February 2, 2016

So Many Passions

This is what Skyelar says to me this morning as we are brushing her teeth:

I have so many passions:

singing
being a student and learning about things like animals
caring about people and animals
art
and building things.

Thank you Gillian​



It’s three twenty pm. I’ve taught three classes today, with one prep which I used to plan a lesson with Paula​. I was on grade 8 pod duty during the first break, and I joined my mentor class to help support Tabitha Global Concern group by participating in their walk for water campaign during lunch time.

But that was earlier in the day, it is now three twenty and I am working with our amazing Off Tangent literary magazine group as we finalise the stories and move them into our design template and get ready to send it all to publishing in a few days. The room is buzzing and exhausted, but we are all functioning and determined to get this thing done.

I have yet to sit down all day.

In walks in Andrea and asks if it is okay for Kaia to stay late today and help MC the Epic Arts dance performance later tonight. “She can stay and rehearse from 4:30-6:00 and then be a part of the show.”

After a quick chat with Mairin we thought that giving Kaia a chance to get up on stage and play an active role as a Service Executive Committee member would be a good idea. But this would mean me going home, changing, getting her some dinner and making my way back to school.

Yes, back to school after the day I just described. (Still no sitting)

After I dropped off her dinner, I ran over to Burp and sucked down two Tofu tacos, some chips and salsa and an ice idol coke. It was a tiny slice of heaven. I got to sit down and breathe.

Back at school and I watched Kaia do a great job getting the show started, and what a show. I had no idea what to expect, but these Epic Arts dancers did an amazing job of teaching history and culture through the medium of dance and art. It was for lack of a better word- epic! Nice to sit chat and catch up with Andrea​, Steven​ and Catherine​.

Made me realise how lucky I am to not only wok in such an amazing school, but that my kids are able to attend it as well. We teachers often complain or whinge about the amount of “work” we have to do and at times it is draining and exhausting but days like today make it worth it.

It is now 9:06 and I am nearly panting as I wait for my glass of wine and a Twix bar I bought from the gas station on my way home.

The work we do is so damn rewarding. I mean, from the second I got to school today, until I got home, I was helping young people understand their roles as readers, writers, activists, peace-lovers and artists. We built empathy as we walked in the rain. We created community as we bonded on our walk. We marvelled at the beauty of life and the finality of death as we held a bag of bird bones in our hands with Jenn​. We learned to find, sort, use and cite evidence to build our arguments to make sure that we have rational and empowered voices as we head into the world. We worked together to create a work of art- editing, designing, and negotiating. We learned to understand history through art and take risks by standing on stages. We clapped for the deaf and wondered how they felt the beat as they spun on stage in their wheelchairs.

We wondered. We marvelled. We built. We learned. We walked. We held. We worked.

And yes, work can be exhausting, but god damn if I would rather be doing anything else. And it is just Tuesday! We are off to Kenya in three days and who knows what we will be doing there.

Thank you to UWCSEA and everyone who makes it such an amazing place. You know who you are.

….

Observations:

  • Following your passion is tiring, but the good kind- that leaves you spent and ready for more. 
  • For better or for worse my kids are absorbing our values. I think this is for the better. I am so proud of them both. 


  1. What do you do that makes you tired, but you wouldn’t trade for the world? 
  2. How are your kids making you proud? 

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