A Short Introduction

I have been very blessed to have wonderful people around me in both buildings which I have taught.  These people have been there to lean on in troubled times and have offered up so much wisdom on the teaching profession and about life in general.  They really have helped mold me into the person I am today.  One of those wonderful people gave me the idea for this blog's name.

We take a an entire grade for a week long, overnight, outdoor education experience each year.  I treasure this time with the staff and students.  Over the last few years, this teacher friend friend of mine has mentioned a letter she once wrote with a similar title to this blog.  Her letter spoke of all things we do at camp that will never be tested but are in the best interest of the students.  It blows us away each year the amount of middle school students who have not fished, hiked, shot a bow and arrow, studied a pond, looked at the stars, or even just rolled down a hill.  In this one week we are able to build wonderful relationships with the students and give them positive experiences that they will carry with them forever.

The argument against an experience like our camp is that testing and data seem to drive education right now.  Now don't get me wrong, the numbers are useful, but this blog is my re-dedication to NOT be defined by the results of these tests and data measurements.  No matter what the politicians think and no matter what the Plain Dealer reports, I am more than the numbers and so are my students.

I do believe we are like math problems; We are the sum of the parts of our lives.  All the good and bad parts of our lives will never leave us.  However, the major difference that separates us from the numbers, is that we get to decide on what parts of our lives we place the most value.

Thanks for joining me and my ramblings.