It's been one of those weeks...already. I'm not really sure if it is because our state assessments begin on April 1st, or if pressure is mounting to get everything done before June, but everyone is feeling it. We had a faculty meeting today, and everyone, regardless of what grade they teach just feel like our plates are literally overflowing. With all the new programs, mandates, more to do-with less help, We're just spread too thin. I jokingly feel like I need a secretary just to keep up with paperwork!
Enough complaining. I had to find something to turn my mood around. I came home and the link to Technology Tailgate's latest blog post was on SoulPancake's news feed on Facebook. The writer of Technology Tailgate decided that it was time to give her students a pep talk! Not for nothing...I need a pep talk! There's really no one better than Kid President to give a pep talk. She showed the following video to her class to get them going. I'm pretty sure that Room 113 will be viewing this video tomorrow...and many more days leading up to "THE TEST."
Watch and enjoy:
So then I said to myself...we all need to remind ourselves of the point of our jobs...why we get up every morning and do what we do. There's so much more to our profession than data, interventions, and completing hours of paperwork to justify that a student needs support. You and I were born with intuition...a way to see into a child's learning and know when they are struggling. We all know that we shouldn't have to stand on our heads, and explain every which way from now until 3 years from now that a kid is struggling. We were trained to see into a child's core and know when they get it, and when they don't.
I searched even more, and found this incredible, uplifting video of a teacher named Rita Pierson. Ms. Pierson passed away, but she left an imprint on the hearts of many students. Thankfully, this incredible speech she gave for TED has been saved for all of us to see. If you're having a tough day, week, or even year, just watch this to remind yourself of why you give, and give, and give for 180 days or more, of the school year. Year after year. It's because you believe in your students....and honestly, you believe in yourself. If you didn't you wouldn't be reading this right now.
I'll leave you with the words of Ms. Pierson tonight. "Kids don't learn from people they don't like." Well, teacher. If your kids are learning, they like you!
"Teachers become great actors and great actresses. … We come to work when we don't feel like it, and we're listening to policy that doesn't make sense — and we teach anyway." --Rita Pierson
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