Forget the Casket: Lay Me Out on a Couch

Okay, the  title might seem morbid, but it's actually a brilliantly succinct expression of what my dear friend Claudia has chronicled for almost 20 years and calls "The Secret Life of Mary Hannon." I should add to the title that instead of rosary beads in my hands, just give me a nice Cablevision DVR remote.  Oh, but enough about me.

Still A Mary Louis Woman After All These Years

I guess in addition to faith, family, friends, and work, TMLA remains an important factor in my life. Actually, my ongoing TMLA experience encompasses all of those things. Most recently, I attended a dinner welcoming SSP, Student Sponsor Partnerships to its first year with Mary Louis. SSP is a Manhattan-based, not-for-profit company which matches students with financial need to appropriate private secondary institutions. This year, TMLA welcomed 9 ninth graders via SSP-- to be matched to TMLA, the girls demonstrated the ability to be successful in the rigorous TMLA academic environment. Each girl will be supported also by a "time" sponsor. This is an adult who partners with SSP and TMLA to serve as a mentor or academic coach for the students. 

I am very excited to be a sponsor this year to a young lady who lives in Roosevelt, Long Island and has begun her career at TMLA. I met her and her parents at the opening dinner and quickly realized that I taught several of her cousins years ago. I am proud that TMLA is embarking on this journey and I am very excited to be a part of it.

Progressive Lenses, Golden Eagles, and Bartimaeus?

Maybe my new glasses, dubbed "progressives" will help me progress further --- I've been a bit stalled lately. Now that I think about it, I have been using vision metaphors increasingly to describe my new position, or more precisely, the different perspective which  my work responsibilities require. I welcome new lenses. ** I wonder if they come with a weight loss lens? (That's for another post)

The home of the Golden Eagles, I am realizing, is a wonderful place with lots of opportunities for experimentation and for extending students' experience beyond the traditional classroom. As I get a better understanding of the landscape, I think I need to work creatively  on a two tier track: enhancing these experiences (21st century learning opportunities) outside the classroom AND transforming the traditional classroom to embed these new instructional strategies and learning experiences within the classroom.

**Writing often clarifies and occasionally illuminates.  The concept of vision is indeed powerful. It turns out it is the subject of today's Gospel. [Excerpt posted by David McCallum, S.J. on Ad Maioriam Dei Gloriam]

Mk 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me."
Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?"
The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see."
Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you."
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.