe in you!!!!
To end this piece some food for thought. When Yitzchack Rabin signed the Oslo Resolutions he said the next words:"From now on we face careless days, the end of loss of death that faces our homes and the end of wars! Let the sun rise!' I want to see that sun rise over Mount Nebo!!
What really annoyes me for the moment is the fact that this war is used for many causes. The price of oil was in free fall and ever since there was one shot more then usually the prices go up. My wallet is the first to feel if people out there in the Middle East want to make clear that they want to tell their violent story. I feel so helpless when I see the chaos created amongst innocent people when I watch the news. Inside and outside there is rage but ....
Some years ago I travelled to Jordan and what a trip it turned out to be. I walked through a country with a tremendous history, smelled incredible spices, felt the heat and ate wonderful food, met very friendly people but above all I was face to face with a nation with a breathtaking natural habitat. And it was not Petra that took me high up in the sky. No, it was an other trip that made me wonder how nice the world could be if this war could end.
MOUNT NEBO!!!! I have to be honest before hand I not knew it was going to take my breath away or make me feel light inside. But once I survived the long walk up I was face to face with a view that I never will forget. And there it hit me: this is the promised land, this is worth fighting for! Don't get me wrong not with weapons of destruction!!! While you standing up there and watch over a desolated land you will be overwhelmed with a very strange sensations. In the bible the word says that Moses stood on Mount Nebo overlooking the promised land. When the pope visits the Middle East he visits this place and stands up there and stares at the horizon. At Mount Nebo you can look the promise right into the eyes and makes feel so humble and respectful.
You see a landscape that just makes you wonder that Mother Earth must have an incredible power. The desolated heat you can sense once you drive down towards the Dead Sea takes you on a trip to the unknown. We took pictures of the sunset and we were silent for minutes. We were all travelling but then in contemplation. And suddenly the war is very close. There are tourists that will tell you can hear even gunfire when lying out there in the sun with your mudmask! When I watched the sun going down I felt very human and lonely at the same time.
But does it justify a war? For the moment Israel engaged into Ghaza and apparently kills many citizens. And that can't be justified. And to say that Hamas started is so childish. After all these years those two countries can't seem to settle for less: they want it all! They were promised something and that is worth a war. If we then in the West hear that Israel tells us that it will be a long conflict and that many more people will die if Palastina doesn't want to settle for less many of us don't understand this.
For some days now in many nations there is the outcry that this is unjustified and that we have to help Palastina! Yes, we need to do that and I totally agree. A person in need you have to hold out a hand and reach for. Being a human being with a sound mind makes you feel compasionate and you want to ease the pain. Try to understand the hell he goes through and calm him down and take care of him. It is a good thing that there are caring people on this globe that believe in a world without hate or revenge.
Is it going to help to end this conflict? I am very sorry to burst your bubble but no! If it would be a very clear black and white story it perhaps would have already ended. By now so many forces are at work that trying to understand the whole story is rather hard. I have heard so many people over the last days saying that they can't understand this. Well, be sure that there are even people in Israel that don't understand this anymore. That there are Jewish people who dream of a free land with no violence. There are many more then we can realise that even understand their Muslim neighbours and their call for a homecountry of their own. And even some rather extreme wing ones!!
Have we already forgotten what Rabin tried? And God, where we close!!!! I was a college student at the time and we were just into the whole Jewish story and it's clash with history. Our college professor took us on a very interesting journey and tried to explain the whole picture. Suddenly there was this Jewish guy who understood that you have to make compremises and that life can only be peaceful if we all want to settle for less. He reached out and tried to explain this to many all over the globe and found an alley in his enemy Arafat . So when I heard the news that he was killed by gunfire while he was singing for real peace I have to admit I cried! Suddenly peace was so out of reach.
We were back to square one. Many people only then realised when Rabin had tried to do. But then it was too late!! Some months later I bought the book his wife Leah wrote about him. I understood suddenly what a courage this one guy must have had. He had fought the war and yes he had killed people but deepdown he knew that if you want to find peace you have to use the power of the word. He truly believed in that force. Arafat probably has felt the same force. He even visited the house of Rabin in secrecy to pay his respect to his family. Must have been really strange to find your closest enemy on you doorstep to pay his respect for your loss.
Many years further, Arafat has died, many things have been tried to stop the violence. Hamas is the one now in charge and Israel has a governement that seems not to know where they heading for. I still believe in the force of the word. So when I hear people that tell me that Obama is to blame I am fed up!!! No war can be justified by any act or word. You can't point the finger at one person and then just get on with killing people. Then a bom could be the answer. The problem is that Hamas has said many times right out loud that they won't settle for the force of the word! They believe strongly in 'Jihad' and that the only law that they can obbey to this the law of their book of faith. Less is a word that you won't find in their dictionary!
And that is the reason why I have a hard time with now wanting to express my point of view. There are so many sights to one story. You have to be rather critical and take the time to reflect about this situation. I admire the people at work out there who want to help all people in need and I am sure that amongst them they are victims that even don't know what they got into. What we get to read and see are things they never see or read. They live the moment and want peace!!!
The promise I made is to understand the whole picture and keep believing in the force of the word. Let the force be with the people that really can end it. It will make heroes out of them but it will take time, patience, courage, diplomacy, faith and settling for less. We were promised all the land of peace and we have got the responsibilty to take care of that promise even when that means settling for less! Quite a challenge!! To all the soldiers for peace I want to cheer for: GO FOR IT! I believe in you!!!!
To end this piece some food for thought. When Yitzchack Rabin signed the Oslo Resolutions he said the next words:"From now on we face careless days, the end of loss of death that faces our homes and the end of wars! Let the sun rise!' I want to see that sun rise over Mount Nebo!!
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