Most of us play multiple roles in life. As a mom, friend, spouse, sibling, daughter, neighbor, educator, writer, community member, activist, and more I am always trying to find the right balance amongst those roles. I'm always deciding where to put my time and energy.
As I think of those roles and a summer that is like a wonderfully empty canvas of promise and possibility, I'm thinking about what's important and how I should spend my time--where am I directed.
First, I truly made the time this past winter and spring to think deeply about the summer and where I would focus my energy. In years past I've attended lots and lots of professional events. I learned a lot and was very, very busy. I do believe those events, though somewhat exhausting, helped me to push my professional work and direction ahead. I am a better teacher for attending those events.
At this point, however, the work that calls me the most is the detailed work related to being the best classroom teacher that I can be. I feel I am well versed in the big ideas and now it's time to really zero in on the important details that will finesse my work and collaboration in ways that matter.
I pushed myself into the work before. I can say that I never felt as comfortable doing that past work as I do now working in my own home with countless resources at my fingertips and the motivation of knowing that good work now will result in good service to students and families later. This realization makes me want to support optimal work conditions for educators more--too often educators don't have the kinds of schedules, structures, resources, or support they need to do the kind of work they are capable of. This is a problem in almost every school, and I believe it is a problem that our society can change to better education for all children. Too many want education on the cheap--they don't want to spend the dollars needed to truly empower the service we can provide to children and families--service that will elevate lives and better our future.
When we consider the money, time, and devotion we spend in other areas of living, we really see how much we don't value education and more importantly children. We certainly can do better.
So as I think about navigating the many roles I play, I'll continue to focus on the roles of mom, spouse, daughter, educator, friend, and sibling most this summer. Good roles that I'm grateful for and roles that I can always work to better. Onward.
As I think of those roles and a summer that is like a wonderfully empty canvas of promise and possibility, I'm thinking about what's important and how I should spend my time--where am I directed.
First, I truly made the time this past winter and spring to think deeply about the summer and where I would focus my energy. In years past I've attended lots and lots of professional events. I learned a lot and was very, very busy. I do believe those events, though somewhat exhausting, helped me to push my professional work and direction ahead. I am a better teacher for attending those events.
At this point, however, the work that calls me the most is the detailed work related to being the best classroom teacher that I can be. I feel I am well versed in the big ideas and now it's time to really zero in on the important details that will finesse my work and collaboration in ways that matter.
I pushed myself into the work before. I can say that I never felt as comfortable doing that past work as I do now working in my own home with countless resources at my fingertips and the motivation of knowing that good work now will result in good service to students and families later. This realization makes me want to support optimal work conditions for educators more--too often educators don't have the kinds of schedules, structures, resources, or support they need to do the kind of work they are capable of. This is a problem in almost every school, and I believe it is a problem that our society can change to better education for all children. Too many want education on the cheap--they don't want to spend the dollars needed to truly empower the service we can provide to children and families--service that will elevate lives and better our future.
When we consider the money, time, and devotion we spend in other areas of living, we really see how much we don't value education and more importantly children. We certainly can do better.
So as I think about navigating the many roles I play, I'll continue to focus on the roles of mom, spouse, daughter, educator, friend, and sibling most this summer. Good roles that I'm grateful for and roles that I can always work to better. Onward.