Faith's Findings

Let me brag on my kids: Earlier this school year, my AP kids read  "Blessed is the Full Plate" This was meant as a short article to really analyze for  rhetorical appeals, etc. However, what happened was not on my lesson plan, nor was it expected.  The kids read and analyzed this article, which I highly encourage you to read (link above). The discussion that happened made my heart leap.  Things such as:  "Why don't churches feed more hungry people?"  "Isn't that what Jesus/faith is about?"  "Don't we have homeless here?"  "Can we do something to reach out to them?"  "Ms. Normand, what can we do??"  THIS. THIS is why I teach.  I sat and swallowed tears of pride and joy as my kids wanted to take action in their own community.  THIS. THIS is why I teach.  No. This growth won't be on a data wall in a data room where the show is. No. This doesn't meet any CCSS, GLE, or the next set of standards that's headed...

"Don't you get tired of hot pockets?!?" They said. This was the last thing I remember before my world---our world---was rocked.  Hysteria burst through my door and I couldn't fathom what was being sobbed. I read the messages as hysteria screamed, "They said she didn't make it. What does that mean?? Tell me what that means!!"   And time stood still.  The nightmare was now my reality and I confirmed everyone's worst fear---she didn't make it. She died. An hour before, she was here in these halls, ordering her cap and gown. And there we were---trying to fathom a world where she wouldn't wear that cap and gown.  This wasn't supposed to happen to my school---to my kids. I wasn't supposed to grieve the loss of a current student this early in my career. Of all the preparation that goes into being a teacher, there's none that prepares one for this. My kids shouldn't have to grieve one of their own.  It's hard.  It's beyond har...