It was a good quote for me last night as it has made think about the areas of life I want to feed, areas including family, home, adventure, and teaching well.
The schoolhouse is filled with detours when it comes to teaching well as it's a busy place with many, many possible paths to travel in a day's time--conversation paths, action paths, teaching paths, planning paths. There's a lot to navigate.
Hence as one thinks of teaching well, it's important to develop those paths towards teaching success and avoid or "starve" those paths that work in the other direction, paths that take you away from the good work possible.
The center of my work is the child--how can I truly support and serve each child well. Working outward, my next aim is to support that child's family because when I can be of help to the family, I am also helping the child. Then, I want to be a positive contributor to my teaching/learning team and organization.
To focus on the child means avoiding the bigger issues at bay in a schoolhouse, issues that I have little voice or control over. For example, last night I got upset about a last minute directive to prepare my room for a weekend housekeeping project--a project that had to be done, and a project which meant I had to change my schedule. Truly, I have no control or knowledge of the construction and maintenance projects that are ongoing in my school. In fact I know almost nothing about building maintenance beyond what I understand in terms of my own home. Hence, why even bother getting involved in issues like that--just let it be and spend that time focused on family, the children, my home, and adventure.
Knowing what matters and "feeding" those areas of life are integral to reaching for your vision and dreams. Too many detours get in the way, and when possible are best to avoid. The bumpy road of learning continues. Onward.
