As I look back on the various topics that have come up on this lovely little piece of universe, I’ve talk about this one before, about this same time last year.  So, by all means, skip over this, and do a search in the wildly winding window to my mind that is my archives, or just follow me along the path! 🙂

 

I’m just tired right now.  And it’s not just a “didn’t get a good night sleep” tired, but I am that.  My wife attending a training four hours away, so our Valentine’s Day was spent sending the occasional text to each other, then Skyping until our Internet connection went back.  Yes, I’m that tired, but I’m just weary, bone tired,  right now at what I see as a continual assault on my job, my students, and what I love doing.  I do love being connected more closely to the goings on of Iowa, yet, I wish I could remove myself from it as well.  I see our Governor holding funding hostage until he gets his way.  I see some great ideas being bouncing around, yet, much of what will be voted on will be a lot of business as usual.  I see my teaching being slowly narrowed by testing, federal requirements, and the decisions of those who either have never been in a classroom, or who have no business in a classroom.  And I know, you can only control that which is around you, but yet, I just feel wore down by all this.

 

I look at our own district, the major changes that are going on, and how it’s effecting the lives of those around me.  I know there will be some of my students I won’t see after this year.  Why?  Because their families are worried about playing time on sports teams.  What?? Are you kidding me?? You are going to disrupt the lives of your family because, when we merge, your son/daughter might not be able to play??  That attitude wears me out, because you can’t point to the fact our district needed to make a change, that the course offering will benefit so many more students, or coaches aren’t going to put crappy teams on the field, they want to win too.  Nope, little Bobby might not get a chance to be on the team at a bigger school, so we’ll put those sports in front of the fact that if he can’t read, he can’t play!  We’ll make it work, we always do, yet I just wish seeing that light at the end of the tunnel, I didn’t get the feeling that it was a train barreling down on me! 🙂

 

There are glimmers though.  We are talking about multi-aging a couple of classes, which would be awesome.  Our middle school will rock, because we have outstanding teachers who will make the incoming students feel like they’ve just walked into home.  I’m making connections on my other account (AnIowaCoach) finding that there are some tremendous coaching minds out there, along with some down right positive people.  Plus, spring isn’t too far away either.

 

I can’t disconnect.  I’ve grown too much to not want to keep my ear to the ground about what’s going on with my future.  However, it’s tiring year after year to watch the same things be played out.  If you want to change education, great, do it in a manner that is meaningful, not just more paperwork and testing.  Make the change rough and hard, but make it so that we can’t recognize the profession.  Change scares the heck out of me, but I can feel the energy with change.  Right now, I just feel bogged down by the promise of change tied to so many strings.  Make it, get it done, and let us get to work, otherwise, let those qualified have a crack at it and let us see what we can come up with!

 

Sorry, a little rambly again, but just nice to talk with you about this! 😀