What do we do now?

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What do we do today? We open our doors and smile and hug our students - our children.  We teach them. We guide them. We temper our day with a little more tolerance and patience, compassion and understanding. We value their strengths and challenges. We make them feel safe, happy and loved. We remember that they are truly innocent and just finding their place in this world and we value that, even when they frustrate us.

We remember that they are more than just our students. We remember, at the very forefront of our minds, that they light up the life of a parent, a grandmother, a sister or brother, aunt or uncle. They are someone's best friend. They have a favorite toy. They can't wait to go home and hug their dog, pet their cat or grab their hamster out of their cage.

We remember that they need time to paint, even though it's messy. They deserve to dance and sing, even though it's noisy. They deserve to go outside and play, even when it's too cold or too hot for us. They deserve time to play games with a thousand little pieces that they never put back in the box. They are children who deserve to be children.

We remember that they deserve our best. They deserve to be given what we know they need. They deserve to be seen as individuals, not test scores, not a name in a data binder, not another RTI packet to be filled out. They deserve the benefit of our experience. They deserve the best education that we can provide for them, in the way that we know they need it, on the timeline we know they will grasp it.

I, for one, am taking back my classroom. My students. I will be the teacher they need. I will do my best to prepare them for the assessments they must take. I will be sure to do what I'm supposed to do for this new wave of teacher evaluations. But I will no longer allow those things to dictate how I behave as a teacher. I will keep those things in the back of my mind, but I will keep the true needs of my students in my heart. Because at the end of the day, that's what really matters.


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24 comments

  1. Bravo Denise! I LOVE this post...so beautiful and such a great plan for all of us! We DO need to remember what is important. Thank you. :-)

    Karyn

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  2. Well said. I keep wondering how I can go on with my day while so many other teachers & mothers suffer.

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  3. Wow! Your post is amazing! It brought tears to my eyes. This morning, as I woke up, I wondered the same thing. Where do we go now, what do we do today? Your words couldn't have said it better. Thank you!
    Michelle
    Http://misskingsenchantedkingdom.blogspot.com

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  4. Denise your post is perfect. Thank you so much for putting these beautiful words together. I hope you don't mind but I'm not only linking my post today to you but I'm also sharing this with the teachers in my school.
    ✰ Stacy

    Simpson Superstars

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  5. Written beautifully! Yes we will, today is going to be a good good day.

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  6. Thanks for answering the question that has been on my mind all weekend. Very eloquently put, Denise!
    Ѽ Lori
    Teaching With Love and Laughter
    luvyorkies@gmail.com

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  7. Beautifully written. I shared on my Facebook page to help us to remember what our littles need.

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  8. I needed this as I prepare to face today.....thank you Denise.

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  9. WOW! Thanks Denise! We do need to remember the little things! I'm linking up to your post today and sharing with my school! ♥
    Gina
    Beach Sand and Lesson Plans

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  10. Beautifully said! Have a wonderful day

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  11. Well said! I agree completely!

    EmilyK

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  12. Thank you for being there for your kiddos.

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  13. Just beautiful Denise! Encouraging words indeed.
    Libby

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  14. Your post touched my heart! Thank you for sharing!

    Tammy
    The Resourceful Apple

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  15. I could not have said this better myself. Your words just brought tears to my eyes. I hope you don't mind, but I shared on Facebook....it's so important that the world sees that us as teachers will not back down...we realize even more now our purpose in life.
    Meredith

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  16. Wow that was perfect.... Your words are everything I was feeling... I too am going to share on Facebook!!!

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  17. Great post, well said & THANKS for sharing!

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  18. I shared this with my whole staff. Thanks for your beautiful words!

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  19. Read this yesterday after school and it was perfect... shared with my team... they agreed! Thanks for sending us some sunshine.

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