Packing for Disney, But Ending Up In Europe

I am very excited to enter the new school year! Just as ever year of my life since I entered Kindergarten back in 1977, the promise of September brings with it anticipation for the school year ahead. Yes, think about that...I went to college right after high school, then began teaching the first September following my graduation. Sure, I took some time away from the full time classroom in order to parent my children, but even in those "off" years, I remained closely connected to the ebb and flow of the school calendar by staying within the school system. Then my son began preschool immediately following his 3rd birthday, and my feet were fully immersed in the system again, albeit from the other side of the desk. All that is to say that in my mind, the anticipation, the excitement and the just-plain-fun of the beginning of the school year is the same for me this year as it has been for the past 43 years.

I am disheartened by seeing the many posts lamenting the start of this year...not sure what good that does.  Imagine the messages it sends to new teachers and to students and their families. 

When has it ever served you well to look to the future with trepidation and misery?  Here, let me get that answer for you, I have it right here...NEVER! I remember long ago reading a reflection from the parent of a special needs child, equating the finding out what her parenting life would be like to having plans to go to Disney, but ending up in Europe, or Hawaii or Canada. Not a bad swap...just different. Different itinerary, different items in your bag, different expectations, but wonderful just the same! That's us this year, and I believe we need to adopt this viewpoint not just for ourselves, but for our students, their parents and for our new staff. This year promises to be different, yes. This year promises to be challenging, of course. This year promises to be life altering, as it should be. And if you pack for this year as though it was typical, you will be unprepared, true.

BUT...

This year does not promise to be bad, or a let-down, or a 'wash', as I saw someone say. Who are these people??? Are they educators??? Because they sure don't sound like educators!  At least not the ones I want by my side or the ones I want to see leading my children into this school year. We are here to care for each other. We are on our way to an amazing school year!  Not Disney, (sorry, Jess!)  but someplace just as amazing and beautiful! Pack up, gather your students, welcome all the new teachers in your building, get your smile on, and let's go!

Bandage or Lobotomy, We Must find the Solution!

Of the many passions I hold, reading in order to learn might be my most self-indulgent, just under running. Once I get my mind set on something that I feel requires my attention, I often cannot find enough information to ingest. I appreciate the affirmation of reading articles written by level-headed individuals in agreement with my initial thoughts. I am energized by reading the rebuttals made by rational individuals who provide perspective. And I am completely entranced by reading opposing arguments written by intelligent and respected individuals who challenge my thinking and ideals. These days I find myself entrenched in information about education, pandemic, racism, anti-racism, elections, you name it! So many aspects of our world need my attention, and I need information in order to figure out my role in being part of the solution, regardless of whether that solution is to be a bandage or a lobotomy, a quick patch or a full overhaul.

This past week, with my summer working positions complete and the next school year on the horizon, I was able to focus my attention on my house in order to complete much needed projects and repairs. In the midst of the week as I hung closet doors and created backyard drainage to stop my dogs from mudwrestling, our toilet took its refusal to fill to a new level of perfection. It had been testing us for a few weeks, ever since the plumber came to fix our well-meter pipe leak. I had been able to apply a bandage by adjusting this and moving that to make it work. But this week, it decided to complete its decent, and we found ourselves filling the tank manually by dumping the trash can filled with water from the tub into the tank after each use. Because the machine had been taking its time getting to the point of complete disfunction, I assumed this week that the inevitable solution was to completely change the toilet. Thursday night I lay in bed thinking about the expense and the job ahead. I had done my reading to learn how to install a new toilet, and I felt prepared for the challenge ahead. 

Fast forward to Friday morning...new day, new perspective. I decided to look up the information about why my toilet might be refusing to refill. Of the many videos available, one man told me that the fix was easy. He suggested that a part from Home Depot that would cost me $6.95 would save the expense and time of the full replacement. Since that guy became my new best buddy, I headed to Home Depot to find what I needed. 

Side note: when the kids and I moved to our new home almost five years ago, I wandered the aisles of Home Depot with tears streaming down my face trying to ascertain all I would need to maintain our house, while feeling so utterly out of place that I itched to leave as quickly as possible. I didn't talk to anyone, I didn't ask any questions, hell...I don't think I looked up at all. Well, that is no longer my Home Depot persona! Now when I need a trip to Home Depot, my favorite time is early in the morning when all the contractors are there getting ready for the day ahead. I bring the sunshine and I ask my questions. Confession: I might even know a few of the workers by name...with or without their nametags. 

I imagine if you got this far in my musings, you are wondering why this post, that began with my passion for reading and learning, has turned into a recount of a faulty toilet and a dropping of a mere $6.95 to fix it. So here it is. For $6.95 I was able to replace a part in my toilet. Immediately after turning the water back on, the tank filled. The first day of my victory, I was taking a bow and my daughter suggested holding my self-praise until the toilet's integrity was tested and our bathroom didn't flood. Here we are, two days and many, many flushes later, and the fix stands. "So what?" you say...well...

Our current state of our country and the world, in so many ways, is reflected in the story of my toilet. Yes, much of it feels as though we are taking our values and flushing them away...but that might be an entirely different post. For our purposes here, we really need to decide, do we need a quick fix or a full replacement? 

Does our current world need a bandage or a lobotomy? 

This answer is not going to be easily attained. It is going to take incredible amounts of information through reading, communication and deliberately stepping outside of our comfort zone. Keep in mind, my journey to find the fix to my toilet began almost five years ago by meandering the aisles of Home Depot with tears in my eyes. I was out of my element, feeling that all eyes were on me and judging my every move. I was afraid to ask questions of the experts there for fear that I would seem ignorant or foolish. Sound familiar?

Anyone paying attention and feeling called to be part of the solution these days is likely finding themselves in situations filled with the experience of similar feelings. I sure hope that's you! Racism, pandemic, politics, education, economy, you name it...there is need for repairs. And at this point, we are all trying to figure out if our system needs a bandage or a lobotomy.  And just as there were numerous videos telling me how I needed to go about fixing my toilet issues, there are numerous opinions, coming from various walks of life, each vying to be the solution to the ailment you are studying. 

So be patient, be open, be vigilant and be ready. Be informed! Be inquisitive! Be courageous! Whether we need a bandage or a lobotomy, the fix will be found. Might it need testing, tweaking and further work? Absolutely! The work is never done! That's the blessing of being alive! Embrace it, and let's go!

Bold and Brash...SpongeBob Wisdom for Educators

Ah, good ole' Bold and Brash. Anyone know the artist? Anyone even know where this beautiful masterpiece originated? Some of you already know and are perhaps giggling a little. By the end of this short collection of words, you will all know the artist and the story behind the connection to the current state of education. For now, know that you are looking at the artwork that hangs alone, adorned with masking tape not tacks or nails, on my dining room wall. On days when I need a reminder to be Bold and Brash, I set up my laptop to capture this image while I am on my "Zoom" calls with fellow staff or with students. It helps me to remember to smile, and to remember who I am at my core. 

Teachers, administrators and all those involved in education, it is time for you to step up and be Bold and Brash. Now I know some of you might be questioning my use of the word brash and incredulous at my suggestion that as educators we should adopt such a stance. But this week, and actually in bits and pieces as the summer moved along, I have seen my colleagues accept attacks on their profession, their judgement and their integrity. I have seen strong men and women feeling the sting of those they serve turning against them. And I have wondered in my mind, 'Why are you listening to those people? Why are you letting their judgement affect your heart? You are stronger than that! You know your heart!" My thoughts go on and on, and in the end, what I want to scream is that "It is time to be strong in your stance! It is time to have courage in your convictions! It is time, my friends, to be BOLD AND BRASH!"

You see, Bold and Brash is Squidward's creation. He is proud of it. He thinks it is precious and priceless. He believes it is a work of art. In the scene that inspired my children's dining room artwork, Squidward proudly proclaims to an art critic, "I call it, Bold and Brash" to which the critic replies, "More like belongs in the trash.", prompting the custodian to declare, "I must have missed that one." as he takes it and throws it in his receptacle. (Watch the 11 seconds here, if you'd like a chuckle.) Later in the episode, however, SpongeBob finds it and rescues it for his friend. You see, SpongeBob is unwavering in his loyalty to his friend. He believes in the talent Squidward claims to possess. And in his eyes, from his perspective, he wants to be more like his friend. 

As workers in a service profession, we are in the business of working for all types of people. Much like nurses, doctors and all service workers, we serve everyone and anyone who comes along our path. Teachers though, we take it a step further. We take a classroom of 20, 25, 30 personalities, and work our magic to help them become a family. We invite them into our lives and encourage them to bring along their parents and caregivers. As such, we open ourselves up to all levels of scrutiny and feedback. Stop for a moment and consider the many lenses through which we are viewed throughout our days. This is an awesome responsibility when you pause to think about it! The wonder is not in that these various people have different ways of interpreting and digesting the current state of our educational system, but that they ever got along to begin with! 

And then comes a pandemic...stripping you of your ability to continue to serve in the same capacity. YOU didn't change. Your desire to serve didn't change. Your convictions didn't change. Your love for your students, their parents and your craft didn't change...You are still YOU! The circumstances in which you are functioning, however, those have changed, tremendously.

 

PAUSE.....When are you most yourself?  Embrace that and visualize it right now. Close your eyes and envision yourself fully in your element, at your best, when you are most proud of all that you do and feel the best about sharing your talents.  Hold onto it, because now is the time you learn to defend it! 

Listen, I am never an advocate of being anything but kind. In fact, most people close to me will tell you that I am kind to a fault, extending grace beyond normal limits, even to those who may no longer deserve it. And this declaration is no different. Kindness now is more important than ever, but we must also be unwavering and clear. This is the defending of the very blood that runs through the veins of the educator. This is standing up, not only for ourselves, but for our students and what we know to be the best for them and their families. 

It is not time to be meek. It is time to be BOLD and BRASH!!! 

Don't you dare let others tell you that you are less than you are just because you, as they, are living through a pandemic. A PANDEMIC, for Pete's sake!!!  Bold and Brash! Be Bold and Brash! Stand up for that person you envisioned and all that that person does for others. Be the person you envisioned so that you can continue to positively influence others. Your students and their parents, even when they might be throwing vitriol and venomous opinions your way, need you to be Bold and Brash! They, like you, are scared and broken by the current state of our world. So you must be the strength and clarity. Hold yourself to the highest of standards that you always have. In the end, Bold and Brash will be rescued and revered for having lead those we serve through this tough time to a better place. 

Ever Since the Pandemic, My Laptop Says the Nicest Things

"I'm going to miss you."

---The voice came from my laptop, the screen of which was filled with the big eyes of a beautiful boy from Kenya, one of my Grade 4 Extended School Year students. 

"Miss, you are such nice teacher." 

---That voice also came from my laptop, the screen of which was filled with the beautiful face of a Pakistani child new to our country, one of my Grade 7 Summer Destination students.

"This is just not enough time with you. I look forward to it every day and then when you are here it goes too fast."

---Laptop again relaying the message of an ESL child with whom I was blessed to share my summer months using math and Language Arts as our excuse to form a relationship.

Why do I share this with you? Because quite simply and honestly these moments illustrate how the angst of our hearts can be quelled by the sentiments of beautiful children who are anything but unaffected by our on-screen demeanor. This is validation. This is what we all need to know and keep in mind as we head into the new school year, parts of which will be spent behind a mask, and the other parts behind a keyboard.

Teachers are a unique breed of people who define their professional lives by the touch and feel and emotion of relationship. As the school year begins, we will soon head into a new dimension of our work where the touch and proximity with which we relate to our students will be monitored and/or completely denied. Think about it, even doctors who by their nature spend intimate time with patients, are only with them for a short period of time. 

But teachers? 

                                No, not us. 

We sign up for 181 days, sight unseen. We adopt a roster which includes the names of people whom we do not know, but yet commit to love and cherish for the upcoming school-year and beyond. 

So don't be fooled! 

                                        Be inspired! 

This year, though unlike any other, is calling you to be the same as always, in a different way. 

• Be the same lover of children, the one who just can't get enough of being around them. 
• Be the same sweet, kind, caring person to whom your students know they can turn. 
• Be the same smile, the same voice of reason and compassion and the same passionate planter of seeds, whether academic, social or emotional. 

I believe we can create in our students the same level of love and relationship regardless of the guidelines that will dictate HOW we do so. We've Got This!!! 

Might Not be a Good Day to Tape the Faucet Spout

To be honest, I don't even remember the incident all that well, but my children do.  It was the day they learned from me that there is a time and a place for humor. They didn't learn because of anything I said or any lesson I decided to teach them. This incident perfectly illustrates how much of our parenting happens, the good and the bad, without our deliberate action. 

It had been a particularly difficult day, Easter Day on which we had guests who had joined us for dinner. It also happened to be April Fools day, a day during which I do not generally participate in the antics. To top it off, the way our school calendar was set up, we would return to the classroom the next day, and so the stresses were getting to me. After sharing dinner and wishing our guests a good evening, I was ready to clean up and haul my tired butt off to bed. 

If the kids were here to tell the story, they would pause here for effect, pointing out that from this point forward, it was as if everything moved in slow motion. 

I reached for the sponge and a crusty baking pan, then turned on the tap before they could react. They were frozen, not knowing whether to call out or run for the hills when the faucet spout that was covered with tape to surprise a sibling, instead began spraying me and my exhausted self. I was numb. I just walked away crying. There was nothing more I could do. I felt terrible because the kids were silent, except for the small, meek, "I'm sorry, mom." I ended up apologizing to the kids for breaking down, even though it was not done intentionally or to cause them discomfort. But the fact remains that in the end, without any words of correction, the lesson they learned was a valuable one of taking care of those we love, being aware of what others are experiencing, and of course, the timing of the yuk.   

Being in tune with what others are experiencing before acting or opening our mouths has become not only more important these days, but also a bit easier in some ways. We are all experiencing an incredibly stressful and anxiety producing state of the world. Even those who believe COVID is a hoax and racism is non-existent are caught in the midst of a time when the big picture lacks serenity and peace. Although we all are in the throes of the same experience, the myriad of perceptions makes it challenging to believe "We Are All In This Together". I believe at times such as these, it is all the more important to step back. Look around. Are you taping the spout? Have you considered the consequences of that action? How about the consequences of your words? Is it possible that the best thing you can do right now is to stop needing to go for the laugh, the change of opinion, the need to be right?

That incident was a little over two years ago, but the kids still talk about it. They learned from it, and from watching me melt down. It was legendary. It was memorable. It was a family moment. To some of them, at the time it was downright scary. Fast forward to today. Four of my five children are now in their teens, and one thing is still certain. There are days when the tape on the faucet is funny, and days when it can put someone right over the edge. We cannot control when things will happen, and we cannot control how others will react, but what we can do, is step back, look at the big picture and consider the feelings of others and the consequences of what we are about to do.