After the Big Show

Election day is tomorrow and although I am excited to vote, I do not have the same thrill I did a few months ago. I think the work of student teaching has changed my feelings towards the election.

I do not want to be understood, I am going to vote and encourage everyone to vote. A lot of people have died and dedicated their lives for our right to vote. I just belief my drop in excitement in the election has been caused by my focus on teaching and understanding change through a classroom.

Every time I think about education in U.S. I get frustrated and overwhelmed. I grapple with the different issues that affect my students, their school, and community. I feel like I want to do it all and cover it all. Quickly I learned how overwhelming such practice can be. Yet, there are moments where you are just amazed and almost collapse in the learning that is made. (This past week I had a special ed designated student use the word charisma - very impressive). You teach with every ounce of effort you have, trying everything in the playbook, and when you think you are out of ideas, students seem to rise to the expectation. I had an idea of this program being intellectually demanding and although it is rigorous, I find this experience much more a emotional demand as one must have a genuine dedication & belief and growth in the power of teaching.

I can not address all social ills. I will leave that to policy makers and presidential candidates through the influence of my vote. What I can control and effectively address is my classroom. Thus, my focus is on being an effective teacher. I will vote and look forward for my candidate winning but at the end of the day, my mind, energy, and heart is devoted to the kids in North Philadelphia.

My feelings of my world around my classroom is reflective of the insightful words of Mother Teresa:
"One can do no great thing, just small things with great love."

VOTE!