The World We Live In

     Scary stuff out there this past week would be an understatement!  Here's what I'm thinking:  Is this the legacy that we want to leave our children?  One of my favorite units to teach is the one I do as we approach Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January.  Every year, my students are surprised that there used to be segregation.  In their world, they have not been segregated, at least not the way it was in the 60's.  When I separate my students into dark-skinned and light skinned groups and ask them to take a look at who is in each group it really hits home!  Most of them can't believe that in the 60's, they wouldn't have even had the opportunity to meet some of their closest friends.  In my classrooms, past and present, we don't see skin color.  We learn together, we grow together, we make mistakes together, we build friendships together.
     Tolerance is taught in most schools.  I know it is in ours.  We also teach rules and expectations.  This is harder for some students than others.  The struggle is real.  As teachers, we work diligently to help our students understand that.  We have little control over what our students go home to each night and what our students are being told there.
     Making the world a better place for the next generation needs to be a joint effort between the community and home.  When we see the reports on the news, I firmly believe that some of the fault lies with the media. They only tell part of the story and people get all riled up. Then they have more to report, while innocent lives are lost. It's job security for them. That being said, do I believe that, in some instances, there is police over-reach.  Sure I do.  In other cases, if the person, regardless of color, did as they were asked, they might still be alive.  Rules are in place for the betterment of our society.  We teach our children to follow them in school.  The rules also work in the real world, for the most part.  However, just like in schools, there are some who have a hard time following them.
    Am I naive enough to think that there are still people out there that judge by the color of skin only?  No, I am not that naive.  Do I think racism is learned? Yes.  This is not a "Black Lives Matter" hot topic.  ALL lives matter! EVERY person that dies is someone's child, someone's brother or sister.  Think about that as the new school year rapidly approaches and you have discussions around the dinner table.

So Much to Say....

     My head is swimming with so much of what has happened this summer, some of it big, some of it, not so much.  I'm debating with spreading it out between several entries or just one long one.  I think it is best to just start at the beginning:
     At the end of May, I became aware of a PreK opening in our school district in a different elementary building than where I've been for the last five years.  For those of you who don't know, I was teaching kindergarten when I became aware of this position.  After talking it over with my husband and a handful of trusted teaching friends, I made the decision to feel out that opportunity.  I met with the building principal.  Guess what!!  She has an Early Childhood background!  BONUS!!  A few days later, I was offered the position!  I accepted it.  :)
     I accepted for several reasons. When teaching kindergarten, I've had a handful of students each year who are not "kindergarten ready."  With education where it is currently, students entering kindergarten are expected to know more concepts, coming into the public school setting, than ever before.  Do I agree with this?  Let's just say that in 30+ years of teaching, district are expecting more and more from our littlest students.  I feel that, in changing to PreK, I can help prepare those students entrusted to my care, be more prepared to enter kindergarten with the skills they need to be successful.
     I also believe that I will be able to grow as an educator by changing grade levels and schools.  While I will miss the daily interaction with so many close friends and teaching professionals, I'm not leaving town, just schools.  Those who are my friends, will continue to be my friends and I will be able to see them outside of the school setting.
     Also, in teaching PreK, there is more professional freedom to do what I feel is best for children, while exciting them about learning.  I am SO EXCITED about that!!  So much of what I will be teaching in PreK is what I used to teach when I first started teaching kindergarten so long ago. What I will begin teaching in August will be age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate.  For that, I am truly grateful for the opportunity!
     Coming up next:  Thoughts on family.