High school magic
Tuesday's are meeting days around here. That means when you get out of work you either sit down with some folks and talk turkey in a classroom, or you head down to the library and meet with the entire faculty. Way back in the day in a former life as a substitute teacher I would walk by faculty meetings and look in from the outside with a bit of sadness, sort of like I had yet to arrive, and maybe I never would. At this point I have sat through my share, and they have run the gamut from fun and lively to something akin to watching a cat sleep for a few hours. Lately, though, they've been good. And this last one was really good. Let me explain that a bit. Faculty meetings lately involve food. Each month a different department takes the helm and makes something topical. It could be that everything is green because your department picked March and there's a Saint Patricks Day theme. So on this fateful day I walked in and everything was, well, ice colored. As I stood at the table, spread with all manner of icy treat goodness, I began to scratch my head. I looked over at the 'make your own snow cone' setup. I looked back at the table. Scratched my head again. I then saw Melanie Brown filming me and it clicked. All this stuff was for in honor of my upcoming trip. Whoh.
But wait. It gets better.
I head to my seat, the principal Jim Blain gets up and gives us a some info on upcoming stuff, and then, then Mark Beigel (my department head) stands up and gives a great little speech about my upcoming adventure. It was a nice touch. I thank him, but then i'm told they (the staff) aren't done with me. For the next 25 minutes I am showered with an assortment of Antarctic related presents - some practical (who doesn't want some Dramamine when heading into the Drake Passage or some thick socks and hand warmers), some just funny (a faux beard, the penguin feet slippers, and a mountain of 'ice' flavored gum (maybe they were trying to tell me something?)). I couldn't believe it. What I really couldn't believe was that it was happening to me, that all these folks went way out of their way to be so nice to me like that. I was really touched. I also want to give a special shout out to Mark, Mel, and Joe. You guys have been over the top.
It comes down to this. We all work hard. We all want to be seen - to be acknowledged for the energy we put into what we do. But for so many, it never happens. Years and years and years of hard work go into a job, and in the end people say congratulations, you get a little present, and off you go to retirement. While that may be an oversimplification, the deserving often don't get what they deserve. Obviously, its not why we do what we do. Teaching, like many other avocations, is a soul craft - it comes from a sense of duty and is done by people with heart; many of us are almost 'called' to this profession. The teachers out there reading this will know what i'm saying. That doesn't mean that we don't all deserve to be honored for what we do - we do, and in a just world, it would happen more than it does. Honestly, the fact that it happened to me and not to so many other deserving teachers in my building leaves me a little bewildered. But it did.
And to all of you who sat in that library - thank you.
But wait. It gets better.
I head to my seat, the principal Jim Blain gets up and gives us a some info on upcoming stuff, and then, then Mark Beigel (my department head) stands up and gives a great little speech about my upcoming adventure. It was a nice touch. I thank him, but then i'm told they (the staff) aren't done with me. For the next 25 minutes I am showered with an assortment of Antarctic related presents - some practical (who doesn't want some Dramamine when heading into the Drake Passage or some thick socks and hand warmers), some just funny (a faux beard, the penguin feet slippers, and a mountain of 'ice' flavored gum (maybe they were trying to tell me something?)). I couldn't believe it. What I really couldn't believe was that it was happening to me, that all these folks went way out of their way to be so nice to me like that. I was really touched. I also want to give a special shout out to Mark, Mel, and Joe. You guys have been over the top.
It comes down to this. We all work hard. We all want to be seen - to be acknowledged for the energy we put into what we do. But for so many, it never happens. Years and years and years of hard work go into a job, and in the end people say congratulations, you get a little present, and off you go to retirement. While that may be an oversimplification, the deserving often don't get what they deserve. Obviously, its not why we do what we do. Teaching, like many other avocations, is a soul craft - it comes from a sense of duty and is done by people with heart; many of us are almost 'called' to this profession. The teachers out there reading this will know what i'm saying. That doesn't mean that we don't all deserve to be honored for what we do - we do, and in a just world, it would happen more than it does. Honestly, the fact that it happened to me and not to so many other deserving teachers in my building leaves me a little bewildered. But it did.
And to all of you who sat in that library - thank you.
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