~upon those times when we might as well get to "the point"~

Welcome to Sunday everyone!  It's early here along the Western Slopes and the skies are not only still dark but very cloudy as well over us here in Montrose.  The weather cam up on Monarch Pass shows just what I thought it would, snow and plenty of it.  Glad we don't have to travel over it today and hoping for safe passage for those that do have to.  I would never be too excited about having to leave the roadway up there.  Just doesn't seem like the best of plans, for sure.  Wherever you guys are this day, please be safe as you go about your way whether it's as simple as travelling across the city of Hutchinson to get to Wal Mart or boarding a plane to fly across the country to get home again.  Sorry, that'd be the "mother" in me talking.

I've been thinking it's just about time to get to "The Point" with my classroom of fourth graders at Olathe and it's the kind of point that is most well taken when it comes to kids and adults alike.  And that "point" of which I speak is really a wonderful movie of the same name that was first broadcast February 2, 1971 as an ABC "Movie of the Week".  I remember well the night that it aired and the 15-year old girl that I used to be was one of the many who sat glued to the TV set watching it for the first time.  I never imagined that in the years that would lie ahead the lesson this animated classic so masterfully taught would be a teaching tool that I would employ as an educator of young people.  The lesson is as timeless and relevant today in 2013 as it was, now over 42 years ago.

The whole idea behind the story of "The Point" was an early day lesson about treating your "fellow man" as you would wish to be treated, regardless of what they might look like.  Simply put, the lesson was "be nice to one another".  It was set in an imaginary place where everything and everyone had a point, literally.  From houses to trees, street signs to shoppes, and oh yes, people's heads....everything truly had a point to it.  All was well and good until one day a new little baby was born who unfortunately for him, didn't arrive with the traditional pointed head but rather a nice round one.  His parents, filled with shame because their son was born differently, took to making him wear a hat with a point on it in order to cover up his obvious flaws in design.  They gave him the name Oblio and brought him home from the hospital to love him anyway.  The story goes on to tell of the struggles their little "roundhead" as they called him, went through each day.  The kids made fun of him, the Count's evil son bullied him,  and eventually Oblio and his dog Arrow were banished to the Pointless Forest to spend out the remainder of their days.  The story has a great ending and finally at long last we find that little Oblio does indeed receive his point.  If you've never seen it, really it's a great one to watch.  Ringo Starr did the voice of Oblio's dad and the music of Harry Nilsson sounds as incredible today as it did over 4 decades ago.

I love the 18 fourth grade students at Olathe Elementary that call me their teacher this year.  They are an interesting group and for the most part, everyone manages to get along with the others each day.  Oh yes, we have our squabbles and our challenges sometimes but I think any time that you mix 10 boys and 8 girls together and charge that they should stay in the same classroom together for a nearly 8-hour day that troubles are bound to arise.  We try our best to solve them on our own without the help of anyone else.  99.9 percent of the time it works out just fine.  Because I love them so much, I want them to do their best in school each day.  I hope that when the year is over that they have become better readers, writers, and mathematicians.  But even beyond that, I hope that they become better children who will eventually grow up to be productive members of our society.  They may not remember how to determine the author's purpose for writing a story or completely understand the method for doing lattice multiplication.  Shoot, they may not even be the best spellers or writers of the world either.  But I will be grateful always that they remembered that their teacher taught them to be kind and decent to one another, to have compassion for others, and to always, no matter what, do their very best in all that they undertake in their lives.  And come this week, I'm going to show "The Point" to them and show one more time that the very best lessons that kids could ever learn will never be found in a teacher's guide or on the Colorado State Standards (or any other state for that matter).  The lessons that stick with them will be found from within them and those my friends, are the most fun to teach and see the results from.

Many people have asked me where my cat Oblio got her name....well now, you know why I call her our little "roundhead".  I miss that darn cat and will look forward to heading home to Kansas in just a few days to hold her in my arms once again.  Have a great day everyone out there.  Stay safe and well.  Be at peace with life always.  

                                                       It's really worth the watch!

The "roundhead" and I on her very first Christmas in 2010.  She would not stay out of the Christmas tree that year and her record stands now, 3 years later.  I give up!  Did you know that you might find the truest friend you ever had because of a cat?  It was the added blessing that having Oblio brought to me.  Forever grateful.....

The "18" and I~I looked all summer long for them and just about gave up hope of ever finding them.  They were my blessings and the reason that I get up each morning and head to school.  Being a teacher is the best job there is around.  I will always believe that.