“The most important thing in life is knowing the most important things in life.”

I didn't write a blog post last week and I am sorry about that.  I have been writing every day because I am working on a project with Crystal Bridges museum, and it has taken me a lot longer and been a little more involved than I originally thought it would be.  It has been awesome-just a little more intense than I imagined.  I have been researching works of art and writing essays about the art, the artist,
My work area (and breakfast)
and history of the painting for an online database for teachers.  I have loved learning all about these paintings and I have realized that although I teach this and believe with all my heart--it is true that every work of art has a story to tell.  It's been awesome, but I was so busy I didn't take time to write my blog last week.  I hope you'll forgive me and keep reading.  I do feel like I'm doing okay on this New Year's resolution of mine :)

This week I did something I don't normally do.  I was supposed to go to the AP Summer Institute last week.  It is teacher training that I have been to for three years in a row.  It is awesome!  It is one of my favorite professional development activities of the summer.  However, last Sunday, when I wasn't writing my blog, I was nearly in tears trying to figure out how I was going to accomplish everything.  I was calling people for help (who always help but who were on vacation or already doing something) and I was trying to arrange schedules and I was panicking.  My husband and I were running an errand and he looked at me asked me a really interesting question.  He said, "Do you absolutely have to attend this training, Katy?  What would happen if you couldn't?"  I had no answer.  Well, the answer was no, I didn't have to.  I am required to attend a certain number of hours of training (which I always at least double each year) and I am required to attend this particular training once every three years.  Attending the training would mean I would miss seeing my son off on his first ever trip without us, missing my daughter's public reading, leaving my daughter without transportation for most of the week.  Why did I feel compelled to work this out?
Sending my boys off!

Monday morning, after I dropped my daughter off, I called the University and asked about the implications of cancelling the training.  They were so nice.  There was no penalty, and they appreciated my calling.  I let my lead teacher and my team know that I was unable to attend, all of them were gracious and understanding.  I couldn't believe it.  I had said no to something, not to be mean, but because it was the best thing for my people, and it was all okay.  

I had the most amazing week.  Monday I finished writing about my new favorite painting at Crystal Bridges.  It is a painting by Robert Henri titled Jessica Penn in Black with White Plumes and it has the coolest story ever.  Seriously, I think I will probably write a blog post eventually about how much art has come to mean to me as a teacher and a human being.  Tuesday I took my sister to a movie--a true chick flick--and we loved every second of it.  Wednesday I did some more writing, and checked almost all
Cheers!
of my summer work off my list.  I got to be here to hug my son and send him on his first solo adventure with his good friend Luke.  Thursday I took my sister to a local winery and we had the most amazing time!  We were the only table there and we laughed and celebrated summer.  Friday I was prepared for my daughter's reading. I got to go cheer on my niece at her performance, and then I got a call that Liv had gotten sick.  BUMMER!  I was so glad I wasn't in training.  I brought her home, went to the store and got all the necessary bad tummy remedies and spent the afternoon alternatively
Lexi ROCKS!
floating in the pool and caring for my girl.  I was so glad I could be here for her.

I guess I learned that it is okay to say no sometimes.  As a teacher I want to do every single thing I can to provide the most opportunity for my students.  I realized that I gained more in taking this week off than I would have it I had been in training.  So, I encourage you to look at all the demands you have and ask yourself, just like my husband asked me, "What would happen if you said no?"  Have a wonderful week my dear friends!  Much love!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Practice What I Preach

I am a lover of words and language.  I believe with my whole heart the power words have to heal and to connect.  I have prayed about this, wept about this, and tried to make peace with this.  I have brave students, who have written powerfully, who have used their words to help heal and connect through their true pain.  I have been a coward. September is National Suicide Prevention Month.  I’m still afraid.  I don’t want to be a person who preaches but doesn’t practice.  So, I am writing.  I am writing as real and as true as I can.  There will be grammatical errors and there will be things I leave out that will be important, but I know I need to write and I need to tell my story because I want the world to be a place where no one else is afraid. I am a teacher. I am just a regular teacher who loves her kids.  I have the privilege of teaching Language and Composition.  I am unafraid, in my classroom, to approach difficult subjects because I know I am doing this to help kids think.
Read more

Present: Being Here

Welcome 2016!  For the past two years, I have selected a word to focus on.  I saw a guy talking about it on the Today show, and I was hooked on the idea.  The first year, 2014, was the year my son graduated from high school.  I picked the word "cherish" and I did my best to focus on enjoying the process.  Last year, I picked the word "embrace" because I knew it would be a year of a lot of change. This year, my word found me.  In the last month of the year, I had several things happen that drew this word to me. First of all, I have lost touch with many of my writing friends.  Every time they planned something, I couldn't make it.  I was too busy or it seemed too far away.  Then, one of the most important people I associated with the Writing Project passed away.  He was always planning ways to keep us together as a group.  I felt horrible I hadn't been to any gatherings.  However, at the busiest time of the year, I found a way to make to a writing session.  
Read more

Embrace the Weakness

Like almost everything that gets a lot of media attention, nearly everything you’ve heard about teaching is somewhat true.  Kids are tested into oblivion, and these results are all that matter to administration and the government when determining teacher success. Teachers are being stripped of their autonomy and ability to create their own lessons and assessments.  Teacher dissatisfaction is at an all-time high. Retention rates for teachers is deplorable. There are many failing students in poverty. Teach for America and similar programs inform us that anyone who has a good intention can be a teacher.  No one wants any children left behind, and all of us wish to “Race for the Top.”  The devil is in the details-as always. I teach kids of all sorts: poor, rich, white, brown, black, and green (not really-but that would be fine with me).  I teach kids whose parents love and support them and kids whose home lives have brought me to tears. Despite all of these things, the fact that people b
Read more