I’ve watched so many of my friends from high school and earlier say they wanted to do this or that…and then choose different paths.  Nothing’s wrong with that — life happens and life changes things.  But what if these kids can understand now that they have a role, a place, a purpose?  What if they get it now….and hold on to it throughout adulthood?  I’m not going to define “it” for them — “it’s” different for everyone and that’s what makes “it” so beautiful.  But what if…. What if “it” is possible?

Honestly, I’m a little intimidated — no, more like incredibly intimidated — seems like too big of a topic to teach in 3 weeks and do the material justice… So hopefully, I’ll just fade away and the inner passions that do exist in them will surface.  It’s all about them anyway.  And for that, I’m grateful for this chance.

As I walked around the class and talked with the students as they decided what to write, I became aware that this exercise was not just an assignment, but a moment to glimpse inside of their inner worlds.  They care about taking care of the earth, the homeless, and peace.  As young as they are, they can see injustice and want more for this world, want more for their own futures.

Reflecting on this activity leaves me with the same question and the same resolve.  Whatever resources I have, whatever people are placed in my path, I want to labor and endeavor to see some of their dreams made reality… to effect change somehow in the spheres and environments where I am placed.  This my dream.

I am thankful for the moment I stood with an envelope in my hand back home in my kitchen…and accepted that GSU was the next phase in the journey…

I am thankful for the 22 people that all challenge me daily… to be not only a better educator, but a better person —  more loving, accepting, and passionate…

I am thankful for the 14 kindergarten students that taught me daily and the mentor teacher that showed me what true partnership looks like…

I am thankful for my friends and family in Atlanta that help me discover the beauty and simplicity of a walk through Piedmont Park, conversation over coffee, and moments of silent reflection….

I am thankful for the opportunity to network with others and work toward the common goal of effecting change in these exciting times… having the freedom to fight for equality for all… courage to challenge the status quo… the vision to create what has never existed before…

I am thankful for my Creator who has led me to this moment and continues to lead with creativity and peace through the moments yet to come…

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

It’s time for a change.

It’s messy, complex, and hard… but it’s time for a change – now.

If what we are facing in demanding equal, quality education and with campaigning for children’s rights is truly the next Civil Rights movement, then it’s time for us to organize and act.  I don’t know who the forerunners are who will be committed to spreading the cause of the forgotten few to the streets of the Capital and to Main Street alike, but action is needed today.  If we ignore these voices, we will silence an entire generation.  And that is not acceptable.

So, where do we start?  How do we begin?

What does this have to do with class?  Building on foundations.

As I read the Palmer article, it made me reflect on my own personal journey over these last 6 months. (Has it only been 6 months??)  In using his stages of a movement, I see that the first stage of personal growth was largely what I experienced during Maymester.  No other point challenged me to the degree that I was challenged by those 3 weeks.  During the summer, I entered the beauty of the second stage — experiencing community with like-minded people who were equally and mutually encouraging and committed to becoming educators, passionate to effect change.  

The summer established a foundation — we were personally and corporately challenged.  We learned more about ourselves as individuals and developed respect and appreciation for each other, establishing the sense of community.

And now, we build…  Stage 3 — the period where we choose to engage in the social and political arena, expanding the discussion to include other voices outside of our community, and being willing to be challenged by ideas different than our own.  This is the time of building upon the foundation that has been forged, and to begin the real work of constructing the vision of change.

This stage is going to demand more from ourselves than we have given up to this point… but if we are faithful and focused, we can gain much from each other.  Not only are we building something new, but maybe in this period we can also seek to build up, encourage, and support each other, as well… It may take time, but the rewards will be well worth the effort — the work is not only for us, but for the hope of generations to come.

 After we all generated our list of problems — and the lists are not complete by any means — it’s easy to become overwhelmed or apathetic or disinterested considering all of the problems that do exist in a given arena.  But then I hear “one voice.”

What if one voice really did have power to effect change?

What if one voice was capable of surmounting obstacles, rejecting the status quo, and refusing to be silent?

All of us have one voice — an individual moment, chance, opportunity to make a difference.  Perhaps by remembering and reawakening our voices, we will gain vision and clarity — the ability to solve not all of the problems, but maybe the ones to which we feel personally called, personally inspired.  

The body is made up of many parts and each part has a specific role that only that part can fill.  If we can recognize our parts, our voices, maybe then the students we teach can follow our example and recognize theirs… and then maybe, our unique voices can come together.

Now that we are in September and in our classes and assuming more responsibility in our placements, I know there are several hundred different thoughts running through our minds at some point in time.  I have discovered that I am running on an hour-to-hour basis most days… if not minute-to-minute.  But this weekend, I felt a new inspiration…  

We are not here by chance.

I don’t know fully what that means, and it’s going to mean something different for all of us, but this season, this moment, is for a greater purpose than you and I can imagine.  It’s so easy to become distracted and lose focus, allowing insignificant stressors to steal the joy of the moment.  Yet, I’ve been challenged this weekend and invite you also to pause — remember the reasons that brought us to this moment, focus on living in the moment for all the good that is to be found, and know the best moments are yet to come……

Now that we have reached the end of this class, we stand on the brink of the new beginnings of this program, and of the transformation we are all undergoing to make us into effective teachers, passionate about bringing change.  We have changed — the world is still the same.  So now, it’s up to us to actively, intentionally, and unswervingly hold fast what to we know to be true and effect the change needed.  We stand at the beginning of the movement that will touch generations.

It is the beginning of greatness….

How amazing to see our cohort in the same classroom, engaged with students.  How amazing to be part of a community with shared vision and passion, and yet all so different.  And all of us are blessed with the opportunity to take this into our own individual classrooms.  Reminds me of one unified body, doing the work in separate fields… **Hmm… that’s kind of like Pangea… **

So, when can we start teaching?  

I appreciated Pearl’s comment as it made us realize that this isn’t a one-size-fits-all-rule.  As with all the issues presented in class, there are multiple ways of looking at the situation.  And it is from this multi-faceted standpoint that I make the case that censorship is something that doesn’t belong in public schools in reference to textbooks, literature, or the like.  Now, 3 weeks ago, I know that my views would be totally different and I would have agreed whole-heartedly that parents/government should censor the material brought into the classroom.  However, my views are different now.  In order to maintain a degree of social justice, educating our children to think critically, and challenge the status quo, one must be willing to consider varying ideas and different view points.  Literature is an amazing medium by which we are able to investigate, educate, and discover new opportunities.  I didn’t read Harry Potter until last December — I originally took the viewpoint of most conservatives.  Now, I love it.  Censorship though isn’t about one book — it’s an ideology.  It’s an ideology that stems from the desire to control what is deemed acceptable by society.  How can we as educators embrace an ideology that exists to control when we rally for social justice and equality? 

Speaking in reference to parents — parents are the primary teacher of the child.  A teacher must forge a positive partnership with the parents throughout the entire year.  A teacher should take the parent’s perspective into consideration and seek to embrace the culture and collaborate for the good of the child.  However, if a teacher is going to provide an equal educational experience for all students, then the teacher must present varied topics and opinions.  There is not one right way for every child.  Because multiple ways of learning exist, I think the teacher should structure the classroom in a way that is age-appropriate, of course, but poses questions to children allowing them to see different viewpoints and ideas and discover their own beliefs.  Parents should absolutely dialogue with their children and ascertain their thoughts and feelings.  A parent should be able to help the child weed through the multiple options and assist the child in formulating his own beliefs.  With parent’s guiding the development of the child, and teachers facilitating exposure and offering challenges, a child will gain the best from both perspectives and be able to make informed, critical decisions as an adult.

It truly takes many voices, experiences, and perspectives to provide a child with an effective education.  I hope that an open environment, where questions are welcomed and opinions are raised, will characterize my classroom.