Okay, Thursday. This Week Has Not Gone According to Any Sane Plan, So I Am Going to Celebrate a Phenomenal Wednesday Afternoon, Instead

The Book of Job, and Archibald MacLeish's JB, taught me one thing. Still maintain faith on good, despite all the crazy thrown upon you. Yes, it should be a religious decision, but that's not how I operate, unless you look at the good in humanity or in nature to give meaning for living a better life. God lives in the every day routines we too often overlook. That, I believe.

Yesterday, I spent my afternoon with incredible people from Bridgeport Public Schools celebrating the inspirational work of teaching, administrating, and doing the best for kids. I was fortunate to see friends with awards: William King as an Inspiration recipient, Jessica Baldizon with the Beard Award, and Saran Smith as the outstanding administrator. I felt the love, the joy, the dedication, and the support. It was two hours of awesome and I feel very fortunate to have had opportunity to be there, present in the moment, hooting and hollering for the excellence of others who have chosen excellence in their lives. 

This, after more and more of its opposite in the career work I do at the University. I am super proud of the teacher leaders that have been with me via CWP-Fairfield, great literacy work, and commitments to English language learners. They are the hope. 

At some point I need to grade. They are due. 

Yesterday, we wrapped 40+ books for student teachers who have just finished a semester of student teaching and completing the EdTPA bureaucracy Pearson has caused for certifying teachers - an extra layer of insanity to topple the insanity that already exists for simply doing good work. And they (we) do it because we wish to invest in the best for kids in our schools. 

I did a brief scan of news of the day and I simply want to shut off the world and hide. This is not the nation I grew up in, the one I believed in, nor the one that should be making me proud. It's quite the opposite, actually, and I need to find a way to recharge so I can do the work I've loved doing for so long. I'm simply looking to restore hope, which I know will take time.

I have my faith. I know what it is good. And I'm stubborn to fight for what I know is right. But I also know there's one so much that can be done.

The Inspiration Award recipients deserve the universe. They are the magic makers of only one city, in only one state, in a nation that needs to do so much better for its educators...

...and the families of K-12 youth.