Lake Village Pictures

Long overdue.
Mi casa:















View of Lake Chicot from the "Lake House" (A bunch of our teacher friends live here)















Looking south down the Mississippi River at the new cable bridge: due to open in 2009.

Month-long blog, Thanksgiving Break

Inspirations:

I’ve realized that some of my teaching has been limited a little bit this past month. I’ve found that the past few weeks I’ve been focused on the day by day and focused on an end goal: the winter concert (ostensively scheduled for December 21^st). My problem has been I’ve been limited in my vision for what the concert can be.

Last Saturday, Teach for America teachers in the Mississippi Delta had our monthly Professional Saturday where we meet with fellow teachers (learning teams) to get tips on how we’re doing. The particular focus of the meeting of music teachers (there are four of us, three of us are first years) was concert planning, and I took away from it some great ideas and find myself re-inspired. The plan? Not just a concert, but a Winter Arts Festival. The name even sounds cool.

Here’s the plan: I had originally just envisioned a modest choir concert with about 4 to 5 songs and a few Christmas songs just featuring the choir. I had limited myself by just seeing my own class and its current limitations, and as a result got down on myself. I now see that I can use this opportunity to recognize the gains my class has made so far and the gains of other arts teachers at my school: mainly those teaching the visual arts.

Right, the plan: have an art show-case along with the choir concert. I plan to involve the art teachers, their showcase students, and maybe do a mid-semester awards ceremony for students who have been working hard in class. I’ve met with a few of the other arts teachers already and they’re on board, so it sounds like things will work out well..I’ll post more news and information as it comes.

Thanksgiving break is coming up and all of us teachers are excited about it. It amazes me that I could get this excited about breaks as I did when I was a student: it’s a different kind of excitement now though, breaks are just more restful. I’m going to be spending Thanksgiving down on the Gulf Coast with my Uncle Terry, one of dad’s numerous brothers. He works down there at a restaurant. This is an area still recovering from Katrina (it was hit pretty hard) so it will be interesting to see how things are progressing down there, and it will also be nice to eat turkey and be with family. As for how I’m going to spend the rest of break, I’m not too sure..I might explore the coast a little more or head west to New Orleans.

This blog has been written sporadically over the period of a week (almost more than a week). I’m now sitting comfortably in Long Beach, Mississippi about three blocks from the gulf at Uncle Terry’s apartment. It’s great down here and I’m enjoying hanging out and relaxing. The effects of Hurricane Katrina are still very apparent down here. Highway 90, which runs along the coast and is about four blocks from where Terry lives is the main way of traveling and you can still see the damage in the form of empty lots and blown-out signs. It’s only been a year, but some houses are sporadically popping up being restored or rebuilt, but as a whole most of the area is now overgrown where there were once numerous apartments, casinos, restaurants, and houses. Unfortunately, my camera farted out on me so pictures of said scenes won’t be coming this time, but I’m sure I’ll be back to the gulf again. While I’m here and on the thoughts, and since it’s the season for giving thanks, I figured it’d be time to say what I’m thankful for (yeah, it’ll get pretty sappy).

I’m thankful for my family and friends, first and foremost. Being with a distant uncle especially makes me thankful for my Grandparents on mom and dad’s side and the love that they made sure to instill in their children and grandchildren. Knowing that I could come down and have a dose of Fitzpatrick family kindness even though I’m so far away was a wonderful feeling, and just like anytime a Fitzpatrick gets together with another one, we treated each other like family. I never felt like I was imposing this weekend, and always felt comfortable and at home. This is something that I’m fortunate to have, and am very thankful for it. It was also my first “Southern” Thanksgiving featuring corn bread stuffing and a deep-fried turkey (yum).

I’m thankful for my job and my kids, even though both have me drained most days. I’m thankful for the people I teach with, and I’m thankful for my housemates who are two of the most kind and patient people I have been around. I’m thankful for Mom and Dad, who sent me a “missing you” Thanksgiving card (cute) and who I know I can call anytime and talk to about anything and everything. My brother and sister for the same thing.

I have a few days left of reflection and relaxation until school comes back and another month before winter break and my return to Washington for a couple of weeks. Between now and then are the daunting concert, and my ever-present quest of improving myself as an educator. I’ll keep you posted.

By the way, new musical addiction: Thanks to NPR I now have found some rap I like (NPR? RAP? Yep. I’m an old man.) Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor is now the soundtrack to my November. Fun stuff.

-Mr. Fitzpatrick

“If life goes passing you by
Don't cry
If you breaking the rules
Making your moves
Paying your dues...
Chasing the cool”- Lupe Fiasco