The End Of An Era

After 30 + years in the junior high classroom, my dad walked through the doors for the last time yesterday. Retirement will be a bitter sweet experience for him. Junior high school can be a challenging age group to teach. Having substitute taught for him on multiple occasions, I saw first hand just how challenging, and fun, those bigger kids can be. He loves to learn. He loves to teach. He loves the youth. He loves life. He isn't old enough to retire by even the governments standards, but it is his love of life that has motivated this final decision. Seeing so many that have retired only after their health has failed, he has decided to retire at a time when he can actually enjoy it. He is a workaholic by nature and will not have any trouble keeping busy. Between construction, church, family, and, of course, playing, he will have more to do than he has time to do it.

Being the daughter of a science/social studies teacher has been an awarding experience. It wasn't uncommon to stop while hiking along a trail and be quizzed on the type of trees around us. Was it deciduous? (Deciduous trees loose their leaves.) Or was it an evergreen? Another item often quizzed was rocks. I remember sitting in an Institute class in college when the teacher asked if anyone knew the three types of rocks. Without thinking I raised my hand and shared: Igneous, Metamorphic, Sedimentary. My teacher was a little surprised when he learned I wasn't a science major. I was a little surprised that not everyone knew the three main classifications for rocks.

Teaching is at the core of his being. He is a life-long learner, always eager to learn and experience something new to share with someone else. My desire to be a teacher wasn't necessarily because that is what my dad did. However, my love of teaching has been nurtured as I have been able to learn from such a master educator. It has been a special bond that we have shared and a memory I will always cherish.

ROCKS

Rocks come in many shapes and sizes, too.

Some are green, some are gray, and some are gold.

There are plutonic and volcanic rocks.

One has small crystals, the other's a show.

Wingate, Keyanta, Navajo, Chinle

All are sedimentary that you must see.

Quartsite and Marble, Coquina and Coal

Were all once organic, lived long ago.

Schist has no odor and Gniess has no smile

Hiking and hiking, inches, feet, and mile

Nothing is finer than rocks that have style.