The Neverending Math Equation

Wow, today was a day I will never forget. I don't think my thoughts are all together but I hope this entry will help me sort my racing thoughts out...

I need to take more pictures.... but this is a famous "Group of Seven" painting...


Today started out pretty normally, woke up at 7:10, snuggled with my kitty, Munchkin for 5 minutes, had some breakfast, showered and headed off to school at 8:05, it felt like a normal day. First two periods my grade twelves had a math test which they did very well on... must be the teacher...
The last two periods of the morning I had prep and was getting tests ready for my other classes when I was called to assist with a problem with a grade two student. Anyway, I had to remove him from the school and get him in a vehicle to transport him home. Grade two student....no problem, wrong it took us about 40 minutes to get him out of the school into the truck...trying to ensure he didn't hurt himself and get him out, it was a struggle to say the least. I was pretty tired and went to the staffroom for my lunch and 15 minute daily nap...


Feet in the sand of Denare Beach

Well I relaxed but no sleep, I visited with a couple staff and discussed some of the crazy things going on in the school over the last few days. 12:45 rolled around and it was time for hallway supervision....
I headed for my classroom door, to greet the student body for the afternoon. As I unlocked my door, I heard screams and hysterics coming from the main entrance. I headed toward the office to see what I could do to help....
I could see a young girl in the office beyond hysterical, screaming. she was huddled with our Cree language teacher and one of the secretaries. I couldn't make out who she was but could hear her yelling "my sister is not breathing, I need to use the phone" and "my sister hung herself". Chills went down my spine. I asked one of the teachers nearby who the little girl was... and realized she was the sister of one of my students...

Well one of my Grade 10 students had hung herself at lunchtime...unbelievable. Our school policy is try to maintain a regular routine, so that was it... try to teach Grade 11 math like normal. Well word spread like wildfire and you can see her house out of my classroom window...
So I did some crowd control and covered the window, answering questions with " I don't know anything for sure yet, but we will let you know when we know". ?The students were better behaved than normal and word came in that the girl was indeed deceased... The mood was somber but it is bizarre how the people in this community accept death, it is such a common part of life here.

I left my class to do some copying and saw our buddy "Charles" from the truck theft post... he was good friends with the deceased and it was also his 18th birthday today... he was crying and extremely upset, I went with him to an empty classroom and talked to him...he feels that his friends are all killing themselves, and he is hurting really bad. He headed out of the school and I told him if he needs anything to call me or stop by my place... I am really worried about him...

Last period I had the Grade 10 Math class the deceased was part of...fuck. I can't describe it, but the attendance on the computer was tough, seeing her name really made it hit home.

She was a very respectful, friendly girl. I had interractions with her every day. Yesterday I stayed late at school and there was a knock at the window. I opened it "hi Mr. Trevor" she said. "hi, what are you up to?" I replied. "I'm just taking my little brothers to a party". "OK have fun, I'll see you tomorrow". "Bye, Mr. Trevor"

I saw her this morning and asked her how the party was, "good" she smiled. Life was good it seemed.
Her mom was in town giving birth to her 7th sibling today...there are rumours of abuse..the realities of many native communities in our country...
What boggles my mind is we will provide aid to third world countries but we have one in the north of Canada that is ignored...

I have to say this reminds me of the times as a miner when we lost a comrade, the same kind of numb feeling. But more tragic.
Tomorrow is going to be tough, I don't know how much sleep the staff is going to get, and I am scared what might happen tonight...I did some baking for tomorrow...a double batch of my mom's "delicious blueberry pudding"

After school we had a staff meeting where people had a chance to talk about how they felt...shit, this was the most emotional experience I can ever remember having. It really helped me to recognize the strengths of different members of our staff, and I think it brings us together. I really hope they are doing ok tonight...

But anyway, this is part of the reason I became a teacher, and I hope this trend stops, but it is alot easier to be tough when the class is full, the times at home are tough.
Well the show will go on tomorrow...

G