Where has the time gone???

So my intent for starting this post was to actually update it on a regular basis.  As you can see, it's not happening.  School starts in September and I'm off and running.  Now it's April, 5 Mondays left in the year, and I have failed at my own goal. Better late than never, as I would tell me own students.

The tragic events today in Boston bring to mind two things for me.  First, what is happening to our world?  How is it that something intended to be a celebration of health and personal accomplishment can so easily be turned into such tragedy?  There are so many unanswered questions at this point, in particular the who and the why.  But no answers can change the feeling in the pit of my stomach right now.

Second, as all tragedies do, it is a reminder to treasure every day. Never walk away from an opportunity to do something good, to make a positive difference in someone's life.  As I reflect on my day to day routine, I'm going to be looking harder at what I can do differently tomorrow, and every day, to reach those unreachable students, to put a smile on a student's face, to give a colleague a boost of encouragement to try something new, or keep doing the great job they do every day.

What difference will you make in your world tomorrow?

It's not as though my life isn't busy enough.  Any teacher can relate to time spent planning, teaching, grading, changing lessons, reteaching, looking for new ideas, integrating technology, 20 minutes to inhale lunch (on a good day), student supervision, grading work, entering grades, contacting parents, tracking down students for make up work, teacher meetings, PLC's........WHEW!  I'm pooped just listing them all, and I KNOW I didn't get them all.  So why on earth would I take this on?  Why on earth would I start a blog?  Because I have something to say.  It doesn't mean anyone is out there to listen, but from what I have learned while reading other people's blogs and about blogs, it's not about writing for someone else, it's about writing for yourself.

I started my 17th year in the teaching profession this fall.  17 years!  One year short of my youngest child's life time.  While to her these years seem to have slugged by (because by age 18 they ALL want out of the "rent's" house and in to their own) I can't believe how they have flown and more importantly, how many changes I have seen in education.

I went into teaching because I love kids, more specifically high school kids.  I chose Business and Technology because it is always changing.  I can create a course and write curriculum for it, but that's usually only good for one, maybe two years.  Then something has changed in reality to make me have to rewrite or update so I can stay current.  If I don't, my students will let me know.  I love that!  I love that my classroom is open for students to express they know something I don't, I love that they can teach me something, I love that I can use these experiences to teach them humility about their own knowledge.  I love my job!