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The Atom Tombstones draft had expired. As requested by several members of the Atom syntax mailing list, I have revitalized the draft.

The Atom Bidi Draft had expired. I posted a new version to revitalize it. Want to get this one finished for good.

Thanks to Mark Nottingham and Lisa Dusseault, work on HTTP Patch has been progressing nicely. Looks like it’s pretty much done with the exception of a few minor issues. Perhaps it is time to start working on standardizing some Patch document formats?

Comments requested… http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-snell-http-batch-00.txt

Example from the draft:

       POST /example/application HTTP/1.1
       Host: example.org
       Content-Type: multipart/batch;
         type="application/http;version=1.1";
         boundary=batch
       Mime-Version: 1.0

       --batch
       Content-Type: application/http;version=1.1
       Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary
       Content-ID: <df536860-34f9-11de-b418-0800200c9a66@example.org>

       POST /example/application HTTP/1.1
       Host: example.org
       Content-Type: text/plain
       Content-Length: 3

       Foo
       --batch
       Content-Type: application/http;version=1.1
       Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary
       Content-ID: <226e35d0-34fa-11de-b418-0800200c9a66@example.org>

       PUT /example/application/resource HTTP/1.1
       Host: example.org
       Content-Type: image/jpg
       Content-Length: 123456

       {jpg image data}
       --batch--

And the response…

       HTTP/1.1 200 OK
       Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:00:00 GMT
       Server: example.org
       Content-Type: multipart/batch;
         type="application/http;type=1.1";
         boundary=batch
       Mime-Version: 1.0

       --batch
       Content-Type: application/http;version=1.1
       Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary
       In-Reply-To: <df536860-34f9-11de-b418-0800200c9a66@example.org>

       HTTP/1.1 204 OK
       Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:00:00 GMT
       Server: example.org

       --batch
       Content-Type: application/http;version=1.1
       Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary
       In-Reply-To: <226e35d0-34fa-11de-b418-0800200c9a66@example.org>

       HTTP/1.1 415 Unsupported Media Type
       Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:00:00 GMT
       Server: example.org

       --batch--

A good friend of ours is an elementary school teacher who has been teaching at a small rural school here in the Central valley for a few years. He recently decided to take a higher paying position in a different district so that he and his wife could have enough money to start their own family. Last week he announced his decision to the kids in his class and the responses have been amazingly touching and heartbreaking. He posted the following note to his Facebook profile and I asked him permission to share it. I’ve edited his name down to just “Mr. H.” in the note below.

As many of you know I am changing districts this year. I shared with my students about this, and explained to them that it had only to do with the opportunity to start a family of my own sooner, and have the opportunity to advance. This was greeted by tears from my students and returned tears from myself. Definitely has been very difficult because I wanted to give them the chance to say goodbye, and wanted to be able to say goodbye myself. I did not want them to hear it from anyone other than me.

Here are a few responses that they have given me, that I plan on keeping throughout my career. I love this school and these kids. And it is difficult to leave them.

From a quick response on what to expect from this week:

“What I do NOT want from this week is [Mr. H.] leaving from this school. I do not want him to leave because he is a great teacher and he does a lot of fun things…”

After I announced I would be leaving, the students asked to write me a letter, which I granted them here are a few exerpts:

“Dear [Mr. H.], I feel sad because you always have fun and tell us stories. I also never had a teacher so nice to me like you…”

“I feel horrible and depressed in my heart [Mr. H.]. You feel like a father to me. I never had a father so funny, strong, happy and energetic. I wish you stayed at [B] Elementary. I will miss you with all of my heart. [Mr. H.] I will miss your laugh, your strongness, and your happiness. I want you to stay, please don’t leave,”

“Dear [Mr. H.], Now that I know you are leaving I feel sad. I understand that you need more money for your family and that you’re going to make a family with your wife. I hope you live good and fine with your family and your new work. I’ll miss you a lot. You were a great teacher…”

“[Mr. H.], I ‘ve been in your class for two years and I’m going to miss you. I feel kind of hurt, but I’ll be alright. Since I known you, I’ve always been the quiet one. But you made me bring out my outer voice. I went from shy to very talkative. I will also miss when you try to fix friendship problems. You are the first teacher I know that doesn’t use yelling as a way to make someone listen to you. Although I am hurt, I understrand that you want to have a family. It’s a couple’s dream to have kids and to be parents. I just want to wish you the best for your soon to come family. I can tell you that no teacher can replace you and your telling stories. I wish you all the luck in the world,. NEVER FORGET US!”

“[Mr. H.] I’ve been in your class for one year, and I’m already gotten used to you. I don’t want you to retire. I want you to still be in this school and this class. I understand you want to have a family but it’s like you are part of my family. I’m going to miss you a lot… you’re the best teacher I’ve ever had. I hope you will miss me the way I will. I am so sad.”

“[Mr. H.], I’m going to miss you but I want to let you know that you were the best teacher I have ever had. You were nice even when you were totally mad. You helt it in and I got a poem for you.

Teachers will go,
Teacher will come,
But I want to let you,
know that you were,
the best one,
well go on hope,
you have fun,
don’t forget me or,
anyone”

“I feel sad because you are one of the best teachers I ever had and coach. Thank you for teaching us I will always remember your stories…”

Sure makes it hard to leave a school I already love.

One thing to keep in mind is that most of these students have very little in their lives. Many, if not most, are the children of immigrant farm laborers who struggle daily to provide even for the most basic necessities. Many have had to deal with gangs, the lack of one or both of their parents, etc. School for them is not just something they have to do, it is an integral part of their lives and their teachers become a part of their family. For many, school provides the only sense of stability they’ve ever known.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting my friend at his school and seeing the way he interacts with the kids and have seen the way they look up to him. I can only wish that someday in my life I might have the opportunity to touch someone else’s life in that way.