Things are going with the usual difficulty. Lots of rumours, struggles
with cutbacks: that kind of thing. I have given up attempting to develop
any further the "strategic learning" component (an adaptation of the kind
of thing I was doing for my thesis at the Alternative School those years
ago) of the Special Education program since it seems rather pointless, what
with my plans to retire at the end of January next. So, all I am basically
doing is keeping the program going in the midst of the mess in the schools,
and trying to find and interest a replacement teacher so that the program
doesn't get fragmented and fall apart, a serious concern for both myself
and my principal. The problem is that Special Ed. is so complex,
pedagogically and administratively these days, that very few teachers seem
to want to touch it.
More and more, I am beginning to look forward to getting retired next
January. I keep staring at the notebook that contains my draft chapters
and the camera on my desk, wanting to get back into it all, but knowing
that I am usually too tired at the end of a work day and on the weekends to
make any serious progress. Better to leave it, and avoid the frustration.
I really want to get back to the thesis and finish it up. I have never
been bothered about the time I am taking to complete, since the thesis is
really an intellectual summary of my career in the secondary system, rather
than a tidy little study designed to start a career. Nevertheless, I want
to get on: I am hoping I can at least finish off the current chapter this
summer so the decks are at least cleared to start the work on my discourse
data.
I have begun thinking a bit about what to do after I get retired, and after
I finish the thesis. Suz wants to work another 4 or 5 years to top up her
pension. I have been thinking it really would be fun to volunteer as an
R.A. for somebody somewhere -- if such a thing is even possible. I have my
pension, and do not really need a salary, so I would not displace someone
who really needs that kind of job, altho some kind of help with room and
board would be nice. It could be a nifty way to spend some time in another
part of the continent, without having the worries that a career track
brings. After Suz retires, we are still contemplating volunteering to do
something of a volunteer nature in education abroad, possibly in Central or
South America.
Thanks for sending the address to your web page. It will be fun to see
what you have been doing recently. Incidentally, how is the position
search going? I caught that misdirected note of several weeks ago to Mike
Cole, and have been wondering ever since. I hope you do find something
satisfying to replace your position at OISE. If you do get a position
somewhere in California, such as in San Diego, be sure I will come down to
visit you. I have a cousin who lives in San Diego, and she is forever
pestering Suz and me to make the visit. The last time we were down was a
year ago last summer. We never did get a chance to hike in the mountains
to the east of S.D., and I still want to do that.
GDH
Glenn D. Humphreys
glenhump who-is-at soonet.ca
P.O. Box 11,
Echo Bay, Ontario,
Canada, P0S 1C0
Home: (705) 248-1226
Office: (705 942-7423
Fax:=A0 (705) 248-1226 (Prearrange please)