Tie day, Prom Night

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Tie day was a huge blast! I highly recommend it as an activity as this year winds down for a close. It wasn't a huge lesson or anything, I just explained about concepts of professionalism and I brought in all of my ties. I taught the kids the windsor and the double windsor knot, or as I framed it for the kids, the "basic style" and "Pro style." Everyone, boys and girls participated and I was able to get each of them to get the Pro style knot down. Some of the kids wore the ties until the end of the day. I feel that this might be one of the most useful skills I have taught my students, however none of them actually own a tie so I think this summer I am going to see what kind of ties and dress shirts I can rustle up. From what I heard last year the boys basically wore everyday clothes to their prom "because they didn't care" however after today kids were asking me for some of my button up shirts to wear. Well all of mine were dirty and water is tight, so I busted out a pot full of snow and I washed a handful of shirts one at a time in a pot for noodles. These kids are interested in looking sharp, I think it just is lack of opportunity, the nearest place to buy or see a tie modeled is Anchorage, five hundred miles away. I know I fele good when I dress up, I want my kids to experience that as well, it builds confidence, also maybe a little chest puffing because "Man alive, I look good." As a sense of self pride and self worth is fostered and developed, my students will be able to take the first steps against the complacent feelings of helplessness.

Well ladies and gentlemen I had to put this post on pause for the Prom... all in all it was a huge success. The kids looked phenomenal, my cooked button ups all got used as did all of my ties. My kids did me proud they all looked sharp, and I honestly couldn't tell who some of them were. It was an awesome experience. One of the students really liked one of my ties, it was one with winnie the pooh and tigger on it which I wore to my eighth grade graduation dance. He wanted to buy it off of me, but I was thinking I haven't worn that particular tie in a good while so I gifted it to him. That made me so pumped, that could be the most beneficial thing I taught the kids, and they enjoyed it. As this year winds itself down I find myself growing more attached to my kids, especially the ones that are graduating. We are having 11 graduates this year, and man I have threatened to fail a couple of them just to keep them around for another year. Half of me wants them to stay in the village after they graduate and the other part wants them to go on and finally pursue their lives. Man if this is what it is like after only one year, what is going to feel like when the kids who freshmen now graduate. This is an odd sensation, I am kind of torn, I know I should be happy that they have succeeded, but I am kind hit with the feeling that friends are leaving. Bah, there was no prep for this in undergrad...