Friday, Friday, Friday.....

There are only a few professions that I can think of that require ongoing training, doctors and lawyers. Teachers are the profession tat most people are not aware of that require development after their degree is conferred. In fact for most teachers that have received their degree they have to get 150 hours of training over 5 years. I am lucky to work in a disctrict that really asks for you to expand yourself. It is this reason that I write this blog from Austin tonight in preparation for the training that I will attend tomorrow. It is also because of this reason, and a talk that I had with a veteran teacher, that have really inspired tonight's post.

 I spend the last three hours with one of the nicest people that I have met. Her determination after 40 years in the classroom is an inspiration to everyone. She has a great outlook on life and a really practical approach to teaching. We talked about a lot of things. The thing that really inspires me though is the fact that she constantly attends training. Her attitude is that she can always learn something. She views this as a profession, and despite the fact that teachers have now become those that "could not do." She takes it as serious as a doctor takes his development. I feel that as an educator this provides a glimer of hope that you will not become a bitter old educator that does not feel there is any hope left. A lot of teachers by the time they get further along in their career become jaded and cynical towards kids and other educators. It is refreshing to see someone that is so ready to embrace education for themselves and to further themselves in the career. Sometimes I feel that there is not a lot of hope. The negativity gets to me, like it does to others.

This week has been a tough one. A week after a vacation is always tough, but when you take your corporate week off you have to multiply it by 105 kids that I teach and that is the result. The kids were tired and I was tired. The hope for the week was that they learned something. If nothing else, by the end of the week no matter how good or bad I know that I am there and that is more than some of them have at home. Hopefully, there is one person this week that I have made an impact on. For I am not just an educator, sometimes I am the only stable force in some of these kid's lives.

Well that is it for my first week. I hope that you have enjoyed it or at least it has been educational. Until Monday goodnight.

Nations have recently been led to borrow billions for war; no nation has ever borrowed largely for education.  Probably, no nation is rich enough to pay for both war and civilization.  We must make our choice; we cannot have both.  ~Abraham Flexner