A few road bumps...but it is one day at a time!

It's been quite a while since I've written to fill you in on my progress.  I am making progress.  Although I've had a few days when I've eaten too much, I have not yet neglected my exercise program.  I've lost three pounds, and I feel much better.  In the past if I'd have a bad day, I would tend to have a bad week.  I'd tell myself, "Oh, hell!  I'll start again next Monday."  This time, I'm just starting again the next day.  It seems to be an effective plan.

My road bumps are not unlike those that all of us face.  The most recent that had the potential to send me into a feeding frenzy was learning that my former employer of thirty years, is elinimating the German program from the middle schools.  This in essence is the death knell of the program.  Why, you might ask, do I care?  I've been asking myself that as well.  I'm retired.  However, I do care. 

German is an important world language, and the district is being very short-sighted in eliminating it from the curriculum.  Yes, I know that other electives are currently more "en vogue."  Seriously, is it important to learn digital photography?  Even I can figure out how to use a digital camera, how to eliminate "red eye" and how to post photos to the web. I've even figured out how to put my head on Elle McPherson's body!   I learned this in roughly 10 minutes.  Most middle school students have grown up with this technology, and can do it in a minute.  Can you learn German in 10 minutes?  Well, rhetorical question!

This watering down of curriculum is a trend in our schools.  Subject matter that is perceived as difficult, or that might not attract huge numbers of students is unpopular with school boards and school administrators.  It seems that the majority of school board members, administrators and guidance counselors had some type of horrid foreign language experience.  They jump at the chance to rid the curriculum of this menace!  

  The trend to eliminate foreign languages is not only evident in secondary schools but also at universities.  It is currently popular to add Chinese to the curriculum at the expense of the traditional languages.  China will sponsor "free" teachers.  Districts just need to put them up for a year.  Gosh, this is a nice plan, but most of these Chinese "teachers" are not trained educators.  There are many of us who speak English, but seriously, can we teach English??

I am getting worked up by writing this.  I could use a Snickers about now...but I won't go there, because I exercised for 90 minutes today and that would be stupid.  I'll just write a bit more about how upset I am by the move to eliminate German.

There is always a bit of Schadenfreude on the part of the other electives when one bites the dust.  I remember when Latin left the curriculum, I was relieved that that pool of students could be absorbed into German.  I admit this.  However, the instructors of electives must remember that when one goes, the others are simply in the curriculum at the wim of an administrator. 

So, auf Wiedersehen Deutsch!  I'm thankful that so many students got a chance to learn this magnificent language, which by the way helped them to understand their native tongue a bit better.  I'm thankful that so many former students are using German in their present careers.  I am angry and sad that future students won't have the chance to learn German and that the current staff will have to fall back on a minor to keep a job. 

Well, that felt good.

Tip of the day:  If you feel like eating, write.