How Wonderful It Is

I have been on the fence, so to speak, about this school year. Many things have changed since this time last year, and many of the changes are not for the better. We return - to battle the disappointments of realizing that Camelot will not materialize as originally promised, to tackle the challenges of working with an impoverished student body, and to push through the stresses of moving forward in uncertainty and unpreparedness that is beyond our control. We face the pressure of outside forces that muffle our heart cry for meeting the needs of our students in meaningful ways, and navigate the internal strife caused by politics and misunderstandings. So I came back to school still mourning the loss of our collective dream and my personal ideals. I dismantled the hurried packing job that I completed last June and stood in the midst of the chaos, overwhelmed by the clutter. I sat through the first two days of somewhat dubious professional development, gritting my teeth and trying to be invisible. Then I spent the weekend with my loved ones and cherished reality. I prayed a lot and thought about God's sovereignty. I remembered that God disciplines and prunes and that the process is painful, but the result is fruitfulness. On Monday, our teaching and leadership staff undertook a community walk to disseminate information and welcome families back to school. I saw some of my students and parents from last year. As my group walked and talked, I got some face time with my principal and was able to express some of my concerns. On Tuesday, I was beginning to feel ready to meet the new school year. My friend posted this quote from Anne Frank: How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. Today, I attended some professional development that was right on target and very encouraging. I feel lucky to be working in a department that understands and advocates best practices for Prekindergarten teachers and students. I have a lot to accomplish before Monday, but wondering if I will love teaching is not one of those things. It's going to be a great year.