Notes From Public School - Day 95

When I was a kid, I loved Saturday mornings.

Why?

Because I could get up before sunrise (much to my parents chagrin, who had to sing, dance and blink my room light on and off a hundred times on Mondays through Fridays to get me up for school).

And because I could watch Schoolhouse Rock!

Did you watch it, too?

My favorite was The Preamble to the Constitution (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RnVmIrAiQB8)

It still is.

I memorized the Preamble by memorizing the song.

I show it to my students.

I sing it to them!

And I hope very much it goes from our brains to our hearts to our hands to our feet to our words.

WE the people…establish JUSTICE…promote the GENERAL WELFARE…secure the blessings of LIBERTY.

Wow.

What ideals.

The poet Amanda Gorman wrote in her poem “The Hill We Climb” that, “Somehow, we’ve weathered and witnessed A nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished.”

What hope.

What grace.

I hope I’m helping my 9 and 10 year olds (and myself) work toward fixing our nation, finishing our nation, every day.

Today, during eLearning, one of my students, Garrett, sang the Preamble for 20 4th graders and for me.

“My palms were sweating as I sang it, Mr. Barton,” he said.

I’m so proud of him!

It was awesomely amazing and amazingly awesome.

Is he a person who will fix and finish our nation?

As all of those students and I clapped for him, I couldn’t help but think yes.

That all of these Kids will.

That all of us will.

Try.

That’s why I teach.

That’s why I write.

That’s why I hope.