Speaking From The Soul

It’s no secret that I sometimes get frustrated with the pace of change in schools, including in my own building. But hopefully it’s also no secret that I work with an amazing bunch of folks at my school. Whether it’s the faculty dance at an assembly, innovative uses of technology in the classroom, or thoughtful discussions about teaching and learning, the staff at my school is always looking for ways to meet the needs of our students.

Karen Gerlich is one of those amazing staff members. From her latest blog post:

Now I'm no wallflower, but I don't necessarily enjoy sharing my writing--writing for me is like a window on my soul--perhaps that's why I'm a reluctant blogger. But, I figured if 9th graders could share their writing, if Lary could do birdcalls, I could take a chance and share my poem. So I did. Even for a seasoned professional (or, ancient veteran teacher), I found it hard to recite my poem in front of the kids. Eye contact was hard to make and my stomach lurched, but I did it. Then Lary challenged me to put it on my blog. So I am. No eye contact, but my stomach is lurching...

I thought about quoting her poem here, but instead I really, really, really recommend you visit her blog and read it yourself. Karen leads by example. By sharing herself with her students, she helps build those relationships and those common experiences that are a huge part of learning. It’s nothing less than inspiring.