June 12-19

See, I told you that you have not heard the last of me. With the last days of school behind us as well as the in-service day, it is my turn for the thoughts which has plagued my mind for the last week. There is a lot to do with this job, and I do relish the various concepts I have learned, and the teachers and students whom I have helped. I never knew what to expect or which tangent I would embark. It was a good experience I would not have traded for too much. The most important aspect I have learned is patience--both with one's self and others. Thank goodness we are all different and not an Ayn Rand society where one is placed in an occupation with no thought and no desire for something else. Working with adults and their uniqueness has allowed me to see the whole educational process in a different spectrum compared to just working with students. I get to see superior teaching prowess and a whole new respect for my colleagues, but I also get to see doubt and frustration, which are also good to have because I find that leads me to reflect upon my own complications. I try to be honest with myself and the people whom I work with. I find this to be the best policy. I am not a panacea, but I look at myself as one grain of sugar in that special pill. Will this grant work? It can if it is supported correctly. It does take money, but more importantly it takes support, willingness, success, and belief. This reflection is nothing new and applies to many functions, but in my 30 years in education, I have seen many initiatives come down the proverbial pike and fail due to a breakdown in one of the aforementioned concepts. I am anxious to be an active part in the failure or success (or somewhere in between those two absolutes) of this initiative. Does this first year give me a hint of the placement on the continuum? No, it is too early for me to speculate and there are way too many variables that are beyond my influence. I do know that I am the consummate optimist with a smattering of realist thrown in for good measure. I do sometimes wish I were the Oracle at Delphi, and I would have the answer. Alas, I reserve that function for others who exercise control over items beyond my menial grasp. I can answer that it will work for me. I will blog periodically over the break to collect my thoughts and prepare for next year (I also cannot disappoint my limitless readership[cough, gasp, spittle]). Check in; you never know what you may find.