And then this....

It is a cold, rainy Tuesday.  I am not working at the school today, but I am working on school work.  I am creating lesson plans, reading about lesson planning and classroom management.  I was assigned to watch a YouTube video on classroom management. I watched the video.  It was so, so good.  The young teacher in the video had great control over his class.  However, through the 38 minutes of the video our computer's virus protection program was making an annoying notification sound, to alert me that our software license has expired.  There is a communication error between the renewal and some box that needs checked or unchecked within the program so that it can stop notifying us that it's expired.  We renewed...the program isn't smart enough to know that.  In order to make the alert sound stop, I need to know our password to get into the settings of the program to change the communication error.  I text John.  He doesn't remember the password.  He suggests resetting the password.  I cannot reset the password because the program doesn't believe me that I know the answer to a security question.  The question is asking me what John's high school nickname is.  I know this answer.  I even called John to double check.  We tried a couple variations.  No go.  The sound continues.  I was annoyed.  I attempted to shut down the program.  I was alerted that I need to answer the security question.  It wants a new password.  I click "reset password."  It wants the security question answer to reset the password. Ugh.  I'm beginning to feel like the emotion Anger from the movie Inside Out.  

I need a break so I decide to go for a short run.  It's cold, but for the time being it's drizzling.  I get a mile into the run and the rain picks up.  Suddenly I also have to pee.  I jog back home.  Grrr....

Feeling angry, annoyed, and hungry (never a good combination) I look on the kitchen counter and see a photo I had gotten out the other day when I was hunting pictures of Elliot for his birthday.  It's a simple moment.  I love it.  It makes me laugh out loud.  I look at it while I eat lunch. I'm still looking at it while I am typing this.  It reminds me to cool anger off. 

I go back to the computer.  I find a different setting and shut the notification off.  I bypassed the program's settings.  I feel better.  Elliot is adorable.  I hope he also remembers to laugh when he is frustrated. 

The Class

Teachers have to do a lot of work to earn and keep a teaching license.  I started my licensure class through the Virginia Department of Education this week.  The class meets on Tuesday evenings--farewell to Tuesday dinnertime, and every other Saturday--from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until mid June.  Luckily the class meets in Fredericksburg at a local high school.  I don't have to travel far.  After just the first two meetings I feel inspired and also encouraged that I am making the right choice.  It's a little scary too.  What if I cannot find a job when all this is completed?  Will I miss too many moments at home?  How will the laundry get done?  Am I going to be a good teacher?  Thinking about being assessed as a student teacher makes me nervous; I don't enjoy evaluations.  These thoughts can snowball, so I am choosing to just take it one class session at a time. 

During class on Saturday we discussed relationships with students.  We discussed the importance teacher/student relationships play in education and connection.  The instructor showed us an amazing short video from an educator, Rita Pierson, that was in the field for more than 40 years.  I'd need to remain teaching into my 80's if I hope to reach that milestone...I'm not certain that I will want to achieve that.  Only time will tell I suppose.  Back to the one session at a time approach I guess.  : )

Hopefully, we have a teacher who touched us, believed in us, inspired us, didn't give up on us.  I was fortunate enough to have had teachers like Larry Larson for elementary PE, Clarke Haren for Jr. High geography, and Steve Froehlich for senior English.  These were teachers that truly inspired me.  I can remember now their unique aphorisms and the truths each contained.  They believed in me.  They knew my name, my interests, and generally cared about students.  I felt a connection to them.  It's teachers like Mr. Larson, Mr. Haren, Mr. Froehlich, and Mrs. Pierson that shape students and leave lasting impressions.  As I proceed with my class and enter the teaching field, as a licensed teacher, I can only hope to do what many before me have done.  

Here is a link to the video.  Even if you are not a teacher, take a look.  Perhaps you can see the world through the eyes of a teacher.  They are wondrous, devoted creatures. 

https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion?language=en

Thanks for reading.