Seeing the mole hills that form the mountain

I couldn't agree with Allison more. This first week of class has been eye-opening, and in a somewhat VERY discouraging but also motivating way. All of the discussions we've had about the obstacles that face our children, and the very principles that our educational system just doesn't seem to grasp...just make me feel very confused. How could education POSSIBLY be so poorly funded when we wax-poetic about how our children are the future? When it is one of the parts of society that so CLEARLY needs to be supported and changed...But how? Why are we left with the answer that one must start small when this issue effects so many and involves so many whether they like it or not? It doesn't seem like it would be the type of thing people would need to argue over, or seem like the place that you could borrow money from in order to support other areas. I would think people would be rallying constantly for a total reordering of structure and the revolution that Allison talks about. I suppose it is a lot of red tape and hoop jumping, and the trouble of knowing where to begin, of knowing what change that we have the power to initiate within the realm of possibilty.

I was, and still am, one of those people that feels pulled in a million directions at once. I could envision myself going into a dozen different careers pursuing one of my baker's dozen of interests, and had no idea how I was going to make the choice. A requirement that always guided that decision for me was the fact that I wanted to be able to say that every day I was doing something purposeful. Every day. No matter how small or grand, I wanted to be able to say that what I was doing directly contributed to society, without having to put a positive spin on my position. Could I work at a fancy clothing store? Sure. And certainly no job is beneath me, but ultimately in the simplest terms you'd be making something that people don't need. And education is just that--something that all people NEED. Every day when we go in to work, people are depending on us to be prepared. And not just get the job done, but to do it WELL. And if we have it within us, be one of those that is willing to go above and beyond well to be a mover and a shaker. If anything this week of classes has taught me that. And how much work actually goes in to making that happen. All of the preparation and planning, the thoughtfulness that must go into each lesson, each conversation with a child, each action we make within the community. It's terribly exciting. I realize these thoughts are making me sound very bright eyed and bushy tailed, and reminds me of what Zalika said about not expecting to walk into the classroom or school with the impression of "I'm going to rock your world! You're going to have no idea what hit you I'm so awesome." There's a false ego there, but a little confidence and amped energy never did any harm. Let's get ambitious.

All I know is that within education, there are a lot of bridges. And we're going to have to pick our battles and pick them well. But if anything, in the grand scheme I feel I've made the right decision, as you guys have: We're gonna die on the bridge of EDUCATION! Yeah! Or you know, we could cross it...