I apologize for not posting last week. I spent time in Mississippi visiting with my mom, attending a gala, laughing with cousins, spending time with some high school friends and saying good-bye to a long time friend who had to move closer to her family in Massachusetts. The trip was planned to attend a gala in honor of Mrs. Helen Washington and the other inductees of the McComb High School Hall of Fame. Mrs. Washington was inducted for her years of teaching, two years at Topeka-Tilton and then over 30 in the McComb School District, service to education, service to the community, and service to her church. She was my second grade teacher and one of the first Black teachers at Topeka-Tilton after integration.

I am Proud of You

How many times has someone that you respect and care about told you, "I am proud of you"? How did that those words make you feel when you heard them? Those powerful words came up this afternoon when I was visiting with a colleague and friend. He was recounting a story of a student that he had mentored during some difficult days, early in her high school career. He explained that he talked to her like a father and showed her how choices she was making as a young person would affect her for the rest of her life. Years later, when he saw her, he told her how very proud he was of her and of the great choices she was choosing to make at this point in her life. That story brought tears to my eyes because of the words, "I am proud of you." Occasionally, we all need someone to tell us those words. My dad was the one who used to tell me how proud he was of me. He died when he was 40 and I was 16. His death left a void in my life that has been difficult to fill. There is something about a dad being proud of a daughter that just makes sense. His praise did not come easy and I think that helped to make it more memorable when I finally heard those words. Today, my friend told me he was proud of me and that is when I cried. Don’t get me wrong, I am very blessed to have family, friends, colleagues, and others that believe in me and support me on a daily basis; however, sometimes specific words are needed to soothe the soul. Please take the time to be proud of someone in your life. Those powerful words may be just what someone needs to soothe their soul and make them believe that anything is possible.

What is going on with her?

Some of you have asked about the connection between my writing and the intro to the blog. Well, here is the answer. I am currently All But Dissertation (ABD) in my Educational Doctorate (EdD) Program at Valdosta State University (VSU) , Valdosta, GA. See, education does have a lot of acronyms! During this time I am working part-time and virtually as a Graduate Assistant for the Research Department of VSU and Dr. Archibad, as well as working with my company, eduGrowth - A Professional Development Company, which I created, along with my business partner, Jim Hasty, about a year and a half ago. Additionally, I am researching my dissertation topic of Effective Rural Schools. So, as you read this blog, I hope you have some idea of what my weeks are like and how much I truly enjoy education. As I get further into the dissertation writing, I will be adding more and more research about schools and teachers and how they deal with rurality, poverty, test scores, etc. In the meantime, my posts will be about people and things that I feel are important in education and even more so in everyday life. Many thanks to you all for reading the blog and suggesting it to others. Your support is so appreciated. My goal for writing it is two fold, one to keep me sane during the writing process while reminding us all of why teaching is so important, and two, reminding us all why we should take the time to build relationships each day! A favorite quote from the movie Bucket List - "Has your life brought joy to you?" and "Has your life brought joy to others?"

When do you go to Sleep?

It has been almost a week since I last posted. Time really flies when you are having fun. My latest fun started last Wednesday when I went by a local store and purchased a bracelet. This is a bracelet like none I have ever had before, it spoke to me. No, not literally but you know what I mean. It is the point when you are looking at something and you say, uhmmmm, that makes a statement. In this case the statement was a quote by E.E. Cummings, "It takes a lot of courage to grow up to become who you really are." As I wore the bracelet the next couple of days, I keep thinking about the quote and how true it was. How many times are children struggling with things that we as adults don't even have a clue about. I remember a story from a dear friend of mine who still teaches in a suburban elementary school in Metro Georgia. He told me that before test days, in his classroom, he asks his students what time they go to bed at night as a reminder that they need to go to be early and get plenty of sleep. This particular day when he asked the question one student replied, "I go to sleep at 6 o'clock." Thinking that the student misunderstood him, he asked the question again, and again she replied, "6 o'clock." He looked at her small frame and big eyes and asked her why. Her reply was one that I will never forget. She replied to him, "My mom says if I go to sleep early, then it won't hurt so bad when I am hungry." Hummmmm. That could be the end of the story but this particular teacher learned a great lesson that day. He told me that from then on he never let the snack bucket in his classroom get empty and he was a lot more emphatic to his students and their needs. There are many more of these stories and stories of teachers who come to the rescue. Yes, I know all teachers aren't in the profession for helping children but I can tell you there are many more who are than who aren't.

Hummmm

"To whom much is given, much is required." How many times have I heard those words and even uttered them. Tonight as I was driving home after dinner with my sons, I started thinking about that quote. As educators we are given multiple opportunities on a daily basis to prove the quote true. First, we have the opportunity to work with colleagues, students, and parents on a regular basis. Just think of the brain power that is in a school each and every day. No, not all teachers are on the same academic level and neither are students; however, learning from each other whether a new teacher or a veteran one, is just as important as students learning from their teachers and/or each other. We have to remember that students are always learning something either from the written curriculum or from the unwritten curriculum. Second we are given the privilege to offer students the vast knowledge that we have accumulated throughout the years. From high school diplomas to doctorates and every degree and certification in between, educators have a lot of knowledge to disperse and that knowledge will not help anyone if it is not shared. Finally, as educators, we can see that students are all just children, some in small bodies and others in older and bigger bodies. No matter what the age, they all are seeking something, whether it is knowledge, direction, structure, or just a social experience. What we do with the time we are assigned with students is important and shouldn't be taken lightly. Educators have been given much responsibility and most give all that is required and then 110% more. Many thanks to the teachers that have made a difference in my life.

Friends and Family

Well, I can truly say I am blessed beyond imagination. This week has brought special times with friends and family that demonstrate caring in a way that makes me feel special. From bonding time with my incredible oldest son, a study session on Wednesday evening with an amazing friend who is also working on his doctorate, dinner on Thursday night with a wonderful friend that grew up as I did in a rural area and understands my fascination with Honey Boo Boo, lunch on Friday with a teacher friend whom I have known for a very long time and means the world to me and cell phone calls to and from many others when I needed a pick me up. Having wonderful friends that talk to me when I am lonely, listen to me when I am upset and just sit with me when I need to have someone close by, makes my life so much better. Friends and family come in all shapes, sizes, color, religions, and orientations which helps me to understand different perspectives,ideas, and opinions. I count myself a very rich person because of all the treasures I have in those I call friends and family.

Why?

Currently I am reading Tony Danza's book, I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had: My Year as a Rookie Teacher at Northeast High which was recently published. In the book he chronicles the life of a first year teacher, himself, as he navigates the world of an urban high school. Even though the book is a memoir of his year, it contains several nuggets that educators and parents should take into account. The first one is that students are more engaged in their learning when the learning is participatory. He painstakingly writes about the classes when students were not participating and the trouble that tended to arise from lack of involvement. On the flip side, he gives an example of a lesson using a Scavenger Hunt to review for a test of the book, Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck and the engagement level of the students completing this exercise. Really, how much more are we, as adults, interested in something when we get to participate? Another nugget of wisdom he supplied was that we need to look deeper than surface level before we judge or label a student. He was surprised to see the problems that students were dealing with on a daily basis. Problems that ranged from not knowing which college to attend to being abused by a family member on a daily basis. Most of the time the students tried to hide their pain and go through the day without talking about their problems. How many days do we short change another person by judging them? I can honestly say, I have done it and I am ashamed of that. As I get older, I think wisdom is kicking in and I realize we all have faults and judging someone else only serves to try to make ourselves look better. As a parent, there are many times that I mistook my children's attitudes and choice of clothes as being disrespectful where in truth, they were dealing with issues that were much more difficult than I could have ever imagined. As a parent, I have become much more accepting and quiet instead of always trying to have the answer. If you get a chance, read the book. It validated a lot of my beliefs in teaching, parenting, and in students. Now finally, the Why? from the title. Why because we never know when something as simple as reading a book can make a difference in the way we look at those around us.