on teaching, in spite of....

this teaching,
it's in my blood -
smile on my face
coffee cup in hand
scurrying around room 804
delighting in students'
curiosity
creativity
and
learning
but
this new year
will be one of those
in-spite-of years
as
i feel the
rip current our state legislature has created
dragging teachers and students
into a sea of
mistrust
mediocrity
frustration
and
difficulty
but
this teaching,
it's in my blood
and
in-spite-of
over crowding
fewer resources
and
less funding
my students and i will
matter
if not to our representatives,
to each other
and this teaching,
it's
in
my
blood

i feel the most disrespected and undervalued i have ever felt as a public servant. could i make more of an impact with fewer students in the room? yes. could my students have better days if we had enough transportation money for them to board a bus after 6:00 am? yes. could elementary school teachers achieve more with each student if they had assistants? yes. could NC attract bright new teachers if we offered pay raises and monetary incentives to pursue higher degrees? absolutely. but at this point, i have done all i can do. i have researched, contacted my representative (who voted against the budget) and sighed a lot. now, it's time to depend on the gifts god has bestowed, unlock room 804 and make a difference. oh lord, there is none like you to help....

linking with jennifer and emily