The best gifts are the ones you can tell needed a lot of thought and effort. This usually translates into presents that are made instead of bought. Today, my nephew gave me this poem that he wrote, typed up, and illustrated. Thanks again, buddy. I love you, and it’s going to be hard for Santa to top this one! I’m feeling very lucky to be healthy and surrounded by such a loving family – hope everyone else is, too!
Six years ago, I was teaching science at the Butler Center in Westboro, MA. It was a program for convicted felons with severe behavioral and emotional issues. When I walked into my classroom six years ago, this drawing was waiting for me on the dry erase board:
Somehow, this student knew I always wanted to be on the cover of a hockey video game. I like the shamrock tattoo, love the enhanced muscles, and approve of the BC 96 short sleeve jersey. It certainly was a nice way to start the school day, and I’m glad I took a picture of it.
These students didn’t always share such artistic pleasantries with me. More often than creating a kind drawing, they were painting expletives after I sent them out of the classroom. But, I never took it personally.
Although many of these students had done horrible things to other people (over half were sex offenders), they all were victims before they landed themselves in Butler. It was a very difficult thing to do, but you couldn’t judge them for what they had done or feel bad for them because of how they had been mistreated.
My solution to this was bonding with them through our common interests – movies, TV shows, sports, and video games. I think talking to them about “normal” things helped us both forget what kind of a program we were in, even if it was only for a few minutes before class. Besides, no matter what environment I’m in, I’m going to quote Star Wars, The Simpsons, and Family Guy.
I don’t think I changed any of the Butler students’ lives, but I still have a drawing one of them made for me – and that certainly means something…
As I was looking through my much narrower selection of t-shirts today, I was wondering what t-shirt I wore a year ago. It was one made from homemade presents from my nephew and niece, so I thought today I would scan the original drawings.
I think my favorite part of these is that Yoda has a smile and Jabba has a frown. For more on the t-shirt and these drawings, you can go here. May the Force be with us all…
It was the end of the 2003-2004 school year, and I had been teaching 4th grade students with disabilities that were new to me: Down Syndrome and Autism.
One of my students with Autism loved the Pats…and elephants. At the end of the year, he gave me this drawing in a frame. It’s been on my desk ever since.
In addition to the day he gave me this drawing, one of my favorite memories with this student happened when we were walking inside from recess. I wanted to see if I could make him laugh, so I pretended to walk into the lockers in the corridor. Instead of laughing, he turned and asked me if I was okay. If you’re not familiar with Autism, that’s huge.
For more info on Autism, you can check out the Autism Society of America and Autism Speaks. And in case you didn’t hear about the doctor who fraudulently reported a link between vaccines and Autism, you can read an article about it here.
It was the summer of 1994, and I was a counselor at Med-O-Lark in Washington, ME. This is a drawing a camper named Deb made for me. Judging from its contents, I guess the things I liked weren’t much of a secret…
Front and center is alcohol. There is a liquor bottle (vodka?) with a Boston Bruins symbol along with the “Brewum Partium” motto of the University. The “Babum Tunum” part of the motto goes along with the “Chester Chick” female depicted – she represents a major college crush of mine who was from a town called Chester (Chester Chick is how the campers referred to her when they asked me about her). Surrounding the alcohol and woman are three of my favorite fictional characters. There is the Punisher skull, Tasmanian Devil, and Homer from The Simpsons (a show I’ve watched a few times). The “If it’s inappropriate, it’s Dave” is a perfect summation of how I was living when I was 20. I drank a lot, got into trouble, and didn’t really care who I upset.
I’m glad to report that it has been almost 16 years since I last drank, and I am still a big fan of the Bruins, Taz, and Punisher. I also think I’m acting at least a little more appropriate than I was at 20…
