Okay, Tuesday Morning! I'm Channeling the Books and My Teachers! We Simply Need Space To Write

What happens when you say to a room full of graduate students, "We've read the 2nd chapter on action research. The experts say that we should write for 15-20 minutes a day, but the biggest obstacles for in-class teachers is time. So, I'm giving you the next 20 minutes to write what you're thinking...."

BOOM.

We go over the 20 minutes and everyone is closer to the goal they have in mind. They wrote. It was quiet. The writing was reall.

Seriously, as much as I hate NOT to monopolize a class with my thinking on this or that topic, it truly is remarkable to simply hand over the class space to allow teachers to compose. Less preaching. More space.

This is no different than a K-12 classroom. There are so many obstacles pulling us in numerous directions. Educators, like their students, simply need silence and quiet, safe spaces, and room to gather what they are thinking.

And it pays off.

After 30 minutes or so, I had a class full of focused, more directed teachers ready and willing to move forward with individual action research projects. Yes, some see the research course as a hoop they need to jump through, but all recognize the importance of having space to pursue a project that can make a difference in the lives of their kids. They value the study I'm requiring of them.

And I'm exhausted. MLK Youth Leadership Academy, Edem's 28th, followed by Run For Refugees, did a lot to my weekend. I wasn't able to catch up, and get ahead like I usually do. I entered yesterday with total sprinting to get everything ready and done (I know. I know. An extra birthday party shouldn't cause such a ruffle in a week's worth of work, but it does).

I'm just thankful that I am not an untenured faculty member having to work on my materials to submit to my department. Those days added a whole other layer of insane to my January / February. At least that is off my plate. They are gone.

Ah, Tuesday. You really need it to catch zzzz's from the weekend, but at 6 a.m. I'm up writing and getting ready for the day.

We got this. There's no other choice.