What Crosses My Mind

  • To Sir With Love

    Oh, if I might dream the scenes of Sidney Poitier in moments as a child. His, a beautiful grace, a magical sojourn for the eyes anyone a witness. I was actually on my couch having a nap when the news came across my phone. I closed my eyes for a moment and recognized that beautiful…

  • A Teacher’s Lament

    I think of my former colleagues today, ~ Walking into a world around me inexplainable yet show up we will. We walk in the classroom, we hold your student’s lives near our heart. We will be there waiting for them the students the inspiration the reason no matter the circumstance outside of our control. We…

  • Sitting In My Personal Space

    Getting ready for the school year, planning lessons, rearranging books and files, adjusting to a new physical classroom.   I wanted to complain tonight, my room still needs desk, 35 kids coming in a week, no ac, the temp was 110 F.   I sat out in the hall, parent and student open house, lots…

  • On People, Love, and executive orders …

    I am thinking about my Muslim students tonight. I am thinking about my Latino, Mexican, African American, Somali, Hispanic, Russian, Asian & White students tonight. I am imagining the confusion in their minds this evening and this weekend as they realize their lives have been measured rather than given the freedoms they would like to…

  • Why Do We Teach?

    We measure our lives for the children, whether we advocate whether we understand whether we accept whether we gratify whether we acknowledge our own defeatist frame of mind while trying to change lives along the way. ~ I faced an obstacle today, one that turned out represented a state of mind, a clear example of…

  • We Cannot Choose

    Search the horizon, acknowledge the occasional bump, maybe a blemish, a stained reality screaming aloud. Pause to breathe, yet don’t step away, keep your eye on obligation, imagine the pearl in the rough awakening, striving and helpless, until time graced innocence accentuates grief’s consequence. Well ahead there exists a euphoric sunrise, perhaps grayed with callous…

  • Our Charges Return

    Streaming in waves, in smiles and raves, the children are arriving this morning, we will welcome all of you with open arms, readied our rooms, and ironed our ties, the days ahead are only meant for you. innocent eyes, and worrisome nights, children of our halls, determined and right. ~ I stepped into the constant…

  • Who Do We Serve?

    I open my curtains and the light shatters the room with brilliance, such is the life of a teacher on opening day of the school year. Fresh minds invade the quiet peace of a marble castle only to gradually tear down the mortar slivered throughout walls of academic prowess. These are our children, these are…

  • 3rd Desk From The Wall

    I sit down alone here, my desk, my refuge for the hour, no one can touch me here oh there might be eyes, occasional grunts, perhaps even a wad of paper, beyond that I have a teacher knows I sit here I sit in the 3rd desk from the wall every day until yesterday. ~…

  • Classroom Blues

    I am a teacher in my classroom now an easy day covering the bases really. Students are on task summer school blues they all want to run why it is summertime. Some know the hours some will return while I gaze across the room I wonder about their lives scanning Facebook learning Pinterest the consequence; a…