Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to great places! You're off and away! - Dr. Seuss

We three (me, Jim, and the dog) are back on Minnesota soil after driving the "circle tour" - counterclockwise - around Lake Superior.  We encountered dense fog for one full day,  unrelenting gale force winds for one day, crazy drivers who didn't seem to notice the above mentioned obstacles.......and guess what?  We'd do it all again in a heartbeat.  The landscape, lakescape, history, people (not in cars) we encountered on every one of our 1230 miles were extraordinary.  This is a trip worth taking!

 



Future subplans?  Voyageurs and the Fur Trade; Famous Shipwrecks on Lake Superior; Copper Mining; Iron Ore Mining; .....I could be busy for awhile!

 

 

Best always and ever (and still unpacking),

all God's critters got a place in the choir, some sing low, some sing higher..... -Bill Staines

I'm reminded of this song when I hear our administrators talk about inclusion of special needs kids in our mainstream classrooms.  Sounds so right!  Everyone has a desk in the classroom no matter what culture, learning style, disability, size, shape, needs. 

But what if having every kid together in one place doesn't allow for every individual in the classroom to show progress and learn?  What if the distractions are too great?  What if language or communication styles are too diverse?  What if there are just too many adults and kids in the room?  What if the range of academic functioning is greater than 2 grade levels?  What if the district mandated curriculum has no relevance to our kids' real worlds at home?

Having all kids "singin' in the choir" is a beautiful notion, but is it more important for kids to feel "included" in a group - or for each kid to reach his or her greatest learning potential?

Be well and always,