Most days, I try to have some sort of positive message on my social media to start the day, just something to remind myself and others that we matter, our voice matters, and that we have the power to be better.
Today’s message on Facebook: Be a good human.
Today’s message on Twitter: Hey! Step and knock today out of the park. If that’s not possible, just be a good human. Either way, you are doing great. ❤️
Today’s blog started going down that road of snark, sarcasm, and political bullsh*t. Last night, I missed the State of the Union, our president’s time to speak directly to the American people about the state of our country. I cannot talk about the speech, but the “reply” from our own Iowa governor was, well, sad.
#thatanunderstatement
I was going to write about it, but instead, made that conscious choice away from looking at the negative (today’s been a meh day already). We deal with disrespect, anger, depression, and a slew of other things in school every single day. Why add to it?
So, I’m trying to be a good human today. I’m trying as 7th graders feel like they don’t have to sit in the seats they are assigned or do the work that is assigned. I’m trying as 6th graders feel like they can argue about everything, whether assignments, videos, or the reading we do. I’m trying as I deal with behaviors that two years ago would NEVER have shown up our classrooms.
I’m trying to knock in out of the park. I really am. I was never a baseball player, so the chances of that happening are slim to none.
But, I’m trying to be a better human.
And what about you? Did you knock it out of the park? Or did you just manage to be a good human?
We do what we can, we regroup, and we come back to try do better.
It’s what we do.
The Life of a Conflicted Teacher 
March 2, 2022 at 11:17 pm
You definitely knocked it out of the park with this entry. I wish everyone had the humility to step back, take a deep breath, and challenge themselves to be a good human. Thank you for this post; I know I will think of it often.
March 3, 2022 at 10:45 am
Wow, that made my day! I wish I had the humility to see that happening in front of me. I tend to be overly hard on myself, so I appreciate your comment today! 🙂
March 3, 2022 at 9:35 pm
You are very welcome!
March 2, 2022 at 11:41 pm
I like this message because that is all you can shoot for is just trying to be the best version of yourself that you can be. I think at the moment, this was a good message for me to read because it has definitely been a February slump. Each day I just try to be the best I can be.
March 3, 2022 at 10:42 am
Febuary was a hot mess all the way through. That first day of March just felt better. I hope yours did too! 🙂
March 3, 2022 at 4:15 am
There are so many situations that call for us to regroup, from the larger societal shifts to the day-to-day shocks. I didn’t see the State of the Union, but for some reason did watch “you” governor’s rebuttal. I think of you every time I hear anything about Iowa in the news. As frustrated as I can get here in MA, the majority of those around me share a similar political stance. I love your twitter messages. They give me a boost every day.
March 3, 2022 at 10:41 am
>the majority of those around me share a similar political stance.<
And this is where I end up feeling pretty alone. So many of those around me have become different. I remember you asking did Missouri change or did we? I ask did Iowa change or did I? The answer, yes. 😉
I appreciate the Twitter feedback. I'll keep it up! 🙂
March 3, 2022 at 4:39 am
The tone of your entry is calming to me. Somehow you capture despair and hope in your thoughts. I am often in this same vortex wondering what to do next. But, as you put it we just have to show up and keep trying to do better. Thanks for sharing.
March 3, 2022 at 10:39 am
>despair and hope<
Two of my favorites! 🙂 Somedays, it feels like those are a ying and yang of teaching because theres's so much of both of them tied together! However, we keep showing up! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
March 3, 2022 at 8:06 pm
We are all trying, that’s for sure. It is refreshing to read that I am not the only one seeing behaviors that we never would have had before! Some days I think that I must have forgotten entirely how to teach. I will take your advice and remind myself to be a good human instead.
March 4, 2022 at 8:06 pm
Nope, you are certainly not the only one. It seems to be a pattern right now, and not in a good way! I wish a TikTok trend would come along with a “Hey, be kind” theme, but I’m dreaming. 🙂
March 4, 2022 at 8:13 pm
It’s a nice dream, though. Maybe the one after “Hey, be kind” could be “do your schoolwork in order to shock the adults in your life.”
March 4, 2022 at 8:14 pm
LOL!!! I love it!!!
March 7, 2022 at 9:45 pm
Darin, in my mind, being a good human IS knocking it out of the park. There are so few of those lately, or at least it seems that way based on what we see in the news, on social media and even walking down the street. Be a good human should be a hashtag. Thank you for sharing.