Nope, not an English teacher (I think it's called Language Arts nowadays). I am in a highly academically competitive, huge school district in Silicon Valley. My granddaughter goes to one of those progressive California schools (Waldorf), but I wouldn't be such a good fit there, I'm afraid. I am an avid reader, so perhaps that influences my writing. I am an adapted physical education specialist and health science teacher. I work with kids with autism, profound multiple disabilities, deaf, blind, serious emotional disturbance, developmental disabilities...the gamut of the federally mandated qualifying conditions for receiving special education services in our public school system. These kids have severe social and physical limitations, so I assess and implement physical remediation and education programs so that they can hopefully join the general education classes successfully without so much support. I also teach recreational and lifelong wellness and fitness skills because these kids are likely to have a lot of leisure time on their hands because this populations is so under-employed. Rec and leisure is often their only entrance into the community in a naturalistic way, so I try to give 'em all the tools I can.

One of the reasons I wanted contacts is that many of my students have behavioral "quirks," and one of them is snatching glasses off my face and throwing them as far as they can. Behaviors always communicate something, and I'm still not sure what this action communicates, or if it's just a compulsion, but any pairs of glasses have been destroyed this way. The school districts don't reimburse us for this, unfortunately. Of course, my glasses have also kept my eyes from getting scratched when a student has a meltdown and starts spitting and scratching at whatever is in reach, and peoples' faces seems to be a favorite. My students will have to find something else, now...it seems to be my wristwatch. I buy cheapie plastic ones, so that I can handle!

It looks like I lucked into a good pair of sunglasses, then. I bought these at the optometrist's office, so I know I probably paid too much, but they are so good at adjusting and repairing things that it's worth it to me. They fitted my contacts, so I asked their advice and put me in these. I tried the brownish "driving" tint, but it felt like it let too much light into my eyes.

I have to say that I'm very impressed with the optometrists and opticians that have been helping me see the last couple of years. I walked in off the street and I guess it could have gone the other way; I think we've all experienced that. Kudos to my "vision team." I think I will bake some goodies for them when I go in to pick up my lens order.