Viral Vicissitudes

PUE: to U 2! Inside...Out! Another step back: This time in the form of what we psychologists refer to as a form of "neurosis" as well as a bit of a "compulsion" which, in combination, forms a "neurotic compulsion" or what I offer up to those so inclined...a type of "neurotic repetition" or, if you prefer as in "if I say so to my-Selfie" given that it is my own current pre-occupation...revisiting the scene of the crime, in my head, over and over again... "It's one thing..." As in "Ok this first thing, while annoying and a bit disruptive in its own right, might be tolerable...even acceptable with time...but what follows is completely intolerable..." Herein applied, stepping back to what happened to the experienced school psychologist, who thought he had seen and heard it all, until he met his match...I mean it's one thing to get outmatched, from time to time...something I had gotten used to at recess! and beyon...

I, Witness(ed): on and off the field, of play  Fresh: While it's still fresh in my mind, after witnessing a highly contentious, hard fought campaign on a local soccer field (adjacent to where recess! is held on a more daily basis) -- one which seemed to serve both participants and spectators alike -- where both teams of 5–6-year-olds both claimed victory (sounding familiar?) -- I am compelled to write here and there (as to the editors of the local paper) to dispel two rumors swirling in and around the school yard: that keeping score and giving out academic grades are harm-full to the well-being of our students/athletes. If this were true (i.e., if it had been empirically established) someone forgot to inform the participants. I mean, these youngsters, whether playing under supervision or just out on the playground, start keeping track from an early age of not only the overall score (always open to dispute) but who shoved who first, how many names were called that gave rise to trash...

Pe-e-e-e YOU! A Fore-shadowing...of things yet to come...   What's in store, for YOU: And a strong connection, association with the past...accumulation of 'stuff'...as in strong sensory associations...sounds, sights...and  SMELLS!" A network of sensations, organs that take them in, and parts of our brains that have evolved over time, to assist us throughout our daze...As well as an evolution of how to best describe our experiences, through language...various enunciations...truncations...Which, of course have their origins in both Greek, Latin...as in "puteo" ("smells bad, rotten...putrid). Or, in more contemporary terms... "How re-do-lent"  As in "how strongly reminiscent, suggestive,...fragrant..." Or, in even simpler, terms, the ones we can use to teach our youngest, introduce them to both senses and figures...of speech... "Stinky Winky!" Which around our house, as we had one youngster whose "olfactory" worked ov...

Getting schooled, butt far from feeling fooled (?) Stepping back in time: As in a reflection of times of my initial "book learning" which preceded formal "practice" that, in time, eventuated in an accumulation of lots of experience that one would have thought, would have prepared me for this moment, in time. One which had already set precedent as a remarkable situation from a few others professional perspective. That is, one which had initially been encountered by the first-hand eyewitness, the "playground supervisor" whose responsibilities include a general surveillance of the school yard, before, during, and just after all the participants in "Recess!" can enjoy a brief 'care-free' time on and around the actual play-ground -- the latter of which are seen to contain four-legged participants during after-hours, despite signs posted at every gate "strictly prohibited" -- signs posted to discourage unwanted visitors from hanging a...

Hear Ye, hear Ye, come one, come all..."Come on Down...!"  On the other hand: "You're outta' hear!" Invitations to both enter and exit, as in what in schools are still known as various types of "assemblies" Where we are all invited, expected to attend, unless, of course, we have what's still known as a "doctor's note" -- a really good excuse for not attending. Or, in special cases, no matter how much name recognition you have ("you know who I am?!") could get you excused, well before the performance (e.g. "Beetlejuice the Musical") is over...A real life happenstance that gave me an excuse, or prompt in this case, to write about this dimension of school life prior to returning to what occurred on the playground a few days back...'it' can keep (clever fore-shadowing, if I say so myself). So who thought that getting all these students in the same place at the same time was a good idea...??? What gave rise ...

Post Recess Post: Recess on Paws How it all began: Or how I stepped, right into this...mess. The impetus for this blog, as well as the more recent variants, variation on the theme. The one that first prompted me, as a veteran mental health professional, who had at least thought I'd seen and heard it all which could, if one is not cautious, overly confident, lead to a moment of humiliation...to pause and consider "...just how do they expect me to continue practicing in such a viral environment...with all these vicissitudes..." Remember the title, which I conjured up, in order to bring your/our attention, to all those things that come at us, which may have not been of our choosing, or doing, but we have little choice over, but can decide how to engage...If not, just hearken back, 584 steps/posts, perhaps just a 'cursor'ee review of any given few, what we, in Stat 101, called a "random sample". About how you and I might find ways to continue surviving, unti...

Keep (all of) that, in Mind: Being Mind-full It's that time of year: For a review of terms, of stuff that was drilled into students' minds the year before, but perhaps did not hold onto, over the so-called "dog daze" of the summer months...which have become for me, a year-long "zoomer" now, an almost every day, even hourly occurrence (having a dog come into the picture, that is...such attention seekers, they are...) In any case, it's the time we celebrate, at least acknowledge, all the perennial losers around here, the ones who didn't bother to, as our teacher suggested, review the material from time-to-time, while we otherwise complained to our parents, "I'm so bord and it's only the third day of vaca..." Lots of lost material. Speaking of timely... SARS: While not a candidate for most popular, as it, in  association  (underlined rather than highlighted, but enough to get your attention as a bit of foreshadowing...) with that dread...

A short trip to the Guidance Counselor: It's a matter of course(s) "Let's visit" A nice opening, which could just as easily be experienced..."Let's get to know each other..." But the latter, these daze, may be too long on words, too short on substance, given the pressures and time and numbers...in the "school setting" In particular if you, the student, find yourself, either by request or appointment, at the office of the "School Guidance Counselor" which is generally preferred to that of the "Office of the Principal" in grade school or the one that handles more of the disciplinary, corrective actions in the upper grades (usually designated as either middle or high schools) -- the office of the "Assistant Principal" 😟😢😠 -- the latter emoji representing the parent in this triangulation of woe-full-ness...The Guidance Counselor, by definition and professional training, are those who "...are first trained, then...

You ain't scene nothing yet; come with me for... "The rest  of the story..." As the radio host with the most (stories and most recognizable pipes) Paul Harvey became strongly associated with -- prompting you to stay, "don't touch that dial, we'll be right back after these messages..." While he placed the emphasis on the word "rest" with voice inflection and pause combined, I simply underline it as an attempt to get you to pause, think about a few unheralded groups of folks, highly dedicated groups who are seldom found to be..."at rest" That is, while the rest of the professionals that are out in front of the classes and cameras, respectively (another simulcast regarding teachers and professional 'ballers' as they're oft referred to these daze...) these other hard working folks...who are frequently known to us by their first name, perhaps prompted by a name tag (or "lanyard" these daze)...stand in back, support of...

Gearing Up, Picking up the Pace, Turning up the Temperature: Players, Teachers A-like, Dislikes A Call, Shout out (as needed): To all potential students, players, and lately, any among us who would consider the bold proposition to go into what's still known as the "teaching profession" As for me, as I fore-told here just yesterday, the day after a postponement for many students, some of which double ("student athletes" or athletic students -- a few of whom go on to institutions of higher learning as a temporary requirement, on their way to professional sports, where most of them will spend about 3-5 years and then go on to other occupations, some of which require them to go back to........) This was also the day after I simulcasted the duality of work/school that really take off after most of us did, take off, a day or so in recognition of "Labor day" -- a day after which I looped around where many students and so-called "jocks" hang out, aft...

A Double Take on Work, School, on Recess "This is your life; this is your life on..." Or, in the older ad, "Your brain, on drugs", as an egg was dropped, into the frying pan -- a pretty effective visual meta-for, if you ask me. And here I am, providing you a public service announcement of my own, as if simul-casting (see 9/5, seems like just yesterday...) how work and school looks like when "On recess" Not the kind you're probably thinking of, as in the brief 15-30 minute breaks, during which you have several options as to how to break up your day, the monotony, that may have already set in, after just a few hours back... Extended Vaca: As in how many schools around these parts told parents, an updated version of "In case of a temperature..." In this case due to the high ambient ones, many schools that are still ill-equipped as sans A/C decided (my inference here) "What the heck, we have a snow day leftover, may as well use it here, unde...

Back to School, (how) Special: "Works for Me!" Simul-casted: As in so many of U.S. going back to work, after at least a brief pause (with the exception, of course, all those who kept stuff open, so the rest of us could enjoy our-selves) and the students among us, transition back from more informal learning opportunities, in the presence of family and friends, to what's still referred to as the "school setting" (with the exception, of course, with the still sizeable, despite the pandemic winding down, who continue their more formal education off site). In either case, a return to what's often referred to as "productivity"... All in, the Spirit...Life Longing: That is, from the time children, almost from the time they are able to form-you-late questions...start...questioning...especially why-oh-why??? On through the times, these daze, they are told, informed..."You finally made it...just graduated...from Preschool!' When the ending is hardly...

The One and only, lonely: The One question remains... "Where is this all leading, taking me?" A logical, reasonable question that my professor, then mentor (TG😇!), one the highest educators I ever heard affirm on behalf of a questioner in graduate-professional school, who I thought would have had all the answers, who took the opportunity to model what I came to know as intellectual humility, integrity..."That's a great question...that together we're going to explore and better clarify, if not answer..." A glimpse of what it would take to be an effective "practitioner" But little did I know, at the time, that's what he was up to...took many years to better appreciate, if not put into practice...To be able, with a degree of confidence, conviction, respond to those in my office "So, just where are you leading me, with all these questions...?!" This likely follows or happens in the very midst of the first of a series, perhaps even a sus...