April 21, 2016

The Tricky Part

The tricky part about writing everyday, is that on the days where you do a lot, the ones that are chalk full of activities and blazing thoughts, you are the most exhausted and not really in a mood to tackle your thoughts and pin them to the page.


Take today for example- I had two classes of read-alouds that went pretty well, and between my three classes I must have conferenced with at least fifteen kids. Lunch time was a high pressure Daraja meeting hell-bent on being productive. All fourteen members showed up, on time, and were busy at work. This is no small feat.


My afternoon included a forty-five minute chat with an independent leadership consultant we work with at school. She is meant to play the role of critical-friend for the admin and mid-level leaders at school. She gave me some good advice and things to think about as I transition into the head of grade role. I am equal parts excited and terrified.


Then Daraja was asked to help run a wine and cheese night for grade eight parents. After some initial miscommunication, the team pulled together and it was a success. The three student volunteers were simply spectacular. I am so happy that after four years of work, our GC is sustainable and effective enough where I can ask for volunteers for two events in one week, and not only do they volunteer their free time at night, but they do it with grace and enthusiasm. Tomorrow night another set of volunteers will help launch our Lit Mag at a launch party the students have planned.


There is a lot to say about the leadership conversation and the beauty of student centered learning, but on a night like this- after I inhaled a vegan pizza from Alt and an entire box of Pizza cinnamon Dough-balls, finding the energy to clearly articulate any of it, feels difficult to muster.


There many thoughts hatched today, many things learned, a few moments of awe and the overcoming of panic, keeping it cool, there was complaining and negotiating, waiting and doing. And now the only thing left to do is sleeping.

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