Year Eighteen - The Teaching Saga Continues

As we embark on another school year, I'm overwhelmed, excited, and fearful all at the same time.  I'm overwhelmed because I have so many things to do to get ready for this year.  I still have to update the syllabi for my classes, update my lesson plans for the start of the year, etc.  Meanwhile, I'm excited because of the new technology opportunities which present themselves every year, my new

whiteboard table, the exercise balls students will be able to use as chairs, and the freedom my students will have in my classroom this year. Finally, I'm fearful because I want to make sure I am giving my students every opportunity they need to be successful later in high school and life.  What if I'm the cause of a student's inability to excel in college or find a job?  That scares me.

Regardless of my feelings, it's good to know my students and I have the opportunity to do something great this year.  Will one of my students create some cool Kickstarter campaign like this one trying to create a documentary about the life of poet Emily Dickinson?  Will I push myself and my students to excel to the point that I will win the National Teacher of the Year award (English teachers have won three of the last four years - I'm just saying)?  Will we all learn something new this year, like that there's such a thing as a reflection nebula (I'm not sure why we would learn this in English, but you catch my drift)?  Will my yearbook staff earn our school's first-ever Gold Crown from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association?

I don't know the answers to all of these questions and millions of others could be asked, but that is what makes the field of education one of the best places to be in the world.  If you are a student, work hard so you are prepared to leave your mark on the world.  If you are a teacher, positively impact the minds of students so they can dream big.  If you are an administrator, support your teachers and students so they can accomplish greatness.  If you are a parent or community member, be there when a student needs someone to read his/her blog post (I am going to be asking my community members to do that this year).  We can all do something to make this a memorable year.