(12th story) A New Beginning?

Sherry sat at the back of the room. Nazia remained at the front, newspaper article in hand.

“I will vote for anyone who lowers taxes,” Avery said.

“None of the three main parties are talking about getting rid of the HST.” Nazia shrugged her shoulders.

 “Are you sure about that?" Sherry asked.

“Okay,” Nazia rolled her eyes. “Some of the parties are talking about taking it off some things. But they’re not getting rid of it.”

“Does anyone know which things may be HST free if a certain party is elected?” Sherry asked her class. “Avery?”

 “Both the Conservatives and the NDP are promising to take it off electricity and heating, but promising is an important word, because we all know they don’t always keep them promises.” Avery said.

“Sometimes, they can’t keep promises because they see that their promises won’t work. The government needs the money from HST to pay for hospitals, school, roads all those things." Nazia shrugged her shoulders and returned to her seat. "I' m done."

“Anyone else want to comment?” Sherry asked.

 Several hands went up. Sherry was pleased. She had not expected this government unit and the focus on the provincial election to go so well. But most of her grade four/five class was very involved and quite well informed. They read the papers, saved political cartoons, a few of them had even drawn their own cartoons. They were looking forward to voting with the Student Vote program on October 4.

 "Sydney?"

         "I'm voting for the NDP. I want a nice looking premier."

 Sherry's eyes widened. Well, she thought, at least she knows what they look like.

***************

 "Ms. Smythe?"

Sherry looked up. "Hello, Mrs. Morris. Did Avery forget something"

 "No. I want to have a word with you, if you have a minute?"

 "Certainly. Please, come in." Sherry set her pen on the pile of unmarked math notebooks and rose from her chair.

 Mrs. Morris stepped into the classroom and looked around.

 Sherry pulled out a chair from a student's desk. "Please have a seat."

 "No, I'll just be a minute. Thank you." She glanced at her watch. "It's just that I'm not comfortable with the focus on current events. I think Avery and the others are too young to be thinking about government. I don't want him watching the news or reading newspapers yet. So please change your topic for Social Studies."

 "Government is a grade five unit, Mrs Morris."

 "I don't think it should be. Avery loved that Mediaeval unit last year. He built a catapult with his dad. Can't you do something like that?"

 "We will be studying ancient civilizations later this year. You know you can discuss the news and how you feel about it with Avery and..."

 "So you're not going to stop teaching them about political parties and taxes?" Mrs. Morris crossed her arms against her chest.

 "I'll show you the curriculum document from the Ministry of Education and you can see..." Sherry pointed to her desk.

 "I've seen enough, thank you! I thought if I came to you and asked politely, but I'll just go talk to Mrs. Grey."

 Sherry followed Mrs. Morris out the door.

"I'm too upset to talk to you right now," Mrs. Morris called.

 Sherry watched her walk down the hall. She felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around to see Mr. Gable, one of her parents from the previous year.

 "Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Mostly," Sherry replied. "How is Noah?"

 "Fine. He misses you."

 Sherry smiled. "I see him all the time."

 "I'm just going to pick him up from daycare, but I thought I'd come in this way and say hi to you."

 "That's sweet. How have you been?"

 Mr. Gable smiled, slow and wide. "Well, I don't see you everyday..."

 Sherry felt a flush travel up her neck. She reached down to pick up a blue crayon shaped eraser from the floor. "Did you and Noah spend a lot of time at the cottage this summer?"

 Mr. Gable nodded. "Yes, although I still had to work. You?"

"Quite a bit. I didn't take a course this summer."

 "Where is your parents' cottage?" Mr. Gable asked.

 "It's near..."

 "Sherry?" Bev Grey's voice sounded over the PA.

 "Yes?"

 "Please come to the office."

 Mr. Gable touched Sherry's elbow. "I'll see you," he said and started down the hall.

Sherry waved and turned to walk in the opposite direction toward the office. Certainly, she thought, Bev couldn't tell her to stop teaching the Government unit. It was in the grade five curriculum. In any case, this wasn't likely to end well, none of her meetings with her principal did. Sherry wondered if the VP was still in the school. Laura was more supportive and she had suggested the Student Vote program, which had been so helpful in planning this unit. Bev had even been supportive of that idea.

 Sherry took a deep breadth and walked into the office to find Mrs Morris perched on the edge of the sofa.

 "Come in, Ms. Smythe," Bev smiled at her. "I was just showing Mrs Morris the curriculum document and the Student Vote website. I've explained the non-partisan approach and how you well you bring issues to their level of understanding. Would you like to add anything?"

 "Only that Avery could bring his duo tang home every night so that you could discuss things with him and see what we have been doing. Of course he would have to remember to bring it back to school every day."

 "All right." Mrs. Morris nodded. "Lets do that." She sighed and rose. She shook Bev's hand and nodded at Sherry.

 Sherry watched her leave then turned to Bev. "Thank you for supporting me."

 "Of course I'd support you. That's my job."

 Sherry nodded slowly. She turned to leave.

 "Sherry?" Bev called.

 "Yes?"

 "You might consider a newsletter for the parents, describing what you are doing and citing the curriculum documents. A more proactive approach could head off these problems. Ask Mary Beth for a copy of her parent newsletter."

 "Okay," Sherry stepped out of Bev's office.

 "And Sherry?"

 "Yes?"

 "Throwball again or craft club this year?"

Sherry nodded again, "Throwball." She said and walked back to her classroom. Pretty much status quo, she thought.

(11th story) Teacher Dream

"No," the girl said. 

"I'm not asking you." Sherry placed her hands on her hips. "I'm telling you." 

"And I'm telling you I won't do it."

"You have to," Sherry insisted. 

"Why?" the girl asked. 

"Because I'm your teacher."

"So?"

Sherry stared at the girl and wondered what to do next. 

"I'm not doing it either," a boy called. 

"Me too." "Me neither!" A chorus of voices shouted. 

"Quiet!" Sherry yelled.

The sound of her own voice made her jump and wake up.

Sherry sat up in bed and looked around. "Just a dream," she sighed. 

She had heard about 'teacher dreams', but she had never had one before. Sherry pulled her covers up over her lap and considered getting put of bed. She looked at the clock. 3:34. She shivered. 

Tomorrow was the first day of her third year. She was on permanent contract now. A union due paying, pension plan contributing, college certified teacher for the next thirty years or so. 

"It's good," she told herself. "It's what I wanted."

 She pushed off her covers. Bathroom, warm milk and she'd go back to bed. She needed to be rested because tomorrow the rushing restarted.