Notes from public school - day 33

Today, my note comes to you from Charleston.

“How,” you might ask, “Can you teach in Greenville and be in Charleston at the same time?”

You can’t.

I took the day off!

It’s parents weekend at The Citadel and we drove down to be with Bakary.

“I try to come to school every day,” I told my students yesterday. “I try to make it all 180 days. We have a rule at our house. It’s called the 2T Rule. Unless you’re throwing up or have a temperature, you have to go to school. Even I have to follow it! But I’m going to break the rule tomorrow, because I want to see my son.”

There was an audible gasp. 

“Awww,” they sighed, “You’re not going to be here? Awww.”

This moment made me feel good, by the way. I’m glad their wasn’t a series of fist bumps and an, “All right!” when I told them.

“You’re lucky,” I said. “I’m leaving you in good hands. Mrs. Wilson (who was the media specialist at BES for many years and who retired last year) is going to be your sub and Ms. Wheeler, who is our math specialist and teacher extraordinaire (and my dear friend) is going to teach you math. And they’re lucky, because they get to teach a great group of kids like you! So help them out by being the best you and doing the best work you can do. And I can’t wait to high five, handshake, fist bump and hug you again on Monday morning!”

Being a teacher is part being a psychologist and part being a coach and part just being you.

Really, I’m the lucky one. I work at a great school.

So here I am on Sullivan’s Island on a school day!

I’m near one of my favorite spots in the world...the beach around the Sullivan’s Island light house.

We’re waiting to pick up Bakary and take him to another one of my favorite spots in the world...Poe’s Tavern for supper.

Teacher’s are like light house keepers, you know.

We show up each day.

We shine a light for our students to help them find their way emotionally, socially and academically.

Our bodies, our brains and our hearts are on the move from before sunrise to after sunset.

For our students.

But sometimes, just sometimes, we have to be light house keepers for our families and for ourselves.

That sometime is today for me.