Makes me wanna holler…
I, like many teachers, arose on this first Monday after Thanksgiving break and completed my usual routine before heading to work. I thought about lessons, I wondered if the kids were going to be a bit wired after break, I looked at my calendar to see if there were upcoming IEP meetings, etc. Although we enjoyed a WEEK away from work to spend time with our families, many of us uttered or thought the same thing in spite of being away for 5 days, “I’m not ready to go back to work yet…how many weeks until Christmas break?” It’s not a sign of being a bad teacher, or that you’re not enjoying your job. You’re human, and every human enjoys time off from work to spend with their family!! Today was a little different. I hit my alarm and thought; I’m not ready to go back to work yet. I turned on the news and my position immediately changed. I needed to get to work! I needed to be in an environment where I didn’t question the basic goodness of people on this planet. I needed to get to work be around a group of individuals that are generally hopeful, optimistic, compassionate, empathetic, curious, non-cynical, open to new ideas, willing to listen when shown how, and help each other because, well, that’s simply what children are.
Before someone becomes a mass shooter that needlessly takes the lives of 3 individuals at a Planned Parenthood Center…they’re those things that I mentioned.
Before someone becomes a rouge Chicago police officer that continually pumps bullets into an individual while they’re on the ground…they were those things.
Before individuals become willing to say, “well if he only…” as part of justification for why it was okay to shoot a teen who was walking away from that rouge officer….they were those things.
Before individuals chose to murder 130 Parisians as part of their perverted, incorrect view of Islam…they were those things.
Before some Americans felt it was necessary to label ALL Muslims as terrorists and simply hate…they were those things.
Before some Americans (whose ancestors were immigrants/refugees) felt it was okay to try and keep out other immigrants/refugees that are seeking a better life and safety for their families….they were those things.
Yes, I needed to return to work today. I needed to get back to work for a boost in my faith. Not a boost in my faith in God, but a boost in my faith concerning what God has created. When my God or your God gives them to us as babies they’re perfect. As a teacher I can reassure you that there are a few bumps as children continue their journey to adulthood, but they continue to display an unlimited potential to be better! Recent events in the news have shown us that somewhere along the way things go horribly wrong and a few become adults that disregard life, lack compassion towards those in need, and are unwilling to change for the better. As teachers we’ll continue to do our part to weave life lessons into overcrowded curriculum and schedules. We must also make sure we never underestimate our ability to guide students towards lives that are filled with passion, compassion, empathy, and wisdom from having an open mind and heart.
That’s a pretty big order. For now, I’m thankful that I have the privilege of seeing and shaping the “before” aspect of adults. Yes, the boost worked!
