There are so many colorful things about my job! I can't name them all, but I can tell you this: This last week was a lot more colorful than most for multiple reasons.
Follow my week:
Blue: I was reminded on Monday how much students need a break. Spring break finished just the night before and student's came into the building with a ball full of energy to tell us about their adventures. One little girl came barreling through the crosswalk screaming "Mrs. Johnson, I went to Disney world!" and proudly wearing her new Disney shirt. Loved her smile and her energy. She is one of the almost 600 reasons why I love my job. Another boy proudly told me about their family exploring Branson, and kept telling me "you have to go, it's awesome." Well sweet boy, maybe someday I will go again and visit.
Red: Tuesday brought quiet nerves to our building in the sense that there was a storm brewing. And storms bring tears. I got the privilege of hugging a sweet 2nd grader in the hallway because she had fallen in the classroom and was worried everyone would see her red knee. I assured her that her nerves and red knee would go away, and back to class she went. There was a storm brewing among the adults as well as we all waited anxiously to hear if Oklahoma's government could figure out a way to meet the demands of frustrated public education constituents who are tired of teaching with the same red markers for the last 10 years.
Yellow: Among this particular Wednesday, we were praying for the yellow sun to come out and play! Though that did not happen until the end of the day, everyone seemed optimistic that hopefully our state senate would do the right thing and vote on the raise that teachers deserve and would be given if they were not at the mercy of men and women who only work 3 months out of the year and in the last 10 years have done a terrible job of that. Students seemed in good spirits, even though they spent another day inside at recess.
Green: Not only did it thunderstorm all night and everyone had to start their day on 2 or 3 cups of coffee instead of the usual 1, but I hit the ground running with the "peepee bandit". After a frustrating hour of video surveillance, and no closer to catching the bandit then I had been the days before, my problem solving brain kicked in. As I walked the hallways, I smiled at the student work proudly displayed wondering how many of the pencils, markers and papers came out of my teacher's pockets. I wondered if the math and science being taught was from textbooks almost as old as some of the students sitting in the classrooms. The Oklahoma legislature however was busy playing games with the funding that they just promised public education a couple days before. I left school that night determined that I am going to catch the bandit, one of these days...and that our legislature was ridiculous.
Black: Friday was 'Freckles Friyay!' according to my calendar. A once a month fundraiser for our school that typically brings all sorts of fun colors and flavors, and Ninja Turtle was on the docket. Dressed in my jeans and chucks, I got ready for a couple of hours of sticky madness. As 2nd grade freckles began, a sweet girl told me that she had ordered "grape ice" so I handed her her cup of deliciousness and her spoon. She sat immediately and dug right in. I continued to hand out the ice cream, listening to the students enjoy, only to hear her turn to her friend and say "Look! my tongue is purple!" Students are special, they are important and they need us to fight for them. They need us to look them in the eyes while they tell us a story and they need to hear us say "wow! that's amazing!" when they want to become a "Pegasus" as one informed me after her freckles.
Education is a serious, necessary part of a society that ensures that our future communities will be taken care of and supported. Education is the reason I was born, and the reason I will continue to support whoever wants to stand up and take education seriously. I believe that is not anyone who have been in our state legislative bodies for a considerable length of time. It is time to have the Colors of the Wind blow through Oklahoma City. It's time for them to know that April is just the beginning, that when educators get colorful, we vote people out of office. Case and point: we no longer have a dentist for a state leader of public education. But the winds can't stop. They have to blow through the spring, summer and be remembered in the fall. That is how education moves forward. Support the teachers and their efforts and then in November, make "Remember the Walkout!" the battle cry of voters.
Follow my week:
Blue: I was reminded on Monday how much students need a break. Spring break finished just the night before and student's came into the building with a ball full of energy to tell us about their adventures. One little girl came barreling through the crosswalk screaming "Mrs. Johnson, I went to Disney world!" and proudly wearing her new Disney shirt. Loved her smile and her energy. She is one of the almost 600 reasons why I love my job. Another boy proudly told me about their family exploring Branson, and kept telling me "you have to go, it's awesome." Well sweet boy, maybe someday I will go again and visit.
Red: Tuesday brought quiet nerves to our building in the sense that there was a storm brewing. And storms bring tears. I got the privilege of hugging a sweet 2nd grader in the hallway because she had fallen in the classroom and was worried everyone would see her red knee. I assured her that her nerves and red knee would go away, and back to class she went. There was a storm brewing among the adults as well as we all waited anxiously to hear if Oklahoma's government could figure out a way to meet the demands of frustrated public education constituents who are tired of teaching with the same red markers for the last 10 years.Yellow: Among this particular Wednesday, we were praying for the yellow sun to come out and play! Though that did not happen until the end of the day, everyone seemed optimistic that hopefully our state senate would do the right thing and vote on the raise that teachers deserve and would be given if they were not at the mercy of men and women who only work 3 months out of the year and in the last 10 years have done a terrible job of that. Students seemed in good spirits, even though they spent another day inside at recess.
Green: Not only did it thunderstorm all night and everyone had to start their day on 2 or 3 cups of coffee instead of the usual 1, but I hit the ground running with the "peepee bandit". After a frustrating hour of video surveillance, and no closer to catching the bandit then I had been the days before, my problem solving brain kicked in. As I walked the hallways, I smiled at the student work proudly displayed wondering how many of the pencils, markers and papers came out of my teacher's pockets. I wondered if the math and science being taught was from textbooks almost as old as some of the students sitting in the classrooms. The Oklahoma legislature however was busy playing games with the funding that they just promised public education a couple days before. I left school that night determined that I am going to catch the bandit, one of these days...and that our legislature was ridiculous.
Black: Friday was 'Freckles Friyay!' according to my calendar. A once a month fundraiser for our school that typically brings all sorts of fun colors and flavors, and Ninja Turtle was on the docket. Dressed in my jeans and chucks, I got ready for a couple of hours of sticky madness. As 2nd grade freckles began, a sweet girl told me that she had ordered "grape ice" so I handed her her cup of deliciousness and her spoon. She sat immediately and dug right in. I continued to hand out the ice cream, listening to the students enjoy, only to hear her turn to her friend and say "Look! my tongue is purple!" Students are special, they are important and they need us to fight for them. They need us to look them in the eyes while they tell us a story and they need to hear us say "wow! that's amazing!" when they want to become a "Pegasus" as one informed me after her freckles.
Education is a serious, necessary part of a society that ensures that our future communities will be taken care of and supported. Education is the reason I was born, and the reason I will continue to support whoever wants to stand up and take education seriously. I believe that is not anyone who have been in our state legislative bodies for a considerable length of time. It is time to have the Colors of the Wind blow through Oklahoma City. It's time for them to know that April is just the beginning, that when educators get colorful, we vote people out of office. Case and point: we no longer have a dentist for a state leader of public education. But the winds can't stop. They have to blow through the spring, summer and be remembered in the fall. That is how education moves forward. Support the teachers and their efforts and then in November, make "Remember the Walkout!" the battle cry of voters.
Comments
Post a Comment