Pushing Brown School on Teachers on a Saturday @_Mitchellaneous @julieroneson @USNBham2013

Yesterday, during a last-meeting before heading to Alabama to present at the USN Writing Conference, Shaun Mitchell of Central and Julie Roneson of Discovery Magnet quickly took a time out to play dress up. We were all venting, although lightly, of the work we have to do, the inequities we see in Connecticut schools, the vision we have for doing better, and the papers we have left to grade (or file, in some cases) when something was said that made me think: these two need to play dress up.

Yes, we have many pens and a willingness to write for change in this world, but sometimes we also need to have a good laugh.

Once upon a time I had a warehouse of such goods in my classroom that students explored whenever creativity was required. Now, there's too few opportunities for such silliness, even if I do still have a small drawer full of knick knacks  from my Brown School days. The props came to the rescue just when we needed to laugh.

Yes, good teachers meet on Saturdays to work on being professional . This often goes unrecognized, under-appreciated, and definitely without compensation. That is why it also requires a sense of humor
It is what is done so we can stay atop of our profession and to get ready. We are totally pumped  for our work down south later this week.

Alabama, here we come. We can't wait to meet the extraordinary hosts who put this event together.