The School Year is now in Full Swing

I haven't written for awhile due to the fact that I have been assessing, planning, listening, exploring, creating, tracking, adjusting, accomodating, discussing, reviewing, cajoling, consoling,nurturing, refereeing, guiding, helping, and countless other "ings" that go into "teaching".

But I am happy to say progress is evident in our classroom.  Students are gaining confidence, acquiring new skills, and forming new friendships.  I predict that it will be a successful year with a few little bumps in the road, but that's what keeps it interesting.

When i was studying to become a teacher, one of my professors told us a story about a cocktail party she had attended.  It was filled with high powered attorneys, doctors, CEO's and other go-getters.  She was introduced to a gentleman who said, "And what do you do?"  She replied, "I have the most amazing and important job."  She slipped off and joined another conversation and inevitably was asked what she did?  (It is amazing how many people define their whole lives by their job,  the question we should be asking children is, "What qualities do you want to possess?"  not "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  But that is a topic for another day.)

But I digress, back to the story....
 Eventually, she ran into the first man later in the party.  He said,  What is this amazing and important job that you have?" 
The party is a buzz with laughter and chatter but at just that moment there was a drop in the noise level and she said, "I am a teacher!"  Everyone turned to look at her as she was the loudest in the room (and she had told everyone what an amazing and important job she had.) 
The gentleman said, "Teaching? how can that be amazing and important?"
 My professor asked, "May I ask what your job is?"
The man replied, "I am a brain surgeon."
My professor said, "Well, I think it would be important for you to have had amazing teachers."
And she left the party.

The point of this is to let you know how seriously the teachers in your children's lives take their jobs.  Teachers don't do things lightly, they often agonize over reporting information that may be uncomfortable for parents to hear, they try to find different ways to reach every child in their class, they read, plan, (well, you saw the list at the beginning of this piece.)

Every child is a gift, every child is important, every child is beautiful.  Teachers know this and hold these lives in their hands for a short time.  They are not always appreciated, respected, and treated fairly, but they will work hard to find the spark in your children and help them develop the tools needed to pursue their passions.