This morning, I was re-certified as a CPR/First Aid first responder. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a good CPR class. Everything was very clear and easy to understand with plenty of time for practice. We even got to practice the Heimlich maneuver. I have been told how to do this in every class I’ve taken, but it was really valuable to actually get a chance to try it on a dummy. My grandmother saved my life by performing the Heimlich maneuver on me when I was 11. We also learned how to use a defibrillator and epipen, neither of which I knew. I think it was the best CPR/First Aid class I’ve ever taken.

This afternoon, those of us who were interested were treated to a tour of the new school building, which is currently under construction. I got to see my classroom in its current unfinished state, and it will be big.

So today was the last day! Post-planning is over, and I’m done. In two weeks I’m going to a workshop with the biology teacher and one of the English teachers. I have some reading I’ll need to do for that class. Matter of fact, I have some summer reading to do, as I think (at least I was led to believe) I’d be teaching seniors next year, and I’ve not read any of their summer reading selections before.

I am going to relax a little bit, but I have a lot of planning I want to do this summer.

If you are one of those teacher-y types who doesn’t always check my education blog, you might be interested in looking just this once.  I co-wrote a post with a New Hampshire student who commented on that blog, and I am very pleased with the results.

My school was treated to a visit from a real “Phenomenal Woman,” Rabbi Dr. Analia Bortz. A short list of her accomplishments includes:

• Being the first female Conservative Rabbi from South America
• Earning her M.D. at the same time as she attended rabbinical school
• Founding Congregation Or Hadash with husband Rabbi Mario Karpuj
• Contributing to The Women’s Haftarah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Haftarah Portions, the 5 Megillot & Special Shabbatot
• Rising to a position of leadership as a pediatric bioethicist in Atlanta

Bortz told the students about Judaism in Argentina. She didn’t play up her amazing accomplishments — merely mentioning them offhand as they were necessary to explain parts of her story. In fact, much of my short list was composed not from her talk today, but from a Google search. I have rarely listened to someone speak, and immediately thought, “Wow, she’s incredible!” She discussed anti-Semitism and political difficulties in Argentina. She stated that her reason for leaving, however, was not anti-Semitism, but the fact that “there is no justice” in Argentina — her friend was brutally murdered. She teared up as she recalled that nothing much was done about it. She’s an excellent speaker — such poise and so engaging to listen to. She told the students about several aliyah movements from Argentina to Israel, noting that of her Jewish Day School class, only about four of approximately thirty did not make aliyah, while only about three out of her husband’s class did not. She lived for a time in Jerusalem, completing some of her training at Hadassah Hospital. I wish you all could have been there to hear her speak. I just can’t do it justice.

I didn’t get home until about 9:00 this evening. I am the advisor of the National Honor Society at my school, and tonight was our induction ceremony. It was a nice ceremony. I really enjoyed the speech given my my principal and the D’Var Torah presented by one of our Judaics faculty, Rabbi Pamela Gottfried. She did a really interesting interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve, linking it to scholarship and questioning, and I thought it was very good. I also liked that she mentioned being in the NHS herself in school. Evidently, the students told her that they appreciated that I recited the pledge along with them. Our pledge makes mention of performing mitzvot and upholding Jewish ideals. I am glad that they were touched. I think the kids enjoyed the ceremony.

I hesitate to post a link to an incomplete web site, but I am slowly but surely getting HuffEnglish.com online. The site will have an education blog, classroom ideas, lesson plans, and a classroom blog. Thought perhaps you English teacher types who read this blog might be interested. Mind you, it is extremely bare bones for right now. In the future, I will probably put most of my reflections about education on that site, while this blog will remain more personal.