Day 109

Day 109: Real Time
Day 5: 21 Day Complaint Free Journey


Yesterday started for me before it had any right to be moving around. In fact, I was the only one moving at all. My back yard crew of birds and squirrels wasn’t up yet, and the sun still hadn’t begun to even think about peeking over my fence.

Sometime during the night I woke up and realized I didn’t know where my flash drive was. (Of course, we needn’t talk about why I was thinking about that in the middle of the night. If you’re over 50, I don’t need to say any more, do I? If you’re not, someday you’ll remember I said this.) The drive had my presentation on it for the teachers I was working with, and suddenly it was gone. In the middle of the night. When I should have been resting to prepare for a four hour session that I was doing…. alone.

But, there it was. The worry about an errant piece of equipment. Needless to say, I was up and out of my house while the birds were still snuggled up together in their nests dreaming of the yummy nut and raisin seed I buy them and the squirrels were dreaming important rodent dreams.

And I never did find that flash drive. Which meant I had to download the presentation onto another drive I keep in my desk drawer, the precious one that has family pictures on it. Then get my coffee (priorities, priorities) and off I went, still driving in the morning darkness to arrive in time to be set up and ready for the teachers at 8 AM.

Did you guess yet? We learned and laughed together, as anyone in education has to do in order to stay sane, and made lots of new friends to call on when we’re dejected and worn out. It was a great day.

And they loved the pictures!

Day 5

Day 95

Day 95: Real Time
Day 4: 21 Day Complaint Free Journey


Teachers are pretty cool people. They endure, no matter what. The majority are dedicated to helping kids every day, even under increasingly adverse work conditions.

Do they complain? Of course. Who wouldn’t, in their situation? The stress is huge.

But they still show up.

I worked with a group of about 16 middle and high school teachers yesterday, all of whom teach reading to teenagers. My task was to familiarize them with the book they are required to use and to allow them some time to delve into some strategies that will enable their students to learn to read better. Not just the “average” ones. Even the ones who are performing far below grade level and are often abandoned.

They listened. They participated. I think they appreciated the help. But they really only wanted to be in their empty classrooms getting ready for Monday’s craziness of the first day of school. Their pre-“planning” week is stuffed full of meeting after meeting, training after training, administrative task after bureaucratic paper processing. They have no time for true planning, time they need in order to decide how to present lessons using all the knowledge they have to students they don’t know yet, time to make their rooms engaging and bright for kids.

During my trainings I give teachers an individually wrapped life saver. The message is clear.

So, as all educators show up for the beginning of this school year, bless you for being there. I love working with all of you. Our afternoon together was the highlight of my day, a day without complaint. I hope that I respected your time and provided help rather than hindrance.


A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others. ~Author Unknown