Happy New Year!

OK, I understand it's a little late for New Year's resolutions and Lent has come and gone but I'm the type of person that uses every milestone or calendar event as an opportunity to reflect on what has gone by, look to the future, and strike out on a plan that eventually, hopefully, leads to a better me.

The end of the school year is always a perfect time for me to do this. From the banal "how much weight can I lose before school starts?" to "what amazing books can I immerse myself in?" to "where can I hike to that really pushes the limits?". I look to summer break as a chance to reinvent. It's one of the many blessings of working in public education. Yes, there are many blessings. They are there to perfectly counter-balance the many curses we incur.

I earned some cursing in a big way these past couple weeks. My behavior and the actions of others concerned has really caused me to pause and reflect on how I could better handle some of my emotions or at least better filter my words.

I was on a roll. I was feeling passionate and self-righteous and when a co-worker approached me about a student I had been advocating for, I let 'er rip. I had made too many assumptions regarding this person and I said some things that were snarky and pointed. I would like to say I was instantly mortified by my behavior and vowed to check it right then and there but that was not the case. I replayed the incident in my mind for a good portion of the day, at times reveling in my bitchery. Later in the day, I apologized, mostly telling myself I was amending an unprofessional moment by being professional. Truth is, words that come out like barbed-wire can cause some irreparable damage to the giver and the receiver. Pretty sure she let it go after her initial cursing me out under her breath. I'll probably replay it a little while longer just to figure out what I could have done better...

After all was said and done, students dismissed, rooms packed up, many of our staff rallied at Kennedy School, a McMennamin's reinvention of a historic school in Portland. It was there that I looked around and reflected on the fact that I work with some really wonderful people. People with hyper-sharp wit, people with ginormous hearts filled with compassion, brilliant people with passion and a drive to change the world for the better. These people are educators.

Some may complain about the time we "take off" at the end of each school year but every teacher I know personally is taking some sort of workshop or training, working on some new curricular idea, volunteering or working with one benevolent organization or another. The travelers do so hoping to learn a little more about the world. The readers read for enrichment and pleasure. We all hope for a summer that brings refreshment and rejuvenation to our lives. We've all done a little cursing the last couple of weeks, now it's time to count our blessings.

My plans for summer break? All of the above; and I am really, really looking forward to getting back to work in the fall. I hope to return with a more fit body, more patience and wisdom...a glowing even tan would be nice too.

See you in September :)